Foods to Eat and Avoid for Rosacea
Rosacea is a skin condition that causes redness of the skin and burning pain in affected areas. Those looking for natural treatments for rosacea should know that diet has a major role to play. Certain foods can trigger rosacea symptoms, while others can help in reducing the symptoms.
When you are thinking of natural treatments for rosacea, diet plays a major role in it. A balanced diet is good for your body, including your skin. There are certain foods that those suffering from rosacea must include in their diet. These foods will help in reducing the symptoms of rosacea.
1. Anti-inflammatory foods
There are certain foods that help in reducing inflammation. One of the reasons for the redness in rosacea is inflammation. Regularly consuming foods that have anti-inflammatory properties will help your body naturally fight inflammation. It can help to reduce rosacea symptoms and prevent its worsening.
Some of the anti-inflammatory foods that you can add to your diet are vegetables and fruits like leafy greens, cucumbers, cauliflower, asparagus, berries, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and grapes. Turmeric and garlic are also anti-inflammatory and can be used as spices in food preparation.
Omega-3 fatty acids are good for health. As they are very good at fighting inflammation, foods rich in omega-3 like salmon, tuna, walnuts, almonds, and flax seeds must be a part of your diet.
2. Prebiotic foods
Prebiotic foods are those foods that help in maintaining a perfect environment in your gut that would promote the growth of healthy bacteria. These healthy bacteria, apart from improving digestion, also help in destroying the bad bacteria that causes rosacea. Prebiotic foods include bananas, raw garlic, onions, kale, lentils, and whole grains.
3. Probiotic foods
Probiotic foods are those that contain good bacteria. These foods will help in digestion and in getting rid of bad bacteria that causes rosacea. Some probiotic foods you can consume are yogurt, tempeh, pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha.
4. Foods to avoid
Certain foods can act as triggers that cause a flare-up of rosacea symptoms. These foods mostly vary from one person to another. Consuming them can irritate the skin, thereby leading to an allergy. They can also worsen the symptoms of rosacea.
The foods that rosacea patients should avoid include the following:
- Refined sugar and flour.
- Processed food and processed meat.
- Alcohol; it has been found to be one of the major causes of flare-ups.
- Artificial sweeteners.
- Hot drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
- Spicy foods like chili, jalapeno, and paprika that contain capsaicin.
- Foods that have a high amount of histamine can cause redness of the skin. These include tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate, milk, eggplant, sour cream, fermented foods, and shellfish.
One of the natural treatments for rosacea is changing your diet. The foods listed in this article can be included in your diet to help manage symptoms. The foods to avoid listed here can aggravate symptoms of rosacea and must be avoided if they affect you.