Have a Gut Feeling Something’s Not Quite Right?

Getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and eating healthy, well-balanced meals can all make or break your skin microbiome—this is the ecosystem of necessary bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that help it maintain healthy pH levels. If your skin suddenly breaks out every other day, becomes too oily, or on the other hand, dry and patchy, these are just a couple of ways it could be trying to communicate an important message to you: your gut’s got a few issues.

Just like your skin, your gut has a microbiome as well, and it needs proper nutrients and vitamins to maintain healthy digestion, nutrient distribution, and immune system support. These trillions of microorganisms have created a home within your body, and they serve many purposes. Some include protecting against harmful pathogens and infections, as well as regulating autoimmune responses that can trigger sicknesses and skin conditions.

Implement Ways to Improve Gut Health

The key to looking and feeling your absolute best is caring for your body from the inside out, which is where the gut-skin axis comes into play. Whatever you take in—whether voluntarily or involuntarily—will either negatively or positively impact your skin and gut microbiomes. Not just your gut and skin, but also your brain all communicate to each other the good and the bad of their daily encounters. Our top priority should be to protect our bodies as much as we can and help it fend off against things that can poorly affect our gut-skin axis.

So, how does gut health affect your skin? The gut-skin axis is a communication system that enables the two organs to send messages to one another, having a direct affect on hydration, inflammation, and other skin conditions. Therefore, if your gut health needs improvement, chances are, so does your skin.

How Does Your Skin’s Condition Indicate Gut Imbalance?

An imbalance of gut bacteria causes overactive oil glands, which clog pores and lead to acne. So if you notice shiny skin, irritation, breakouts, and blackheads, it could be due to poor gut health. Your skin may show other signs of tummy distress, such as loss of elasticity, eczema flare-ups, as well as dryness and flakiness.

When your skin seems out of whack, it may be intuitive to start with the obvious and address the issue from the outside. Amping up your at-home skincare routine, looking into topical treatments, and trying various DIY remedies may be a good start; it’s even better to solve the problem from within. Taking the following steps will have your gut feeling good and your skin looking smooth in no time.

Take Prebiotics and Probiotics Daily

Sometimes, our bodies and different organs need a bit of  help to function to the best of their ability. As mentioned before, the gut’s ecosystem of microorganisms helps defend against infections, digest food, and so on. However, our tummies are much happier and healthier when we take daily prebiotics and probiotics, and as a result, our skin will have a clearer glow.

Prebiotics are non-digestible food components that promote the growth and activity of beneficial gut bacteria. On the other hand, probiotics are live bacteria that are found in certain foods and supplements, especially fermented foods such as yogurt or kombucha tea. Probiotics prevent and treat gut imbalances that have disrupted the microbiome.

Eat Nutritious Meals

Are processed foods unhealthy for your skin? Absolutely.

After a stressful day, you may want to indulge in your guilty pleasure for dinner and devour a double cheeseburger meal with a large chocolate shake. Your diet makes a big difference when it comes to your skin’s health. Although some foods taste good to you, they’re certainly not good for you.

Of course, it’s totally fine to enjoy fast food every now and then—after all, you’ve gotta live a little! But here’s an incentive you may want to consider: the more healthy and nutritious choices you make, the more beautiful and flawless your skin will look. How’s that for motivation to be mindful of what you eat?

Processed foods, sweets, chips, sodas, and candy contain tons of sugar, artificial flavors, sodium, and preservatives are some of the main causes of gut imbalance. Further, recent studies show that these are among the top causes of acne as well. All these additives and harmful ingredients do nothing but bring turmoil to your skin, resulting in breakouts and inflammation, giving it an unsightly appearance. Instead, incorporate fruits and veggies in your daily meals, opt for clean and organic options when possible, and try to steer clear of greasy, fat-filled foods as often as you can.

Drink Plenty of Water

Speaking of sodas and sugary beverages, it’s no surprise that they’re not healthy for you, and they have a terrible effect on the gut-skin axis. Drinking at least eight glasses of water each day, or half your body weight in ounces will hydrate your skin from within, keeping your face supple and soft and reducing early signs of aging.

Also—and we truly hate to be the bearers of bad news—your morning coffee is making your skin issues worse. First off, coffee increases stomach acid, or causes acid reflux, which can create an imbalance in the tummy’s microbiome, and overstimulate the digestive system—hence why some can bet on a trip to the restroom not long after they’ve finished their “Cup of Joe.”

Secondly, coffee can send your adrenal glands into overdrive, causing inflammation that results in pimples. So, to all you caffeine queens and kings out there, try to minimize your coffee intake for your gut and your skin’s sake, and work on drinking more water instead.

Schedule a Self-Care Day at The Only Facial

The gut-skin axis never lies; it merely reflects how well you’ve been caring for your body. With so much going on in the world, and as your personal obligations continue to grow, it can feel close to impossible to give yourself the break you need. Taking a step back and catering to your own needs is always the right thing to do, and we invite you to do so at The Only Facial. Our team of experts take excellent care of you from the time you step foot inside our gorgeous and serene facility, until you leave, feeling better than ever.