Hi Friends,
Our skin tells us a lot about what is going on inside our body. If you’re noticing skin rashes like eczema, acne, rosacea, or psoriasis, these are often outward manifestations of inflammation within your body, often beginning in the gut microbiome.
Two of the most common skin conditions I see in my practice are Eczema and Acne.
Do you know someone who suffers from Eczema? This is a frustrating skin condition, which creates a vicious itch-scratch cycle leading to dryness and inflammation in the skin. It affects 20% of children and 5% of adults worldwide! Conventional treatments for Eczema are limited and primarily involve topical steroids.
Please watch my video presenting my comprehensive integrative approach to Eczema! This video is a deep dive into the root causes of Eczema, looking closely at the gut microbiome, food and environmental allergies, inflammation, and nutrient deficiencies. Then I present my natural protocol for healing eczema by addressing these root causes.
This video covers the importance of the Gut-Skin Axis and the relationship between Leaky Gut and Leaky Skin. Learn how certain postbiotics such as Butyrate, which is made by specific gut bacteria, play a protective role in improving immune tolerance and preventing Eczema.
I present some fascinating research done on the gut microbiome in infants showing the role of certain gut bacteria that influence immune tolerance and the pathophysiology leading to the development of Eczema. Factors like how you were born (vaginal delivery vs. c-section), whether you were breast or bottle-fed, and whether you were exposed to antibiotics early in life can all affect your gut microbiome and the likelihood of developing Eczema.
What are the root causes of Acne? In this video, I describe how Acne is caused by Inflammation and disruption of the skin microbiome, and how this often reflects the gut microbiome. Once again, I emphasize the importance of the Gut-Skin Axis.
Learn how dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance) and Leaky Gut, can cause dysbiosis and inflammation on the skin, which causes acne.
Learn how foods can affect your hormones and trigger acne.
Finally, I review my holistic treatment protocol for healing acne from the inside out. Learn the essential role of diet, lifestyle, and key supplements on your skin.
Key Supplements For Gut-Skin Healing
Some of the key supplements for improving the health of your skin include:
Gut Healing Supplements:
✅ L-Glutamine and ✅ IgG Guard are my two favorite supplements for healing gut inflammation and treating Leaky Gut.
✅ Digestive Enzyme Pro helps you to better digest and break down your food. Otherwise, incompletely digested food, especially proteins, often registers as foreign threats in your gut triggering inflammation.
✅ Probiotic 100 Billion and ✅ Probiotic 225 Billion are high-quality broad-spectrum probiotics to improve the diversity of your gut microbiome
✅ Butyrate is an essential postbiotic that improves immune tolerance and reduces inflammation on the skin
Essential Nutrients for Skin Health:
✅ Vitamin D3 with K2 is a key modulator of the immune system and studies have shown that having low Vitamin D can cause Eczema to flare. Most people need to take 1 capsule per day (5000 IU of D3) to optimize their blood levels to 60-80 ng/mL.
✅ Omega 3 Fish Oil provides essential fatty acids to lower inflammation in the body and nourish the skin. Most people benefit from 1-2 capsules (1-2 gram) per day.
✅ Vitamin C is important for the immune system and a powerful antioxidant for the skin. It can also help protect the skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation. I recommend 1-2 capsules, or 500-1000 mg per day.
✅ Zinc is a key regulator of our immune system. Studies have shown the people suffering from acne often have lower zinc levels, and when they supplement with zinc, their acne improves. It can be taken at a dose of 50 mg every other day to optimize blood levels to > 90 mcg/dL.
✅ Collagen with Hyaluronic Acid is an easily digestible protein that can help improve skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkle depth in clinical studies.
Vitamin C Cocktail for Glowing Skin
Start the day with this refreshing vitamin C cocktail! 🍹
Blend these ingredients in a high power blender (makes 2 servings). Enjoy it with your protein on the side (eggs, nuts, etc).
Try this daily or a few times per week.
Kale 🥬(2 leaves removing central fibrous vein)
1/2 cucumber
1 kiwi🥝 – do not remove the skin, just cut into quarters
Juice of ½ freshly squeezed lemon🍋
1 cup frozen pineapple🍍 chunks
1 cup water and ½ cup ice
Purple Cabbage Salad
This is a colorful and crunchy salad full of
phytonutrients and antioxidants for your skin!
1 small purple cabbage chopped finely
1 cup of shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped Italian Parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Dressing: 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, zest and juice of 1 lime, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
Toss together and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! Please share it with a friend or family member who may need help with their skin!
Warm regards,
Rajsree Nambudripad, MD
Dr. Rajsree is a caring and compassionate physician, who is board-certified in both Internal Medicine and Integrative/Holistic medicine. She is passionate about helping patients optimize their health through a preventative approach involving healthy lifestyle, dietary changes, targeted nutritional supplementation, and optimizing hormones. Her practice is unique in the personalized attention she devotes to each and every patient.