I am becoming concerned about the yellowish – orangish tint that my skin has developed. It is most noticeable on my palms and the pads of my feet, however, my entire body has it to some degree.
I made drastic changes to my diet about two years ago. I have since lost 65 pounds and am down to 210 pounds, at 6 feet 2 inches tall.
During that time my eating has evolved into a regimen whereby I only eat fruits, vegetable, whole grains, and beans. I feel healthy both mentally and physically, however, I will admit that I am beginning to get a number of comments from a coworker about my skin color. Should I be concerned? Should I make an effort to work meat and dairy back into my diet?
Are you taking a vitamin A supplement or beta-carotene? Or are you juicing/eating a lot of carrots? If you answer yes to either of these, please read my vitamin A topic at https://www.dietitian.com Discontinue the beta-carotene supplements or eliminate carrots or carrot juice you consume each day as you have saturated your body stores of Vitamin A. You can resume a moderate 1 or 2 carrots per day once your skin color has returned to normal for you.
If you are not doing either of above, I would suggest you make an appointment to see your doctor to check your liver and pancreatic enzymes levels in your blood. Are the whites of your eyes yellow or orange tint? Tell your doctor of any other symptoms you have.
Is your weight loss due to your reduced food intake and was your weight loss planned? Have you lost 65 pounds over the last 2 years?
If your yellow/orange skin color is due to the amount of beta-carotene you are consuming, it is not necessary to work meat and/or dairy back into your diet. A vegetarian diet is healthy if you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and peas as well as legumes. Perhaps you should also make an appointment to see a registered dietitian.
