Diet for Rosacea

Rosacea is a skin condition in which inflammation causes the face to get red and produce small, red, puss-filled bumps. There is no cure for rosacea, but there are suggestions involving lifestyle and diet that can help keep symptoms from progressing. Avoiding overheating and skin irritants, as well as protecting skin from the sun could help the condition, and following a diet of specific types of foods can help make the redness disappear or fade.

What and How to Eat

Not only what you eat, but also how you eat may contribute to rosacea side effects. Limiting calories reduces the amount of heat generated by the body when calories are burned, according to Healthy-skin-guide.com. Eating three small meals with light snacks in between during the day will reduce overall calorie intake, reduce heat produced by the body and therefore reduce flushing and vascular dilation (redness in the face).

Foods and beverages are best served at room temperature or below, with the cooler being the better. Coffees and teas should be chilled instead of served hot in order to discourage vascular dilation.

The best foods to eat for rosacea are whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruit, such as cherries, blackberries and blueberries, which are vascular constrictors and will reduce redness, according to Healthy-skin-guide.com. Fish, chicken and tofu are preferable to red meats, but each person should experiment with these guidelines and discover what does and does not aggravate their condition.

Alkaline Foods

According to rosacea-ltd.com, a person with rosacea should prescribe to an alkaline diet. People with rosacea typically have a low blood pH, and the Rosacea Diet suggests that eating foods from a high alkaline foods list and avoiding acidic foods will help with rosacea symptoms.

Some common high alkaline foods include sweet potatoes, taro, garlic, asparagus, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit and cantaloupe. Foods on the acidic list that should be avoided include beef, lobster, processed cheeses, beer, ice cream, fried foods and pomegranates. In general, a healthy low-fat diet with limited carbohydrates will be better for rosacea and for health in general.

You can test your body's pH level with an at-home urine test to determine how many alkaline foods need to be included in your diet.

Water

Drink at least 10 glasses of water per day in between meals, but not during meals. Proper intake of water will discourage hunger and unnecessary eating throughout the day and will therefore reduce total calorie intake.