The Beauty Diet (20 page)

You already know that cookies, soda, sugar-coated cereal, and ice cream have lots of sugar. A 12-ounce can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar. (One teaspoon of sugar has 15 calories.) The foods to watch out for are those that seem like they might be good for you but actually contain hidden sugar, such as fruit drinks, ketchup, commercially made granola bars and bran muffins, and some exotic waters and energy drinks.

Food allergies are often the culprit behind inflammations of the skin, including redness, hives, swelling, and eczema.

The symptoms of food allergies and sensitivities range from mild to severe. You could have a moderate allergy to certain foods without being aware of it.

When you have an extreme food allergy, your body has a full-on inflammatory reaction for the wrong reason. It believes that molecules of wheat or egg or soy are a threat, and it wages a systemic allergic reaction that makes your throat swell up and your skin erupt in hives. Even a minuscule amount of allergen can immediately ignite another inflammatory response.

Many people have milder forms of food allergies that they don't even know about. This means on a regular basis they are eating foods that activate their immune system, causing constant, low-level inflammation.

If you know you have mild food allergies or sensitivities, don't try to get away with eating "just a little" of the food item
to which you are allergic. This just keeps your immune system constantly upregulated.

If you suspect you may have food allergies but aren't sure what they are, try the elimination diet—it works! You begin by eliminating foods from your diet that tend to cause allergies. Gradually you reintroduce different foods, waiting to see if your body shows signs of sensitivity. If your skin reacts when you consume specific foods, then by eliminating any foods to which you are sensitive, you can reduce inflammation and its associated symptoms. By choosing foods that do not challenge your immune system, you restore your clear, glowing complexion.

Is there anything more horrifying than waking up and discovering a hideous pimple on your face? OK, I admit there are worse things in life. But when it comes to everyday problems, acne can be really discouraging.

Acne is caused by clogged pores and the inflammation of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. When the glands in the skin produce too much sebum, the oil combines with dead skin cells, and pores become plugged. This creates blackheads and whiteheads.

There is a link between diet and acne—but it's not what most people think it is. Many of us grew up believing that chocolate and fried foods cause acne, but the real dietary culprits are sugar and foods that promote inflammation. How exactly does it happen? Loren Cordain, Ph.D., a professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University who has studied the link between foods and acne, says that when you eat too many carbs (too often and in the wrong proportions), your body makes more insulin, which increases production of hormones known as
androgens
. High levels of androgens cause sebaceous glands in the skin to