The truth simply put is that Sugar causes you to look older!
Most people don't know this but one of the easiest ways to look healthier and younger instantly is to cut back on your sugar intake. Sugar (and High-Glycemic Carbohydrates) causes your skin to look dull and it can also lead to Wrinkles and other health problems like Obesity & Diabetes, Migraines, Gum Disease, Eczema and even Acne.
Although Acne has various contributing factors such as overactive oil glands and hormone levels it can also occur from inflammation in your skin resulting from a rapid rise in blood sugar. Large quantities of sugar can compromise your immune function and result in a rapid increase in insulin production which also increases oil production and inflammation throughout the whole body.
Glycation is a natural process that occurs in the body when sugar enters the bloodstream and attaches itself to proteins to form new molecules. These sugar coated protein molecules are called AGEs for short (Advanced Glycation End-products) and they increase with the amount of sugar you eat, which is damaging to the Collagen and Elastin fibers needed to keep your skin firm, wrinkle free and youthful. As the Collagen in your skin weakens and becomes less resilient the AGE molecules are actually deactivating your body's natural antioxidants - Which means your skin is more prone to Sun Damage, Stress, Bacteria and other harmful free-radicals which in the worst-case-scenario can actually cause Cancer too as we have seen in so many cases with smokers.
Below are a few easy to follow tips to help you get started with healthier looking young skin
Tip #1 Cut back on the sweet things in your diet - Increase your fruits and vegetables which will provide you with natural carbs your body can use. They are more gradually absorbed and result in much less sugar coating of your body's essential proteins needed for healthy skin. Sugar can be tough to kick so don't be surprised if you find this difficult at first but don't be discouraged - Remember that it's about making progress not achieving perfection, and cutting back your sugar intake is better than doing nothing at all.
Tip #2 Eat more protein - This will help curb your cravings and control your blood sugar and insulin. As your blood sugar stabilizes and the cravings start to go away you should notice your skin becoming firmer as well.
Tip #3 Drink plenty of water - This is an essential step in any detox. You all know the drill, so drink 8 glasses a day because that's what they say ☺
Tip #4 Watch out for Hidden Sugars - Fast food and pre-packaged foods like Coca-Cola, crackers, cans of soup, bags of chips, etc often contain a lot of sugar disguised with clever names like Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Juice Concentrate or Malt and they even lurk in Salad Dressings! These sweeteners can be hard to identify so be aware and read the labels whenever you're buying packaged foods. Fructose Corn Syrup is the worst of all - It's a sweetener made with altered cornstarch and it produces more AGE molecules than any other type of sugar.
The good news is it's never too late - Let beauty be your inspiration and put these simple tricks to use to protect your health from sugar and get gorgeous looking skin all the time. Blue Diamond Spa loves you so don't forget to love yourself too! XOXO