I was fed up with my skin looking tired and dry, and often flaring up with redness. The problem is my skin is sensitive, and often trying various potions and lotions that are supposed to help actually make things worse.
I took to Google and Instagram, looking for a solution, but I just felt bombarded with contradictory and sometimes very strange advice. Coincidentally, my dad had recommended I read Dr Chris Van Tulleken’s Ultra-Processed People, after he had read it, ditched ultra-processed foods, and began feeling significantly better overall.
The book fascinated and terrified in equal measure – I almost couldn’t believe what is actually in much of our food, so I decided to quit UPFs too. I figured it may have an impact on my skin, and even if not I would likely feel better in some capacity.
UPFs have hit headlines in a major way in recent months. Medical studies show eating them in high quantities cause increases a person’s risk of developing a number of diseases – so an obvious one to avoid if you can, then.
While there isn’t a single definition for an ultra-processed food, they often contain things like emulsifiers, stabilisers, colourings, flavourings and preservatives. Dr Van Tulleken says “a good working definition would be that, if a food is wrapped in plastic, and has at least one ingredient that you do not typically find in a domestic kitchen … then it is probably an ultra-processed food.”
The problem is that UPFs are often more convenient than preparing food from scratch, and more expensive than buying higher quality foods without nasties. But after some trial and error I have managed to make it work for me, largely by making a note of the foods I was already eating and making better swaps, and by preparing meals in advance.
There are tons of ultra-processed-free recipes online, and as I learned more about what to include and what to avoid, it has almost become second nature, rather than the chore I anticipated. After a few months, my skin looked drastically better, but more than that I had a lot more energy and even my mood had improved.
There was also another unexpected effect.
I tend not to weigh myself very often as I don’t believe anyone should own scales (a tale for another day) but I think I was around 9 and a half stone when I first ditched UPFs. Six months later I was weighed while at a medical appointment, and I was 8 stone and 13 lbs – some 8lbs lighter – and I hadn’t actually set out to lose any weight.