Hello and thank you for visiting news.com.au’s weekly feature, Ask Doctor Zac. A question regarding digestive health is this week’s topic for Dr. Zac Turner.
“My ‘almond mum’ loves to tell me that my gut health is linked to my acne,” I said, my voice trailing off. She insists on feeding me sauerkraut and says it would improve my skin, but I refuse to believe her. Could she be right? Does acne affect one’s intestinal health? When does acne also occur? From Thomas in Torquay, VIC
It’s perhaps you should be more understanding with your almond mum, Thomas. Some studies have shown a correlation between the foods and drinks you consume and skin tone and texture. In my mind, it’s like having two brains: the one in your belly and the one in your head.
Over one hundred trillion microbial cells make up our gut microbiome, and they play an important role in our immune system, metabolism, physiology, and nutrition. Obesity and inflammatory bowel disease are two gastrointestinal disorders that have been associated to poor gut health.
We can’t put a finger on exactly what’s wrong with our gut health, but here are several warning signs:
Gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, and heartburn are some of the digestive symptoms.
• Problems falling asleep or staying asleep
• Mood or emotional condition, including things like worry, depression, or extreme stress
• A high incidence of contagious diseases, including the common cold
When the issue originates in the digestive tract, external remedies like creams and light treatment will have limited effectiveness. You might be able to trace your skin problems back to poor gut health. When detoxification is lacking, toxins can accumulate in the stomach, which can lead to poor gut health and other symptoms outside of the digestive tract, such as oily skin, acne, and breakouts.
Water, kefir made from coconut or goat’s milk, sauerkraut, vinegar made from apple cider, organic cottage cheese, vegetables that have been pickled or fermented, olives and capers in brine, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, and miso are all examples of foods that can be consumed to enhance gut health.
What are the gastrointestinally harmful foods?
• Sweeteners used in processed meals and soft drinks
• Sugar substitutes
• Hormone-treated non-organic meat
• Foods made from refined grains, including pasta, white rice, and bread
• Fryable meals
In order to eliminate impurities and maintain healthy, elastic skin, staying hydrated is essential.
Sebum is an oil that moisturises hair and skin; when sebaceous glands in the skin produce too much of it, it leads to acne. The pore becomes clogged with a mixture of oil, perspiration, grime, and dead skin cells. As soon as the mixture reaches your epidermis, it begins to become white. The blocked pore transforms into a blackhead when it comes into contact with air.
