the gut-skin axis

Does gut health = skin health?

The short answer is yes. The gut-skin axis is an interrelationship between the gut microbiome and the health of your skin. Imbalances in the gut microbiome can lead to dysregulation in the immune system, inflammatory skin conditions like acne, rosacea or eczema and decreased function in the skin barrier.

So, what can you do to support the gut-skin axis?

1.        Diet – you know what you eat matters. But focusing on foods that help build beneficial gut bacteria and support your microbiome are key. Fermented foods like miso soup, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and pickles are helpful. Probiotic foods like Greek yogurt and kefir can be added to smoothies or eaten as a snack. Eating ‘bitters’ before meals aid digestion. These include foods like arugula, dandelion greens, kale, or artichoke. After meals if you’re feeling a bit bloated or gassy, try eating carminatives (foods that target those symptoms). Ginger, chamomile or peppermint tea are all popular and easily accessible carminatives.

2.        Stress – chronic stress alters your gut microbiome and can increase gut permeability. Ignore the influencers – do whatever activities help YOU de-stress. Whether that’s exercise, gardening, meditating, drawing, reading, etc.

3.        Sleep – prioritize getting at least 8 hours. If you have a high stress job, have a lot going on in your life, have little ones, are a student, etc. you might even need more than 8 hours as brain power uses a lot of energy.

4.        Antibiotics – be mindful of when the last time you took antibiotics was or how long you’ve been taking them. Antibiotic use can wipe out beneficial gut bacteria.