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Refined carbohydrates - The term refers to processed sugar and flour, which breaks down into sugar.

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Refined carbohydrates - Processed sugar and flour deplete your gut health by feeding the "bad" bacteria, which in turn crowds out the "good" bacteria.

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Refined carbohydrates - Acne is a bacterial condition, so feeding the bad bacteria in your body can cause an imbalance that causes breakouts.

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Refined carbohydrates -

Processed sugar and flour also stimulate oil production in the body, which aggravates acne and causes breakouts.

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Refined carbohydrates - Eating fermented foods can help clear your skin since they are rich in probiotics, which are bacteria and yeasts that are good for you.

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Refined carbohydrates - Refined carbs also age your skin by creating molecules called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs.

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Refined carbohydrates: What to eat instead? - Instead, replace them with natural sweeteners, such as raw honey, maple syrup, apple sauce, green leaf stevia, and coconut nectar, which are low glycemic products.

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Dairy - Dairy promotes inflammation, which can aggravate or worsen existing skin conditions, including acne, rashes, and eczema.

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Dairy - In addition, conventional dairy products contain growth hormones and antibiotics, which may interfere with the body’s natural hormonal balance.

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Dairy - It's estimated that around 65% of the world's adult population is lactose intolerant.

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Dairy - Repeatedly eating a food your body struggles to properly digest weakens the gut health, which is reflected in the skin.

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Dairy: What to eat instead? - Instead, go for unsweetened nut milk, such as coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk.

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Soy - An increasing number of people are reporting soy as a food sensitivity.

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Soy - Soy also contains phytoestrogens, a type of chemical compound that imitates estrogen, which can cause hormonal imbalances that, as a consequence, affect the health of the skin.

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Soy: What to eat instead? - Instead of soy milk, opt for nut milk, like almond. And instead of tofu, choose beans.

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Fast food - Most fast food is deep-fried in refined vegetable oils, such as canola oil, safflower, and peanut oil.

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Fast food - These oils are packed with omega-6 essential fatty acids, which are, as the name suggests, essential. However, they promote inflammation and should be ingested moderately.

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Fast food - Too much omega-6 can cause problems if we're not consuming enough omega-3, which has natural anti-inflammatory properties.

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Fast food - So be sure to eat more omega-3-rich foods and less omega-6-rich foods.

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Fast food: What to eat instead? - The best thing you can do is avoid deep-fried foods in general. Keep healthy snacks like nuts, seeds, and fruits in your purse, gym lockers, or at work to help curb your appetite.

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Wheat - The wheat we eat today is often called dwarf wheat, which has been genetically engineered over the years to reportedly have more gluten and phytic acid.

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Wheat - This makes the wheat harder to digest, causing imbalances in our gut health.

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Wheat: What to eat instead? - Grains like spelt, amaranth, kamut, buckwheat, and brown rice are all easier on the digestive system.

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Wheat: What to eat instead? - In addition, these wheat-free grains are richer in vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, which help the skin retain moisture.

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Wheat: What to eat instead? - Sprouted wheat is lower in phytic acid and may be easier for some people to digest. Also, buckwheat is an example of a low glycemic grain that has less impact on blood sugar levels.

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Gluten - The protein found in wheat and other whole grains like spelt, oats, kamut, and barley can have a negative effect on your gut health.

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Gluten - That's because gluten can cause your body to overproduce zonulin, a protein naturally produced by our digestive tract.

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Gluten - Over time, this overproduction can cause the intestinal tract to become permeable and allow undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream.

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Gluten - When undigested food particles enter the bloodstream, the body responds with systemic inflammation, which, as we've mentioned several times already, can worsen skin conditions.

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Gluten: What to eat instead? - Coconut flour and almond flour are two options that are low glycemic as well as grain- and gluten-free.

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Gluten: What to eat instead? - Other nutrient-rich alternatives to gluten-rich grains are brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, millet, and certified gluten-free oats.

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Alcohol - Alcoholic beverages can both worsen skin conditions and cause premature aging.

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Alcohol - Alcohol contains high levels of sugar, which spikes blood sugar levels and depletes collagen.

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Alcohol: What to consume instead? - There are really no substitutes for alcohol, but if you are going to go for a drink or two, choose clear spirits, like vodka, since they contain less sugar.

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Processed meats - Bacon, cured meats and other processed meats are packed with sodium, which leads to water retention and can cause swelling and puffiness to the face.

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Processed meats - In addition, many processed foods contain sodium nitrates as preservatives that might break down collagen and elastin, causing premature aging.

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Processed meats: What to eat instead? - To avoid excess sodium and sodium nitrates, choose grass-fed meats. Grass-fed meat is also higher in omega-3 than conventional meat.

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Spicy food - Though the causes are unclear, spicy foods have been linked to flare-ups in existing skin conditions, especially acne.

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Spicy food - One hypothesis is that acne and other skin conditions are a sign of excess heat in the body, which is aggravated by the heat in spicy food.

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Spicy food: What to eat instead? - While the heat is unique to the chili peppers, other spices like ginger and turmeric can add lots of flavor and a kick to your food.

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Caffeine - Some studies have suggested that caffeine can increase cortisol levels.

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Caffeine - The increase can cause inflammation and throw off hormone levels.

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Caffeine: What to have instead? - This may sound unusual, but many people out there believe that drinking a steamy cup of bone broth first thing in the morning gives you energy and provides natural collagen that will keep your skin glowing.

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Caffeine: What to have instead? - If bone broth isn't for you, then experiment with the endless possibilities of herbal teas instead. 

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Nuts - While a great source of healthy fats, nuts have a high ratio of omega-6 essential fatty acids.

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Nuts - Walnuts, brazil nuts, pine nuts, and pecans are the ones with the highest omega-6 ratios.

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Nuts: What to eat instead -

Macadamia nuts, cashews, hemp, chia seeds, and hazelnuts are all high in omega-3, which fight inflammation.

See also: Surprising things you can do with your microwave

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