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Got Acne? Limit
your Dairy Foods Intake
Many experts estimate that Acne affects 85%
of Americans making it the most common skin
disorder in the United States. While it
mostly affects teenagers, unfortunately,
Acne can carry through to adulthood as well
causing self esteem issues for anyone who
has this particular affliction. With so
many remedies available, what is an Acne
sufferer to do?
Dermatologists believe what largely determines
whether a person develops acne are genetics and
hormonal fluctuations, thus the tendency for it
to occur during puberty, pregnancy and
menopause. Many folks believe that another
contributing factor is chocolate and/or greasy
foods, but dermatologists are not quite sure
yet. Continued research has now revealed there
is one food group that has now been shown to
contribute to higher outbreaks. The food group
is dairy products. That's right, got milk?
A study published last year in the Journal of
the American Academy of Dermatology by a team at
Harvard suggests that a diet high in dairy
products can increase your likelihood of Acne.
The researchers analyzed the habits and diets of
nearly 50,000 people, looking especially at what
they ate while in high school. Those who drank
three or more cups of milk a day, the study
found, were 22 percent more likely to experience
severe acne compared with those who drank one
serving a week or less.
Skim milk had the greatest effect. Cream cheese
and cottage cheese were also associated with
outbreaks, while chocolate and greasy foods were
not. The researchers attributed the effect to
hormones in milk; other studies have had similar
findings.
It is interesting to note the wide range of
intake of dairy products for this study.
Students who drank three cups of milk a day vs.
those who drank one serving a week were the ones
who were 22% more likely to experience severe
acne. That is a huge difference in daily
intake. Those in that group suffered “severe”
acne.
As you know, each person reacts to a specific
food or medication differently. Taking this
study into consideration, it proves that diet
can have an impact on your acne breakouts.
While dermatologists are in disagreement about
chocolate and greasy foods, my own personal
experience suggested that they did indeed impact
my outbreaks. As an Acne sufferer, you need to
monitor your diet to test if certain foods are
contributing to your outbreaks. Our diets and
the foods we eat are significantly different
that what we ate 25, 50 or 100 years ago. It is
very likely that these changes have contributed
to such a high percentage of the population
suffering from Acne at some point in their life.
So how can you tell which foods are causing your
Acne outbreaks? Start keeping a log of the
foods you eat and when Acne outbreaks occur.
While this may sound simple enough, it will
require some diligence on your part to truly
keep an accurate log. Pay special attention to
foods that are not natural. For example, it is
unlikely carrot sticks will cause an outbreak,
but that big bag of Sour Cream and Onion Ruffles
might. I know from my own experience, it seemed
like anytime I ate a chocolate bar, I had an
outbreak within 1-2 days. When keeping your
logs, pay close attention to these patterns. If
you are a heavy consumer of dairy products, you
may want to pay special attention to your intake
in this area and modify your diet accordingly.
Make sure to pay special attention to what
nutrients you might be losing if you cut back on
milk, such as calcium and vitamin D. As always,
consult your doctor and/or dermatologist if your
problem persists.
Acne News
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