More and more research shows that it’s not our brain but our gut that controls our overall health and wellbeing. A healthy gut equates to a healthy immune system and a strong and powerful mind. However, did you know that a sound gut health also results in clear and glowing skin? Yes, your skin is a great barometer for your gut health. Research shows that your skin issues could be a manifestation of an unhealthy gut and a healthy diet along with pre and probiotics could give your complexion an overall boost. In this article, we shall explore the connection between your gut and skin health.
What's the Connection Between Your Gut & Skin Health?
The gut and skin health connection is also known as the gut-skin axis. There is a continuous two-way communication taking place between your gut and skin. Your skin usually always reflects if there is an underlying gut condition. The gut is after all the place where 70 percent of your immune system exists. It’s the place where nutrients are produced, hormones metabolize, enzymes detoxified, and pathogens neutralized. That is why it is vital for your digestive health to be put under check so that you can get clear, glowing skin.
The gut is an ecosystem in itself with a collection of billions and trillions of bacterial strains and microbes thriving in it, known as the gut microbiome. A state of homeostasis is maintained throughout the body, thanks to this microbiome. The gut acts as a barrier that separates the inside of the digestive tract from the rest of the body. Your gut can get inflamed due to anything that irritates its lining. These could include certain medications, alcohol, antibiotics, food-borne illnesses, or foods low in fiber and high in sugar.
Any irritation or inflammation in the gut can have numerous ramifications on the body. The nerves that spread across the digestive tract signal the body about potential problems in the gut, which further triggers an alarm bell for the body. The body then responds by increasing the stress response of the body to help it fight. In the process, the immune system gets super charged, thereby affecting all parts of your body, including the skin.
Our skin is usually the first place where we notice issues if there is any problem in the gut, such as inflammation, leaky gut or other digestive complications.
In the skin health domain, there is ample research available that suggests links between gut health and acne. Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome can give rise to skin problems such as acne, eczema, dermatitis, and so on. That is why it is so important to address gut health issues. Once you do, your skin will have natural radiance and glow that no amount of topical skin products or cosmetic treatments can bring into effect. This is an inside-out approach that may take time but will fix your skin issues from the root.
What are the skin conditions that occur due to bad gut health?
Out of all the organs in the body, our skin is the largest one, and it is one of the major systems by which the body lets out toxins and waste. It defends the body against harmful bacteria and pathogens. Research shows that almost all skin issues are linked to gut health, however, diagnosing it can be difficult. Sometimes it is easy to make the connection - for instance, certain foods like milk can trigger eczema or rashes, if you are allergic to it. At other times, the connection between your gut and skin can be more tricky to decipher. The most common type of issues that indicate an underlying gut problem include skin dryness, redness, inflammation, acne, rashes, or signs of premature aging like wrinkling, pigmentation and more.
What should you do to fix the problem?
The result of gut irritation or inflammation can cause the loss of the barrier, which further results in unwanted gut contents such as food proteins and other nutrients to leak out, causing the immune system to go awry, and the skin to break out. The best way to help your gut and skin in this case would be to incorporate a fiber-rich, and nutrient-dense diet, that will improve your mental and emotional wellness along with enhancing your gut and skin. Nourishing and feeding your gut with prebiotics and probiotics would help those dealing with acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis and premature aging.
There’s certainly a strong connection between you gut and skin health and we can fix many of our skin issues by taking good care of our gut. Try out Wellbeing Nutrition's Probiotic+ Prebiotic Fibre (clinically approved mix of probiotic strains and prebiotic fibre) that promotes digestive balance with a combination of six active probiotic cultures and prebiotic fibre such as apple pomace and chicory root (Inulin) for your overall gut health.
References:
- Salem I, Ramser A, Isham N, Ghannoum MA. The Gut Microbiome as a Major Regulator of the Gut-Skin Axis. Front Microbiol. 2018;9:1459. Published 2018 Jul 10. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2018.01459. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048199/)
- How does your gut health affect your skin? (https://cdhf.ca/health-lifestyle/how-does-your-gut-health-affect-your-skin/)
- Ellis SR, Nguyen M, Vaughn AR, et al. The Skin and Gut Microbiome and Its Role in Common Dermatologic Conditions. Microorganisms. 2019;7(11):550. Published 2019 Nov 11. doi:10.3390/microorganisms7110550. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6920876/)
- Vaughn AR, Notay M, Clark AK, Sivamani RK. Skin-gut axis: The relationship between intestinal bacteria and skin health. World J Dermatol 2017; 6(4): 52-58 [DOI: 10.5314/wjd.v6.i4.52], (https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-6190/full/v6/i4/52.htm)
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