It may sound strange, but our gut health reveals a lot about our general well-being and skin health. Many medical studies prove that common skin issues like eczema, acne, or rosacea can occur because of underlying gut issues. It could be inflammation, digestion issues, or imbalance in the gut microbiomes.
In case you don’t know about the gut microbiomes. They are incredibly beneficial species of bacterias that live in our intestines and provide ample of health benefits like:
- Treat obesity
- Improve digestion
- Help combat against diseases
- Make the skin soft and healthy
Microbiomes play a vital role in the digestion process of our intestine and affect our gut health.
What is Gut Health?
Putting in simple terms, gut health means how well and efficiently are the natural body processes like assimilation, digestion, and absorption of food taking place in our gastrointestinal tract.
The gastrointestinal tract starts from the mouth, ends at the anus, and consists of stomach, intestines, and esophagus. It plays a vital role in processing nutrients from the consumed food and moves it through the digestive system.
Good gut health means our digestive system is working well, and there is no underlying problem. Gut health can also be affected by the behavior and balance of microbiomes.
Like we said earlier, they are good bacterias and responsible for aiding digestion, improving immunity, and breaking down complex food compounds to synthesize essential amino acids and vitamins.
For good gut health, it is vital to maintain the number of good microbiomes in the body with nutrition, diet, and a healthy lifestyle. Overgrowth and deficiency of these microorganisms can cause digestion problems like diarrhea, constipation, and inflammation in the intestines.
Link Between Gut Health and Skin
Researchers explain the link between gut health and skin with the Gut-Skin Axis concept. It means the health of our gut is related with the health of our skin. Studies show poor digestion and imbalance of microbiomes can cause inflammation in the skin, resulting in acne, redness, and sometimes even wrinkles.
The reverse is also true, if you maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in your intestine with the help of good sleep, diet, probiotics you can have healthy and naturally glowing skin. It can also help in treating skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and eczema pretty easily. So for healthy skincare, it is essential to maintain good gut health and keep digestion in check.
How to Improve Gut Health?
Though most of our microbiomes or good bacteria depend on our genetics and environment. There are still factors that you can rely on and control for better gut health. Here are six practical tips for improving your gut health and have healthy, glowing skin.
1. Take Probiotics
Including good quality probiotics is a brilliant way to improve your gut health. They are food supplements that contain live good bacteria and aid in the digestive processes in the intestines. Before buying probiotics, make sure they are certified by authorities and of high quality. Don’t buy them if you suffer from bacterial overgrowth or SIBO.
2. Avoid Taking Too Much Stress
Taking too much stress over relationships, work, or anything can impact your well-being, mainly your gut. So, we advise you to relax and stay calm by doing meditation, taking short walks, reading books, meeting friends, or listening to your favorite music tracks.
3. Include Prebiotic Food in your Diet
Prebiotic foods are complex carbs and fibers that encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut. They improve the nutritional value of food and help in combating obesity, diabetes, and digestion-related issues in the body. Some examples of good prebiotics food include garlic, onions, bananas, oats, apples, wheat bran, and flax seeds.
4. Sleep Well
Taking 6-7 hours of regular sleep is essential to maintain a healthy gut. Irregular sleeping patterns can harm the digestion process and cause gut health-related problems. For having a quality sleep, we recommend you use a sleep mask, turn off the lights, and switch off your electric devices one hour before going to bed. It will immensely improve the quality of your sleep.
5. Avoid Artificial Sweeteners
Marketed heavily as sugar replacements and substitutes, artificial sweeteners can disturb the balance of good bacteria and affect your gut health. Instead, you can use natural sources of sugar like stevia, honey, coconut sugar, or maple syrup. For better gut health, it is best to reduce the intake of every food or drink that contains artificial sweeteners.
