A healthy diet is extremely beneficial for the entire body,
including the skin. Although it has been studied that foods
blamed for causing acne actually do not, such as chocolate or
greasy foods, it is possible that a bad diet can aggravate acne.
So keeping a healthy diet is going to be especially important
for acne prone skin.

Studies have recently been performed in Australia where the
results proved that diets which had higher protein content
showed an improvement in acne. Such foods are milk, cheese,
breads, chicken, nuts, fruits and vegetables. Diets that were
high in processed foods increased the blood sugar and insulin
levels causing more acne.

The best diet to maintain healthy, acne-free skin should contain
the following:

Vitamin A which is the main substance of Retin A (a popular acne
medication) is found naturally in carrots, spinach, apricots and
cantaloupes. A diet of too much Vitamin A can cause joint pain
and birth defects so it is important not to have too much
Vitamin A in your diet.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) can alleviate the stress known to cause
acne. Foods with high B2 include wheat germ, milk, eggs, fish
and meat. A deficiency of this vitamin can cause skin
inflammation and poor hair and nails.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) improves circulation and naturally protects
the skin from sun damage. This vitamin is found in peanuts,
brown rice, eggs, chicken, tuna and broccoli. A deficiency of
this vitamin can cause fatigue and depression.

Vitamin B6 is found in chicken, beef and bananas. It is
important to have this vitamin in your diet because a deficiency
can cause excess sebum production, causing more acne breakouts.

Vitamin C is beneficial in producing collagen in the skin thus
producing an overall clearer complexion. This vitamin is found
in fruits and vegetables.

Zinc is very important to acne skin. A deficiency of zinc in
your diet can result in acne or eczema. Zinc also helps boost
the immune system which improves the body’s overall health
including the skin. Zinc can be found in eggs, cheese, chicken,
nuts and mushrooms.

It is also very important to drink a lot of water. Mineral water
being the best. Water helps reduce acne by flushing out the
toxins. Water also helps to keep your organs working properly.
Problems in the digestive system can cause acne breakouts. Also
water keeps the skin hydrated - if the skin is dehydrated the
skin’s natural exfoliation process can slow down causing pores
to block adding to more acne.

About the author:
Michele Bucci is a licensed esthetician and contributing editor
to Begin With the Skin.Com - a site created to ="http://beginwiththeskin.com">answer your questions about skin
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