Continuing our series with Dr. Tanvi Tijoriwala, we are focusing our attention on gut health and what it means for our skin. 

I hear many people say this:

“My parents had acne, so I have acne. It's genetic, I am going to live with it”

Did you know that your gut health can cause your genes to express differently?

What that means is that even though we may have received the “crappy” skin genes from our family (whether it be acne, eczema, rosacea or psoriasis), our gut health can prevent us from having terrible skin. 

Even if you do not have a genetic predisposition to skin conditions, having good gut health is key in having good skin.

There are three factors that need to be functioning well to have a strong digestive system:

• Eating the right foods
• Digesting & absorbing the food appropriately
• Having a strong microbiome (the community of bacteria in our intestines that protect our gut wall)

When these three factors are not functioning well, it can cause a syndrome called “leaky gut” which causes tons of inflammation and can lead to skin issues. 

So, what are some ways we can prevent this?

Here are some simple, yet effective strategies to start your skin healing and gut healing journey. Pair it with your Iremia skincare routine for the ultimate glow.

PS: Make sure you download the gut cleanse checklist at the bottom of this post. Print it, put it up on your fridge and start getting healthy!

Eat fibre-rich foods: Fiber is important because it serves as nutrition for the good bacteria in our gut. While many foods contain fibre, it is important to add fibre-rich vegetables to the diet. Eating vegetables as a source of fibre allows us to get the important micronutrients as well that can reduce inflammation of the skin and support digestive health. An easy way to add fibre to our diet is to eat at least 1 cup of vegetables with every meal.

Avoid foods that perpetuate leaky gut: Many foods can contribute to the ongoing inflammation in our body that accompanies skin conditions. These foods also destroy gut bacteria and perpetuate the ‘leaky gut’ syndrome. It is best to avoid inflammatory foods to preserve our skin and gut integrity. While there are many foods that can cause inflammation, the main inflammatory foods to avoid include:

• Processed sugars
• Dairy
• Alcohol

Eat fermented foods: Sometimes, our gut is exposed to food or medication that can damage the microbiome. When that happens, it is important to replenish the good bacteria to support skin health. Good bacteria can also be found in a variety of probiotic-rich, fermented foods. Although the dosage of probiotics found in supplements is much higher than that found in foods, adding fermented foods to one’s diet can help in supporting the gut and skin microbiome. Probiotics can be found in many fermented foods such as:

• Kimchi
• Sauer Kraut
• Kombucha
• Keffir
• Tempeh
• Miso

Eat foods rich in Omega-3: Omega-3 fatty acids aka the good kind of fats, are extremely important for skin health. Having an adequate amount of omega-3 in your diet causes a reduction in inflammation, a balance in skin oils and prevents dry skin. The best food source for omega-3 fatty acids isfish, especially cold-water fatty fishes such as tuna, sardines and salmon. Other sources of omega-3 include:

• Nuts – such as walnuts
• Seeds – such as chia seeds and flax seeds
• Oysters
• Soybean (non-GMO)

Remember to download the Gut Cleanse Checklist designed to help you start your journey to gut healing, health, happy, glowing skin from within.