SHAUN RESNIK

AS adults, we all aspire to having fresh-looking, radiant skin. By eating foods that help heal and nourish the skin from the inside out, we can better achieve this goal.

The first place to start is to improve the health of the gut. Make sure you eat plenty of fibre in the form of raw vegetables, fresh fruit, raw nuts and seeds, and wholesome grains. This helps keep the colon clean and rid the body of toxins.

It is vital that the internal digestive flora is in balance too, hence biodynamic natural yoghurt or a good quality probiotic is important.

Antioxidant-rich tropical fruits and berries help heal acne, as do zinc-rich foods, which suppress bacteria in the skin. The over-consumption of processed foods, which lack vital enzymes and are packed with preservatives and additives, inhibits the body’s natural healing ability and leads to poor skin tone and pimples.

Highly sugarised foods, especially processed bread, pasta, sugar, sweets and soft drinks, stimulate excessive insulin production and may aggravate acne-prone skin.

As hormonal imbalances tend to trigger adult acne, modern dairy and other animal products that often contain synthetic hormones and steroids should be avoided; where possible, organic and free-range products should be consumed.

The good oils found in deep-sea fish, nuts and seeds are vital for healthy skin and are anti-inflammatory too, thus reducing acne flare-ups. Hydrogenated oils and trans fats found in margarine and deep-fried foods tend to block the pores and should be avoided. Adult acne can be improved greatly by drinking plenty of fresh filtered water.

Regular exercise will also be of benefit as it improves blood circulation, thus delivering healing nutrients directly to the skin and removing toxins.

Shaun Resnik is a Melbourne naturopath and homoeopath