Before You Blame Your Shampoo… Look at Your Plate

How what we eat may show up in our skin

 

I love bread.

Bread, pasta, all of it.

So I wasn't particularly thrilled when I noticed something interesting about my own skin.

For a while, I had a terrible case of dandruff. I tried changing products and treating my scalp from the outside, but nothing seemed to make much of a difference.

Then I changed what I was eating.

I significantly reduced the amount of bread and pasta in my diet—and my dandruff improved.

Was bread causing my dandruff? Not necessarily. Dandruff is complicated and can have several causes. But the experience made me start paying much more attention to the connection between what we eat and what we see happening on our skin.

And there really is a connection.

 

Healthy Skin Starts on the Inside, Too

 

When our skin feels dry, irritated or starts breaking out, our first instinct is usually to change what we're putting on it.

And sometimes that's exactly what we need.

But skin is a living organ. Our bodies are constantly building new skin cells, repairing damage and maintaining the protective barrier that keeps moisture in and irritants out.

To do all of that, our bodies need protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and water.

In other words, skincare doesn't begin and end in the bathroom.

Some of it happens in the kitchen.

 

Dry, Flaky Skin

 

Dry skin can have plenty of causes—weather, hot showers, harsh products, medications and simply getting older, to name a few.

Nutrition can be part of the picture, too.

Healthy fats help support our skin barrier. Protein provides building blocks for repair. Vitamins and minerals help support normal skin function.

That doesn't mean dry skin is a sign that you're missing a particular vitamin—or that you need a shelf full of supplements.

It simply means that a balanced, nutrient-rich diet gives your body more of what it needs to take care of your skin from within.

 

Eczema & Food

 

This one deserves a little caution.

Certain foods really can trigger eczema symptoms in some people, especially when food allergies are involved.

But there isn't one universal list of foods everyone with eczema should avoid.

Rather than eliminating entire food groups because you read that someone else had amazing results, pay attention to your own patterns.

If you notice the same food seems to be followed by a flare again and again, that's worth talking about with your healthcare provider.

Our bodies don't all read the same instruction manual.

 

Breakouts

 

Food isn't the only cause of acne, but research suggests diet may play a role for some people.

Eating a lot of foods that quickly raise blood sugar—such as sugary drinks, sweets and highly refined carbohydrates—may influence hormones and oil production involved in acne.

Cow's milk has also been associated with acne in some studies, although it certainly doesn't affect everyone the same way.

So if you've tried changing every product in your bathroom and you're still struggling with breakouts, it might be worth looking at your overall diet, too.

Not to find a food to blame.

Just to look for patterns.

 

What About Dandruff?

 

Back to the bread.

Dandruff isn't simply caused by diet. Oil production, irritation and a naturally occurring yeast on our skin called Malassezia can all be involved.

Researchers are also continuing to study the complicated connections between diet, metabolism, inflammation, our gut and our skin.

Which is why I can't tell you that reducing bread and pasta will fix anyone else's dandruff.

I can only tell you what happened to mine.

When I reduced them, my scalp improved dramatically.

And as someone who genuinely loves bread, I assure you this was not the conclusion I was hoping for. 😂

But it taught me something valuable:

Sometimes it's worth paying attention to what changed inside our routine, not just what changed on the outside.

 

Sugar, Collagen & Aging

 

Here's an interesting one.

Our bodies have a process called glycation, where sugars can react with proteins and eventually contribute to compounds called advanced glycation end products—or, appropriately enough, AGEs.

Those processes can affect collagen and elastin, two proteins that help give skin its strength and elasticity.

That doesn't mean eating dessert gives you wrinkles.

It does give us one more reason why a diet consistently overloaded with added sugar and highly processed foods probably isn't doing our skin any favors.

And fruit is absolutely still invited.

 

So What Should We Eat for Healthy Skin?

 

There isn't a magical “skin diet.”

And that's actually good news.

Supporting your skin nutritionally looks a lot like simply feeding your body well:

Eat enough protein.

Include healthy fats.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Choose whole and minimally processed foods more often.

Drink enough water.

Enjoy the treats, too.

And pay attention to how your body responds.

Because healthy eating doesn't have to mean perfect eating.

I'm certainly not giving up bread forever.

Bread and I have simply agreed that we need a little space. 😂

 

Look at the Whole Picture

 

The biggest thing I've learned is that when something changes with our skin, it's worth looking beyond the obvious.

Yes, look at your skincare products.

But also think about your diet.

Your stress.

Your sleep.

Your environment.

Your medications.

Your hormones.

And any patterns you've noticed along the way.

Sometimes our skin needs something different on the outside.

Sometimes it needs professional medical care.

And sometimes it may be giving us a little clue about what's happening on the inside.

Taking care of our skin isn't just about what we put on our bodies.

It's about taking care of the body beneath it, too.

Rooted in Nature • Living Essentially.

This article is for educational purposes and includes personal experience. Diet affects everyone differently and isn't a substitute for medical care. Persistent or severe skin concerns should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.