What your gut has to do with your appearance
By Audrey Sourroubille, A Certified Women’s Health and Nutrition Coach and Endometriosis and Fertility expert at Lotus Power Health
Have you ever wished for better skin? You try a mountain of products that are said to reinvigorate your pores, clear away acne and shrink up wrinkles but it doesn’t work? Problems like these plague women all the time, and this usually comes with a side helping of other body image issues. Like that friend who wants to get healthy or be prettier – that person might actually even be you!
While the ideas of a healthy gut and clear, beautiful skin may not seem connected, the reality is that they do have a common denominator: probiotics. How you treat your body on the inside can be the solution to how your body looks on the outside, and the missing puzzle piece is in your digestive tract.
The Science Behind It
Many beauty professionals, doctors and scientists advocate for the idea that digestive health is the gateway to outer beauty. When you’re taking care of your digestive system, it’s said that your skin looks better…or is that just a myth?
Hormones are metabolized and nutrients are formed within the body, and good nutrition and hormones are both key components to skin health. Probiotics come in to give your body more nutrients, so eating foods like soft cheeses, yogurts and sourdough products can give your digestive system an added boost to help even out your complexion. These bacteria also help fight off toxins and inflammation in your body which can lead to skin irritation and acne.
However, probiotics aren’t just something you eat. More and more skincare treatments available on the market today feature probiotic components that are applied topically to directly combat major skin conditions like eczema, acne and rosacea, as well as giving any skin a more healthy foundation and an even tone.
Probiotic Products and What Works
The best way to combat any skin problem using probiotics is to give it a good one-two punch: start eating more foods rich in probiotics as well as simultaneously using probiotic-enriched skincare products. This helps to both regulate the digestive system, leading to long-term skin health, while helping to speed along the healing process that’s on the surface as well.
One trick is to simply go the DIY route – don’t be afraid to spread some probiotic-rich non-flavored yogurt on your face if you want to help get rid of acne or liven up your complexion again. If you want to go with the method that’s been researched and is available on store shelves, many different beauty bands are hopping onto the probiotic bandwagon.
Brands like Clinique (Clinique Redness Solutions) and Acure (Acure Radical Resurfacing Treatment) have lotions and creams that can easily be applied and contain probiotics to help restore and rejuvenate skin. As always, though, do your research. Use review sites and learn more about the power of probiotics and the ingredients in beauty products to see how these solutions hold up. Ask yourself questions like these:
- Is this a trusted brand?
- Are the product reviews generally favorable?
- Is my skin sensitive? Will I potentially have a problem using this product?
- What is the product’s probiotic amount or concentration?
- Can this be an affordable part of my skincare routine?
Because more and more brands are using probiotics in their formulas, or at least in certain product lines, you do have the gift of variety. Try products out if possible, and see what works for you. Once you find the right routine for both your gut and you skin, you’ll notice the dramatic change in your skin’s complexion and you’ll be more radiant than ever.
Sign to receive the complete experience
with unpublished content & community deals