You want good skin? It all starts at gut level. Acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis - to mention a few skin conditions, can all be traced back to gut health.
Looking after your gut will allow you to simplify your skincare routine, help you achieve a smooth, balanced and glowing complexion – and make you feel better too.
How does a Healthy Gut really make everything work well?
The gut is where 70% of your immune system lies, where we metabolize hormones, where we make nutrients and neurotransmitters, create detoxifying enzymes and neutralize pathogens. All of these processes can profoundly affect us if not in balance or working properly.
What Influences Our Gut Bacteria?
Processed foods, sugar, junk food, gluten, antibiotics and medications are just a few factors that influence the state of bacteria in the gut. The higher the bad bacteria present in your gut, the higher the inflammation will be in your body. Caffeine, alcohol, stress, lack of sleep, anxiety and depression all influence the state of your gut. The irony is that few doctors will inquire about your gut health, as in your diet, or any of the other life affecting areas mentioned, which could very well be the root cause of your problems.
Issues With The Skin
Acne is one of the most common skin conditions due to gut issues. It is very rare to have acne and not have gut issues. Eczema and dermatitis are also skin conditions linked to poor gut health. And studies have found that those with rosacea were 10x more likely to have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth(SIBO) compared to those without rosacea and that eradication of the SIBO resulted in almost complete regression (elimination) of this common skin disorder/condition.*
Evidence
Decades ago, doctors found that gut health, brain health and skin health are all interrelated. They found that beneficial bacteria improved inflammatory skin conditions and even symptoms like depression and anxiety. Considering how intimately the gut-skin (and brain) are connected, good skin health and a great complexion can only be achieved when you take an integrative & functional approach; you need to consider all players and how they all work together. As your largest organ, your skin needs as much TLC as any other body part that you care for. Good skin health needs to include good skincare, there’s no denying that, but it also needs to consider what’s going on in the inside.
Solutions
As long as the gut is inflamed your immune system will be too weak to help heal the body and skin conditions will stay.
Vitamins B6 and C are beneficial to help repair the gut lining.**
Lactobacillus acidophilus, the most common strain of probiotic, is a very popular aid.
Cod liver oil is rich in both vitamins A and D and is great for skin conditions.
Wheatgrass (which you can find in New New Age's Unicorn Berry Potion) has high levels of enzymes that aid in digestion by helping your body to break down food and absorb nutrients. This can help with digestion. The detox effects of wheatgrass clean your intestines so you experience less gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.
Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) is a very good supplement in supporting gut health by aiding in proper digestion and also very good for acne. The reason for this is that most people with a poor gut function will also have low levels of hydrochloric acid.
Remember, if you have a well functioning digestive system, your overall health will be better and therefore, you will have a huge improvement in any skin condition you may suffer from. Chatting with your doctor or naturopath is the best way to get to the bottom of any issues you may be struggling with. They can best guide you on which supplements or food to take or avoid. Get gut healthy today!
*https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18456568/
**https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/8/11/469/pdf
This is a VIP – very important post! So few of us understand how critical our gut health is to our overall health. We also need to understand that, as the largest organ in our body, if our skin is unhappy there is more going on beneath the surface. Topical treatments are great but won’t ultimately work until we fix what is going on in the gut at the cellular level. Dairy and gluten are two inflammatory foods that can cause gut and thus skin issues. Thank you for educating us!