Did you know the key to treating skin disorders lies in treating the gut-skin axis? Our last newsletter talked about how food sensitivities and stealth infections are common triggers for skin conditions. Let’s dive a bit deeper into this topic.
- Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin characterized by itchy skin. The inflammation in the skin usually comes from inflammation in the gut that spreads to the skin. It is also linked to food sensitivities and airborne allergens. Infections of the gut such as bacteria or candida – which is a yeast infection – can spread to the skin as well.
- Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder linked to a condition called “leaky gut” or increased intestinal hyperpermeability.
- Rosacea has in recent research been linked to a gut disorder called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
- Acne is linked to gut dysbiosis or specific food sensitivities. Sometimes hormone imbalances can come into play as well.
The bottom line is to fix the skin, in most cases we need to fix what is wrong in the gut. Functional medicine doctors can help you get to the root cause. There is a lot more to treating skin conditions than topical creams or steroid medications. These reduce symptoms, but do nothing to actually treat the cause.