Rosacea is a skin disorder which primarily affects the skin on the face. It often begins as a red blush across the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin. As the condition progresses, it can worsen to an acne-like inflammation. The small blood vessels under the skin may become more noticeable, and the skin of the nose become red and thick. In more severe cases, rosacea can also irritate the eyes and eyelids. Although there is no cure for rosacea, treatment can control the symptoms. Flare-ups of the disorder can be triggered by a variety of things, including sun exposure, exercise, stress and hot or cold temperatures. Different foods and drinks can also trigger flushing and redness.
Beverages
Allowing hot beverages such as coffee, tea or hot cocoa to cool somewhat before drinking them can help prevent facial flushing. Because alcohol dilates blood vessels and can make redness worse, rosacea sufferers should avoid alcoholic beverages whenever possible. On occasions when you do have a drink, the International Rosacea Foundation recommends that you stick to small amounts of gin, vodka or whiskey diluted with water rather than soda or sugary mixes. A light domestic beer is a better choice than an imported beer which has more carbohydrates and preservatives, and white wine is preferable to red.
Spicy Foods
Many traditional ethnic foods, particularly Mexican, Spanish, Indian and some Chinese dishes, can promote redness and perspiration and may need to be avoided by those with rosacea. Spices such as black pepper, red pepper, cayenne and paprika can also aggravate facial flushing. You needn't give up spices altogether, however. The National Rosacea Society suggests substituting a mixture of cumin and oregano to replace chili powder, and a mixture of sage, coriander, thyme, allspice and marjoram in place of poultry seasoning. These mixes add flavoring while avoiding peppers and paprika. If you wish to add an Indian touch to food without the hotness, try using coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, basil and cardamom in place of curry powder.
Heavy Foods, Sugar and Carbohydrates
The facial skin flushing of rosacea can be affected by the type of foods your system must digest. Heavy meals and foods high in sugar or carbohydrates can all contribute to dilation of the blood vessels. Eating small meals with snacks in between helps prevent flushing by maintaining a steady blood sugar content. Complex carbohydrates such as are found in legumes, starchy vegetables, cereals or breads are preferable to the simple carbohydrates in commercial snack foods and candies.
Other Foods
Among the other possible food causes of rosacea flare-ups are fermented products such as sour cream, yogurt, dry cheeses, soy sauce or vinegar. Some rosacea patients may develop symptoms from particular fruits and vegetables such as citrus fruits, bananas, red plums, figs, raisins, avocados, eggplants, tomatoes, spinach and lima or navy beans.
