Certain foods trigger acne.
We know this.
But why and how and how do these foods affect the skin?
Food intolerances to certain foods set up a delayed immune response of the GIT (Gasto Intestinal system) which causes inflammation and this is expressed through the skin. An intolerance is different from an allergy – with an allergy, the body violently tries to expel the irritant and a series of reactions occur. With an intolerance or hypersensitivity, the body produces an immune response in a slower fashion – you may experience headaches, bloating, irritable bowel, fatigue, joint pains, dark circles under the eyes, sinusitis, wet or dry cough, night sweats, rashes, eczema and acne.
So I suggest that to find out if you are intolerant to a certain food substance, that you remove what I call the ‘Sneaky 7’ – these are seven easily hidden foods which commonly cause acne. You remove these foods for 21 days. If there is an intolerance, initially you will crave the food and then you will see an improvement in symptoms and your skin will also show a positive change. Once you remove the cause of the inflammation, the immune and inflammation response decreases, and as it does, so does the acne.
I use this programme for acne and have written about it in my book “The Hormonal Acne Solution” – due out at the end of July. However, while on the diet, my patients have reported back saying that they feel more energetic, less bloated, sleep better and their skin is of course improving.
So what are the Sneaky 7?
1. Dairy 
A very common food allergen and dairy products have been linked to artificial growth hormones, spiking insulin levels and worsening of acne. It’s in cow, goat and sheeps milk yoghurts, frozen yoghurts, cheeses, skimmed milk, soya milk, cottage cheese, creamy soups and sauces, salad dressings, desserts, ice cream, whey and casein. You can replace it with unsweetened rice, almond milk and coconut milk.
2. Gluten
This causes the release of zonulin, a protein that loosens the junctions in the small intestine, making it more permeable and allowing particles to pass through that normally would not be able to. This causes an inflammatory response. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and most oatmeal. All flours, breads, baked goods, cereals, soy sauce and many snacks such as pretzels, popcorn, pizza, pasta, barley drinks…the list is long. You can replace with non gluten grains and starch such as brown rice, oats, millet, quinoa, tapioca, potato flour and amaranth.
3. Peanuts
Prone to mould and aflatoxin, an unpleasant fungus, these are worth staying away from as they are highly allergenic. They also have a lower fatty acid profile than other nuts and many peanut butters are high in trans fats and high-fructose corn syrup. They are found in peanut butter, cookies, peanut oil, snacks, candy and food toppings. You can easily replace them with walnuts, sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews and almond butter.
Try these out for now…I don’t want to bombard you with too much too soon.
The rest of the Sneaky 7?
You will have to wait until my book is released and you can get the full list then. It isn’t too long now. Keep your eyes open..