Many
of us love our bagels, pastas and potatoes. We rush for quick snacks
like these to keep us going throughout our hectic days. But what we
must remember not to do, is limit our caloric intake.
You need protein to have
good skin. Many people are nutritionally deprived of protein,
but especially women. Women also have low levels of
a neaurotransmitter called serotonin naturally. Most of the serotonin
level is dropped during
menstrual periods. But what many people tend to do - especially women,
is eat more
charbohydrates like pasta and bagels to boost their serotonin levels.
Serotonin
is a feel good chemical that gives us energy. But what we need to
realize is
that by eating high carb foods, this
actually increases blood sugar levels which in turn creates a rise in
serotonin levels. This can be detrimental to our skin.
Though carbohydrates
do raise serotonin levels, once the
blood sugar level increases and an insulin response occurs, the
serotonin
levels crash again.
Many men, (but especially women), are prone to eating high carb foods
for the increased energy it gives them. In order to limit their daily
chaloric intake many women
tend to exclude protein in favor of carbs instead. Many of these high
carb foods have high glycemic
indexes – that is the body can rapidly convert them into sugar.
These
carbs are
directly responsible for loss of skin tone, increased body fat, skin
blemishes and acne. So a diet
with high protein and low glycemic carbs and the good fats like Omega 3
and
Omega 6 fatty acids should be eaten over high carb foods that elevate
serotonin levels to much higher levels.
A
good healthy diet sustains these levels keeping the mood
elevated as well as energy levels high and eliminating cravings for
unhealthy
carbs.
A poor
diet leads to thin, wrinkled and blemished skin with a poor complexion.
Long
term inadequate nutrition of low protein and high in inflammatory foods
leads to acne and uneven skin tones.
Here are some
inflammatory foods that increase seratonin levels:
(Note: These foods induce acne!)
