What the heck is a leaky gut and how it affects skin health
Did you know that skin health disorders like psoriasis, eczema, and acne is your inner body’s last resort for toxin elimination? In-other-words, your insides are screaming “HELP ME!”
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These and many other inflammatory skin health disorders affect over 200 million Americans combined. Sadly, about 80% of Americans have no knowledge of these conditions, including how to recognize it or what to do about it. Skin health disorders have been shown to be directly related to LEAKY GUT SYNDROME.
What the heck is leaky gut syndrome?
I’m glad you asked. During my journey for skin disorder answers, I stumbled onto something that changed my (and my clients) life forever; the connection between leaky gut syndrome, acid foods vs. alkaline foods and our skin health.
According to my research, leaky gut syndrome is defined as (in short) tiny rips or tears in the intestine (especially where the duodenum meets the jejunum). These tears happen when the intestinal walls become thin due to toxin buildup causing an increase in acids in the blood that should be alkaline.
You see, our digestive system depends on hydrochloric acid to breakdown our foods, but if we introduce our body to too much acidic foods internally and externally, our digestive system becomes too acidic (toxic) and starts to thin the intestinal walls eventually creating tiny tears.
Your body is your help for skin health
Our body is built to constantly repair itself (thank goodness) so when the intestines can no longer do its job properly, another organ like the liver will take over. And when the liver is over loaded and can no longer continue that job (you keep eating acidic foods) another organ will take over the work, and so on and so forth. If not treated immediately, this process WILL eventually stress the body out.
Think about it: Organs (stomach, liver, heart, etc.) have their own specific jobs to do, so by taking on another job the organ become stressed. The body’s immune system starts to weaken and you start to feel tired, moody, constipated, and depressed to name a few effects, and a your skin starts to look unhealthy which can lead to psoriasis, acne, rosacea, rapid aging and so much more.
What can I do to prevent Leaky gut syndrome?
So glad to hear you would like to learn ways you can prevent or heal from leaky gut. How do I know? Well, you are still reading. (YAY!)
Some things you can avoid are:
- Antibiotics-Antibiotics lead to overgrowth of abnormal flora in the gastrointestinal tract (bacteria, parasites, candida, fungi)
- A diet high in acidic foods like:
- Alcohol and caffeine
- Processed foods
- A diet high in refined sugars (carbs!)
Tired of having flaky, dead skin?
Even if we don’t get serious skin problems, we’ve all experienced flaky skin one time or another, and for a lot of us, it is an ongoing problem. It can be itchy and irritating and can create permanent wrinkles and scarring if scratched too much.
In most cases, flaky skin is caused when the body’s layer of natural oils dries out. This means that there is not enough oil and water being produced to replenish that particular area, and can be caused by a number of things, from stress, to unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Genetics can also be a major contributor to flaky skin, but if you work hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it can easily be treated.
A common myth about flaky skin is that it occurs only when the skin is dry. But did you know that oily skin can also be responsible?
Skin health and hydration
Sometimes when the skin’s sebaceous oil gland becomes overactive, the oil becomes rancid (gross!) and breaks down into an irritating organic chemical called organic peroxide.
The body produces an extra amount of skin cells to try and get rid of the organic peroxide which, in turn, causes clumping and flaking.
So how can we get rid of flaky skin? An important and easy remedy is to drink plenty of water (6-8 cups per day), at least 15-30 minutes a day of brisk movement like, walking, running, jumping, biking, climbing, etc., as well as eating and drinking plenty of healthy and colorful foods, fruits and nuts. Internal and external cleansing like an herbal detox tea and/or a whole body steam is also very valuable in shedding dead skin.
Tip: An indicator that can help you understand if you are drinking enough water is when your pee is clear.
Remember that what you put into your body is just as important as the products you use; you should always stay away from unhealthy chemical-based skin care and regiments.
