5 Facts About Skin Health Most Doctors Won’t Tell You

For clear and healthy skin, read this (don’t skip #3)!

1. Skin health is a reflection of gut health.

Breakouts, rashes, irritations, and redness are outward signs of inflammation, which often stems from the gut.

Tip: Support your gut AND skin with fiber, probiotics, and healthy fats!

2. Sugar accelerates skin aging.

Excess sugar triggers a process called glycation, where sugar binds to collagen proteins in the skin, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and aging skin.

Tip: Limit sweets to occasional treats!

3. Diet can minimize sun damage.

Certain nutrients like beta-carotene and lycopene are stored in layers of the skin, where they help protect against UV damage.

Tip: Eat the rainbow!

4. Sleep is needed for glowing skin.

During sleep, the body releases growth hormone and produces collagen to strengthen the skin, reduce fine lines, and minimize sagging or puffy skin.

Tip: It’s true that we all need our beauty sleep!

5. Chemicals in skincare products can seep into your bloodstream.

Chemicals that persist in the environment and in our bodies (meaning they never go away!) are called forever chemicals. Many of these are ingredients in skincare products from sunscreens to lipsticks.

Tip: Read labels and choose non-toxic products!

Okay, I know that’s a lot of information, but the point is: Chasing skin health with nothing more than expensive topical products is not doing anybody any good. Skin health is truly a reflection of whole-body health.

Other Ways to Help the Skin

So what are other ways to help the skin and combat breakouts, rashes, and irritation?

The main driver of unhealthy skin is inflammation, which means a sustainable solution has to address this root cause. We do that from the inside out, with things like:

• Omega-3 Fats (essential fatty acids in fish, nuts, & seeds)
• Sleep (disrupted sleep increases markers of inflammation)
• Movement (exercise improves metabolic health to reduce inflammation)
• Water (skin is approximately 64% water)
• Colorful foods (antioxidants help to combat inflammation)
• Probiotics (supporting the microbiome and gut-skin axis)

These are just a few examples of how you can help combat breakouts, redness, rashes, and irritated skin.

Nutrition

This is not an overnight quick fix, but nutrition can have a huge impact on how your skin ages!

First the must-have foundations:

• Water (to hydrate the skin)
• Protein (as a building block for collagen & elastin)
• Fruits & Veg (for antioxidants to block free radical damage)
• Healthy Fats (to keep inflammation in check)

Then the targeted nutrient supplements:

• Collagen (supports skin firmness and elasticity)
• Antioxidants like curcumin, pomegranate, and green tea (support antioxidant defenses)
• Omega-3s (support healthy inflammation & defenses against sun damage)

Here’s the thing:

If you jump to the supplements without first having the foundations of a skin-healthy diet in place, you won’t get the results you deserve.

If you want to dial in a plan to support your unique skin health and maintain youthful skin – given your biochemistry, goals, and vulnerabilities – work with a functional medicine doctor who can guide you. The Institute for Functional Medicine website has a list of certified functional medicine practitioners in your area.