Rosacea

A rosy glow on your face can be quite lovely, but when that hint of pink/red on the cheeks begins to become a permanent thing, you may be suffering from rosacea.

Rosacea is a very common skin disease that commonly develops during teenage years or someone’s 20's and they can become worse into the 30's or 40's. It often begins with a tendency to blush or flush more easily than other people. It causes redness on your nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead. Some people get little bumps and pimples on the red parts of their faces. It can also cause burning and soreness in your eyes. The redness can slowly spread beyond the nose and cheeks to the forehead and chin. Even the ears, chest, and back can be red all the time. With time, people who have rosacea often see permanent redness in the center of their face.

Rosacea can cause more than redness. There are so many signs and symptoms that rosacea has four subtypes:

1. Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea: Redness, flushing, visible blood vessels.
2. Papulopustular rosacea: Redness, swelling, and acne-like breakouts.
3. Phymatous rosacea: Skin thickens and has a bumpy texture.
4. Ocular rosacea: Eyes red and irritated, eyelids can be swollen, and the person may have what looks like a sty.  

When it comes to skin flare-ups — whether from rosacea, acne, eczema, hives, or other conditions — usually there are some specific triggers that cause skin symptoms to emerge. It isn’t always possible to completely “solve” rosacea, but following the rosacea treatment suggestions below can limit your exposure to triggers that increase inflammation.

Identify any triggers in your diet- Since rosacea already makes skin sensitive, many people find that simply addressing the noticeable symptoms — for example, by using harsh chemical creams, prescriptions, light therapy and various lotions — actually winds up making skin symptoms even worse. For some people, these rosacea treatments can lower signs and symptoms, at least temporarily, but they don’t address the root cause of the problem.

Experts say stress is an important trigger of rosacea. Any measures to reduce stress levels will help prevent flare-ups and existing symptoms from getting worse.
Steps to reduce stress may include regular exercise, getting at least 7 hours of good quality sleep every night, and eating a healthy and well-balanced diet.
As vigorous exercise is often a trigger, patients with rosacea are advised to do low-intensity exercises, such as walking or swimming.
Yoga, tai-chi, breathing exercises and meditation may also help reduce stress.

Inflammation stemming from gut-related problems seems to be an especially important issue and the root cause of skin disorders. Your skin is ultimately a reflection of your overall health.
Since inflammation that shows up on your skin can be a clue that you’re experiencing inflammation in your gut, identifying food triggers is an important first step.

The best foods for treating rosacea: 

- Organic fruits and vegetables
- Healthy fats like ghee, coconut oil, sesame oil ( in small amounts )
- Lean protein sources
- Anti-inflammatory herbs like oregano, mint, coriander, parsley, and celery

Foods to avoid: 

- Anything that may trigger allergies like mushrooms, certain lentils, egg whites etc
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Sugar
- Processed food
- Dairy products
- Fried foods
- Trans fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Stay blessed with good health…always!!!

Warm regards,

Charmaine D’Souza