If you’re suffering from acne, you’re probably putting a pimple cream in your shopping basket. If you’re waging a battle against eczema, chances are you’re looking at cortisone creams. But are these topicals only touching the tip of the iceberg? Or, in other words, you’re only treating a symptom and not the cause?
For many, this is exactly the case. However, more people are finally starting to realise what Hippocrates knew all along – that good health starts in the gut. Also, the state of your digestive tract has a knock-on effect on your entire body, including your skin. This is why, when patients come to us with inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis and even rosacea, our first step is to take a closer look at what’s happening within.
It’s not just a flare-up – it’s an SOS from within!
When you hear the word “bacteria”, you might immediately think “bad”. However, your gut is teeming with both the helpful and harmful kind. Unfortunately, many have an overgrowth of the baddies, a condition known as dysbiosis. This causes chronic inflammation in your digestive tract and your skin, creating the ideal environment for acne-causing bacteria to thrive. It also aggravates flare-ups of all those other inflammatory skin conditions we mentioned.
In addition to dysbiosis, low stomach acid is another common gut issue that negatively affects the skin. So much so that it’s one of the first things we check in patients presenting with acne. If it isn’t treated, it can lead to leaky gut, a condition that causes your intestines to become semi-permeable. This allows tiny food particles to literally “leak” into your bloodstream. Again, this results in chronic inflammation and a domino effect that eventually reaches your skin. When this happens, expect anything from a surprise rash to an eczema or acne flare. Essentially, your skin is erupting with what are essentially red flags of a much bigger problem – a very unhappy gut.
Our unique approach to wellness
The great thing about the doctors at The Renewal Institute is that they treat you holistically. This means that if you make an appointment for help with a skin issue, they’re also going to look at your gut – and vice versa. We realise that inflammatory skin conditions aren’t always exactly that – more often than not, they’re symptoms.
To create a clear picture of your health, our doctors can run a series of tests, including those that can pick up nutritional deficiencies, parasites and food intolerances. And yes, there’ll be a big focus on your gut. If that requires healing, we’ll do so via a multi-pronged approach that may include a specialised diet, probiotics and nutraceuticals. We’re so serious about the healing power of nutrition we’ve even developed our own supplement range after watching patients struggle to find superior quality products. We also offer IV infusion therapy. It’s a great way to get what your body needs – delivered directly into your bloodstream – when you’re unable to absorb adequate nutrition. This is the irony of an unhealthy gut –it requires certain nutraceuticals to help it heal, but it can’t absorb them.
The bottom line
Ultimately, if you’re struggling with an inflammatory skin condition, realise that it’s often an overall health problem, not just a skin problem. Also, more often than not, it’s got something to do with your gut. So, don’t just treat the symptom. Rather make an appointment to chat to a highly-skilled doctor at The Renewal Institute who understands the skin-gut connection. This way, you can get a real solution, not just a “band-aid”. Together, let’s improve your health so you can enjoy clear and radiant skin!