The Connection Between Gut Health and Skin Health

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acne, bacteria, balanced diet, bodily functions, dermatitis, digestive health, digestive tract, dysbiosis, fibre, fungi, gut health, gut microbiome, gut-brain axis, gut-skin axis, gut-skin relations, health problems, healthcare practitioners, immune function, inflammation, metabolism, microbes, minerals, overall health, radiant skin, regular exercise, scientists, skin health, skin issues, sleep, stress response, viruses, Vitamin D, vitamin K, well-being

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The connection between gut health and skin health has become a hot topic in recent years, as scientists and healthcare practitioners have come to understand the importance of the gut-skin relations in overall health and well-being. The gut-skin axis refers to the relationship between the gut microbiome and the skin, and how imbalances in the gut can manifest as skin issues.

The gut microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract, which includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes. These microorganisms play a crucial role in maintaining digestive health, immune function, and overall well-being. When the balance of these microorganisms is disrupted, it can lead to a condition known as dysbiosis, which has been linked to a variety of health problems, including skin issues.

Studies have shown that the gut microbiome can directly influence the health of the skin. For example, a study ^[1] published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that mice with imbalanced gut microbiota had more severe symptoms of skin inflammation and dermatitis than mice with healthy gut microbiota. Another study ^[2] published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found that patients with acne had a higher prevalence of intestinal dysbiosis compared to those without acne.

One reason for this connection is the fact that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in regulating the immune system. When the gut microbiome is imbalanced, it can lead to increased inflammation in the body, which can manifest as skin issues such as acne, rosacea, and eczema. Additionally, the gut microbiome is involved in the production of certain nutrients that are essential for skin health, such as vitamin D and vitamin K.

Furthermore, the gut-skin axis is also influenced by the gut-brain axis, which refers to the communication between the gut and the brain. The gut-brain axis is responsible for regulating many bodily functions, including digestion, metabolism, and stress response. When the gut-brain axis is disrupted, it can lead to increased stress and anxiety, which can also manifest as skin issues.

There are several ways to support gut health and promote healthy skin. One of the most important is to eat a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. This can help to promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and reduce inflammation in the body.

In addition to diet, there are several other lifestyle factors that can impact gut health and skin health. For example, getting regular exercise, managing stress, and getting enough sleep are all important for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and promoting overall well-being.

The bottom line is, the connection between gut health and skin health is a complex and multifaceted one. By understanding the role that the gut microbiome plays in skin health, we can take steps to support our gut health and promote healthy, radiant skin. Whether it’s through diet, exercise, or other lifestyle factors, there are many ways to support the gut-skin axis and promote optimal health and well-being.

Sources:

1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6920876/

2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7584556/

Busting More Beauty Myths

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chemicals, cleansing, damage, deficiency, follicle, hair, harmful rays, hypoallergenic, ingredients, irritant, irritating, make up, make-up, makeup, misinformation, Myth, nail polish, nails, natural, natural ingredients, oxygen, safe, sensitive skin, shave, Shaving, sleep, sunscreen, synthetic, thicker, Vitamin D

Photo by Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

Back in 2019, we wrote this post where we looked at some of the oldest and most persistent beauty myths around and gave you the truths behind them. The beauty industry seems to be awash with untruths about what is and isn’t good for you and your skin, and there are many more myths out there which need to be debunked, so we’ve come up with five more myths and the reality behind them: 

“Using sunscreen all year round causes vitamin D deficiency”

Sunscreen’s effect on vitamin D levels is actually minimal for most people. The truth is that everyone is at risk for vitamin D deficiency whether they have lighter skin tones or darker skin tones, even among people who live in sunny climates and are outdoors year-around. Skipping sunscreen is a case where the risk significantly outweighs the reward, so it just doesn’t make any sense to do in hopes of increasing your vitamin D levels.

“Wearing makeup every day is bad for your skin”

While wearing lots of makeup can be cumbersome for the skin on your face, wearing makeup consistently won’t actually make your skin worse. Granted, a day with no makeup feels great, but the real culprit of skin damage is not consistently washing your makeup off and leaving makeup on overnight. And no, using a face wipe won’t do the trick, either! Make sure you use a proper make-up removing cleanser and the effect of your make-up on the skin should be minimal. 

“Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker”

This is one of THE most persistent (and if we’re honest, IRRITATING!) beauty myths out there. Shaving will not make your hair grow back thicker, faster, or darker. The growth of hair is controlled by the follicle, and shaving doesn’t affect the follicle or growth pattern whatsoever. Your hair just might appear more stubbly because the blade cuts the hair at the thickest part. There are products which can help to slow the regrowth, but there’s no need to worry about turning into a yeti just from shaving! 

“Nail polish harms nails because it prevents them from breathing”

Nails are dead cells. The reality is that nails do not actually “breathe”; they receive their nutrients and oxygen from the bloodstream and not the air. If your nails are feeling weak and damaged, especially after having gel polish or extensions, using Protein Formula For Nails No:4 can help to restructure and strengthen damaged nails, whilst hydrating and promoting healthy nails.

“Natural ingredients are better for sensitive skin”

If you have sensitive skin, it can be easy to think that ingredients which are derived from natural sources will be less irritating than those which aren’t. However, this is simply not true. Some of our most potent products are made almost entirely from natural ingredients and in fact, it’s important to be selective about ALL ingredients, not just the synthetic ones. There are lots of synthetic ingredients proven to be hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. And even if a synthetic ingredient has the potential for irritation, cosmetic chemists have the ability to remove the allergenic portion of the ingredient in a lab, making it more tolerable for your skin.

Good Health for the New Term

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adults, advice, anxiety, back pain, backs, bedtimes, books, boost, bugs, chemical, children’s health, clean hair, clear sign, colds, combing conditioner, conversations, depression, dirty hair, emotional health, family, family life, fine-toothed comb, fruit and vegetables, gaps, good health, GP, hair, happy, head lice, healthy diet, heavy bags, help, homework, immune system, itching, kid’s multi-vitamin supplement, kit, laptops, long, mobile devices, natural, new school term, nits, open line of communication, pencil case, physical well-being, poor posture, rucksack, school children, self harm, shoes, short, shoulders, sleep, spines, sports kits, stress, stretching, suffer, sunglight, support, Tea Tree, top tips, under the duvet texting, uniform, Vitamin D, wet hair, withdrawal

The uniforms have been bought and labels have been stuck on, the shoes have been shined and the new pencil cases are the cleanest they will ever be. While we know it is important to get their kit ready when it comes to the new school term, it is also worth looking at your children’s health too.

While you can’t stop them catching colds and picking up bugs, you can give them the best start to good health and we have got some top tips so you can help them feel their best.

Immune System Boost
School children are constantly picking up colds and viruses, so it is really important to keep their immune systems strong. As well as a healthy diet, packed with fruit and vegetables, it might be worth giving them a kid’s multi-vitamin supplement to plug the gaps and keep them healthy. Do speak to your GP or pharmacist about which product is best for your child and remember that as well as those key vitamins we all know about, as the nights draw in and there is less sunlight, added Vitamin D could be a smart move too.

Treat Head Lice
Head lice are quickly spread by head-to-head contact and with children playing close together, it is no wonder they can become rife, fast when the new term starts. Clean hair, dirty hair, long or short – it really doesn’t matter, these little bugs simply want to get onto your child’s scalp so the best thing you can do is check hair on a regular basis and if there is a lot of itching going on, it might be a clear sign something is up. If you find your child does have head lice, you can start to combat the problem by combing conditioner through their wet hair using a special fine-toothed comb. This method can help to remove the head lice and nits (empty shells) but if this doesn’t work you can use a natural (often tea tree based) or chemical lotion instead to blast the bugs away.

Keep Backs Healthy
It isn’t just adults who suffer from back pain, thanks to heavy bags and poor posture, children are increasingly being plagued too. Yes, they need to take in books, laptops and sports kits, but using a rucksack and carrying their load on both shoulders is a back healthy way to go. Sitting up in class and stretching at the end of the day can also help even things out and keep spines happy.

Communicate
It isn’t just physical well-being that is important for children, but emotional health too. With almost a quarter of 14-year-old girls found to have used self-harm as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression, it is really important to try to keep an open line of communication with your children. We know this isn’t always easy and that when there are problems opening up can be hard, but try to have those conversations and see where help is needed. Keep an eye on much time is being spent on screens, whether there is withdrawal from family life and if you are worried, speak to a teacher or your GP about getting more support and advice.

Bedtime
Every family has different rules when it comes to bedtime and screens. The reality is that mobile devices are often found in the bedroom late at night and these can impact sleep and overall health. Find a plan that works for you and your children, decide on a bedtime, ensure homework is done so there are no last-minute panics that impact stress and sleep, and ensure mobiles are turned off and there is no under the duvet texting which means getting up the next day is tough.

Good luck!

Team Pure Beauty

Getting it right when you work from home

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An increasing number of people are turning to freelance careers which often means working from home.

Journalists, marketing professionals, surveyors, photographers – the list goes on and while it saves sitting on a busy bus and taking part in water cooler conversations, to get it right you need to set yourself boundaries.

We have looked at some of the fundamental rules of home working to keep you on track so you can get the work done and strike a balance.

Dress for the job
It’s easy to sit working in your PJs but it won’t make you feel as professional as you do if you are up, showered and dressed. Answering the door to the postman in a nightie isn’t ideal and if you are just in a vest and pants when your client calls on Skype out of the blue, it could be embarrassing.

Find you place
The same goes for sitting in front of the TV with your laptop and the dog. Get a decent desk and chair, make sure you have good lighting and ‘go pro’ in a designated work space or office, if you have the room.

Structure your day
Create a timetable for work just as you would in the office. Writing and calls in the mornings, meetings over lunch and the admin and accounts later in the day. If you have a structure to your days, it will help keep you focused and productive.

Get some exercise
Going out for a walk, having a cycle or taking a yoga class will get you away from your desk and take away and feelings of claustrophobia that can come with working from home. It is good to get fresh air, a little Vitamin D and feel the blood pumping around your body as your heart rate goes up – something that won’t happen while you sit at your desk.

Step away from social media
As tempting as it can be, leave social media behind while you work, taking it off your toolbar and mobile if need be. You might only mean to have a browse and before you know it you have been sucked in and lost an hour of your day.

Eat well
Being at home doesn’t mean you have to snack all day long. Hide the biscuits and chocolate, get healthy snacks, drink lots of water, don’t over do it on the coffee and don’t be tempted to raid the fridge when you are feeling bored.

Take a break
However much you love your job, make sure you take breaks during the day. Step away from the computer from time to time, do some stretches and remember to stop for lunch each day.

See people
We don’t mean spend all day with family and friends, they need to know you are working not around for coffee and errands, but you do need to socialise. Maybe use a co-working space once a week, go to networking events or even meet clients and suppliers face to face to ensure you get some human interaction.

Book time off
Whether it’s a long weekend by the sea, a city break with the girls or two weeks in the sunshine, make sure you go on holiday. Allocate yourself a certain number of days a year, spread those wisely and don’t feel bad about putting your out of office on – you deserve a rest.

Team Pure-Beauty

Take a digital detox

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again, cleansed, detox, digital detox, disconnect, food, free, fresh fish, green smoothies, healthy, humus, iPhone, jog, kids, meal, miss, outdoors, park, partner, prepare, screen, screen time, shopping, sitting, tennis, unplug, Vitamin D, walking, water

Unplug.

Disconnect to connect.

Digital detox.

We’re pretty sure you’ve heard these terms being used a lot recently but doing this can be tough.

With so many of us being slaves to screens, living life through a lense and being online pretty much 24/7, stepping away from devices might seem impossible.

The truth of the matter is that sometimes it is exactly what you need to do in-order to reconnect with the real world.

It might seem scary to go digital free but it is pretty easy and we have broken it down to so you can give it a go.

Make a date
There is no point in deciding to go screen free on Monday morning when your schedule is busy and inbox is full. Go for a weekend or during a holiday and put it in your diary so you don’t forget or double book.

Set the time
If you are permanently glued to your screen, going cold turkey for a week might not work for you. Just like a New Year’s resolution, you need to make this achievable so that you keep going and succeed. Go for a balance between realistic and challenging, which could be an hour without emails, turning your phone off at 8pm or only playing computer games at the weekend. You want it to make a difference to your life, in a good way so you can feel the benefits.

Set boundaries
We set boundaries for so many things in life, why not do the same with digital devises? Think about exactly what you want to cut down on, not just during a detox but also in life generally. Is it the volume of junk and joke emails, the constant stream of TV in the house or your over use of social media? If you think about this to start with you will soon see a way out of life glued to a glowing screen.

Plan something special
Taking a break from all things digital means you are free to return to real life. Spend time with family and friends and really focus on the here and now. During your break maybe plan to have a meal with your partner, go for a walk with the kids, play tennis or have a facial – all without checking your phone every five minutes.

Get outside
We aren’t talking about walking around the shoppings or sitting in a pub garden, but really going outside and taking in the beauty of your surroundings. Spending time outdoors – whether it is going for a jog, having a game of rounders or a picnic on the beach – is good for the soul and will help you detox on many levels. Good old-fashioned fresh air and sunshine stimulate Vitamin D and being at one with nature will take away stresses and make you feel happier and calmer.

Go old school
Cast your mind back to your childhood and bring out the board games, packs of cards, books and even colouring books and remember just how simple life used to be.

Eat well
A digital detox is also a great opportunity to prepare and eat healthy, wholesome food. A seasonal salad with sweet potato wedges, fresh fish, green smoothies, humus, fruit salads and iced water are all fantastic options that will leave you feeling satisfied and cleansed.

Learn
After your digital detox don’t run to your iPhone or add a clever status on Facebook straight away, but instead take time to think about how you have felt whilst free from the shackles of screens.

• What did you learn?
• What did you like?
• What did you miss and why?
• When will you do it again?

We are pretty sure that after a little time out you will start to see that too much screen time could be stopping your from being your best you.

Plan a regularly digital detox – weekly if you can – and you’ll be amazed at how different you’ll feel.