What? I know you’re probably scratching your head and thinking, what do beans and zinc for acne have to do with anything? I mean, let’s be frank what do beans produce and how does that help acne. Well, to answer these many questions, let’s start by learning more about zinc.
What is zinc?
Before I answer this question, I would like to say that most people are familiar with zinc. You see it every summer on people at the beach and/or pool. People wear zinc oxide as sunscreen on their noses. There is even a famous photo of Ronald Reagan from his lifeguarding days with a white covering of zinc oxide across his nose.
The easiest explanation of how zinc oxide works as a sunscreen comes from the white color, which scatters and reflects the sunlight. This diversion protects your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. But what does that have to do with acne?
Zinc itself is a common mineral that the body uses for many purposes. This includes the growth that occurs when you are a kid, helps heal wounds, and aids in improving your immune system. These are just a few of the jobs that zinc does, but it is also used in acne treatment. Okay, I know you see yourself walking around with a white face as an acne treatment. That’s not how it works but before we explore zinc for acne, let’s understand what causes acne.
What Causes Acne?
An overproduction of sebum which is oil on the skin, causes acne. This excess oil on your skin clogs the pores and sets up an inflammation process. This inflammation is what appears on the skin as a pimple or cyst.
Now, this is where zinc for acne comes into play. Zinc is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. It decreases sebum, then decreases the oil production to the skin, and lowers the inflammatory process. With the decrease in inflammation, the pimples become less swollen and improve acne.
As antibacterial zinc also helps to decrease the infection, which is what a white-head pimple or cyst becomes is not treated.
Ok, now we understand what zinc is and how it works, let’s look at how zinc for acne is used as a treatment.
Zinc as a prescription
While some over-the-counter acne treatments contain zinc, your acne may require a prescription. Zinc for acne treatment can come in the form of an ointment or taken orally. Yes, there are pros and cons of each treatment.
Ointment that contains zinc can be directly applied to acne, but you may not like the feel of ointment on your face. In this case, taking zinc orally is a great alternative treatment. There are also drawbacks to taking extra zinc by mouth. You can get too much zinc in your system that may cause side effects.
But there is another approach that one can use to get zinc, which is your diet. Increasing zinc through nutritionally rich zinc foods is a safer alternative.
Improving your diet as an acne treatment
Ok, this is where I am bringing back the beans and zinc for acne treatment. Your diet does contribute to your body’s health, which includes your largest organ, your skin. An unhealthy diet of fast food will frankly make your skin look like junk. I mean, what you put in your mouth will show up on your skin.
A healthy balanced diet is an essential key to wellness. Have you heard your mothers tell you that you just don’t eat right? It’s probably true if you stop for a second and think about what you put into your mouth today. With all the fast foods and processed, boxed foods, it’s no wonder acne is getting worse.
You can help your acne by adding a few items to your diet that are high in zinc. If your acne is not really bad, the additional zinc can clear your skin, and who doesn’t want beautiful glowing skin?
Now we start talking about the beans. While beans are not the best source of zinc, it is an inexpensive option. You can make up a whole pot of beans for next to nothing in cost.
The best sources of zinc include good quality red meat and poultry. No that fast-food hamburger you had for lunch does not count. Dairy and whole grains are another option. You can also increase fish in your diet but not just any fish. Only certain types of fish are high in zinc such as crab and lobster.
To balance your diet for nutrition and wellness, you can’t depend on one food source for zinc to help your acne. And zinc works in your body together with other vitamins and minerals. It doesn’t sound very easy, but you can simplify the process. It’s a matter of eating a variety of healthy foods.
If you are a vegetarian, this is where that topic of beans comes back into play again. Beans are a great source of zinc for those who do not eat meat. Some other zinc sources for a vegetarian other than beans are nuts.
Both of these will work, but there is a problem. When you consume a plant-based diet, you can get into a problem. Certain plants contain chemicals called phytates. These chemicals will prevent the body from absorbing zinc. The best absorption of zinc comes from animal sources. So what’s a person to do?
You are kind of stuck if you have acne and are a vegetarian because if you take a zinc supplement, are you taking too much. To answer this question, let’s explore what your body has to say.
How do I know I need more zinc in my diet?
Did you know that your body has the answer to this question? Zinc is not something that is stored in the body. What this means is you need to eat a source of zinc every day. But your DNA is the blueprint to your of your body. It can tell you if you tend to be a bit low on this mineral. You heard it right. Your body genetically determines how much zinc it needs to function the best.
Right now you may have a couple of questions that I want to take a moment to answer for you.
How do you get a DNA test, and will any DNA test give you the answer you are looking for?
Not just any test such as an ancestry test will do. You will need a particular type of DNA test to read your genetic code for nutrient shortages.
What is this test?
Well, it is called GxNutrient, and frankly, it covers more than zinc. OK, so you ask what does it cover?
What does the GxNutrient DNA test cover?
Before I move on to explain what your DNA test covers, I have a brief story to tell you. It may help you understand what your own code has to say about you.
When I was in college, I broke my finger just messing around with my friends one night. I went to the doctor, and he placed a splint on it, but I had to go back for a checkup. On my return visit, he was a bit worried about how slow it was healing. He told me that a break has to form a calcium ring to mend the bone. My broken finger did not have a strong calcium ring.
My doctor told me I just needed more calcium. That was over 40 years ago, and the only help my doctor had was to eat right and take calcium. Today we know I needed zinc to help the healing process. It would have been nice to see the big picture with a DNA test. Today we have the science to help pull the whole story together.
When it comes to the Gxnutrient DNA test, you not only learn about your DNA connection to zinc but a long list of vitamins and minerals. Once you get your results, a member of DNA is the Way will explain your results and help you find ways to improve your health through your diet.
Is a blood test required for the DNA test?
The simple answer is no. When you order your kit, you will receive directions on how to do a simple cheek swab to get your DNA. In a nutshell, you will need to rub the swab’s cotton tip inside your check. Believe it or not, this small sample is enough to get all of the information we need to help you. The results produced by your DNA make up the information you receive in your report.
So if your face and/or body are broken out for no reason, maybe the cause is not a dirty face. It could be not enough zinc. And to take extra zinc may be too much. But with your DNA test, you can know if you tend to run low on zinc. With your DNA information, we can help you find foods high in zinc to help your acne. Actually, you will find out so much more that can be a life-changer in the way you feel.