Maybe it’s stress, maybe its eating bad food during the holidays (dare I say it!?), maybe it’s lack of sleep, but after Thanksgiving my skin was awful! I had fresh break outs newly each morning, and seemed to just get worse no matter what I did. So of course I do what any normal person would do: google the crap out of “skin break out” and come up with a war plan. So what causes your skin to break out? Let’s take a look:
Eating sugar may contribute to skin break outs. Studies show that consuming high glycemic index foods causes the body to secrete more insulin which leads to inflammation and aggravates acne break outs. “Ugh! But I still have Christmas cookies to make with the kiddos!” Yes, I hear you, but don’t throw yourself into full panic mode just yet mamma elf! Fortunately there are several low glycemic index sweeteners that you can use as replacement for regular white sugar. One of my personal favorites is Coconut Sugar. It is so tasty, you’ll want to put it on everything from Butternut squash to subbing it out for regular brown sugar in any of your favorite holiday recipes. Find the glycemic index of several common foods here.
Drinking milk. Now my family has already bounced off the “milk” train and we drink almond milk instead of cow’s milk, but this just gives all the more reason as to why that is a good idea! Several studies have found a positive association with acne for intake of whole milk and skim milk. One study found that women who drank 2 or more glasses of skim milk a day were 44% more likely to have acne than others! It also hypothesizes that the association with milk may be because of hormones and bioactive molecules in milk. Surprisingly, these same results were not found in other dairy products such as cheese or yogurt (or ice cream, whew!). Our family usually drinks Almond Breeze or Silk as they are easy to find. I have even bought plain almonds and used a cheese cloth to strain my own milk, using this recipe! It was frothy and delicious. Find other healthy cow milk alternatives here.
Stress! Seems like a no brainer right, but a link has been found between the severity of the stress you are going through, and the severity of your skin break out. Suspicions, validated am I right?! There are several different mechanisms that may contribute to this finding, such as increase in cortisol levels during stress which in turn causes the sebaceous glands to hyper produce oil on the skin, leading to break outs. One study found that an increase in substance P, (a neuropeptide elicited by stress), can also stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more oils. No only that, but people who are experiencing high stress also heal more slowly, making the break outs appear worse. So STOP STRESSING! Maybe that means getting 30 minutes of active break time a day, reading a book, listening to encouraging podcasts, or just driving with the windows open and the music blaring as you leave to pick your kids up from school (Low Country winter at 74 degrees). Do something each day to unwind and destress. One of my favorite “go to’s” for encouragement is the Rise podcast by Rachel Hollis
Not drinking enough water. There it is! Water is good for yet ANOTHER thing in life. It helps to flush out toxins in the body (which can otherwise show up on your face), is necessary for cellular health (including nice juicy skin cells), and even helps to reduce inflammation, which can lead to acne break outs. Water for the win! AND, because it is Christmas time and you know how I love a good cause (pun intended), consider buying a loved one the gift of a water bottle! Why not this one from Caus, which donates 25% of its profits to various causes, to stay hydrated while making the world a better place.
I hope this has helped you as much as it has me! My nemesis: Yup it was water. Believe it or not, carrying your water bottle around does not actually hydrate you. Here is a good tip on how to make sure to drink enough water: aim for drinking your weight in oz of water. So, if I weight 125 lbs, I drink 125 oz of water per day. That’s real, so there it is. Give it a go! Whether your nemesis is sugary treats, drinking milk, or drowning in stress, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your body responds to your efforts.
Dr. Ashley Romine, DPT
Owner / Physical Therapist
Athlete’s Mechanic, LLC
Want more daily motivation? Watch videos of stretches, exercises and more by following along at instagram.com/dr.ashleyromine.