Do Gut Health & Hormones Affect Your Skin Tone?

Our gut, or intestinal tract, is designed to break down what we eat into fuel and nutrients that the body can use. However, it does sooooo much more for us than just this mechanical process! It is extremely important that our gut can function well as so many things can go wrong throughout the body when it doesn’t. If your gut is damaged, it doesn’t matter how good your diet and lifestyle are, your body will not be in balance. As well as pigmentation and uneven skin tone issues, you may show symptoms such as:

• You don’t have as much energy as you think you should have
• You aren’t sleeping well and have mood swings
• You have trouble focussing and aren’t dealing with stress so well
• You suffer from bloating, cramps, gas and irregular bowel movements
• You develop allergies and achy joints

Since your skin is your largest elimination organ, as your body tries to sort things out, you can develop rashes, acne, dryness, roughness, dullness and pigmentation. These are all signs of inflammation or stress stemming from your gut. Because 70% of your immune system is in your gut, when your gut is not able to function well, the inflammation in your body increases, you are more likely to become infected (anywhere in your body – for example, acne) and the natural ageing process is accelerated.

Skin Health and Reproductive Hormones

When you have gut issues, such as IBS or leaky gut, a lot of things happen in your body, but it is more than likely you also have decreased levels of the reproductive hormones.

• Oestrogen –
  • Produces collagen = less wrinkles
  • Increases hydration = plumps and smooths
  • Stimulates new cell renewal = glowing skin
• Progesterone – Produces elastin = flexible, elastic skin
• Testosterone – Increases body oils and your libido = a good sex life keeps you looking younger!!!

If your gut is working well, your skin will be clear, plumped and you’ll be enjoying that youthful radiant glow as well a good sex life – no matter your age.

Why…

Because your body will be receiving what it needs from your gut, it will be creating the right enzymes which, in turn, will be creating the right hormones; all of which will be positively affecting all the systems in your body, including your skin!

Hormones are made by glands all over your body, but also by tissues in your gut and in your fat. They travel in the bloodstream until they find a cell asking for their specific help. They lock onto this cell, passing on their instructions and then they break down – the life of that hormone is finished. There is at least one hormone covering every function in your body and you only need a tiny imbalance to throw the whole sequence of events out of whack.

How Sun Exposure Affects Pigmentation 

When inflammation is combined with the UV radiation you receive throughout your life, you will eventually see brown spots and have uneven skin tone on all your exposed areas.

This combination of factors causes your melanocytes to produce more melanin, more tyrosinase (which produces the melanin) and also contributes to the production of higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol – YIKES, that is not good for us!  The melanin becomes darker, like a cut fruit exposed to the air, and in time we see this on the surface of our skin. People with darker skins are more prone to pigmentation issues as their skin contains more melanin, so it just as important for them to protect their skin.

This is why UV protection is the single most influencing factor in the prevention of premature ageing in the skin. The earlier you begin to seriously protect your skin, the longer it will look younger. If I had my life over, I’d be using a zinc-based sunblock from at least age 20 and never miss a day!

How to Improve Gut Health

• Choose organic as often as possible – meat, fruit and veggies
• Eat colourful fruit and veggies at every meal and keep hydrated with at least 2 litres of water per day
• Reduce sugar, processed foods, smoking and alcohol (or cut these out altogether if you can!)
• Reduce the chemicals you use in the home and what you apply to your body
• Manage your stress levels and ensure you get sufficient sleep
• Add a supplement or probiotic to your daily diet, preferably one containing pre-biotics, alkalising greens and antioxidants and that is based on REAL food not synthetic lab-made powders – by doing this you are ensuring that your gut is getting what it really needs to repair and therefore, create all the enzymes and hormones you need to be healthy

We recommend the Osmosis Wellness range of products for all your super foods, body and hair needs. If you would like further information to reduce your pigmentation and uneven skin tone issues or advice on how to conceal them, follow the links provided!

Good Luck – we look forward to seeing a younger, healthier you!

Would you like to know which products will be best for your skin?

Still not sure?

If you need more help or would like personalised advice on what skincare products are best for you, book now for your consultation with a skin care advisor:

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Or fill in the Online Skin Consultation and Gaye, our registered nurse, will happily help you to choose the right treatments and products for your skin type or concern.

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