A sensitive skin is basically a skin that becomes irritated easily. If you have sensitive skin, rashes may develop after eating certain foods such as chicken and fish. Therefore, you have to be careful of what you eat and watch out for food culprits that can cause skin irritation. Irritation can be present in the form of itchiness, pain (stinging or burning), hives, rashes, chafing and scaling. Sometimes skin irritation occurs together with other symptoms like sneezing, runny nose and red eyes. This kind of skin sensitivity is related to allergies. With allergies, your initial contact with the allergen does not give any skin symptoms. However, any subsequent contact could cause you to suffer from skin lesions. A sensitive skin cannot tolerate certain agents in the environment, such as dust and smoke, and reacts strongly to chemicals. If you have sensitive skin, it is therefore recommended to avoid these agents that can cause irritation.
Bad Effects of Diet on Sensitive Skin
There are several foods that can cause sensitive skin to act up. One protein called gluten, which is present in grains (such as wheat, barley and rye), can cause you to develop blistering rashes with itching if you have gluten sensitivity (Celiac disease). These skin lesions are called dermatitis herpetiformis. If you have gluten sensitivity, you could benefit from eliminating anything associated with gluten sources, including wheat bread, beer, cereals, wheat flour and soy sauce.
Whey and casein, which are both present in milk, can also induce or aggravate skin allergies. If you have eczema, you could benefit from avoiding milk-containing foods and products. Have you ever noticed that you start having rashes when you consume eggs? If so, try to avoid consuming eggs to prevent eruptions on your sensitive skin.
Other substances in the diet that can negatively affect your sensitive skin are monosodium glutamate, soy, food coloring and preservatives. Food additives in particular can cause skin lesions, headaches and inattention. If you have already made observations about foods that can cause rashes or hives on your sensitive skin, try avoiding these foods and see if there is an improvement.
Good Effects of Diet on Sensitive Skin
Although there are components of the diet that can negatively affect your sensitive skin, many foods are good for your skin. The best way to keep your skin healthy is to consume a balanced diet and lots of water. Incorporating dark green and orange vegetables and fruits in your diet can improve your skin condition, because these foods contain carotenoids and vitamin C. Carotenoids act as antioxidants that protect your skin from free radicals present in the environment. Vitamin C is an important factor in collagen formation. Collagen is a protein that plays an active role in wound healing, and in the maintenance of the integrity and suppleness of the skin. Therefore, maintaining a balanced diet that does not include your skin irritants can give your sensitive skin a boost, and let you avoid flare-ups at the same time.
