How sugar is aging you faster and what you can do about it

If you have a sweet tooth and feel like you are aging faster than other people your age, i am going to share with you why the two are linked, and what you can do about it! ✨

I come from a family where if there wasn’t any chocolate in the house, there was no food!

As an adult i realize all of the negative effects that sugar has had in my family and i have tried my best to cut out as much as i can in my daily life. The biggest benefit i noticed after 2 weeks of no sugar was my skin and my energy.

My skin hadn’t had a breakout and my oily T zone was almost non existent. My energy levels also were consistent through out my day, and i slept so well! But how else can cutting the sugar help us? Let’s get into it.

Hos sugar is aging you faster

You have probably heard people say before that you really need to eat your skin care meaning, your glow comes mainly from what you put into your body and not what you put on it.

You can have the most expensive creams, the 9 step skin care routine, and still have dull, puffy, tired skin, that looks older than it should.

One of the most overlooked reasons? Sugar.

Image credit: Unsplash

When you consume excess sugar, your body goes through a process called glycation. This is when sugar molecules attach to proteins like collagen and elastin, the very things that keep your skin firm, smooth, and youthful.

Once sugar over consumption happens, these proteins become weak and damaged.

The result?

• Fine lines showing up earlier

• Skin losing that bounce and glow

• A dull, uneven complexion

• Increased sagging over time

This doesn’t all happen overnight but, over time we will see these effects and just put it down to aging or genes.

The hidden beauty effects of sugar

Here, we are all about that natural glow up so i want to give you all of the tea!

It is not just wrinkles, sugar will impact multiple areas of your natural beauty.

One: Breakouts and acne

This one is so true for me! When i have had too much sugar my face will tell me. I will get breakouts on my jawline and my eyes will have extra baggage!

This is because sugar spikes your insulin, which increases oil production and inflammation. More oil + more inflammation = more breakouts.

Especially along:

• Jawline (hormonal acne)

• Cheeks (inflammation related)

You can also read my acne face mapping blog post to learn other causes of acne.

Two: Dull, tired skin

Sugar will suck the nutrients from you, literally.

This leads to:

• Lack of radiance

• Uneven tone

• No glow

Three: Premature aging

Too much sugar is connected to collagen breakdown which leads to faster aging.

• Fine lines will appear sooner than later

• Skin will look thinner

• Loss of that youthful look, sooner

Four: Puffiness and Inflammation

Sugar causes water retention and inflammation in the body - this one is huge since excess water makes us feel heavy.

It will also show up as:

• A puffy face in the morning

• Under eye swelling

• General bloating and that ‘full’ feeling

Grab these to help temporarily with under eye swelling.

When our bodies are overloaded with sugar it is a constant state of:

• Spikes

• Crashes

• Stress

But your natural beauty will thrive in:

• Nourishment

• Stability

• Consistency

Without going to the extreme, here is what to do:

You don’t need to ditch the sugar cold turkey, that is just not realistic and will only cause you to want it more. You just need to become more intentional about what you consume.

Reduce hidden sugars first.

This is the easiest win.

Watch out for sugars in:

• So called ‘healthy snacks’

• Sauces

• Flavored yogurts

• Coffee drinks

You can easily add chopped fresh fruit to yogurts instead of buying the flavored kind and make coffee at home so that you know what is going into it. This will help you lower your intake without feeling deprived.

Hydration.

Sugar dehydrates the skin, so keeping hydrated is key.

Try and cut out fizzy drinks and juices. Instead, opt for herbals teas, fruit in your water, and the occasional flavored water if you must have something with flavor.

Eat your skin care.

Instead of cutting all sugar right away, try adding foods high in nutrients to create a balance.

Add:

• Healthy fats like avocado and olive oil.

• Fruits like berries. These are antioxidant rich.

• Leafy greens. These are packed with nutrients.

This will help your skin to repair and rebuild - it’s not too late!

For seven days try this:

• Reduce processed sugary snacks

• Cut out sodas

• Avoid sugary cereals for breakfast

Then observe your skin. You will notice less puffiness, clearer skin, and more energy.