The direct connection between the gut and our skin is often overlooked. Our complexion reveals a lot about our diet and overall health as the gut is one of the critical elements in causing some of the problems that shows up in our skin. In the quest for glowing and healthy skin, we should be looking at both what we take in and equally importantly what our body eliminates.

While treating the skin externally can bring a certain level of relief, it will not change the condition if the contributing factors are internal. This is because the real source of health and beauty lies in the inner layers of  the skin where cells develop and are nourished by the vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the foods we consume every day.

Clear Skin begins inside the body

Pollution that creates toxicity in the body such as drugs, smoking and alcohol, processed foods and trans fats, must be avoided or eliminated to keep our skin free from developing premature wrinkles and skin disorders such as acne, eczema, psoriasis and seborrhea.

In order for our organs and systems to function at their best, our body needs to flush out toxins continuously to prevent any buildup. Unfortunately we are constantly bombarded by exposure to food additives, preservatives, artificial flavours, pesticides, herbicides in food and other toxins and chemicals in personal care products and plastics.

Steps to promote beautiful skin

• Heal a Leaky gut with substances such as glutamine, apple pectin and slippery elm.

• Add Probiotics (friendly bacteria) - many people who suffer from skin problems have an imbalance in their ratio of friendly-to-unfriendly gut bacteria, resulting in the production and absorption of large amounts of bacterial toxins that make the skin condition worse.

• Use Digestive enzymes with every meal. Many people with skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, rosacea and other inflammatory skin lesions often have problems manufacturing or secreting the right amounts of digestive enzymes.

• Add a high quality source of Vitamins and minerals - because the intestinal cells are replaced every 7-14 days, a continual supply of nutrients is necessary so that new cells fully mature and perform their duties.

• Reduce animal fats and increase Essential fatty acids such as fish oils, and flaxseed.

These 5 steps will not only provide amazing benefits to the skin but also give natural gut relief for many other gut related problems.

Foods that create youthful skin

Vegetables are essential for creating healthy, beautiful skin. Vegetables are high in both water and nutrients (including essential minerals), and promote optimal functioning of our natural detoxification systems. For example, healthy liver function is supported by dark green leafy veggies, such as:

• Chlorella                                                                 
• Kale
• Spinach
• Dandelion greens
• Broccoli

In general, we need to include plenty of raw, whole foods in our diet. Juicing of fresh organic vegetables as well as eating lots of salads is an easy way to include raw into our diet .

Other foods known to contribute to healthy skin include raw and virgin fats and oils. Coconut oil is especially good for our thyroid.

Include plenty of antioxidant-rich foods in the diet. Most berries such as blueberries fall into this category. However be careful of strawberries as they often are drenched in pesticide.

Another group of foods worth mentioning are fermented or cultured foods.

Fermented foods help promote the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria and aid in digestion. They also support healthy immune function, including an increase in B vitamins, omega-3, digestive enzymes, lactase and lactic acid, and other immune chemicals that fight off harmful bacteria.

The real 'fountain of youth' is a healthy diet and lifestyle. No matter how much we spend on external potions and lotions, it is the foods we eat, the foods we avoid and the lifestyle factors of exercise and sleep that will make the real difference to both looking good and feeling good.



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