Holistic skin care

As we head into the Summer holidays, often we become more aware of our skin and the way it looks as we start to bare more of it! The warmer weather means we are often using more sun protection, we are in the sun more and perhaps even dabbling with more tanning products.

But what we don’t often think about is how much of our skin health is made in the kitchen.

So how is our skin health related to what we eat?

First and foremost our skin is intricately linked to the health of our digestive system. But how? Well we know that our digestive system is an important detoxification channel in the body - if it is not working efficiently then this can lead to common skin conditions.

Think about it this way: What would happen if we didn’t take the garbage out in our homes daily? There would be a big build up of waste over time right? Think of your digestive system as our body's way of keeping this waste system moving. If this elimination process slows down (like with constipation) or isn’t working effectively (bloating, gas, intolerances) the body starts finding other ways to try to eliminate waste – like the skin! Overloading our digestive system with saturated fats, sugar and alcohol will have a direct impact on our skin health, hence causing breakouts, dryness, flaking, itchiness.

So working on our gut health will nearly always indirectly help to support your skin health.

Top 5 Nutrients for Skin Health

1. Essential Fatty Acids
   Avocados, Oily fish, Extra virgin olive oil, Chia seeds

   Essential for skin hydration and to create an effective barrier to keep out different microbes & bacteria.

2. Zinc
   Red Meat, Oysters & Shellfish, Nuts & Seeds
   Important for hormonal balance and reducing inflammation.

3. Vitamin C
   Broccoli, Citrus fruits, Kiwifruit, Capsicum, Berries
   Stimulates collagen production and wound healing.

4. Vitamin A
   Pumpkin seeds, Pumpkin, Eggs, Papaya, Beef Liver

   Importation for formation of new skin cells and skin repair.

5. Vitamin E

   Sunflower seeds, Almonds, Pine nuts
   Combats free radical damage, which contributes to ageing of the skin.

Could it be hormonal?

Hormonal factors that could be causing your skin symptoms:

• Estrogen dominance

• Androgen excess

• Post-birth control hormonal dysregulation

• Poor blood sugar control or insulin resistance

• Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction

• Chronic stress leading to nervous system imbalances which affects hormonal regulation

• Cortisol imbalances

Introducing the Gut-Skin Axis

Have you considered that poor gut health could be contributing to your rosacea, acne or dry skin?
Introducing the Gut-Skin Axis - when your gut health is out of balance - the skin can also become irritated or inflamed.

Due to its influence on the gut, your diet is one of the most important factors when it comes to skin health.

How can we improve our gut health?

• Include probiotic rich & fermented foods which contain live beneficial bacteria to nourish the gut microbiome, like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh & miso

• Make sure to get plenty of prebiotic fibre in by consuming enough fruit, vegetables & whole-grains per day to feed healthy gut bacteria

• Avoid processed foods as these increase the amount of ‘bad’ bacteria and decrease the amount of ‘good’ bacteria

If you’re struggling with chronic gut issues like bloating, reflux or irregular bowel movements - this is a sign your gut health may be under strife, and you would benefit from personalised advice. To discuss how I can help you, book in for a free 15 minute chat.