Carrageenan
“What the heck is carrageenan?” you may be asking. Carrageenan is a form of seaweed primarily grown in the Philippines in large aquatic farms. Carrageenan has progressively entered our food supply in many processed foods and many supposedly healthy or low-fat foods. Carrageenan has many processed food uses including as a thickening agent, a stabilizer, and volumizer. The problem is that many people are highly reactive to carrageenan and don’t even realize they may also be allergic.
Carrageenan stimulates the production of glutamate within the body, similarly to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). Glutamate acts as a neurotransmitter within the central nervous system, resulting in excitability, headaches, and irritable bowls. All of theses things cause stress within the body, followed-up by increased adrenal activity and acne.
Carrageenan is found in many low-fat dairy products, especially the lactose free type, and acts as a thickener to give the product the appearance and texture of being like whole milk. Carrageenan is found in many of the low-calorie microwave frozen meals, sushi, diet sodas, toothpaste, and even many brands of beer and wine. Read your labels and avoid carrageenan like the plague if you want to stay acne free.
Iodine
Iodine is found in many foods and is used within the human body for normal cell metabolism and thyroid function. Overexposure to iodine can have an opposite effect, however, causing dysfunction within the thyroid and overall metabolism. Excess iodine within the body gets excreted through the oil glands in the skin and collects on the skin’s surface. This excess iodine on the skin’s surface irritates the pores and creates acne flare-ups, especially in acne-prone skin types.
The problem is that many of our more common foods are beginning to include higher levels of iodine. Using iodized table salt along with eating small portions of fish and regular portion of vegetables will provide the average person with adequate levels of iodine to keep the body at sufficient levels. Anything more will create excess iodine concentration, which will end up excreted through the skin. Check your multivitamins too, since many of the common brand names have excess amounts of iodine.
“High Androgen” Foods
Hormonal imbalances are a major source of acne and other skin disorders. High androgen foods are those that cause increased hormonal activity within the body and also intensify hormonal imbalances. So as an individual attempts to treat skin problems by medications, antibiotics, and regular facial treatments, frequent consumption of high androgen food items may be sabotaging their progress.
Peanuts and peanut oil are very prevalent in our food supply, and are highly androgenic. Corn oil and wheat germ are also very common in processed foods, even the so-called healthy variety. Other high androgen foods to avoid include animal organs such as liver and stomach, shellfish, coconuts, and legumes such as beans and lentils.
Bottom line – read the labels and prepare your own meals so you can control what goes into your body. Even the most highly regarded skin treatment programs can be easily sabotaged by improper diet. It’s easy in today’s fast-paced reality to reach for the easiest available meals, but if you take some time to be careful about your diet you will be much closer to the clear skin you truly desire.
