Registered Nutritional Therapist & Author
BA Hons, mBANT, AFMCP
When it comes to our skin health it isn’t necessarily about what we put on our skin but how we nourish it from the inside out. Gut health has a pivotal role in the health of our skin and this close-knit relationship is known as the gut-skin axis.
One of the major parallels between our gut and our skin are the bugs that live in and on us collectively referred to the microbiome. Our gut houses the largest collection of these with some trillions of microbes, collectively referred to as the gut microbiome. The second largest of these communities is on our skin. It might feel a little uncomfortable to know that our skin is literally teaming with bugs but these microbes are fundamental to keeping our skin healthy and act as a primary defence to the outside world. Having a balanced and enriched gut microbiome is therefore integral to having a healthy skin microbiome and vice versa. Moreover, like our gut microbiome, the one on our skin is completely unique to us and even one part of the skin will have a different composition of microbes than another. Our skin and gut therefore have a very intertwined relationship. Here’s how…
Our gut and skin work together to defend us from pathogens that might otherwise cause us harm. The gut microbiome uses the immune system as one of the main channels of communication to the skin. Similarly the skin microbiome can also communicate to the immune system to maintain skin homeostasis and inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and manage local and systemic inflammation and infection. In addition to this certain metabolites that our gut microbiome produces, such as short chain fatty acids, can also have a more direct impact on the skin as these substances help to promote the growth of beneficial microbes. Imbalances in our gut microbiome can therefore negatively alter this communication and impair functioning of the immune system that has been associated with certain immune mediated skin conditions to include psoriasis and atopic dermatitis as well as acne.
The other way our gut and skin relate to one another is via the gut-brain-skin axis. Psychological stress and the production of stress hormones such as cortisol can have a marked impact on the health of the gut microbiome which in turn can impact on functioning of the immune system and how we manage inflammation more generally can manifest in certain skin conditions such as psoriasis and acne. The irony here is that skin conditions and symptoms can be incredibly psychologically distressing and so it is that the more stressed we feel about this the more it can drive heightened inflammation and the symptoms themselves. Nevertheless supporting our gut microbiome can help moderate our stress response so we need to think about managing stress from both an internal and external perspective.
Beyond the microbiome it is essential that we nourish and protect both our internal and external barriers as this is an integral part of our immune system defence and communication as well as the health of the microbiome. This is also critical for the gut-brain connection.
So now we know a little more about this link here are some ways in which we can support this connection…
One of the main food sources that we need to consider for the health of our gut microbiome is dietary fibre. This is vital for our microbes that help them to proliferate and thrive. Furthermore this allows our gut microbes to produce positive substances such as the short-chain fatty-acids mentioned. Dietary fibre can be found in all plant foods to include vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts & seeds and whilst quantity is really important we need to consider diversity as this is a crucial part of helping to support a diverse and healthy gut microbiome. Most of us need to work on our repertoire of fibre so perhaps think about trying a new type of vegetable or fruit every week could be one way to achieve this – frozen also counts. Another easy hack is making up a nut and seed mix to sprinkle over porridges, soups or salads.
Alongside fibre we can also include more polyphenols in our diet to have a positive impact on our gut microbiome. Polyphenols are special plant chemicals that often give plants their colour – think betacarotene in sweet potatoes, anthocyanin in blueberries and lycopene in tomatoes to name just a few. Colour is really the key focus here so just aiming for a rainbow of hues will help us to achieve this. Dried herbs and spices are also rich in their polyphenol content and are convenient store cupboard ingredients. Plus they bring additional flavour to our dishes so its a win win.
Another way we can enhance our gut microbiome is through including food source of prebiotics that essentially have a more potent feeding effect. These include garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, oats, and pistachios to name a few. Resistant starches can also have a similar effect which includes cooked and cooled white potatoes and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas – think about adding some to your salads or mixing through other cooked vegetables.
Fermented foods can also help provide a transitory positive effect on our gut microbiome which includes natural yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and kombucha and the more we can rotate around these the more exposure we have to various and diverse species and strains of microbes.
Adding in ION* can also help to feed and nourish the health of the gut barrier and microbiome which is an integral part of the gut-skin link.
Being out in nature and getting our hands literally dirty can help to enrich our overall ecosystem and for many of us we most of our time in a pretty sterilised environments. Moreover the excessive use of cleaning products and sanitisers can directly impact on our skin microbiome having a deleterious effect. Even if you are a city dweller make the most of urban green spaces like parks can help get you closer to the earth and microbes.
Many skin conditions or symptoms can also come with some psychological trigger and/or chronic stress. To help mitigate this it is really important that we help to manage the stressors in our life as much as possible. Meditation can be an incredible practise to help with this and to support the gut-brain connection. If meditation is not your thing going for a walk every day can also really help us to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Or even more simply breathing exercises on a daily basis that form the basis of mindful practises such as yoga can have incredibly positive cumulative benefits.
Sleep is also something that we might not prioritise in a world that is perpetually switched on but a good nights rest is probably one of the best ‘beauty’ treatments we can do for our skin. Practising some sleep hygiene and creating a bedtime routine is a crucial part of this. Start with the hour before going to sleep to switch off all devices and non-negotiably have them out of the bedroom entirely. Instead of endless scrolling use this hour to run a bath, light a candle, read a book, listen to a podcast, journal and/or use the breathing exercises above to set the tone.
Some ingredients in certain cosmetic and beauty products can also have an impact on our skin microbiome and barrier functioning. This has lead to the rise in topical probiotic and prebiotic skin care brands designed to work with the ecosystem of the skin microbiome. Watch out for marketing though with some of these as the probiotics may not necessarily be ‘live’. This is why I personally rate Esse skincare and their pioneering as well as effective products.
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