So far we have gone over a number of foods that are good for the skin, however, not everything that seems healthy is good, especially if you have a food intolerance. Food intolerances are different than food allergies because the symptoms (like acne) are not life-threatening and may happen only if you eat the food often. Symptoms for food intolerances usually appear gradually, sometimes not until 2 – 3 days later.  

Our food tolerances are often determined by our genetic makeup, farming practices, and our individual stress levels. Some ‘health’ foods trigger inflammation and acne. Whatever triggers inflammation will also accelerate the aging process.

Eliminating or reducing these risky foods at this stage is recommended for at least 60 days to see if it makes a difference. You can gradually have more of these foods to see how your skin reacts after it clears. You may be able tolerate moderate amounts of these foods that we will cover, but there’s no way of knowing unless you eliminate them first.

I would also advise to keep a food journal, as breakouts may not appear for 48 – 72 hours.

Milk & Dairy Products

First, let’s go over reasons why you could reacting and breaking out after having milk and dairy products:

Some of us are simply intolerant to lactose, which is natural-occurring sugar in milk, and don’t have the enzymes to break this down.

Our bodies could be intolerant to the innate growth hormones, because milk was designed for baby cows not for adult humans. Also, there could be added growth hormones present in milk and dairy products, which make hormonal imbalances worse

Whey protein, which is derived from milk could be hard to digest and can make some of us breakout. Whey protein is often used in protein powders for athletes, so just be cautious and look at the ingredients if you’re using protein supplements.

Just because you could be giving up milk and dairy products, does not mean giving up calcium. There are many alternative sources of calcium including enriched nut milks – like oat, hemp, almond, coconut, and cashew milk,

Calcium is also naturally present in foods like beans, lentils, kale, and turnip greens. Also, we have many plant-based yogurts fortified with calcium, which I’m seeing is increasingly common. You can also rely on calcium supplements.

Over time, as your digestive system improves, you may become more tolerant to dairy products or your sensitivities to dairy could be eliminated completely. This has been my personal experience!

Modernized Wheat

The second food I would like to cover is wheat, and why wheat sensitivities are now common:

The DNA of wheat has been changed by cross-breeding and crude genetic manipulation over the years to accommodate buyer demand. Remember industrial farmers want fast growing, pesticide resistant crops, not necessary the crops that are best for our health.

What is sold as “wheat” today (including “Non-GMO” wheat) is no longer the same species of wheat as what our ancestors had! 

The problem with modern wheat is that the gluten content is significantly higher and very difficult to digest for many of us. Unfortunately, too much gluten causes inflammation inside our intestinal tract and weakens our ability to absorb the nutrients we need.

Because the gut and our skin are so closely linked, the high gluten content in modern wheat must be seen as a potential trigger for acne. Excess gluten can also age you by affecting your overall complexion and by making you prone to premature wrinkles because of the inflammatory response inside your body.

Luckily, a number of ancient wheat species still do exist and can be purchased, such as kamut, emmer and einkorn wheat. I’m a huge fan of einkorn wheat, which was the first domesticated wheat in ancient Turkey thousands of years ago.

In a study with 12 celiac patients, gluten from einkorn wheat caused significantly fewer reactions than gluten from modern wheat, and was even better tolerated than rice (which is naturally gluten-free). So if you’re craving wheat products, I would strongly recommend looking in Einkorn wheat or other ancient wheat species like kamut or emmer wheat.

Corn & Soy

In addition to dairy and wheat intolerances, some women may also have a corn or soy intolerance. Though having a corn or soy intolerance that triggers acne is less common, it does exist.

And that’s because both crops are highly industrialized and have gone through genetic mutations, much like wheat, to maximize profits.

Soy has naturally occurring hormones, called phytoestrogens, that may cause other hormones to be off balance. Phytoestrogens, can actually tip the balance towards androgens, and that’s because Phytoestrogens bind to the same sites in cells that ‘real’ estrogen does, the kind that’s naturally produced inside the body. However, phytoestrogens are thousands of times weaker than real estrogens so they don’t have the same effect on the body. What this means is phytoestrogens from soy can block the effect of real estrogens in some women leading to androgen dominance.

When it comes to corn, I would choose organic, whole corn over corn-derived products, which are highly modified, and can lead to acne in some women.

So all of this is not to say that all women with acne will react to corn or soy products the same way, but I do want highlight the possibility of having these acne triggers. The only way to know if corn or soy makes a difference is to eliminate these foods from your diet for two months. You can always incorporate them back in moderate amounts, when you’re sure they are not causing you skin-troubles.

Coffee

Last but not least, I would like to cover coffee as a health food that can trigger acne. Studies have shown the the effects of coffee may greatly depend on the individual.

For some, it can harm the skin by increasing oil production and androgen levels, leading to hormonal imbalances and acne.

For others, coffee can be a great source of anti-oxidants and help reduce inflammation.

Coffee may also trigger acne if you’re under high stress levels – so you want to avoid the combination of the two. The effects of coffee on the skin can greatly vary by person. My recommendation is to cut down on your daily cup of coffee for at least a couple of months to see if it makes a difference.

Our food tolerances are often determined by our genetic makeup, farming practices, and our individual stress levels. Some ‘health’ foods trigger inflammation and acne. Whatever triggers inflammation will also accelerate the aging process.

Keeping a food journal is the best way to track potential triggers. These foods could also be incorporated slowly back into your diet once you have chronic inflammation under control.

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