You deserve filter-free, flawless skin, and we know you do not have time for complicated steps. Here is the good news: Getting the best skin of your life is simple when you have an effective skincare system and your gut microbiome on your side. For safe, simple, and effective skincare products, look no further than Joyōme®. And, when it comes to your gut, let’s take a closer look at how the foods you eat play a role.
If you really want long-term, #nofilter, best-skin-of-your-life, you are going to have to make a few skin-friendly changes that are sustainable enough to stick to and create a habit. The good news: We are 1 step closer to cracking the code on what your skin needs to be naturally beautiful and healthy.
How gut health impacts your skin
An unhealthy gut can cause digestive issues, mood issues, weight gain, and more — including skin problems like irritation, redness, and blemishes.1
Knowing that gut health and skin problems are connected could be a giant step forward to uncovering healthier skin you have been waiting for. But to really understand this, we are going to have to take a closer look inside the gut.
Meet your microbiome
“Gut” is a simplified name for your entire gastrointestinal tract. As food travels from your mouth, down the esophagus, into the stomach, and so on, it is met with different enzymes and acids as it goes through processes that convert nutrients into fuel for the body, stores what is necessary, and pushes the rest through as waste.2 This is one of the primary functions of the gut, but it is not all it does.
The term “gut microbiome” refers to the trillions of microorganisms living inside our gut, including hundreds of varieties of bacteria.4 Some of these are useful forms of bacteria, helping keep our gut healthy. Others, not so much. If our microbiome contains a favorable balance, we see good results for our overall health.
The gut-brain connection
Your brain plays a key role in the functions of the gut as well. The brain and the gut are constantly sending messages back and forth to each other about what to digest, when to digest it, and even when it is time to eat. Both brain and gut also work together when it comes to recognizing and managing stress. The gut produces the majority of the body’s serotonin (a “happiness” hormone), while stress signals from the brain can affect the way your gut functions and feels.3
The fact that the gut and brain are so connected lends further evidence to the fact that the gut affects more than just digestion.
How gut health impacts your skin
Your skin actually has a microbiome of its own — an external ecosystem of bacteria that also needs to be favorably balanced in order for your skin to look and feel its best. Skincare products that focus on the science of the skin microbiome can result in more radiant, youthful-looking skin. This is the differentiating factor to getting the glow you want.
So, let’s dive deeper into the gut-skin relationship. We have already established that the gut is important to overall health, and not just from a digestive perspective. It should be no surprise, then, that gut health can also affect skin health in very real and significant ways. As they say, you are what you eat.
But what is the connection between the gut and the skin? To put it simply, the skin needs to be in a state of homeostasis (steady and stable) in order to function at its best. To maintain this state, cell turnover — the process by which the skin sheds dead cells and regenerates new ones — is essential. And what plays a key role in keeping that process of cell turnover going? You guessed it: the gut. So, if your gut is out of balance, your skin may not be able to do its job.
Since part of the skin’s job is maintaining a barrier from harmful external substances, an unfavorably balanced gut could result in significant problems for your skin’s appearance.5
Beauty from within
Keeping a healthy gut can help your skin function and look its best. Even more, certain foods are shown to help improve skin health. And there is research to back this up. One study, for example, shows an increase in skin firmness when a probiotic was introduced into the gut.6 The firmer your skin, the more youthful the appearance.
And now the million-dollar question: How can you leverage the functionality and power of the gut to calm, brighten, or beautify your skin? One of the best, most natural ways is by adding certain foods to your diet: foods that promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut and leave you and your skin balanced and strong.
Keep in mind that everyone’s skin is different, and everyone’s gut is different. It is nearly impossible to find solutions that will have the same results for everyone. But if you are having major, chronic problems with your skin, it is worth it to try a variety of solutions to see what works for you. These food recommendations are healthy, so you have nothing to lose (except maybe a couple of layers of that concealer).
Gut-friendly foods that benefit the skin
- Fresh fruits and vegetables. You didn’t think you could avoid this one, did you? Fresh fruits and vegetables are a staple for any healthy diet, providing vitamins, minerals, and nutrients our bodies need to survive and thrive. Another thing these foods bring to the table? Fiber.
- Fiber benefits our gut in a few ways. Soluble fibers help slow the absorption of sugar and fat and help our body rid itself of excess hormones (and we all know what raging hormones can do to your skin). Insoluble fibers clean out your intestines and feed beneficial gut bacteria, so the gut can do its job of nourishing the body more effectively.7All of this adds up to a healthier gut, which translates to healthier skin. Fruits and veggies highest in fiber include apples, bananas, leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, and artichokes.
- Fermented foods. Possibly the most well-known category of gut-friendly foods, fermented foods give your body a good dose of probiotics — the good bacteria you want to thrive in your gut. By introducing more good bacteria into your gut, you promote a healthier balance in your gut microbiota, benefiting your overall health and your skin. The addition of probiotics into the gut can also make the gut barrier stronger.Fermented foods include things like sauerkraut, pickles (ones that are naturally fermented, not processed in vinegar), kimchi, yogurt, and kefir. When in doubt, check the label. You want foods that contain live key cultures to reap the benefits of probiotics.8
- Kombucha. Technically part of the “fermented food” crowd, kombucha really deserves its own spot on the list. Full of the probiotics that are present in other fermented foods, kombucha is undoubtedly good for the gut. But beyond that, anecdotally, kombucha has been said to detox and hydrate the skin as well as help with skin elasticity. If you find that to be true for you, you get double the benefits from 1 drink: skin benefits from a healthy gut and skin benefits from the drink itself. Bottoms up!11
- Dairy-free. Dairy has long been seen as a “trigger” for skin problems. This could be for a few reasons. One explanation is hormones. Not only does milk contain certain hormones on its own, but many cows are also treated with growth hormones, which are then found in their milk and then work their way into our guts. These hormones could potentially cause skin issues, including blemishes.Similarly, the sugar found in milk (lactose) is not necessarily the skin’s best friend, either. Many people have a hard time breaking this sugar down (lactose intolerance, anyone?), which could affect the gut and the skin.9Going completely dairy-free may seem extreme to those of us who are so used to it as a part of our everyday diets, but it could make a big difference in your gut health and skin appearance.
- Almonds. Full of fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients, almonds are certainly having a moment as the go-to healthy snack. Versatile and delicious, these nuts benefit your gut and your skin, as they work to regulate blood sugar, protect cells from oxidative damage, and help lower cholesterol.10
- Apple cider vinegar. Another drink that is having a moment right now, apple cider vinegar (ACV) is pretty good for your gut too. The right variety of ACV includes prebiotics, which act as food for the probiotics in your gut. If you want to make sure you are getting all the benefits from your ACV, get a variety that contains “The Mother” — the antioxidants and probiotics that give ACV its distinctive, cloudy appearance. This indicates that the vinegar has those good-for-your-gut ingredients you are looking for..12
Managing problematic skin can be frustrating, to say the least. But rather than try yet another patch or serum that claims to work miracles, bring it back to the science of the microbiome by giving your gut and your skin what they need to thrive from within. After all, it might just be the key to getting the skin health you have been striving for.
References/Sources:
1. https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-how-gut-health-affects-whole-body
2. https://loveyourgut.com/what-does-the-gut-do/the-digestive-system/
3. https://med.nyu.edu/medicine/gastro/about-us/gastroenterology-news-archive/your-gut-feeling-healthier-digestive-system-means-healthier
4. https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/about-gut-microbiota-info/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048199/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3547054/
7. https://tailorskin.co/blogs/news/all-natural
8. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fermented-foods-can-add-depth-to-your-diet
9. https://www.healthline.com/health/dairy-and-acne#how-dairy-affects-skin
10. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-proven-benefits-of-almonds#section7
11. https://www.bustle.com/articles/181588-is-kombucha-good-for-your-skin-heres-the-benefits-of-drinking-the-fermented-beverage
12. https://healthyhints.com/apple-cider-vinegar-for-gut-health