Acne control
Acne control
If you’ve got teenage kids or grandkids who are struggling to control acne, let them know they may be able to treat their condition fairly easily. All they need to do is avoid some of their favorite foods.
Not an easy sell, right? But it might work wonders.
Australian researchers mounted a study to test a low-glycemic diet on acne lesions in 43 young males. For three months, half the group followed a diet that featured foods with low ratings in the glycemic index. The other group followed a carbohydrate-dense diet.
Results showed four marked improvements for subjects in the low-glycemic group compared to the carb-dense group:
- Total lesion counts were significantly reduced
- Overall weight was reduced
- Body mass index was reduced
- Insulin sensitivity improved
The glycemic index rates food items according to their effect on blood sugar. Simple carbs (such as processed baked goods, breads not made from whole grains, starchy foods, and added sugar) raise blood sugar levels quickly and get high numbers in the glycemic index. Lower numbers go to meat and most fruits and vegetables.
You can find more information about how a low-glycemic diet has a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity in the e-Alert “Real World Rules” (7/17/06), at this link: http://www.hsionline.com/ealerts/ea200607/ea20060717.html
Sources:
“A Low-Glycemic-Load Diet Improves Symptoms in Acne Vulgaris Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 86, No. 1, July 2007, ajcn.org
