10 Ways To Get Rid Of Acne

Nothing is worse than a pimple on prom night...unless it's a pimple on your wedding day, Thanksgiving dinner, or during your vacation. Okay, acne is never convenient. Here's 10 natural ways to get rid of acne.

Gut-Skin Connection, Explained

Your skin is the largest organ on your body. Some would even say the most important organ! Unlike other organs, you can touch and see your skin. As you can check the health of your skin on a daily basis, it is a great indicator of what’s happening inside your body. Acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea are all skin conditions which can have the same root cause which is poor gut health and gut function.

The gut and skin are interdependent on each other. This contributes to something called the gut-skin axis. Both, the gut and the skin, are key defenders against pathogens invading from the external environment. Adding to this, both are big players in the neuroendocrine messaging system as they are linked to the brain via nerves, and have the ability to send messages to the other parts of the body indirectly.

Another similarity between the skin and the gut is that the skin has its own microbiome. The skin microbiome is as important to our health as the gut microbiome. Research has found the skin microbiome to be one of the most diverse microbiomes in the body. It provides protection by acting as a barrier to potential issues. It is necessary to maintain a good balance between the commensal and pathogenic bacteria.

How Can I Clear Up My Acne?

The gut has a great impact on the skin but the brain is of significance as well. This leads to “the gut-brain-skin axis” theory. According to this theory, anxiety and stress lead to intestinal permeability and dysbiosis in the gut. This, in turn, contributes to skin inflammation.

Since the gut and the skin interact, they have the ability to influence one another’s wellness. Your health is highly dependent upon the health of your skin and gut. Here are some tips to keep both in top condition!

1. Eat More Veggies

Vegetables provide your body with the required nutrients on a daily basis. They are the key to improve your general health. Many vegetables contain beta-carotene, which help reduce skin oils and are naturally anti-inflammatory.

2. Plenty of Prebiotic-Rich Foods

Prebiotics are a type of non-digestible fiber. Prebiotics are often confused as probiotics. When prebiotic foods are digested they provide food for the good bacteria which are found in our gut. Rich sources of prebiotics are bananas, onion, garlic, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and whole grains.

3. Eat More Probiotic Foods

Rather than choosing probiotic supplements as your first preference for gut health, it is recommended opting for whole foods rich in probiotics. Aim to get probiotics from natural ingredients. Include foods which are a high source of probiotics, such as yogurt, and fermented foods like miso, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

4. Drink with Precaution

Excessive consumption of alcohol and aerated drinks have a negative impact on your overall health. Reduce consumption of such intoxicating drinks to attain clear skin. Increase consumption of water instead. Water is the most simple and beneficial thing you can gift your skin. Stay well hydrated and that will instantly give your skin a glow.

5. Cut Out on Junk

Processed, fatty, junk, and sugary foods are a big NO. Junk food should be completely eliminated or minimized in order to attain good skin. A diet with more junk food causes more breakouts.

6. Fiber Focus

Veggies are packed with fibers. Aim to increase overall fiber content, especially if your intake of fruit, vegetables, and legumes is low. Fibers provide a huge variety of compounds and nutrients that help improve gut health and in return skin health. Fibers can be found in whole grains, fruit, veggies, nuts, and legumes. This is why a lot of people focus on a plant-based diet for good health.

7. Take a Chill Pill

Stress is one of the major sources of all your health woes. Live a stress-free life and you will automatically notice how your skin is much more radiant and glowy.

8. Fruity Diet

Fruits are something you can never go wrong with! These sweet treats are the perfect source of nutrition to enhance your health. Fresh fruits have fiber and roughage. They also have natural water content. Fruits can be eaten directly or made into delicious smoothies. You can even apply the pulp on your skin as a face mask.

9. Sleep

Healthy 8-hour sleep is required to keep your body functioning. Follow an appropriate sleep cycle and give your body sufficient rest. This is very important to keep your body functioning properly.

10. Microbiome Testing

Seeing as the gut-skin axis is strong, to fix what’s going on on the outside, you need to heal what’s going on inside. Instead of aiming blindly, get to the source with an at-home gut health test kit.

At Ombre, we will figure out which stomach bacteria is causing symptoms of acne to persist. From there, we will recommend a targeted probiotic supplement to help bring balance back to your microbiome.

After, we will work with you on prebiotic-rich food suggestions. That way the probiotic stomach bacteria can flourish on the inside, and you can glow on the outside.