We sat down with the founder of The Beauty Chef to chat all things gut health.
You champion the important link between gut health and clear, glowing skin. How does a healthy microbiome help to reduce acne and inflammation?
Your skin and gut are in constant communication with one another. More and more research shows that where skin conditions have manifested or there is skin inflammation—there’s also gut inflammation. IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is almost four times as likely to occur in people with eczema, while SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) is ten times as prevalent in people with acne and rosacea.
The relationship between your gut and your skin is commonly referred to as the “gut-skin axis”. This axis can be thought of as a sort of information highway that functions through the microbiome; the ecosystem of gut bacteria that live in your gut. These bugs—otherwise known as microbes—are like microscopic messengers that send information between your belly and your skin. Clever as they are, gut microbes like to communicate in a number of ways—some release compounds that send signals to parts of the body, some send signals along the vagus nerve, and others communicate with the brain via the bloodstream.
What's key to note is that when there is dysbiosis—or an imbalance of bacteria in the gut—skin manifestations can be the first sign that your gut health is in need of some extra attention.
Is there a link to gut health helping to balance hormones? Can you explain it and how it can manifest into happy, healthy skin and mood?
Gut health can have a major impact on your menstrual cycles and sex hormones. Recent studies show that an imbalanced gut microbiome (known as dysbiosis) can be directly linked to hormonal imbalances. And conversely, hormonal imbalances such excess amounts of estrogen can affect our gut, causing bloating, constipation, fluid retention and slower digestion.
Once estrogen is produced in our ovaries (and in lesser amounts by our fat tissue post-menopause), it circulates via the bloodstream before arriving at the liver. Here, it is inactivated and sent to our digestive tract for elimination, where gut microbiota produce an enzyme called Beta-glucuronidase that breaks down estrogen into its active form. That’s why if your microbiome isn’t working efficiently, estrogen that should be eliminated will be re-circulated, potentially causing a hormone imbalance.
We can promote healthy estrogen and hormone levels by supporting our digestive system, gut health, liver and elimination pathways. First and foremost, encourage healthy gut flora and microbial diversity by eating plenty of antioxidant-rich, high fibre vegetables, probiotic supplements (like The Beauty Chef inner beauty powders and elixirs) or lacto-fermented foods.
Consider reducing your intake of alcohol, refined sugars, additives, MSG and burnt food as they can contribute to dysbiosis and inflammation. It also helps to avoid environmental toxins and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as those found in many cleaning and personal care products, wherever possible. Finally, given the negative impact of high cortisol on the immune system and microbiome, try to manage your stress levels.
What are the top five foods or food groups (if any) we should avoid if we have the following skin conditions: acne, rosacea and melasma?
Unfortunately, acne can be an incredibly complex skin condition to treat, as its underlying causes can be either hormonal, digestive—or both.
Hormonal acne may be the result of fluctuations in hormone levels or sensitivity to a certain hormone, such as testosterone. In fact, excess testosterone is a common contributor to acne, as it stimulates the sebaceous glands in the skin, resulting in excess oil production and clogged pores. Our stress hormone, cortisol, can also wreak havoc on our complexion by triggering inflammation in our gut, which then manifests on the skin.
Digestive acne is closely implicated with gut disorders such as leaky gut and SIBO. SIBO is ten times as prevalent in people with acne, and leaky gut syndrome may also contribute to local skin inflammation, which is seen in people with acne. This cycle can be self-perpetuating, as an imbalance of bacteria or leaky gut can cause inflammation and malabsorption issues, meaning the skin isn’t getting all of the essential nutrients it needs.
Similar to acne, those with SIBO are 13 times more likely to have rosacea—the redness or flushing that most commonly affects the cheeks and nose. Microbial diversity again plays a role in keeping symptoms at bay, so nurture your belly by enjoying a wide range of fibrous plant-foods and steer clear of potential triggers, like caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods, which are known to exacerbate rosacea.
Start by incorporating more gut-healing foods into your diet and eliminating inflammatory triggers like gluten, dairy and sugar—which can contribute to intestinal permeability and leaky gut as well as inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, and psoriasis. Also consider adding a calming and restorative supplement, like The Beauty Chef’s GUT PRIMER™, into your day to support digestive function and soothe the lining of the gut. If the lining of your gut is compromised, you might suffer from malabsorption issues, which will prevent you from absorbing many of those delicious skin-loving antioxidants and nutrients, like vitamin C and zinc.
Once you’ve soothed your gut, start to incorporate more gut-loving, fermented foods (such as sauerkraut, kimchi or kefir) into your diet. These foods promote microbial diversity, boost immunity and bolster your microbiome. Research shows that people with a healthier gut microbiome also have a healthier fatty acid profile in their skin, meaning that their skin is more moisturised, hydrated and protected.
Another way to boost microbial diversity, prevent gut issues, improve your overall health and foster a glowing skin-gut connection is by adding probiotics to your beauty routine. There is a myriad of probiotics that are now proven to have health benefits—many of which we are only just starting to scratch the surface of—but some of these are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacillus and Saccharomyces, and their associated species and strains.
When it comes to skin health and ageing, what are your biggest pieces of advice associated with gut health, diet and ingestibles?
As we age, collagen—the protein in our skin that keeps it looking firm and plump—naturally declines. But what we may not realise is that our gut changes too, as our ability to produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids also declines. These age-related modulations in our microbiome can trigger low-grade chronic inflammation which, as we’ve explored, can be the underlying cause of many skin and gut health issues. Low-grade inflammation—also known as ‘inflammaging’—can contribute to premature ageing of the skin and body as well as dysbiosis in the gut and weakened intestinal barrier function.
While the ageing process is unavoidable, research suggests that by promoting a healthy gut and encouraging microbial diversity, we may help to slow down the effects of ‘inflammaging’ and assist some of its symptoms.
I’m also of the belief that no amount of cosmetics can replicate the glow of someone who is comfortable and confident in their own skin, which is worth remembering as we age.
