A healthy gut terrain makes for healthy skin.
So what type of terrain makes the gut healthy? Healthy microbes (mostly bacteria) vs harmful microbes (could be bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeasts and / or parasites) and a healthy gut lining.
The gut is an intricate place! Dysbiosis (imbalance in the microbes of the gut) can easily happen — stress, low stomach acid, poor diet, lack of movement, poor liver health and other factors can all lead to normal this imbalance, which leads to all sorts of systemic issues!
It can be an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria, OR LOW “good” / commensal bacteria.
Microbes in the gut digest fibers from plants called prebiotics that your body alone cannot.
These fibers and other foods influence how the microbes in the gut function, and can increase or decrease inflammation in the body. If genetically prone to acne, the skin may be the first place to show this internal inflammation.
Prebiotic fibers are an integral part of healing the gut and continuing proliferation of “good” gut bugs but prebiotic fibers can unfortunately feed the bad gut bugs too.
Avoiding antibiotics if possible is also a good way to keep these “good” bugs alive.
Microbes in the gut comprise, influence and control much of your immune system, and your immune system controls both your reaction to food you eat and bacteria on your skin.
There is an entire subset of microbes named the estrobalome, that control how much of your estrogen is excreted and how much is recirculated & reused— excess circulation of several hormones, including estrogen can cause acne.
Short chain fatty acids and other endogenous chemicals produced by microbes influence multiple systems in the body, increasing absorption of nutrients and decreasing inflammatory markers.
Nutrient absorption is a HUGE factor in skin health. We need the right amount of vitamins and minerals to preserve a healthy skin barrier.
Microbes in the gut directly impact microbes on the skin by modulating inflammation as well as the skin barrier.
The gut is central to our health and should be the focus of any healing journey.
If you are ready to dive into gut health / have tried acne solutions and nothing seems to be working, apply for my 1:1 mentorship.
I will also be hosting a FREE masterclass helping you understand the root cause(s) of your acne. If this interests you, let me know! Send me a DM on insta or email me below!
Happy healing 💫