Our skin is our body’s largest organ; it helps the body expelling toxins and waste materials and is our first line of defense against bacteria and pathogen invasions.
The gut and skin are connected through the the gut-skin axis.
However, symptoms of gut health issues can be incredibly varied, the skin is often a great barometer for what’s going on inside the gut. The gut hosts 70 percent of our immune system. Through the gut we absorb and make nutrients, metabolize hormones and detoxifying enzymes, neutralize pathogens and make neurotransmitters. So it’s crucial to get your digestive health in check in order to feel well and experience clear, glowing skin.
The gut contains a collection of trillions of strains of bacteria and microbes, called the gut microbiome.
This microbiome maintains homeostasis throughout the body, but can majorly affect our other organs, especially our skin, if it becomes unbalanced. If we experience any issues with our gut, like inflammation, leaky gut or digestion problems, our skin is usually the first place we notice problems.
Scientists have found links between gut health and skin issues such as eczema, rosacea, and acne. Where there is gut inflammation, there will likely be skin inflammation too This why it’s so important to address gut health —because once you do, your skin will radiate a glow that no amount of topical treatments and cosmetics can replicate.
Skin symptoms:
-rashes
- breakouts
-redness
-dryness
-inflammation
We know, from visual inspection too, that a skin that can look haggard tends to age more quickly.
Probiotics:
There are a multitude of probiotics that have been proven to have health benefits, and there are many we’re only just learning about. Some of these include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Akkermansia and their associated species and strains.
The best thing you can do to ensure a correct probiotic intake is to eat a balanced diet and probiotic-rich fermented foods as well as taking a supplements containing a broad-spectrum probiotic. Make sure you’re filling up your gut with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats and lacto-fermented wholefoods (like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi) to promote microbial diversity and feed your microbiome.
Prebiotics:
Prebiotics are a type of fiber that act as food for bacteria to support proliferation of our good gut bacteria.
You can find prebiotics in foods like onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, oats and apples.
By consuming fiber daily, your gut microbes ferment the fiber as they feed on it—this creates anti-inflammatory compounds called short chain fatty acids that are essential for skin health, metabolic health, brain health and immune health.
Timings:
Some research shows it could take around four weeks to experience health improvements after starting a probiotic, but everybody is different, so this timeline could vary widely from person to person.
Takeaways:
Incorporating a fiber-rich, nutrient-dense diet, and supporting your mental, emotional and spiritual wellness can all help improve your gut and skin. The key is to look at wellness from a holistic level.
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