Grumbling in your stomach signals hunger. Tightness in your legs signals a need for a stretch. Pain in your low back signals potential injury. These are all common mechanisms through which your body alerts you of a need. Did you know that acne is a reading (like Braille) of what’s not quite right with your body?

Acne occurs when a hair follicle becomes clogged with sebum (oil) or dead skin cells. Generally, there are four categories of acne you might see on your face or other parts of your body:

1. Hormonal Acne: Acne caused by hormonal flare ups, generally found on the chin and jawline area. This can worsen during menstruation.
2. Inflammatory Acne: Pustules (a red ring surrounding a whitehead) and red bumps that occur because of bacteria and other inflammatory agents in the pore.
3. Cystic Acne: Large, deep rooted pimples. The ones that feel deep under the skin that are often sensitive to touch and painful. The individual pimples are called nodules.
4. Comedonal Acne: Simple clogged pores that can appear as whiteheads or blackheads.

These different types of acne signal different changes and issues in the body. For instance, hormonal acne signals hormonal imbalances and inflammatory acne signals a buildup of bacteria on the skin biome. Cystic and comedonal acne can come from a variety of sources.

All of this is to say: Acne is more than just bumps in your face, back, or chest. It’s a marker of your skin’s health. Here are five actions you can take to get healthier skin—from the inside out!

Remove inflammatory foods from your diet

Certain foods can exacerbate inflammation in the body—the skin is one area that will alert you of excess inflammation. When we have too much sugar, saturated fats, seed oils (Omega-6), dairy, or processed foods in our diet, we see acne begin to increase (among other health issues) as these foods contribute to clogged pores. Sugar molecules, specifically, grab onto the proteins in your skin’s collagen, causing premature aging through a process called glycation.

In particular, aim to reduce your intake of:

• Desserts—cookies, cupcakes, and other foods with more than 6-8g of added sugars
• Greasy fast food meals
• Packaged foods like chips, crackers, salad dressings (yes even salad dressings are loaded with sugar, flavor enhancers and bad oils)

To help you change these dietary patterns, consider substitutions like:

• Eating a square of 70% or higher dark chocolate for your sweet fix (more isn’t more so moderate your intake)
• Meal prepping at the beginning of the week, so you don’t end up opting for a quick fast food dinner
• Opt for close to 100% Whole Grain label on packaged foods to make sure you’re getting good fiber content with the carbs that you eat