HEALTHY SKIN FROM WITHIN
You may have heard of the gut-brain axis, but have you heard of the gut-skin axis?
Your gut houses over 70% of your immune system. It is responsible for breaking down the food you eat, absorbing the nutrients from that food, energy production and waste elimination.
Your gut is essentially responsible for keeping your body in tip top shape from your immune system to your mental health to your skin.
MORE ABOUT YOUR SKIN…
Your skin is your largest organ including everything from your hair, nails and… skin. It is responsible for protecting your internal organs, it plays a huge role in circulation and detoxification (think, your sweat glands) and it can also be an alarm system for things that aren’t just right on the inside.
The three main layers of your skin consist of the Epidermis (top layer), Dermis (middle layer) and the fatty layer, the Hypodermis (the last layer before muscle tissue).
Epidermis: The protective layer that keeps your body hydrated and is responsible for producing new skin cells. This is also the layer contains melanin, which determines the color of your skin.
Dermis: This layer makes up 90% of your skin and is responsible for the collagen and elastin, it also grows hair, produces sweat and supplies blood to your body's largest organ. Most of the magic is happening here.
Hypodermis: This layer is the “cushion” to protect your muscles and bones, contains the connective tissue, supports nerve and blood vessels and also regulates body temperature.
THE GUT-SKIN AXIS
Your gut isn’t the only microbiome. You have a skin microbiome as well, which is directly influenced by the gut microbiome. These two organs are very similar being densely vascularized, crucial immune function and they are technically both external organs (think of your entire digestive tract as one long tube that is actually exposed).
The immune system is actually how the gut communicates with the skin to regulate systemic and local inflammation. In addition the gut can directly communicate with the skin when we have an impaired intestinal barrier (leaky gut), bacteria and their metabolites can also directly enter the bloodstream making their way to disrupt your skin microbiome.
Dysbiosis, a state of imbalance in your microbiome, can result in acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (eczema) and rosacea. Specific microbiota can are also associated with common skin conditions.
Are you ever curious about that breakout, or that dry patch of skin that popped up out of nowhere, or maybe you feel like you're losing more hair than normal these days?
Wondering if you actually have skin issues?
What to look out for:
Rashes
Breakouts
Redness / Rosacea
Dryness / Flaking
Inflammation
Hair Loss / Thinning
NUTRIENTS FOR YOUR GUT
Omega-3’s (Healthy Fats)
Your healthy fats that have an anti-inflammatory effect, they also help support cellular structure and hydration (hello firm and plump skin!).
Foods high in Omega-3’s: avocados, fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, trout, salmon and shellfish, nuts and seas such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and hazelnuts.
Protein (Collagen)
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which are reused to make other proteins like collagen and keratin that form the structure of your skin. Some amino acids are also antioxidants that protect skin cells from UV rays and free radicals. Selenium is also another nutrient that helps antioxidants protect your skin against UV rays, so try adding in just one Brazil Nut a day.
Vitamin A
An antioxidant that prevents the breakdown of collagen, gives some UV protection, but also helps the oil glads around your hair work. Overall it may also help speed up healing from cuts and scrapes.
Foods high in Vitamin A: Livers, fish such as cod, king mackerel, salmon, and tuna, sweet potato, squash, kale, collards, carrots, red peppers, spinach, mango, cantaloupe, grapefruit and watermelon.
Vitamin C
Another antioxidant protecting you from free radicals. Vitamin C is crucial in helping collagen hold its shape.
Foods high in Vitamin C: guavas, sweet yellow peppers, thyme, parsley, kale, kiwis, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lemons, papayas, strawberries and oranges.
Vitamin E
An antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that actually absorbs the energy from UV light preventing damage, wrinkles, sagging and skin cancer. It also works with Vitamin C to strengthen cell walls.
Foods high in Vitamin E: sunflower seeds / oil, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin and pumpkin seeds, red peppers, beet greens, collard greens, spinach, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, kiwi, avocado, mango and blackberries.
Zinc
This nutrient is all about supporting the outermost layer of your skin, helping you to heal after an injury. It also keeps cell walls strong and stable until they grow and divide. A zinc deficiency might present in eczema.
Foods high in Zinc: red meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds, nuts, eggs, whole grains, vegetables such as potatoes, kale and green beans and a favorite… dark chocolate.
You may notice a ton of overlap with these nutrients and the foods that you can get them from. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and quality protein sources will not only nourish your gut but nourish your skin as well!
RESOURCES
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01459/full
https://dpcj.org/index.php/dpc/article/view/dermatol-pract-concept-articleid-dp0704a08
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2012.00013/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7916842/
UNTIL NEXT TIME - COACH ALEX