How Healing My Gut Transformed My Skin: A Personal Journey with Eczema
Crafted by: Jonathan Chew
Many of us deal with common health issues like digestive discomfort or skin conditions, but we may not realize just how interconnected they are. One emerging area of research highlights the significant link between gut health and skin conditions such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis. This relationship, known as the gut-skin axis, suggests that by taking care of your gut, you can improve not only your digestive health but also the appearance and overall health of your skin.
What Is Eczema?
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis (AD), is a common skin condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It disrupts the skin’s protective barrier, leading to dryness, itchiness, and inflammation. Though the condition is commonly only being managed, there is no definitive cure, and symptoms often flare up due to stress, environmental changes, illness, or exposure to irritants, however; reversing this condition is entirely possible with nutritional medicine.
Eczema is one of several types of skin conditions that can manifest due to inflammation in the body. Other forms include contact dermatitis, which results from irritants like poison ivy, and neurodermatitis, which causes severe itching. While these conditions vary in severity and triggers, many share a common root: inflammation.
The Gut-Skin Axis: A New Understanding
Recent studies have revealed that gut health plays a critical role in regulating inflammation throughout the body, which directly impacts the skin. The gut microbiome, a collection of trillions of bacteria and microorganisms in the digestive system, controls many processes related to digestion, immunity, and metabolism.
When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, it can lead to a variety of health issues, including digestive problems, immune system disorders, and skin inflammation. Research suggests that individuals with skin conditions like eczema may have less diverse gut bacteria, reduced levels of beneficial microbes, and an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and fungus.
Inflammation is a common result of poor gut health, and because eczema is driven by inflammatory processes, it makes sense that gut imbalances contribute to its flare-ups. But eczema isn’t the only skin condition linked to the gut. The gut-skin axis is increasingly recognized as a major factor in skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, and rosacea as well.
How Gut Health Impacts Skin Conditions
For over a decade, researchers have explored the connection between gut health and skin conditions. A 2021 review of studies on the gut-skin axis found that an imbalanced gut microbiome is linked to various skin conditions, including eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, and acne vulgaris. These conditions often worsen when the gut is unhealthy and inflamed.
The gut microbiome regulates immune function, and when it’s compromised, the immune system may overreact, causing inflammation that affects the skin. Additionally, the lack of beneficial gut bacteria can make the body more susceptible to harmful bacteria, further worsening skin conditions.
Probiotics, beneficial bacteria that can help restore balance to the gut, have been studied for their potential to prevent or improve eczema. People with eczema, in particular, are found to have gastrointestinal issues more often, reinforcing the connection between the gut and skin health.
Improving Gut Health for Clearer Skin
The good news is that addressing gut health can lead to noticeable improvements in skin conditions. A holistic approach to skincare now includes supporting gut health as an essential component of the routine. While improving your gut microbiome won’t cure skin conditions, it can reduce symptoms and make skin healthier overall.
Here are a few general ways to start improving your gut health and potentially boosting skin health:
Eat a Gut-Friendly Diet
The first step to improving gut health is adopting a gut-friendly diet. A balanced diet rich in fiber, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, herbs, spices and legumes promotes a healthy gut microbiome. Fiber, in particular, plays a crucial role in supporting digestion and feeding beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Avoid Processed Foods
Processed foods, high in sugar, additives and unhealthy fats, can disrupt the gut’s balance and contribute to inflammation. Limiting or avoiding these foods is key to improving both gut and skin health. Dairy products may also be a trigger for some people, especially those prone to acne or eczema, so it’s worth monitoring dairy intake.
Consider Probiotics
Probiotic supplements or fermented foods, like yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut, can help restore balance in the gut by introducing beneficial bacteria. Probiotics have been shown to positively affect skin conditions like eczema by reducing inflammation and promoting a healthier immune response.
Manager Stress Levels
Stress can significantly impact both gut and skin health. High stress levels disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation that can manifest as skin flare-ups. Incorporating stress-relief practices, such as mediation, yoga, or deep-breathing exercises, can benefit overall well-being, including skin health.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water is essential for maintaining a healthy gut and supporting the skin’s hydration and barrier function. Staying properly hydrated allows the digestive system to work more effectively and reduces the risk of constipation, which can contribute to skin problems.
Be Mindful of Environmental Factors
Environmental factors like mold in the home can affect both gut and skin health. Mold exposure can trigger an inflammatory response in the body, worsening gut issues and skin conditions. Keeping your home clean and free from mold, as well as checking food for mold growth, is a simple yet effective way to protect your health.
Consulting a Professional for Guidance
For those dealing with persistent skin conditions or gut discomfort, it’s essential to consult with healthcare professionals who can provide personalized advice. Nutritional and Functional Medicine Practitioners are trained to diagnosed and provide root-cause solution to these sort of health issues. They may recommend specific dietary changes, nutraceuticals, or treatments to manage and reverse this condition.
In addition to seeking professional advice, keeping a food journal to track potential triggers can help you identify what foods or habits may be contributing to skin flare-ups. By working with a qualified healthcare provider and making lifestyle adjustments, you can begin to improve both your gut and skin health.
Conclusion: Embracing a Holistic Approach to Health
As research into the gut-skin axis grows, it becomes clear that tending to our gut health has benefits far beyond digestion. Our skin, often the first to show signs of internal imbalance, is directly impacted by the state of our gut microbiome.
By adopting a more mindful, holistic approach that focuses on improving gut health, many of us can see improvements in skin conditions like eczema, acne, and psoriasis. From eating a fiber-rich diet to incorporating probiotics and managing stress, there are several ways to nurture your gut from within and, in turn, take better care of your skin.
Ultimately, this approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of our body systems, reminding us that true health begins from the inside out.
