Cut the Sugar, Cut the Wrinkles
The added sugar in your diet from the likes of cakes, cookies and candies is not just bad for your healthy figure, but also for your flawless skin. This is because sugar has many adverse effects on the radiant health of your skin; thus causing premature appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and deep creases.
Why Should You Cut Sugar
Scientists and dermatologists have identified several ways that sugar increased inflammation. After eating carb- or sugar-heavy snacks and meals, the body reacts by becoming inflamed. The inflammation will affect all the organs including the heart, lungs and skin. This, in turn, causes redness, swelling and other signs of stress.
When the inflammation becomes a chronic occurrence, the skin undergoes increasing stress that will eventually affect its tone, texture and overall appearance. Fine lines are more likely to appear and to become more visible wrinkles.
Glycation: When sugar is digested by the digestive system, the body releases glucose into the bloodstream, a process known as glycation. The glucose attaches to collagen, thus, weighing the protein fiber down; collagen keeps the skin firm, elastic and smooth. Once weighed down, collagen becomes more rigid and the skin becomes more likely to sag.
Sugar in the form of glucose weakens the strongest type of collagen in the skin. This in turn makes the skin less supple, less smooth and less flexible. The higher the glucose levels, the drier the skin will be and the more likely wrinkles will prematurely appear.
The bottom line: Added sugar in your diet makes for dry skin so that fine lines, wrinkles and deep creases become more visible.
What to Cut
Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not just the cakes, cookies and candies, the usual sugar-laden desserts that can wreak havoc on your skin. Carbohydrates are also the culprit, but this does not mean that you should cut out all carbohydrates from your diet. Keep in mind that carbohydrates are macronutrients, which are necessary for your body’s normal functioning including energy production.
The trick is in choosing the healthy type of carbohydrates, namely, whole grains and vegetables. This is because whole grains will be digested more slowly so that your body in general and your skin in particular are not hastily affected by the immense amount of glucose. However, bread, pasta and white rice are digested more quickly, so your skin unfortunately suffers from too much glucose at one time.
Just limit, if not eliminate, the following items from your diet:
- Yeast breads
- Sweetened beverages including soda, fruit juices, and coffee drinks
- Grain- and dairy-based desserts including cakes and cookies
Of course, you can still get your sweet fix from fruits like strawberries, melons, and bananas, among others. The key here is to limit the amount of added sugars that you consume on a daily basis so that you will eventually observe positive developments in your skin’s health. Be sure to read the labels, too, since added sugars are also present in processed and packaged foods despite the low-sugar and zero sugar claims.
About Healthpointe:
Healthpointe is a leading multidisciplinary healthcare organization offering a full range of medical services in practice locations throughout Southern California (Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County). Healthpointe has locations situated in over 10 cities in Southern California including Long Beach, which is conveniently located near Signal Hill, Carson, Seal Beach, Lakewood, Bellflower, Compton, Hawaiian Gardens, and Los Alamitos. As a highly regarded musculoskeletal group, we have a personal investment in the highest level of service, and we are proud of our record of excellence over the last four decades with private patients, injured workers, urgent care, personal injuries, and professional and non-professional athletes. Leading our organization is a dynamic team of healthcare professionals who continually strive to be at the forefront of medical innovation and healthcare service delivery. For more information, a complete list of services, and Healthpointe locations, visit www.Healthpointe.net