I have a distinct memory of going to the doctor when I was a teenager and asking the doctor in desperation to please make my acne disappear. In hindsight my skin wasn’t that bad, sure, there were times when I had a lot of breakouts but this was understandable. I was a teenager going through puberty. My body was changing, my hormones were fluctuating and this was normal for my stage of life but I was still very self-conscious and when I looked in the mirror I didn’t like what I saw. All I could see was my acne and it affected my self-esteem. So, how did this doctor respond? You might be assuming that she put me on some strong medication or suggested the contraceptive pill but to my surprise, she didn’t. She took a different route and reassured me that what I was going through was completely normal and there was nothing wrong with me. She told me to drink more water, use natural beauty products and eat more fruit and vegetables. Honestly, she was ahead of her time. Did I follow her advice as a 14-year-old? No, but it was exactly what I needed to hear and now as a clinical nutritionist, I love how she responded because talking to some of my friends about their experience, this was not what happened to them. 

I thought that all I had to do was wait it out. Once I was out of my teenage years, my skin would clear up, right? Well, I was wrong but I began to reconsider the products I was putting on my face and how diet played a role in my skin health. That doctor's appointment all those years ago was not a waste of time and what she said stuck with me somewhere in my subconscious. Many things contribute to skin health and cause skin inflammation and one of these things is hormonal fluctuations such as menstruation, pregnancy and conditions affecting the reproductive system such as PCOS. 

The nutritional management of acne focuses on addressing the underlying cause of hormonal fluctuations and the inflammatory response, as well as identifying food triggers that contribute to breakouts. One of the main ways to do this is to increase anti-inflammatory nutrients by; 

• Reducing your intake of refined carbohydrates and processed foods

• Increasing your variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those containing vitamins A & E such as green leafy vegetables and red and orange vegetables (pumpkin, carrots, red capsicum, sweet potato) 

• Ensuring an optimal intake of fibre including whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes

• Eating more foods containing omega 3 such as oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds

• Ensure you are eating some form of protein at every meal. Aim for at least 20g of protein per meal and as a snack

• Increasing your water intake to 2-2.5L of water a day

Lifestyle factors such as stress, smoking and alcohol can also affect skin health so it’s important to make room for self-care and consider the following lifestyle recommendations. 

• Stress management such as mindfulness, meditation, breath work, journaling or yoga

• Using natural skin care products including cosmetics and sunscreen

• Reducing toxins by considering the cleaning and personal care products you are using 

Some of my favourite natural skincare brands include the Endota Spa organics range (which is what I use the most and I genuinely notice positive differences in my skin), Mukti Organics, Weleda, Sukin, Maaemo, Kora Organics and Inika Organic. My all-time favourite natural cleaning brand is Koala Eco. 

There are many reasons why your skin may be going through changes and this can be very confusing and frustrating, especially if you have already tried so many things in the past to improve your skin. Through my individualised nutritional consultations, I would love to help you navigate this confusion and together we can identify the underlying cause and come up with a personalised nutrition plan to improve your skin. If this sounds like something you are interested in, please book a complimentary discovery call or an initial consultation here.

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