Is Your Bowel Linked to Your Skin?

Ever wonder if your skin rash or pimples could be related to your diet? More specifically could the gluten in your diet be triggering your symptoms?  Everyday more and more benefits of gluten-free diets are being discovered.   

Gluten-free diets are most commonly used to manage celiac disease, which causes the immune system to trigger a reaction in the gut to gluten, a protein which is found in wheat, barley, rye, malts and triticale.  But what if you have never been diagnosed with celiac disease?  In a recent study published in Journal Watch General Medicine, patients without celiac disease but symptoms of celiac sensitivity, experienced relief from their symptoms after adopting a wheat-free diet.  

Therefore, whether you have celiac disease, a gluten sensitivity, or neither, experimenting with a gluten-free diet has several potential benefits. Patients in our clinic with eczema, acne, and peri-oral dermatitis have seen benefits with glow gluten or gluten free diets! Luckily, with the growing popularity, many grocery stores have now made these products more accessible to consumers by adding gluten-free aisles. 

As with any diet change, it is important that you maintain a balanced diet, especially when you are excluding foods you are used to eating. It is also important to continue eating a balance of proteins, carbs, healthy fats, and other nutrients. 

If you have itchy skin, acne, or rashes that do not improve with standard regimens, call Dr. Lily to discuss your diet.   

Food Industry Marketing

Did you know that every year the average american eats:

• Thirty three pounds of cheese, triple that amount that was consumed in 1979
• Seventy pounds of sugar, about twenty two teaspoons a day
• 8,500 milligrams of salt a day, double the recommended amount

With these facts it is clear why twenty-six million Americans have diabetes and one-in three adults and one-in-five kids is clinically obese.  

Meanwhile, instead of altering products to make them healthier the food industry is instead constantly changing marketing campaigns and ingredients to keep up with the next fad.  By decreasing one ingredient but at the same time pumping up another ingredient, companies are still able to sell themselves as “fat-free or low-salt”.  It is a common technique used to deceive the consumer in thinking they are consuming a healthier product while in reality it may have been altered in a way that actually makes it worse for you.

When grocery shopping it is best to avoid all the low salt, low fat, low sugar fads, they are all just a manipulation of ingredients for marketing purposes.  A diet high in protein and vegetables and low in processed food is still historically the best diet for your health.  Consumers need to be aware that 90% of labels are JUST marketing.  

All Soy is NOT Created Equal

When many of us think of soy products we instantly think natural and healthy. Many consumers overlook soybean oil within a list of ingredients, assuming it has similar benefits to other soy products, which are known to be good sources of protein.

In fact, according to the survey Consumer Attitudes About Nutrition 2008 (by the United Soybean Board): As of 2007, 85 percent of consumers perceive soy products as healthful.

However, soybean oil can have negative effects on your health. For example,  soybean oil in processed foods is often hydrogenated, which makes it a trans fat and can raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. Trans fats have also been linked to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, reproductive problems, and heart disease. Such products are often appealing because they have longer shelf lives; however, their health risks often outweigh their potential benefits.

Consumers should also be aware that the majority of soy grown in the United States is genetically engineered, therefore it is exposed to high levels of pesticides, which can have harmful effects on human health.

In conclusion, processed foods should always be consumed in moderation and soy in its natural form is the best form for your diet.  As a consumer do not be misled by marketing.