ROSACEA PART 1: HOW DOES DIET AFFECT ROSACEA?
What is Rosacea?
Rosacea results when there is an increased blood flow to the surface of the skin, sometimes causing the blood vessels to dilate. It typically causes the cheeks, nose, and chin to appear very red like a sunburn or blushing. Rosacea is very prevalent right now due to the weather changes and extreme temperatures. Did you know there can be other underlying causes to rosacea? Things like diet, stress, and cosmetics can all be factors in causing or worsening rosacea. Since there are many things that can play a role in causing rosacea, I decided to break this down into a three-part series in order to dive into this topic a little bit deeper.
This blog post is all about the effect your diet can have on rosacea. Although it is overlooked quite often, what goes in our body is just as important as what goes on our body. Feeding your skin from the inside out can be beneficial in reducing the symptoms of rosacea. No one likes a list of foods they have to stay away from, but no one enjoys covering up their skin either. Since long lists of foods to avoid can be quite daunting, I made a list of five foods that can really affect rosacea:
Five Foods To Avoid
Red Meat
Red Wine
Chocolate
Caffeine
Spicy Foods
Why Should You Avoid These Foods?
Basically, you want to avoid foods that elevate the temperature of your body or increase your blood pressure. Foods that cause an elevation in temperature or blood pressure will increase the symptoms of your rosacea. Since rosacea is an increase in blood flow to the surface of the skin, avoiding that can cause temperature elevation and a blood pressure increase can help avoid the dilation of the blood vessels which help improve the look of the skin.
For example, red meat tends to be high in cholesterol and saturated fat which means eating a lot of it can cause an increase in your blood pressure. Alcohol and chocolate can also raise your blood pressure. Caffeine causes a short but dramatic increase in blood pressure which can wreak havoc on your skin. We all know spicy foods can raise our body temperatures very easily.
What Should You do?
Nourish your skin from within by eating better for your gut. More whole foods, whole grains, fresh cruciferous veggies, cooling foods like cucumbers and melons, fresh juices like pomegranate juice will help your skin. Healthy fats like omega-3s from salmon or mackerel. You can also get omega-3s from chia and flax seeds. Berries, fresh or frozen, are another great fruit to add to your diet because they are full of antioxidants. Drinking room temperature water will also make a difference. Overall, eating a diet with less inflammatory foods will help reduce rosacea symptoms.
Stay tuned for next week’s blog post!
*Although I am a Holistic Nutritionist, always consult your trusted healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your diet. This information here is not intended to treat or cure.