So, we have delved into the importance of gut health as an essential foundation for skin health.
Next, I wanted to dive into the next important organ for our skin health, the liver!

If you have been told you have, or are currently experiencing hormonal acne, then the liver is definitely an organ for you to consider supporting.

“If you have been told you have, or are currently experiencing hormonal acne, then the liver is definitely an organ for you to consider supporting”

As the liver is involved in the processing, clearing and metabolism of hormones, any imbalance or inflammatory hormonal condition can be supported via the liver. 

Liver health is essential for skin health due to its role in detoxification and the clearance of toxins from the body. Similar to the gut, the liver also needs a healthy microbiome to thrive and to ensure our bodies can excrete toxins efficiently. If the pathogenic (bad) bacteria in the liver is too high, it can impact how well the body is able to excrete toxins. 

This can actually lead to a build up or ‘backwash/recirculation’ of toxins from the liver to the gut as the body has not been able to excrete them properly. Our liver greatly impacts our skin, as any toxins that cannot be broken down are forced to be excreted by our next excretory organ, which is our skin!

A stressed or ‘overloaded’ liver can contribute to hormonal skin conditions such as acne, and even some types of pigmentation. If our liver is under high levels of stress, either due to elevated toxins, free radicals or nutritional deficiencies, this can impact the livers ability to filter out toxins, which can lead to inflammation within, and inflammatory skin. 

4 ways the liver can help to clear your skin

1. Helps reduce excess androgen production (male hormones)
Helps to balance hormones, and reduce the conversions of testosterone to DHT (the active male hormone).
Often acne skin types are largely driven by elevated androgens (male hormones), much of which are converted into the DHT pathway, which becomes inflammatory acne, often showing up on the lower cheeks and jawline, and upper neck area. 
Tip: Aim to eat a high fibre diet in the form of vegetables as fibre helps to clear out elevated hormones. Also aim to include foods high in zinc, as zinc helps prevent the conversion of testosterone and reduces androgenic activity. 

2. Helps with oestrogen clearance and excretion
Our liver helps to excrete excess oestrogen, which can also be a large trigger for skin concerns including acne, breakouts and even some forms of pigmentation (known as melasma)
The liver works to help support the clearance of elevated hormones, particularly testosterone and oestrogen. If this is not cleared properly, or if there is a build up or barrier to this being able to be excreted, this contributes to elevated hormones, a common trigger for acne/breakouts. 
Tip: Include plenty of cruciferous vegetables as these contain a constituent called indole-3-carbional, which is involved in the breakdown and clearance of oestrogen within the body.


3. Helps support and reduce blood sugar levels
If sugar or insulin levels within the blood are too high this causes an increase in insulin within the body, and often triggers inflammation within the gut and liver, increasing free radical damage and impairing the body’s ability to filter and excrete waste. Acne and even some forms of pigmentation can be due to elevated blood sugar levels. This is due to the body having too much sugar in the system and the body is trying to excrete it through the skin. Reducing the overall load of sugar and inflammatory foods within will help support the clearance of toxins naturally.
Tip: Avoid consuming inflammatory foods containing high levels of refined sugar. Overly oily, smoked, takeaway foods, excessive coffee and alcohol can overload the liver and increase oxidative stress within the body. 

4. Helps reduce the bacteria within the skin
As the liver plays an important role in the breakdown and excretion of toxins from the body, this actually helps reduce inflammatory acne and the p.acnes bacteria. P.acnes bacteria is the type that leads to inflammatory acne, which can be due to a high amount of bacteria within the sebum. Often this develops when there is a high amount of oxidative stress and elevated free radicals within the body. By reducing the amount of oxidative stress and free radicals, it helps to reduce this bacteria and topical inflammation. 
Tip: Ensure to include plenty of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and broccoli as these are high in vitamin C, vitamin A and anthocyanins which provide potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Adding herbal teas such as green tea, dandelion and fennel are also supportive for the liver health. 

So there are 4 keys ways you can support your liver to improve the quality of your skin! 


I hope you found this helpful, and I encourage you to try implement at least one of these steps, and see if you start to notice a difference with your skin!

Also, if you know a friend who would benefit from this, please share this with them. Don’t forget to subscribe if you would like to receive weekly updates on all things skin, health and nutrition. 

 If you feel your liver may need support, or may be struggling with a hormonal issue but are unsure of what to do, then please get in contact below. We would love to assist you on your health journey!

Thank you,

Dominique.

Skin Nutrition Co. X

An Introduction into the Gut-Skin Connection


Our skin is a barometer for our inner health, meaning, many symptoms or inflammation externally is often a reflection of our internal health. 
If you are experiencing mild or chronic skin issues, such as acne, hormonal breakouts, redness, rosacea, eczema or dermatitis, this can be an indication of an imbalance internally. 

What is the ‘Gut-Skin Axis?’

There has been a large increase in studies over recent years in regards to the impact our gut health has on our overall internal health, and particularly its role with skin. 
In fact, our gut health has a bio-directional link with our skin, known as the gut-skin axis. Similarly, more research has shown that as our gut has its own microbiome, so does our skin!

Therefore, if we want to get to the root cause, and properly treat inflammatory skin conditions, whether it’s a recent flare up or a chronic skin issue, we need to look at the gut!

Here are five key ways to optimise and improve the integrity of your gut health, and in turn, support the health of your skin.

1. Increase Fibre
Fibre helps to support the growth of beneficial bacteria within the gut, which is essential for reducing any inflammation and supports optimum health.
Fibre helps to increase the removal of waste products and prevents accumulation of toxins in the body. It helps reduce the harmful bacteria within the gut, and helps increase the clearance of toxins from the body, as it binds them up and ‘flushes’ them out of the body/

2. Include Fermented Vegetables
Fermented foods are high in prebiotics, which help to support the growth of the good bacteria. This is particularly beneficial for gut health as it helps to support the increase of healthy bacteria, essential for providing a healthy foundation for our gut health to thrive. This is key for optimal health, and particularly vital for the health of our skin!

3. Reduce Inflammatory Foods
Common inflammatory foods include processed foods, pre-packaged foods, or foods high in refined sugar. These often contain high amounts of additives and preservatives, which can impair our cellular integrity and cause oxidative stress within the body. If these are being consumed in a high amount, it can lead to inflammation both within the body and our skin, and quite often is a large trigger for breakouts, acne and redness in the skin.

4. Include Cruciferous Vegetables 
Cruciferous vegetables in particular provide an array of health benefits, with multiple benefits for the gut and our skin! Their high fibre content helps to support digestion and detoxification, they also contain an active constituent called indole-3-carbinol, which helps with clearing out elevated hormones, which is particularly beneficial for hormonal skin issues. 
They also are high in phytonutrients vitamin C and vitamin A which are beneficial for skin cell turnover and cell renewal, as well as strengthening the cell lining of the gut. 

5. Increase Hydration
Lastly, but definitely not least, hydration! Often it’s the simplest things that are often overlooked, yet they provide a significant difference!
Hydration plays multiple benefits for our internal health and skin.
Ensuring we are drinking enough water helps to keep our cells nourished, it assists with flushing out toxins from the body and helps keep our skin hydrated.
Ensuring we are drinking enough water is particularly important for our digestive system, as it helps to bind with the fibre to flush out and excrete any waste within the system, helping supporting the detoxification and removal of toxins within the body.
Tip: If you find it hard drinking plain water, add a squeeze of lemon or lime, or try herbal teas. This will help with increasing your nutrients and other health benefits by adding in the polyphenols, and helps make water more appetising to ensure you are drinking enough throughout the day.

So there are the key foundations for maintaining optimum gut and skin health! 

I hope you found this helpful, and if you’d love to hear more about how to maintain optimum skin, gut or hormonal health, then please subscribe to the email to receive weekly tips on all things skin health and wellness weekly.

If you would like further support for your skin health, gut health or even hormonal support, I am here to assist you further, and am here to support you! Simply send an email enquiry, or get in contact below and I will be in touch with you to help you in your health journey!



Dominique,

Skin Nutrition Co. X

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Your Beauty Benefits of B Vitamins!

Your Beauty Boosting Benefits of B Vitamins!

If dehydration, dullness or dryness comes to mind when it comes to your skin concerns (especially in winter) then the Bs are for you!

Whether you are wanting to help alleviate inflammatory skin, such as flaking skin, reduce excess oil flow, even out skin tone or even reverse signs of ageing by boosting collagen formation and strengthening cellular integrity, then it may be time to consider your intake of B vitamins!

There are 8 different types of B vitamins, all of which play a vital role in the care and benefit to your skin. B vitamins are a water soluble nutrient, which means that they must be obtained from our diet, as they are readily excreted and cannot be stored within the body.

Here I will break down how the functions and benefits of each nutrient can support our skin health!

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)​ is involved in energy metabolism and the growth, development and function of cells, all of which help to support wound healing and prevent scarring. Deficiencies in this can lead to weakness, dryness, craped or flaking of the skin.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)​ plays a vital role for achieving healthy, glowing skin. This helps with maintaining the growth of tissues to encourage a healthy cell turnover, helping to support a clearer complexion, as well as the maintenance of collagen production which protects the structural integrity of the skin. Vitamin B2 is particularly beneficial for acne sufferers as it also assists maintaining the oil flow of the skin, helping to prevent breakouts.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) ​is one of the most popular skin vitamins as it helps to boost the complexion of the skin and provides multiple factors which assist in skin healing. This helps with the production of ceramides and fatty acid barriers, which assists with retaining skin moisture and plumpness; preventing dry, sensitised skin and ageing skin. It has also been shown to assist skin conditions including helping with acne, eczema, dermatitis and pigmentation.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)​ helps to maintain a plump, hydrated skin tone, and improve the elasticity of the skin. This can be applied topically, which acts as a humectant (which helps to retain the moisture in the skin). This also assists with healing and protecting the skin, helping to reduce inflammation and redness and strengthen the skin's barrier. Vitamin B5 has also been shown to help to provide benefit in reducing excess sebum production and regulate the oil flow production.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)​ works within the nervous system, and helps to regulate sleep by producing serotonin (our happy hormone), and melatonin. This also helps to reduce cellular inflammation and supports cell regeneration.

B7 (Biotin)​ is utilised for the metabolism of fatty acids and protects cells from damage and water loss, which helps to keep your cells hydrated. As biotin helps prevent water loss, this is also beneficial for protection against acne, fungal infections and rashes.

B9 (Folic Acid​) actually provides similar properties to antioxidants, helping to promote cell turnover and fight against free radical damage. It is particularly key in supporting sun damaged skins and preventing premature ageing skin.

B12 (Cobalamin)​ helps promote cell production and can be applied topically for skin benefits as it provides anti-inflammatory benefits, and supports the skin strength and integrity, which is particularly useful for conditions such as dryness, acne, psoriasis and eczema.

So here you can see the multiple benefits and vast array of ways your B vitamins can boost your beauty routine! So, you may be thinking, how do I apply this?!

Let’s take it back to basics.

Aim to consume a highly plant based and whole food diet, rich in dark leafy green vegetables, and include lean poultry and proteins, such as fish, chicken and eggs, legumes such as chickpeas and lentils and healthy fats such as avocados, nuts and seeds. This is the best way to increase your intake of these nutrients.
Also, variety is key! Fill your plate with a variety of different coloured vegetables to ensure you get a wide variety of nutrients and vitamins into your day, and reap the benefits of your B vitamins!

I hope you found this helpful, and if you know someone that would benefit from this, please share this with them.
Also, please leave me a comment below on your thoughts,or anything you found interesting. I’d love to hear

from you!
Thank you, Till next time,

Dominique,

Skin Nutrition Co.