by Setareh Kiumarsi
My skin is a mess…
But why?!
Are you mad at your skin? Do you sigh from the bottom of your heart every time you see someone with smooth, flawless skin? Do you get sudden flare-ups like hives or eczema that just won’t quit?
Every time an unwelcome pimple shows up on your face or your eczema flares up with itchiness and irritation, you feel ready for a full-blown fight. But know this, your skin is just as mad at you… maybe even more. And through the itching, breakouts, hives, or eczema, it’s clearly and loudly protesting.
Protesting what?
Obviously… protesting the wrong kinds of food you put into your body every single day. Protesting that you’re neglecting your gut health, and overworking your liver until it gets heavier and fattier. Protesting that you keep loading your system with fuel that creates a buildup of toxins.
Did you know that when toxins start piling up in your body, one of the major exit routes the body tries to use to flush them out is through the skin? How? Through sweating.
But what if the toxins are too stubborn to come out through sweat?
Then your skin becomes inflamed, and the itching starts. That itch? It’s your body sending you a very polite message:
“Dear owner… the fuel you’re giving me is all wrong. I need a detox!”
And if you keep feeding it all the wrong things and let those toxins build up even more, your skin throws out the polite approach, draws its sword, and makes sure you notice; maybe with a massive zit the night before a big date, right on your left cheek.
If things are more serious, it might flare into full-body hives… or more chronic conditions like psoriasis or vitiligo. (Of course, the causes of these diseases are multifaceted, but poor diet is one of the main contributors.)
So what do we do? How do we treat our skin with more kindness?
Dietary Restrictions for Skin Issues
Dealing with acne, hives, eczema, and the like? Tried every pricey cream and lotion on the market with no real results?
Let’s talk about foods that can really trigger skin problems.
According to Ayurveda, there are two main categories of food that can lead to skin flare-ups:
The first includes foods that are energetically very hot and dry, like spicy ingredients:
Eggplant, turnip, ginger, garlic (raw and cooked), shallots, raw onion, raw scallion, raw leek, raw radish, hot peppers, black pepper, red pepper, cumin (in large amounts), cinnamon (in large amounts), caraway, curry, cayenne, chili, masala, cacao, caffeine, and alcohol.
The second includes foods with excess moisture, which can cause dampness to accumulate under the skin:
Chocolate, dates, coconut, banana, walnuts, peanuts, peanut butter, cashews, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and tahini (in large amounts), cheese, yogurt, whey, fruit leathers, very sour fruits, pickles and fermented foods, vinegar and vinegar-based sauces (like mayonnaise, ketchup, etc.), processed meats with nitrates (like sausages and salami), and sugary desserts.
What else?
According to Ayurveda, overly salty or sour foods can really make skin issues worse. Like what?
Fruit rolls, dried plums, dried sour cherries, pickles loaded with vinegar and spice, extremely salty snacks (like chips or pretzels), especially cheesy salty ones like puffed snacks.
So… which foods can help calm inflammation and soothe the skin?
Always remember: there’s a direct connection between liver health and skin clarity. If you’re constantly breaking out or dealing with inflammation, your liver is quietly begging for attention.
In future articles, I’ll write about detox diets that support your skin and liver, but until then, try adding these anti-inflammatory, cleansing foods to your meals:
Steamed apple, steamed pear, steamed quince, sweet lemon, carrot, celery (steamed and spiced), sprouted mung beans (steamed and spiced), green beans (steamed and spiced), cilantro (steamed and spiced), parsley, spinach, turmeric, coriander seeds, basil, cabbage (steamed and spiced), cauliflower (steamed and spiced), and broccoli (steamed and spiced).
When cooking these vegetables, swap out harsh spices for gentler ones: saffron, turmeric, fennel, rosemary, cardamom, and coriander seeds.
Be full of health…
Please be sure to credit the author, Setareh Kiumarsi, when sharing or republishing this article, which was written with love and the hope of well-being for all.
