As important as it is to nurture your skin with great skincare, did you know that skin health reflects the state of your gut? A great skin care routine coupled with a healthy gut will have you glowing from the inside out.
Here, our in-house qualified Health Coach, Leonie explains the relationship between your gut-bowel and your skin and how by taking some simple nutritional steps, you can take your skin health up a notch and really glow from the inside, improving your skin barrier and appearance.
The gut and skin relationship
The gut - how can something so deep inside the body, far, far away from your face reflect how old you look or how healthy your skin appears? This is called the gut-bowel skin axis and refers to the intricate connection between your digestive system and your skin. Your gut biome is a vast ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and other microbes residing in your gut (we have around 100 trillion bacteria in our large intestine alone!) which play a crucial role in your immunity, hormones, digestion, mental health and of course, your skin. They create and help you assimilate nutrients the skin needs to protect itself and repair; they protect the integrity of the gut lining which helps fight inflammation that ages the skin. They also play a key role in protecting the skin against damage – from both internal and external toxins.
When your gut biome is out of sync, say due to poor diet, stress, hormones, antibiotic use, it can disrupt the balance of the skin’s microbiome triggering a host of skin conditions like acne, eczema, rosacea and of course skin just lacking lustre/being dry and dull, as well as premature ageing. So effectively your skin is just like a mirror- it gives you a clue as to what is going on in your gut! Once you attend to your gut, and create a more favourable microbiome, your skin becomes smoother, more hydrated, fine lines and wrinkles can start to disappear and your overall skin tone improves. Plus, you will look and feel better.
Improving gut health
So, how do you start to tackle improving the health of your gut for the benefit of your skin? Consider adopting the following 6 nutritional steps to ensure your gut microbiome are tip top and your skin reflects this:
1. Focus on eating as many local, whole, fresh, natural unprocessed foods; foods which don’t have a label with a long list of ingredients – just the food itself. Remember how your grandparent’s generation ate!
2. Indulge in fruits and lots of vegetables – fresh colourful produce rather than canned versions which have added sugars and preservatives. If you can, choose organic. Aim for a rainbow of colour on your plate and rotate and broaden your choices. In other words, don’t always eat the same vegetables – jazz it up! Fresh foods retain their nutrients, provide valuable antioxidants (nature’s natural defenders), fibre and natural flavours supporting health from the inside out.
3. Don’t miss out on foods containing Vitamin A and Zinc – this complexion perfecting duo promote gut and skin health. Vitamin A for instance aids digestion, the growth of good bacteria in your gut and aids in the renewal of your skin while zinc balances oil production, boosts immune function, and accelerates healing. Together, they nourish the gut-skin axis for a healthy gut and glowing skin. Foods abundant in Vitamin A include sweet potatoes, carrots, (think yellow and orange foods) plus spinach, kale, eggs, and liver. Zinc-rich foods include pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, oysters, beef, and cashews.
4. Eat plenty of high fibre foods which have a host of gut benefits. High fibre foods are your prebiotic superpower – they feed the microbiome in your gut, cleanse your bowel, reduce inflammation and provide blood sugar and hormonal balance ensuring your digestion works as efficiently as it can, and your system is more regular. In turn, this reduces stress on your skin – less flare ups and less toxic load on the skin, supporting the health of your skin barrier and maintaining skin elasticity and hydration inside out.
5. Incorporate fermented probiotic foods into your diet to deliver (and balance) beneficial gut bacteria – foods like yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, kombucha are rich in beneficial bacteria which help populate your gut with good microbes. Even adding a spoonful to your salads or drinking a few sips of kefir daily will make a difference.
6. Relish in healthy fats – which contain important healing nutrients for the digestive system- and have an array of benefits. Savour avocados, olive oil and coconut oil instead of processed vegetable oils. Coconut oil is beneficial for the healing of the digestive system and Omega 3 fats found in linseed, chia and fish oils help in the production of beneficial bacteria. Daily intake of extra virgin olive oil – poured on salads or over vegetables or even as a daily shot is an ideal and delicious way to ensure antioxidant intake.
In conclusion, by feeding your gut with nutrient-rich, wholesome foods, you’re not just nourishing your digestive system—you’re setting the stage for healthy skin. Your skin is a direct reflection of your inner health, and a balanced gut microbiome is key to reducing inflammation, balancing hormones, and supporting skin repair and vitality. In short, it’s the powerful combination of tending to both your skincare routine and your gut health which will ensure a natural glowing complexion.
Click here for Leonie's Gut-Skin Glow Bowl Recipe, created to achieve healthy skin.
