Skin Quality / Nutritional Standards

The production, promotion and consumption of processed foods, which have become increasingly popular and refined over the last fifty years, have had an undeniably negative effect on quality of life in terms of health.

Just as there are health problems attributable to poor diet, the incidence of difficult to treat skin conditions has grown over the years.

Although medical developments and the increased publicity from the media regarding skin conditions and concerns, both serious and less serious, will have served to increase the rate at which skin conditions are identified, the severity and spectrum of skin disorders seen and reported at present is disproportionately large.

The nature of rosacea cases, for example, appears to be changing, with patients becoming younger by the year. Rosacea was previously thought to be a skin condition common to menopausal women.

The industrialization of agriculture has meant that even "fresh foods" are no longer available at their optimal potential:

• most foods are not exposed to pesticides, hormones and synthetic chemicals
• most foods are produced with greater emphasis on profit rather than benefit to the end recipient
• the inherent quality of soil is declining and being propped up with artificial fertilizers

Compounding these problems is a great deal of dietary misinformation derived from the ever-shifting diet crazes.

The quality of the skin cannot be maintained under many of these diet regimes which, ironically, are aimed at improving appearance.

The Anti-Aging Skin Treatment using Low-Glycemic Index Foods details some of the factors involved in maintaining skin quality.