These foods that cause breakouts!

Nearly 85% of people experience breakouts at some point in their lives, making them one of the most common skin disorders among our neighbors in the United States. While these breakouts typically occur during puberty, they aren't limited to teenagers and can affect any age group—up to 50 and beyond.

While not physically dangerous, pimples can cause serious psychological damage. Some people who suffer from them become so self-conscious and embarrassed that their personal and professional lives suffer, and they feel increasingly excluded, depressed, and withdraw socially.

Many people mistakenly believe that pimples are primarily a cosmetic issue, but they're actually a sign of a deep imbalance in your system, often located in the intestines. Most doctors completely miss this connection and simply prescribe medications and other topical treatments.

Our American neighbors spend over $2.2 billion each year on pimple treatments, both prescription and over-the-counter, but most of them prove useless if you ignore the root cause of most pimples: an unbalanced diet.

Are you desperate to get clear skin? '' Cut out gluten and grains.'' This is what Dr. Mercola (1) mentions here: ''Celiac disease, which is an extreme form of gluten sensitivity that causes your innate and adaptive immune systems to attack your small intestine, is estimated to affect about 1.8% of people in the Western world. But 30 to 40% of the population may be affected by non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and, according to Dr. Alessio Fasano of Massachusetts General Hospital, virtually all of us are affected to some extent.

Because we all produce a substance in our intestines in response to gluten, called zonulin. Glutinous proteins, found in wheat, barley, and rye, called prolamins, can make your intestines more permeable, allowing partially digested proteins to enter the bloodstream when they normally shouldn't be there, and sensitizing your immune system, promoting inflammation, which can contribute to worsening acne.

Once gluten has sensitized your intestines, they become more permeable to all sorts of gut bacterial components, and dietary proteins that were previously excluded—such as casein and other milk proteins—have direct access to your bloodstream, further stimulating your immune system.

If you suffer from pimples, try eliminating gluten and foods containing lectins . Among the most important ones to avoid are grains containing prolamins, those sticky, hard-to-digest proteins, such as wheat, barley, rye, and even oats, rice, and corn.'' But that's not all...

If you suffer from pimples, he advises avoiding all grains and also sugar . Here's his explanation: " While it's certainly important to eliminate glutenous grains if you suffer from pimples, I also advise you to avoid all types of refined carbohydrates . Pimples are a much less common problem in non-Westernized societies, where people consume far fewer refined carbohydrates and sugar.

Diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates are among the main causes of breakouts. When you eat carbohydrates from grains, sugar, or fructose, it causes your body to experience a surge of insulin and an insulin-like growth factor, IGF-1. This surge can lead to an excess of male hormones, such as testosterone, which causes your pores to secrete sebum, an oily substance that attracts breakout-promoting bacteria.

Additionally, high levels of IFG-1 cause skin cells called keratinocytes to multiply, a process also associated with breakouts.

These same foods—refined carbohydrates, such as fructose and sugar, and grains—will also increase inflammation in your body, which can lead to breakouts, and will simultaneously wreak havoc on the composition of your gut bacteria, as explained above.

In 2007, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that young men (aged 15 to 25) with pimples who followed a low-carb diet for 12 weeks showed significant improvements in their acne and insulin sensitivity. Research published last year also showed that a high-carb diet and high dairy consumption are linked to pimple breakouts.

Dr. Mercola adds : To combat breakouts, eat plenty of vegetables and limit processed foods.

Any meal or snack high in refined carbohydrates (i.e., grains and sugars) causes a rapid rise in blood sugar. To adjust to this rapid rise, your pancreas releases a hormone, insulin, into your blood.

High blood sugar causes repeated surges of insulin; as a result, your cells become "insulin resistant," leading to extra insulin production, and ultimately insulin resistance, another key factor linked to breakouts.

Therefore, if you suffer from pimples, you should avoid all foods that contribute to insulin resistance (i.e., sugar and grains), not just grains containing gluten. The best way to know if you are insulin or leptin resistant is to measure your fasting insulin levels. If it is below 3, you are probably not resistant.

However, if you are overweight, have high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, or abnormal cholesterol levels, you likely have a predisposition to insulin or leptin resistance and would benefit from restricting your intake of sugars and grains until the problem is resolved.

You'll be happy to know that simply eliminating grains, sugars (especially fructose), cereals, potatoes, corn, rice, pasta, processed foods, etc., significantly improves breakouts in most people. Fruits contain a fair amount of fructose, so limit your intake if you're prone to breakouts. Or, at the very least, choose fruits that are low in sugar and high in nutrients, such as berries .

And avoid fruit juices because they are very high in sugar and lack the compensating effects of fiber, pectin, and other dietary cofactors found in organic, whole, raw fruits. Fresh vegetable juices, on the other hand, are excellent, as are most vegetables, which take time to break down into simple sugars and have minimal impact on insulin.

Dr. Mercola continues with this question : "Why can optimizing your gut health help fight breakouts? If you clean up your diet, as explained above, your gut health will naturally improve.

To begin with, the microorganisms in your gut send signals throughout your body and interact with the microorganisms on your skin and intestinal lining. Researchers are studying how these interactions can help alleviate skin problems like dryness, improve collagen, or stabilize the microflora on your skin to alleviate irritation. As the researchers pointed out in Gut Pathogens :

“The lines of communication mediated by gut microbes can be direct or indirect—ultimately influencing the degree of acne through a systemic effect on inflammation, oxidative stress, glycemic control, tissue lipid levels, pathogenic bacteria, as well as levels of mood-regulating neuropeptides and neurotransmitters. ...

There seems to be enough evidence to indicate that gut microbes and the entire gastrointestinal tract itself are contributing factors in the breakout process.

The connection through your emotional health is also interesting because stress can also trigger breakouts through the gut-brain connection. Research conducted by dermatologists John Stokes and Donald Pillsbury over 70 years ago theorized that emotions could alter gut flora, contributing to systemic inflammation that could exacerbate pimples and other skin problems.

In 2011, researchers validated this link, highlighting:

“Experimental studies show that psychological stress slows normal small intestinal transit time, promotes bacterial overgrowth, and compromises the intestinal barrier. SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) is strongly associated with depression and anxiety, while eradicating SIBO improves emotional symptoms.

Although the frequency of SIBO in common breakouts has not been studied, a recent report indicates that the number of SIBO cases is 10 times higher in people with rosacea than in healthy subjects. Treatment of SIBO results in significant clinical improvements in patients with reddened breakouts.

Dr. Mercola says , "Treating acne requires a comprehensive approach. Your skin is your body's largest organ, and also an organ of elimination (particularly through sweating), which is why problems appearing on its surface are often signs of underlying issues. Skin tone is a reflection of overall health, which is why topical pimple treatments (or worse, systemic treatments) can't solve the problem (and can cause serious side effects).

Her recommendations: "Treating pimples requires a comprehensive approach that nourishes and heals your skin from the inside out, so consider the following essential factors in your plan of attack:

• Avoid starchy foods, sugars, fructose, and grains: This is arguably the most important step you can take to improve your skin health. If you eliminate all sugars, fructose, and grains for a few weeks, you're likely to quickly notice an improvement in your complexion. Replace these foods with healthy fats, found in avocados, olives, olive oil, coconut oil, and butter. Have a nutrition plan that will clearly show you how to eat properly for healthy skin and overall good health.
• Water : Drink plenty of pure, fresh water every day. Hydrating your body facilitates cell growth and regeneration, and the elimination of waste and dead skin. Hydration also improves your complexion. Each day, drink enough water so that your urine is pale yellow. If your urine is bright yellow, you're probably not drinking enough (unless you're taking B vitamins, which color urine bright yellow).
• Physical activity: High-intensity exercise helps your body eliminate toxins, including those from your skin pores. Additionally, exercise is vital for your overall health. If you have access to an infrared sauna, this can also be effective because the more you sweat, the more unwanted waste and contaminants you eliminate through your skin pores.
• Sleep : Did you know that a good night's sleep can reduce stress and improve the appearance of your skin? It's primarily at night, when you sleep, that your body regenerates and rebuilds itself, and this applies to your skin as well.
• A healthy balance of bacteria: You can restore your bacterial balance by incorporating raw foods (which contain live, beneficial bacteria) into your diet and/or taking a good-quality probiotic supplement. This is especially important if you've been on antibiotics, as these medications indiscriminately kill the good bacteria in your gut, without which your immune system cannot function effectively.
• Vitamin D: This important nutrient is essential for maintaining a healthy immune response, and most people are deficient in it. If you're deficient in vitamin D, your body can't fight infections, whether in your skin or elsewhere. The best way to optimize your vitamin D levels is to get reasonable sun exposure or use a safe tanning bed.
• Animal-based omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids help normalize skin lipids and prevent cellular dehydration. This keeps skin cells strong and well-hydrated, which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines. A deficiency of essential fatty acids can manifest itself in a variety of ways, but skin problems such as eczema, thickened patches of skin, and cracked heels are common examples. Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids can have an anti-inflammatory effect that can help soothe irritated skin and give you a clear, even complexion.
• Manage your stress: Adopt proven stress relief methods, such as yoga or meditation.

Dr. Mercola's Summary

• Grains (gluten-containing or not) and sugar should be avoided if you suffer from breakouts.

• Gluten can make your gut more permeable, allowing proteins to enter the bloodstream when they shouldn't be there; this sensitizes your immune system and promotes inflammation, which can lead to breakouts.

• When you eat starchy foods, grains, and sugar or fructose, it triggers a surge of insulin and an insulin-like growth factor, IGF-1, in your body. High levels of IGF-1 also cause skin cells called keratinocytes to multiply, a process also associated with breakouts.

• This influx can lead to an excess of male hormones, which causes your pores to secrete sebum, an oily substance that attracts bacteria that promotes pimples.

Also note this 2016 study by the NCBI ( National Center for Biotechnology Information ) regarding the importance of diet in treated and untreated acne. (2)

1. For all the studies cited and Dr. Mercola's explanations, it's here: https://french.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/04/18/aliments-qui-provoquent-l-acne.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookmercolafr_ranart&utm_campaign=20190713_aliments-qui-provoquent-l-acne&fbclid=IwAR3DXEcqt0-ZdJkIEXTUKZBfWhZvnCX-1I1O1T3VHbdqI5pFnhSXd232xGs
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4884775/

Maison Jacynthe disclaims all liability. All information contained in this article or letter is not intended to replace justified allopathic treatment or to disregard the expertise of the medical profession. It is up to each individual to take charge of their own health, to inform themselves, and to make the necessary changes to improve their condition. Therapeutic supervision by a qualified healthcare professional is strongly recommended.