
As many of us prepare to spend the weekend surrounded by more sugar than Willy Wonka, the thought of its impact on our skin is far from the first thing on our minds. The impact of sugar on our waistlines is usually the go-to thought. Some of us are also dreading what our children’s behavior will be like once they are all “hopped-up” on gigantic chocolate bunnies. But what about your skin?
When sugar (or simple carbs) enter the body they bond with proteins and create AGE’s or Advanced Glycation End-products (aptly named as they can AGE us) the body recognizes these as intruders in the system and creates antibodies that often cause inflammation. Not only is the inflammation itself a problem but since AGE’s bond to proteins such as collagen and elastin the antibodies also destroy them causing premature aging.
The skincare industry widely recognizes the potential aging effects of the glycation process but a slightly less discussed result is the inflammation and what that means;
ACNE, ROSECEA and other inflammatory conditions can also be provoked by sugar.
I myself notice that if I fall off the healthy food wagon my skin will become red, itchy and will often have small bumps on my cheeks. Now the impact of “gut” health is a whole other subject that also plays a role in skin health but sugar is a major culprit here.
So before you pick up that handful of jelly beans or peanut butter egg, think about what wrinkle you are willing to acquire or how red and puffy you are willing to be this week. Pass that Easter candy off on your coworkers in the break room and save your own skin!
Now, if you decide to ignore my warning or your willpower against sugar just isn’t what you want it to be what can you do about it?? There are products on the market to help slow the destruction of collagen and elastin and reduce inflammation. Rhonda Allison’s AGELESS is one of the most comprehensive products on the market to slow this process.