The Skin-Gut Connection
I have learned that our skin is a reflection of our gut biome. A happy healthy gut results in healthy, moisturized, glowing skin, whereas an unbalanced and reactive gut shows its self in a myriad of symptoms one of which plagues children, teens and adults alike. And that is skin disorders.
Whether it’s Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis, or plane ole Acne, they all can be linked back to poor gut health.
“Good Skin Comes from the Inside Out, Not the Outside In!
- Mark Hyman”
Personally speaking for years I would have these bumps on the backs of my arms. Keratosis Pilaris a friend identified for me. When I gave up dairy for my reactive nursing baby Theodore, it magically went away! I say magically but it wasn’t that at all. It was that my gut biome was reacting to the proteins in the dairy, it was upsetting my gut biome/flora and when I removed it the condition went away. I know this is just an anecdotal report but there is also science behind these findings too.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048199/
So…What can you do to help repair your gut biome so you can have healthier skin? Correct food sensitivities and nutritional deficiencies, detoxify, reduce inflammation and rebalance stress hormones. Not interested in ALL of that, well here are a couple somewhat easy and manageable things you can do to help improve your gut biome.
Eat foods that are Fiber-rich, they will feed your good gut flora
Apples
Celery
Coconut (and foods made from it)
Cucumbers
Dandelion greens
Figs
Garlic
Kale
Lentils
Artichokes
Avocados
Bananas
2. Eat Food that have been fermented or cultured, They contain good bacteria
Naturally fermented sauerkraut
Pickled vegetables (including organic pickles)
Kimchi (the Korean version of fermented vegetables or fruit)
Kefir (fermented milk—unsweetened only)
Miso
mari (the liquid from miso)
Tempeh (fermented tofu cake)
Tofu (which is sometimes fermented)
Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
Coconut yogurt (unsweetened)
3. Supplement with quality Prebiotics and Probiotics.
Beans
Berries
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Nuts and seeds
Olives and olive oil
Onions
Pumpkin
Spinach
Seeds, especially when sprouted
Strawberries
Prebiotics:
Prebiotics feed the good microbes. They are specialized plant fibers that act like fertilizers to stimulate the growth of good / healthy bacteria in the gut.
Prebiotics are found in many fruits and vegetables, especially those that contain complex carbohydrates, such as fiber and resistant starch. These carbs aren't digestible by your body, so they pass through the digestive system to become food for the bacteria and other microbes. (see the list above for which foods to eat that contain fiber).
Probiotics:
Probiotics are the actual bacteria. When shopping for a probiotic, you should look for one with at least 25-50 billion living CFUs (colony-forming units), including the most beneficial strains like:
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium longum
Bifidobacterium breve
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Lactobacillus reuteri
Bacillus Coagulans
In some instances the overgrowth of bad bacteria may warrant the use of herbs and supplements to kill any unwanted intruders. I have found Biocide very effective for my particular condition.
Here is a short list of the several probiotics/prebiotic/Fiber supplements that I’ve tried, love and make my life easy.
Arbonne’s Digestion Plus: Its is a blend of prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Arbonne’s Greens Balance: Derived from whole fruits and vegetables that provides prebiotic/fiber as well as lots of nutrients.
Arbonne’s Fiber Boost: Exactly what it is, a boost of more fiber for your diet.
Prescript Assist Biospectrum Assist: A combination of
Pure Encapsulation Probiotic G.I: contains 10 billion CFU of several bacterial strains.
Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics, Professional Formula: 12 select probiotic strains of in a 5-year fermentation process.
Pure Encapsulation Digestion GB: Digestive enzymes that are targeted for lipid digestion.
4. Avoid foods that harm the gut flora
Highly processed or packaged foods
Refined grains, especially wheat
Sugars, especially high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners
Refined oils and fats, especially soybean and corn oil
Anibiotic drugs, except when absolutely necessary
Hormones, including birth control pills
Steroids
Anti-inflammatories, including ibuprofen, Advil, and aspirin
Acid blockers, like those prescribed for acid reflux
Dairy from non A2 cow sources.
5. Support your gut biome other ways
Ensuring you have proper, restorative sleep.
Engage in frequent physical activity
Manage any potential vitamin/micronutrient deficiency
Supplement with digestive enzymes because the ability to digest a lot of these overly toxic foods declines with age.
Limit your exposure to toxic personal care products as those chemicals are absorbed into our bloodstream within 26 seconds. If its not pure or usable then your body deems it as a toxins and it wanders around our bloodstream where there is potential for damage and inflammation.
Protect your skin, our sin is our largest organ is does the most detoxification (removal of toxins) second to the liver and kidneys. When our skin is healthy we actually don’t need to put a lot of things on to it.
Some Supplements that are also helpful in restoring skin/gut issues:
Zinc:
A 2013 study investigated the blood levels of zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin E in people with and without acne. The researchers found that the levels of all of these vitamins and minerals were significantly lower in the people with acne. They concluded that a diet rich in these nutrients could help prevent or treat acne.
A systematic review from 2013 also suggests that oral and topical forms of zinc may help treat acne. The authors found evidence indicating that zinc has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that may be beneficial in reducing acne. Zinc may also decrease oil production on the skin.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin A may also help counter the actions of Propionibacterium acnes, a type of bacteria that plays a significant role in the development of acne.
A study from 2014 found that vitamin A appears to disrupt some of the effects that P. acnes bacteria have on skin cells. However, researchers need to carry out further studies to develop a better understanding of these effects and determine how to use vitamin A to treat acne.
“Foods containing Zinc:
seafood, such as oysters, crab, and lobster
red meat
poultry
beans, nuts, and whole grains”
“Food Containing Vitamin A
beef liver
fish, such as herring, salmon, and tuna
green vegetables, including spinach and broccoli
orange and yellow vegetables, such as sweet potato, carrot, and squash
fruits, such as cantaloupe, apricot, and mango”
“Foods containing Vitamin D:
fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
beef liver
eggs
mushrooms”
Vitamin D3:
A 2016 study found that people with acne have lower levels of vitamin D than those without the skin condition. This deficiency may be a factor in the development of acne.
According to a study from 2014, Vitamin D also blocks P. acnes from affecting skin cells. These bacteria play a significant role in the development of acne.
The results of these studies suggest that vitamin D may be beneficial in treating or preventing acne, but more research is necessary to understand these findings better.
Fungi, or Functional Mushrooms:
Reishi mushroom:
Reishi, aka “the Queen Mushroom” is used in herbal medicine as an adaptogen. Meaning that it helps your body adapt to stress. It is grounding and helps you relax and adapt to whatever life throws your way. It also may help support your immune system and may help restore sleep cycles. It has many polysaccharides, antioxidant properties, and beta-glucans that can help with immune function.
Where to get Reishi? Any health food store should have powdered varieties. I am particularly fond of Four Stigmatic’s Reshi Elixer. They use a dual extraction method to ensure you are getting the full spectrum of compounds from the mushroom.
What else???
The long and short of Acne is that skin flakes and skin oil (sebum) clogs your pores. A clogged pore can becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, especially Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria, which contributes to causing pimples. Applying a topical bacteria-killing agent to the surface of your skin can be helpful in the treatments of acne.
In clinical trials, the most effective essential oils being
thyme
cinnamon
rose
rosemary
Other well known oils include; Lavender, Bergamont, Oregano, and Tea Tree Oil
Last and certainly not least, please educate yourself about your body and our microbiome. Here are a couple resources I trust. Personally listening to podcasts fits well into my busy lifestyle so here are my top recommended podcasts specific for our gut biome.
https://drhyman.com/blog/2019/11/27/podcast-ep82/
https://themodelhealthshow.com/dr-steven-gundry/
https://themodelhealthshow.com/microbiome-emotion/
https://blog.daveasprey.com/dr-steven-gundry-649/
https://themodelhealthshow.com/skin-health/