What is<\/em> important to remember: that whenever there is a high amount of glucose or fructose (forms of sugar) in your blood, the glycation process becomes accelerated.<\/strong>The damaged collagen and tissues turn to waste (when, in fact, they should be holding up the formation of the skin). This waste builds up, makes structural changes in the skin, and promotes ageing \u2013 aka the \u2018Sugar Sag\u20192<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Collagen keeps the skin strong & resilient. But if you eat a lot of sugar, the glycation process starts and essentially ends with collagen damage. This can be seen in the skin as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, the \u2018Sugar Sag\u2019 is irreversible; once those proteins are damaged, they reach a point of no return. But the good news is that it\u2019s preventable! It might come as no surprise, but the foods you choose to eat play a quintessential role<\/a> in preventing this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To prevent sugar damage to the skin, you want to try to stop sugar spikes \u2013 which means so much more than just not eating sugar. Because it\u2019s not only about refined sugars (though that is the worst offender); it has to do with the amount of sugar present in your bloodstream, which depends on the food you eat… All kinds of foods. How much your blood sugar rises and how long it stays on high depends on <\/strong>what types<\/strong><\/em> of food you eat, <\/strong>when<\/strong><\/em> you eat them, and <\/strong>how often<\/strong><\/em>.<\/strong> The best way to keep blood sugar stable is by eating carbohydrates that are low on the Glycemic Index (GI). The GI refers to a scale that ranks food by how fast they elevate blood sugar levels; the aim is to reduce your overall glycemic load by consuming foods with a lower GI.3<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n To increase the intake of low GI foods, the general rule is to eat more whole foods in the form of vegetables, fruits, legumes, dairy & grains. <\/strong>But from a more practical viewpoint, you can do things like: Protein is integral for making you feel full longer and stabilising blood sugar levels..Eating protein with every meal and snack will prevent you from feeling hunger pangs every 30 minutes. protein comes in many shapes & forms: If you start skipping meals, your body will eventually get to a point where it says, \u201cI need energy. Now!<\/em>\u201d This all too often results in trying to overcompensate for the lack of nutrition by grabbing for something that will give you energy as fast as possible\u2026 and it usually contains heaps of sugar. By eating every couple of hours (or at least consistently throughout the day), you keep your blood sugar levels in check;<\/strong> these meals don\u2019t have to be large or overly filling \u2013 just something that includes protein \/ something with a low GI level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sugar is <\/em>delicious, and you don\u2019t need to completely deprive yourself of it (all in the name of beauty!). Naturally occurring sugars found in whole fruits aren\u2019t the real issue, as they are digested as a part of their fibrous skin, which slows down the rate at which their sugars will enter your bloodstream.<\/strong> It\u2019s that pure white stuff (aka \u201crefined sugar\u201d) you really have to watch out for \u2013 or its cousins, which can be found in foods under different guises. Somewhere along the way, artificial sweeteners popped up as the \u201cbetter alternative\u201d to sugar. This is suggested because they don\u2019t directly<\/em> affect your blood sugar levels, like good ol\u2019 sugar does \u2013 triggering the whole glycation and AGEs song & dance. They are, however, unnaturally sweet<\/em>. And what is one of their side effects? They heighten your taste buds palate for something sweet that no meal or dessert will match.<\/strong> And because your body receives this super sweet hit, your appetite is increased and your body will search out more food to satisfy its growing needs. This usually leads to weight gain \u2013 and even more sugar cravings<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The take-away:<\/em> protect your collagen & skin resilience by fortifying your diet and avoiding sugar spikes. It\u2019s never too late to make changes! And while it can take time \u2013 much like with any lifestyle change \u2013 our bodies are always adapting, and they do so surprisingly well when a change is being made for the better. More times than not, you\u2019ll see the positive results on your skin. What more could you wish for?<\/strong>
While there are numerous health-related reasons to avoid sugar<\/a>, it turns out that this highly addictive fine white powder also <\/em>accelerates the ageing process of your skin. That\u2019s why I want to talk about how sugar drastically affects our skin\u2019s appearance, how to tell if you\u2019re being affected by your sugar consumption, and what dietary shifts you can make to be more proactive about your skin. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWant to skip the clinical talk? Scroll down to see the dieting tips that can help you slow down your skin\u2019s ageing process…<\/strong><\/em>
<\/h5>\n\n\n\nThe link between sugar & accelerated ageing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sugar affects skin maturity with an internal process called glycation<\/em>. Glycation causes permanent damage to collagen fibres and reduces the elasticity of tissues that support the dermis1<\/a><\/sup> \u2013 causing the skin to lose its firmness & flexibility.<\/strong> Glycation produces Advanced Glycation End products, normally abbreviated as AGEs (ironically enough…<\/em>) \u2013 And while it\u2019s not important to remember this terminology, just keep in mind that AGEs affect every cell.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRelated article: 3 Amazingy Women \u2014 Talk About Living Comfortably with Skin Problems<\/a><\/em><\/strong>
<\/h6>\n\n\n\nSigns that sugar is ageing your skin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Related article: Let\u2019s Talk: Gut Issues \u2014 Is that what\u2019s causing your skin problems?<\/a><\/strong><\/em>
<\/h6>\n\n\n\nHow to prevent sugar from permanently damaging your skin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nNutritional tips to counteract sugar consumption and improve skin health<\/strong>
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n1. Get low glycemic index foods into your every day<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nIf you want an extensive list of high, low & moderate GI foods, there is a list found on the University Health News<\/a><\/em>. <\/a>
<\/h6>\n\n\n\n2. Get protein in every meal<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n3. Don\u2019t starve yourself (please)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Related article: Office Health Hacks: Top 5 Snacks<\/a><\/strong><\/em>
<\/h6>\n\n\n\nNot all sugars are the same sort of sweet<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019d be surprised where sugar is hidden. It\u2019s everywhere! And even when you think you\u2019re avoiding it, it may still be hijacking your foods. So it\u2019s important to always check the ingredients list and look out for sugar\u2019s aliases: high-fructose corn syrup<\/em>, maltodextrin<\/em>, glucose syrup<\/em>, sorghum syrup<\/em>, fructose<\/em>, maltose<\/em>, and dextrose<\/em>, to name a few.<\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat about sweeteners?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nDo you have a favourite healthy snack that avoids sugar?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Let us know in the comments below!<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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