The "No No" list of Alcoholic Drinks for Skin Conditions.

I have always enjoyed a glass of champagne or a glass of wine. Champagne, to me, was a sip of celebration. Just the pop of the cork and the pouring of sparkling clear bubbles into a tall-stemmed glass made me feel a sense of excitement.

Sharing a glass of great New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc over a home cooked meal was equally rewarding.

Recently the receptionist at my dentist and I began a discussion about alcohol and skin conditions. She had suffered from a red ugly rash across her neck and upper body and had no success from doctors. Finally, in desperation, she met with a nutritionist who advised her to stop drinking wine and, in particular, red wine and champagne. She did and her rash completely disappeared.

I knew alcohol contained “no –no ingredients” but had chosen to ignore them as I had already given up so much to keep my psoriasis at bay. I decided it was time to face the affect alcohol has on skin conditions and, in my case, on psoriasis.

So, when I read ‘white wine, like mixed cocktails and beer, contains sugar, in addition to some salt. Wine can lead to swollen skin and bloating,’ - I was horrified.

Red wine was even worse “red wine is actually the most harmful drink for those with skin issues like rosacea- “Over 70% of rosacea sufferers had severe flare ups caused by drinking red wine!”

Oh dear. I had already eliminated sugar (so I thought) and dairy and now I was sentenced to a lifetime of zero social drinking.

I had proven sugar causes skin conditions by spiking your insulin levels, causing inflammation throughout the body. What I didn’t realize was the type of sugar in alcohol was even more damaging.

I decided to look at what options I had.

- and found a clear message on a Canadian Psoriasis website:

THE “NO NO’S OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

All red and white wines, sparkling wines, champagnes, brandy, cognac, sherry, cinzano, vermouth, port, samos, all egg and nut based liqueurs, grand marnier, and cointreau.

So what is on the “yes” list of alcoholic beverages? That is what I wanted to find out and was shocked to learn I can have a drink (in moderation) and keep my skin healthy and clear. The following list is based on my research and from websites listed as reference.

THE “YES LIST” OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey and tequila – all have 0 grams of sugar per ounce (and zero carbs) - great options for having that occasional drink –without consuming harmful ingredients.

But beware - most mixed drinks come packed with added sugar. So a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime, poured over ice cubes and/or a dash of water keeps it psoriasis safe.

Shots are also a great option, since there’s no extra sugar, salt or other harmful ingredients.

KEEP HYDRATED – ALCOHOL IS A DIURETIC

Alcohol pulls away liquids from your body, leading to dehydration. When you have eczema, psoriasis, or any other skin disease, your body needs to stay properly hydrated in order to properly flush out toxins and to avoid inflammation

Drinking an excess amount of alcohol without properly hydrating can have a really negative effect on your skin.

I always add a small pinch of baking soda to my drinking water (even in water used for hot drinks) and drink at least 4 glasses of water a day- so if I am choosing to have a drink of alcohol, I add a couple more glasses of alkaline infused water to ensure I am keeping my body hydrated.

ALCOHOL IN MODERATION

Remember.. everything in moderation... drinking more than 1 alcoholic drink per day for women and 2 drinks for men is not recommended.

References:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/alcohol-skin_n_4146391.

html http://www.livestrong.com/article/32276-types-hard-alcohol-sugars-carbs/

http://www.flawlessprogram.com/alcohol-causes-eczema-true-or-false/

This is my story - how I cleared my psoriasis naturally - after 25 years