McDonald: Our Skin And Hair Are Not Loving It!

Most people suffering from skin problems, such as acne or eczema, attempt to address the issue with external face washes, soaps, lotions and treatments. Marketing is not short of so called miraculous products. Yet, according to a number of natural health authors, the best way to treat your skin is by changing your diet and getting rid of skin issues-causing ingredients such as fried foods.

Skin problems cannot really be treated with creams and soaps because the root cause lies beneath the skin.

A healthy diet that mainly includes fruits, vegetables, berries, whole grains and beans is certainly the best treatment there is for acne-prone and even eczema, dry and flaky skin.

Getting extra vitamin A and Zinc will also help with the break outs.

What McDo and the likes really do to our skin?

Fried foods are prepared over extreme heat to hasten the cooking process. Submerging carbohydrate-rich ingredients or foods into extreme heat causes harmful chemicals to develop that will eventually trigger medical conditions in the long run. At the same time, fried foods like the old time favourite French Fries can encourage acne, black and whiteheads and other skin problems.

Eliminating fried foods from the diet will not only benefit skin. Healthy hair also greatly depends on the amounts of greasy, fried foods consumed.

Foods that are Bad for the Skin and Hair

• Fried foods which are usually heated in the most harmful hydrogenated oils are to be avoided at all costs. Eliminating fried foods will treat the hair internally helping it look better externally.
• Salt. Individuals who are nearing their middle age have to careful with salt consumption. As we age, we tend to become more sensitive to the effects. Too much salt promotes water retention, causing puffiness around the eyes. Actually, salt causes swelling in any part of the body, but because the skin around the eyes is thinner, it tends to swell easily.
• Shellfish, Crab, Shrimp, Lobster. B. Schultz, a renowned dermatologist in New York explains that a diet with high iodine content can cause acne. However, it only happens over time, when a huge amount of iodine is accumulated from the diet, and not from a one time meal.
• Dairy. Another renowned dermatologist in New York, Dr. Bobby Buka said that, “some dairy products may contribute to skin problems.” A study was conducted in 2012 in Italy, showed that skim milk, in particular, contains higher amount of bioavailable hormones that can overstimulate the glands which manufacture the skin’s natural oil and thus favour acne and unhealthy skin.
• Starchy Foods or High Glycemic Ones. Corn syrup, white breads, cakes and pastas are your common starchy pick. They might be a link between eating high glycemic foods which cause the blood glucose level to rise up and eventually encourage acne. A 2007 study conducted in Australia on young males seemed to show significant results in the decrease of their acne when they changed for a low glycemic index diet.
• Alcohol. It is a natural diuretic that dehydrates your skin. When the natural skin moisture is sapped, you become more vulnerable fine lines and wrinkles and eczema.
• Sugar weakens the skin by affecting tissues like collagen. Sugar makes you more prone to develop thin lines and wrinkles.
• Sodas containing sugar preservatives and artificial flavouring.

As mentioned, Acne is not the only thing that will benefit from a better diet. The amounts of greasy, fried foods we consumed impact the health of our hair. Joseph B. Marion, author of Anti-Aging Manual, advises a diet free of fried foods, nuts, chocolate, iodised salt, butter, shellfish, and alcohol. Likewise, in his book Alternative Cures, Bill Gottlieb recommends to lower the amounts of fried food  and saturated fat in the diet. This will improve one’s hair internally, which in turn makes it healthy on the outside.

So for healthy skin and hair, stop eating fried, fatty foods. Instead, turn to a diet rich in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, healthy oils and grains. Vitamins A, B, C and E are all necessary for healthy skin and are generally provided by a healthy balanced diet.

Drink carrot juice every day for a good dose of betacarotene, a precursor of Vitamin A. Poor skin condition can indicate an acidic condition in the blood which can be flushed out with watermelon juice.

Fine Lines and Acne

While fine lines occur naturally and inevitably, acne can be controlled or prevented with the right kind of food and hygiene practices. Dr. Bobby Buka, mentioned above says that “Every dermatologist will attest that a well-rounded diet will better support a healthy immune system and will therefore result in fewer dermatological conditions of all types.” Since the food you eat has an impact on the health of your skin, you might as well add foods that can hydrate your skin like celery, fish and cucumber.

Receding Hairline and Falling Hair

Unhealthy hair issues are primarily caused by stress and poor diet. Although genetic makeup also plays an important role in this, the problem can still be aggravated by an unhealthy lifestyle. Basically, human hair thrives with biotin, zinc, vitamin A, C, D and E, B vitamins, iron, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. All these can be taken from foods like tuna, mackerel, cruciferous vegetables and other greens, carrots, eggs, and fruits among many others.

Juicing For Your Skin

Carrot, Cucumber, and Lettuce in proportion of 4:1:1 (for example 4 cups, 1 cup and 1 cup).This juice taken regularly over time is good for skin diseases, eczemas, rashes, pimples, eye inflammations, tender nails and weak hairs.