You may not realize it, but the cornerstone of your health is your gut microbiota. It helps your body break down the food you eat, absorbs the nutrients, and utilizes them to keep your body running smoothly. Therefore, it will be harder to maintain good health if your immune system and gut are out of balance and your serotonin and hormones aren't functioning properly. Toxins and metabolic waste are also expelled from your body through your gut. Your body will, however, find it difficult to eliminate those poisons if you have a poor digestive system.
Inflammation all over the body, chronic diseases, and chronic weariness are just a few of the problems that might arise if this happens. People consequently suffer from symptoms like confusion, gas, discomfort in the joints, constipation, or diarrhea. When the good (beneficial) and bad (possibly hazardous) bacteria in your digestive tract are in balance, you have good gut health.
Signs of Unhealthy Gut :
Gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea are just a few symptoms of an unhealthy stomach, but there are many more. A bad gut can also be a symptom of autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's Disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis (MS), in which your immune system attacks various body organs.
Brain fog, headaches, poor memory and attention, weariness, chronic pain, trouble sleeping, problems with cravings, or depressive symptoms can also be signs of poor microbiota. Your gut health can be greatly affected by the food and nutrients you consume, and if you experience anxiety or depression, this can also affect your gut and worsen issues. (1)
Gut and Skin Connection :
Your unhealthy gut may also be responsible for the irritating condition of your skin.
Your skin and stomach both have the same immune system processes. Infectious organisms that cause disease, or pathogens, are both kept away by them. According to scientific research, your skin condition may be impacted by GI health and abnormalities in your gut microbiota.
Everybody loves skin that is luminous, young, and healthy. But many individuals don't understand that gut health affects skin health. If the gut microbiome is out of balance, it can directly impact your skin health. Several conditions, including bacterial or parasite infections, bacterial overgrowth (dysbiosis), and inflammation caused by food sensitivities, can result in an unbalanced microbiome. (5)
Skin Symptoms Caused By Unhealthy Gut :
The skin is an excellent indicator of what is happening inside the body. There's a good probability that your gut may be out of balance if your skin is sensitive, inflammatory, or congested. Our skin is the largest organ in our body and the first line of protection against dangerous bacteria and infections. It is also one of the key systems through which the body expels toxins and waste. In terms of gut health, this can include skin conditions like rosacea, psoriasis, and acne. All of which can be exacerbated by digestive problems. And the reason for that is because there is a strong link between your gut and your skin. Rashes, breakouts, redness, dryness, inflammation, or skin that might seem swollen and tends to age more rapidly are common problems that can indicate an underlying gut imbalance, even though it can be difficult to link stomach symptoms to skin symptoms. (3)
Root Causes of Skin Issues :
There are numerous advertisements about cosmetics and creams that wash the skin and clear up pimples on the TV and web. Instead, how about tackling the issue at its source? Your gut needs to be healed if you want the real remedy.
Although gut health issues and breakouts are frequently seen in adolescence, anyone at any age can experience them. The face, back, forehead, chest, and shoulders are the areas where hormonal acne, cystic acne, and pimples most frequently manifest themselves. Although these regions of the body may be where we discover acne the most frequently, they aren't always where the symptoms are coming from. In addition to being one of the main causes of acne, poor gut health is the main contributor to symptoms getting worse. (7)
Dr. Del Campo states that gluten, cow's milk, sugar, and alcohol are the foods that cause the most skin problems.
Dairy:
IGG-1, a growth hormone cows make to feed their calves, is found in cow's milk. Unfortunately, this growth hormone does not have a favorable effect on the human body. Cow's milk produces inflammation in our bodies, which is a major contributor to acne outbreaks, rather than promoting healthy growth as it does for young cows. The IGG-1 growth hormone not only increases inflammation but also blood sugar levels since it contains natural carbohydrates.
Sugar:
Sugar is unhealthy for your gut, which means it's bad for your skin as well. To get rid of any skin problems, you should cut out foods high in sucrose and glucose, such as processed foods, sugary snacks, sodas, flavored coffee, energy drinks, high-carb meals, and foods high in the glycemic index.
How Can We Improve Our Gut Health?
We may be able to improve our gut health via lifestyle modifications and by making better food choices. (1)
- High stress levels can create certain health issues along with your gut health. Making a habit of meditating, walking, getting massages and spending good time with your friends and family can help reduce stress.
- Your gut health may suffer badly if you don't get enough or good quality sleep, which can then lead to more sleep problems. 7-8 hours of sleep is required for our body.
- You may prevent stomach discomfort and maintain a healthy gut by chewing your food completely and taking time during meals.
- Drinking plenty of water also helps increase the variety of good bacteria in the stomach. Your entire health will benefit from staying hydrated and may avoid constipation. It might also be an easy approach to encourage gut health.
- Enhancing your diet with prebiotic or probiotic supplements may aid your gut health. Probiotics are healthy bacteria, whereas prebiotics is "food" aimed to encourage the growth of helpful bacteria in the stomach. It's best to consult a healthcare provider before selecting a probiotic or prebiotic supplement to help with health improvement.
Superfoods for Gut Health:
There seems to be a strong connection between diet and gut health. As these foods may encourage the growth of harmful bacteria, avoiding processed meals, high fat foods, and foods high in refined sugars is definitely essential for maintaining a healthy microbiome. (4)
You can also eat foods that actively promote the growth of healthy bacteria, improving your general health. These foods consist of:
- High Fiber Food:
Foods high in fiber, such as legumes, beans and whole grains like gluten-free oats, quinoa and certain fruits like apples, pear, etc. are beneficial for gut health.
2. Garlic:
Garlic may boost gut health and increase the microbiota in the gut.
3. Ginger:
Another meal that promotes healthy gut microbiota restoration is ginger. Additionally, ginger has been shown to reduce stomach pain and nausea.
4. Foods that support collagen
Foods high in collagen, like bone broth, may be good for the gut and overall health.
Role of Prebiotics :
Prebiotics are a form of fiber that serve as food for bacteria to promote the growth of our beneficial gut flora. High quantities of alcohol, caffeine, and sugar are frequently seen in contemporary diets, all of which harm our beneficial gut flora. Our bad diets frequently suppress the beneficial bacteria, which allows the dangerous species to establish themselves (a condition known as "dysbiosis") and cause problems with the gut and general health. Along with dietary modifications, a daily prebiotic supplement can help restore the good bacteria that may have been lost as a result of lifestyle choices.
Improve Your Gut Health via Skin
A superb complexion and good skin health can only be attained when you use an integrative and functional approach because of how closely the gut-skin (and brain) are connected.
To reduce gut irritability and inflammation, you must consider your consumption of food, beverages, supplements, and medications. Along with your diet, take note of how much stress you are under, how much sleep you get and any unidentified food allergies. The most important of all would be to find solutions to promote a healthy gut microbiota/bacterial population.
Eating a balanced diet is important, but what matters most for your skin and overall health is what you absorb, not what you eat. For this reason, improving your gut health should come first; only after that can it make sense to make sure you are getting enough of the nutrients that support your skin, such as vitamins A, C, E, K2, B3, and B5, as well as the minerals selenium, zinc, and sulfur, and omega-3 fats. (2)
Bottomline :
An irritated or inflamed gut can create full-body inflammation, which can be problematic for your skin. Therefore, your skin's defense system is compromised, leaving it susceptible to many diseases. Your gut health has a much bigger impact on your skin than you might realize.
A significant gut check is necessary if you've been trying to treat your disease by contacting skin specialists without results. Eat foods that are good for your skin and gut, and consult with a nutritionist for a thorough evaluation of your gut health.
