Congestion in the skin is a very common condition. When oil in your skin is flowing normally, it plays an important role in protecting your skin and keeping it supple and strong. However, if your skin has a tendency to congest, any saturated fats in your diet will cause sebum to thicken and block your pores, resulting in bumps and breakouts.

Congestion is predominantly linked to internal issues and is very easily treated when you take a look at what is happening elsewhere in the body. The first thing I always address with congested skin is your diet. There are many foods linked with congestion in the skin.

• Chocolate
• Cheese
• Ice cream
• Full cream dairy products
• Mayonnaise
• Peanuts and peanut butter
• Red meat
• Protein powders, drinks and bars
• Chocolate drink powders

If any of these foods are consumed on a regular basis the first step would be to cut that food out completely. Give it at least 2-4 weeks to see a real change in the skin. If it is a trigger your congestion will clear up relatively quickly but will come back instantly when you consume that food again.

Another area to look at is your digestive system. Are you eliminating daily? Or is it only every few days? It is ‘normal’ to be eliminating at least every day, even multiple times a day. If your digestive system begins to back up, those toxins need to be released from the body. The next biggest eliminatory organ in the body is the skin. Therefore, these toxins will be released onto the skin and will come out as congestion, breakout or even acne.

If the liver is under stress, and unable to detoxify the blood, this will also cause these excess toxins to be eliminated onto the skin. Things that place a load on the liver are drugs, alcohol, medication, caffeine, stress or hormone imbalance. If you have a sex hormone imbalance, then these excess hormones are re-circulated around the body and are unable to be detoxified by the liver.

Often it is just as simple as looking into your diet. Reducing your intake of congesting foods and adding in more whole food and fibre to encourage your body to work efficiently. Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Accumax is an amazing supplement for treating acne and congestion to take alongside making these dietary changes.