I’m preparing for my talk at the upcoming Wise Traditions Conference in Santa Clara, CA on November 10th. I’ll speaking on the “gut-brain-skin axis”, a fascinating topic that I’ve been exploring for some time. I hope some of you will be able to come to the conference, but I thought I’d share a little slice of my research here for those of you who can’t. (If you don’t make the conference and want to watch my entire presentation, I believe the Weston A. Price Foundation sells DVDs of the talks after the fact.)
I’ve discussed the gut-brain axis several times on my radio show, and I’ve at least mentioned the triangular connection between the gut, brain and skin. In this post I’d like to go a little deeper on the gut-skin connection.
And as a clinician who works with people on these conditions, I’d go as far as to say this:
If you want to heal your skin, you have to heal your gut.
Associations between Gut Disorders and Skin Conditions
Epidemiological evidence shows a clear association between gut problems and skin disorders. A recent report indicated that small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a condition involving inappropriate growth of bacteria in the small intestine, is 10 times more prevalent in people with acne rosacea than in healthy controls, and that correction of SIBO in these individuals led to marked clinical improvement. (1) 14% of patients with ulcerative colitis and 24% of patients with Crohn’s disease have skin manifestations. (Interestingly enough, a study just came out showing that a drug normally used to treat psoriasis is also effective for Crohn’s disease.) Celiac disease also has cutaneous manifestations, such as dermatitis herpetiformis, which occurs in 1/4 of celiac sufferers. Celiacs also have increased frequency of oral mucosal lesions, alopecia and vitiligo. (2)
How Altered Gut Function Impacts the Skin
In a study way back in 1916, acne patients were more likely to show enhanced reactivity to bacterial strains isolated from stool. 66 percent of the 57 patients with acne in the study showed positive reactivity to stool-isolated bacteria compared to none of the control patients without active skin disease. 1 In a more recent study involving 80 patients, those with acne had higher levels of and reactivity to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxins in the blood. None of the matched healthy controls reacted to the e. coli LPS, while 65% of the acne patients had a positive reaction. Both of these studies suggest that increased intestinal permeability is an issue for a significant number of acne patients. (4)
Speaking of permeable barriers: most of you have heard of leaky gut by now, but what about “leaky skin”? The main function of the skin is to act as a physical, chemical and antimicrobial defense system. Studies have shown that both stress and gut inflammation can impair the integrity and protective function of the epidermal barrier. This in turn leads to a decrease in antimicrobial peptides produced in the skin, and an increase in the severity of infection and inflammation in the skin. (5)
The gut flora also influences the skin. Substance P is a neuropeptide produced in the gut, brain and skin that plays a major role in skin conditions. An altered gut microbiome promotes the release of substance P in both the gut and the skin, and probiotics can attenuate this response. (6) The gut microbiota influences lipids and tissue fatty acid profiles, and may influence sebum production as well as the fatty acid composition of the sebum. (7) This may explain why a Russian study found that 54% of acne patients have significant alterations to the gut flora (8), and a Chinese study involving patients with seborrheic dermatitis also noted disruptions in the normal gut flora. 2
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Probiotics Improve Skin Conditions
The first formal case report series on the value of using lactobacilli to treat skin conditions was published in 1961 by a physician named Robert Siver. He followed 300 patients who were given a commercially available probiotic and found that 80 percent of those with acne had some clinical improvement. 3 In a more recent Italian study involving 40 patients, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum in addition to standard care led to better clinical outcomes than standard care alone. (9) And another recent study of 56 patients with acne showed that the consumption of a Lactobacillus fermented dairy beverage improved clinical aspects of acne over a 12-week period. (10)
The beneficial effect of probioitics on skin may explain why pasteurized, unfermented dairy is associated with acne, but fermented dairy is not. I haven’t seen any studies on raw dairy and skin conditions, but my guess is that it wouldn’t be associated either. Orally consumed probiotics reduce systemic markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are elevated locally in those with acne. (11) Oral probiotics can also regulate the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines within the skin. (12) The fermentation of dairy reduces levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) by more than four-fold. (13) This is significant because studies show that acne is driven by IGF-1, and IGF-1 can be absorbed across colonic tissue. (14) This would be particularly problematic when increased intestinal permeability is present, which as I mentioned above is often the case in people with acne.
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- Strickler A, Kolmer JA, Schamberg JF: Complement fixation in acne vulgaris. J Cutaneous Dis 1916, 34:166-78. ↩
- Zhang H, Yu L, Yi M, Li K: Quantitative studies on normal flora of seborrhoeic dermatitis. Chin J Dermatol 1999, 32:399-400. ↩
- Siver RH: Lactobacillus for the control of acne. J Med Soc New Jersey 1961, 59:52-53. ↩
I’ve noticed a direct correlation with my acne and my bowels. Whenever my bowels are disrupted for a period of a couple days (or more), my acne erupts. I take probiotics on a daily basis and have been for well over a year now; they seem to help to some extent. Last week, when I ate healthy, my skin was clear, and I splurged this past weekend and now my gut and skin are experiencing setbacks.
I have noticed that when I abrade or otherwise palpate (squeeze, scrape, pick) some skin blemishes (pustules that may be folliculitis), I can often hear and feel an immediate rumbling in my intestines, as gas is transported and often released. I therefore suspected a connection, and decided to research.
It is my opinion that the body knows exactly where to create a blemish, so that extra sensation is applied to that specific area and the intestines are affected in some positive manner. There may even be a connection between the location of the skin lesions and acupuncture points.
That’s a parasympathetic response. Maybe you feel relaxed and relieved when you pick at your skin and this is observed by a parasympathetic response in your gut.
My 6 year old daughter first showed eczema at 18mths. It got steadily worse till she was 4 when we were in a cycle of itchy eczema skin, infected eczema, antibiotics, itchy flare ups. Thankfully we had her tested for food intolerances and the nutrionalist introduced us to probiotics. We believe our daughter had 8 ,lots of antibiotics by the time she was 4, the first being the course I took for mastitis when I was breast feeding her. Now at 6 years the eczema has finally gone. I believe we broke the cycle with heavy doses of probiotics which she took for 18mths solid. She has also had extra oils such as evening primrose oil and Odos choice oils. Her diet has been dairy free and in the early days it was free of fish and eggs. Food additives in jellies, sweets, lollies etc have also been avoided. Homemade spelt bread, gluten free pasta etc have also reduced her gluten consumption.
Unfortunately she did have infected eczema earlier this year so she did take a course of antibiotics but her skin just bounced back into health. It was almost as if her gut could tolerate the antibiotics. No eczema has recurred.
Dear Michelle Hathaway,
Could you please tell us what brand of Probiotics your daughter was on for 18 months. My daughter was also on a large dose of antibiotics the wrecked her gut and it has been a long journey. We would love to know the probiotics that worked for you and what brand it was! Please!!!! Thank you so much!
Rona
Try Bio-Kult, they are amazing!
I have a 13 yr old daughter who was born at 29+ weeks gestation. She had emergency bowel surgery for Necrotizing Entrocolitis at 4 weeks of age. Had a colosomty bag for 5 1/2 months, Since then she has undergone a total of 15 surgeries (only 5 on her bowels), and about to under go one more sowel sugery.
Almost 2 years ago she was in foster care and for some unknown reason, the foster mom took her off her medication for her bowels. Upon her coming home I started the medication again and she continued to have problems. Last summer I was told she had an impact of feces and the surgeon wanted to just try the increased medication to “soften” it up for it to come out naturally. So we used triple the medication for a couple weeks under the dr’s directions, then down to just double. This spring she had to go back in and had found out that even though the medication did it’s job, her bowels became very lazy, and had to drain over 10 lbs of liguid fecus out. All this time she was dealing with a face that had very violent break out in acne. It cleared up 90 % of her problem. Now she is having to go back in to repair the damage from the stretched bowel, and her acne is becoming worse again. Today I noticed the color of her skin changing as well. As well as the last couple of days all she wants to do is sleep.
Has anyone else dealt with this type of issue as well?
I don’t have any suggestions for your daughter, but I have a daughter the same age, and I feel so terribly for her. I pray she heals one day and can live a normal, healthy and productive life. Please hug her tight.
Acné is directly related to blood sugar disorders. Please check dr glidden and/or dr wallach sietes. They will helpmyour daughter for dure. Have faith and trust.
Best wishes for you…..
Try her on a wheat free diet please no gluten , it stuffs there small intestine up. My daughter also has a colostomy bag , she had a bowel perfaration , a little different situation then your daughter. Don’t let them take out the appendix , it’s responsible for B cell immune response. These little things don’t deserve this . Please see a good naturopath if you can, hope this help a bit.
Hi, I like your daughter had problems with my bowel when I was 3 days old. It had a perforated bowel and was expected to die, however surgery saved me and I am now 33 years old. However, this hasn’t come without cost and I have suffered with diarrhoea for my whole life and annoying stomache issues. I also have had eczema my whole life that gets better and worse, right now it isn’t so bad but 6 months ago it was as bad as it’s ever been. I believe I am not as tall as I should have been due to my stomache not absorbing nutrients and minerals properly when I was growing as both of my brothers at 6′ and I am 5’6 and of a much smaller build. All of this hasn’t stopped me trying to find solutions to my problem and I have recently started on a combination of GAPS and FODMAP diets and I feel like things are getting better but it’s too early to say. I am also taking bio-kult probiotics with meals and drink coconut milk kefir. I am allergy to casein so I’m unable to drink milk or eat yoghurt but that’s okay because there are good alternatives. I am 99% sure that my skin condition is linked to my stomache problems so at the moment I am concentrating on fixing my stomache issues with the belief that my skin will then remedy itself. I hope find a way to settle your daughters stomache issues, I have found that doing an elimination diet and going right back to the basics is a great help and I have learnt a lot by doing this. Jimmy
Sounds like celiac disease! Have u been tested? My daughter has it and also had gut surgery after birth- there is a link between trauma and celiac! God bless and good luck!!!
I have Hashimotos I started the Autoimmune Paleo diet 4 months ago. In the first week rash started in my arms and legs. I have large welts and it itches horrible. It will clear up and then flair again. I have removed things from my diet I take probiotics. My doctor says it is from the diet but it has been four months. I would appreciate any help.
I started my daughter on Gaps because she was showing autism symptoms and lost her speech. She has severe food intolerance that has been going on since day 1 even while I was nursing. She had steroids basically every month her first year and from March to June she had probably 5 antibiotics for RsV and then staph 4x. No doubt in my mind the antibiotics is what kicked this into such a mess. But I started Gaps without having the book yet and I’ve not began fermented kefir or veggies because every time I tried to add vegetables she has a reaction. But she’s so bad that even just giving her chicken and broth she was scratching and flared. I have just this week started rotating in different meat. Her arms and the top of her legs are flared horrible too..I know her gut is so damaged that she is just reacting to everything but I don’t know what to do to speed her healing. I feel like the bone broth was making her worse and I read about histamine response with leaky gut. So I guess im just trying to figure out how to deal with it all. I’m scared to give Her meds because I’m afraid of making her gut worse but I know she is miserable. She wakes up crying and scratching all night. Do you have any advice about supplements or natural skin remedies to get through this? She takes probiotic (just culturelle right now, we’ve been waiting on biokult). Do you think this issue will change once I add fermented diary and veggies? I am just spinning in circles. She’s only 2(May 1) and in such bad shape.
Michelle, my heart goes out to you. I imagine you could get some excellent guidance from a certified GAPS practitioner (listed on Dr Natasha’s website, and many of whom can help you remotely).
In the mean time, note that the first GAPS broths should be meat broth, not bone broth. So that’s broth from fresh meats cooked for a shorter time than longer-cooked bone broth (among other benefits, less histamine if that is indeed an issue). This might help significantly. Best of luck to you both.
HI Michelle
My heart goes out to you and your daughter. I’m dealing with a flare of my eczema and I’m just 50. It’s taking all my skills and resources of self-regulation to not go absolutely nuts with scratching. I have become very paranoid about food. I do suspect a histamine intolerance. I have read many stories about eczema and it’s all very confusing. (I have a health coach certification, I have studied homeopathic medicine, my sister is a doctor, I have an IQ of 115 and have spent my entire adult life concentrating on self-care and studying nutrition/healing/psychology. I say this just to point out how challenging it is for anyone who has resources or not. I have recently started working with Amy Nett who works with Chris K). One woman found that after a “healthy diet” of kale etc her kid was sensitive to salycilates and the diet that worked for her looked more conventional than “healthy”. The thing that scares me is that it may not be food related (while, yes, still being gut related) and how do we heal our guts without totally flaring up eczema? I can only encourage you to get really good professional support. Check out the low histamine chef. She has her own bias but it is interesting. I would forget about fermented foods for awhile if you do think histamine is a problem. To be honest, I’m pretty sure my return of eczema (after 40 years) was due to living on chicken soup. My advice to you: I would learn all the nervous system regulation/stress management that you can. That’s what you need to be sharing with your child (just by being with her in this serious discomfort and soothing yourself). And I wouldn’t rule out using cortisone for awhile either. Oh and oatmeal baths and poltice (put a cup in gauze and apply directly to the skin, it’s really soothing. I was just reading about cardiospermum (a plant extract) that is becoming popular int he UK for itching and eczema.
sorry, with the oatmeal I mean put a cup in gauze or muslin and then take it into the bath with her. The water makes the oatmeal mucilaginous and you apply this to the skin. It’s soothing.
I’m so sorry about your daughter! I can only imagine how painful it must be to watch someone you love so much suffer like this. Have you ever heard of using Plexus products for gut health and autism? While probiotics are good, not all probiotics are created equal. The Plexus probio5 has not only all the good bacteria, but also 4 different strains of digestive enzymes plus grape seed extract, making it superior to any other probiotic out there. I have had huge success with this probiotic and have close friends who are treating their autistic children with amazing and life-changing results. It has truly been an answer to prayer for our family!
I actually had a lady at security checkout give me the info for probio5 about 2 weeks ago and she was using it for her daughters eczema. We have Biokult right now which is very therapeutic grade, designed with the help of Dr. Natasha that created Gaps diet and cured her sons autism. But I will definitely look into the different strains and compare. I know that it’s good to get as many strains as possible so I may alternate. The Biokult has 14 strains but there’s also another brand that our nutritionist told us about that has 29. It is very hard not knowing the future when it comes to your child but I’m very hopeful that she will heal completely from this. It is a learning experience and I’ve learned more than ever thought possible within a very short time. I think when this is done she will be healthier than most anyone around. I am very adamant about having my kids have a full, healthy life and it is changing my life for the better. We are soon starting kefir and I am going to be a full on cultures foods momma. Aaysia is already making a lot of progress and I’ve still not started the kefir because I’ve been waiting to get time to order the grains and make homemade. Thank you all for your comments!
Nutrition iis the answer. She is in need of minerals, enzymes, vitamins, aminoacids and specially essential fatty acids. Please Google dr glidden or dr wallach and follow their protocols. Do not worry, They will help you and relief will come…
Best wishes for you…
Thank you! I will look them up! I am always interested in learning more and connecting all the Dots! When you see more and more doctors confirming what you’ve learned it is eye opening.
Hi Michelle! I am a life long eczematic with a long list of food allergies from birth as well. I cannot imagine what you are going through with your daughter right now and so I am sending you positive energy and prayers. Also, I will share what has had a massive impact on me. You are already doing most of these things for your daughter, but keep reading.
1. Diet rich in fresh and raw vegetables, avoiding fried foods and processed foods. (You know this one.)
2. Avoid known food triggers
3. DIGESTIVE ENZYMES. And not those sissy ones. I am using Similase Digestive Enzymes, Enzy-Gest and Mycostat Complex (candida). Within 48 to 72 hours the itching STOPPED.
My current line of supplements, in addition to the above, includes 4000 mgs of Zone Diet pharmacy grade fish oil, daily probiotic from GNC, and Dr. Furhman’s prenatal vitamins. The digestive enzymes had a huge impact. Itching STOPPED and on night 2 I slept SOUNDLY. I have slept more soundly since the enzymes than I have in the past 7 years. Currently, I am still addicted to gluten (It’s the bagels, man.) and so I have recently begun to accept that I may have to remove even that from my diet, which makes me angry. I still have flares sometimes and (sigh) think it is my gleeful bagel overdoses that are the culprit.
So, Michelle: Identifying food triggers is critical and so is the diet, even with enzymes, but if you can do all three life could get better for your daughter and you. So the next problem after this is, how do you heal your gut so that you have fewer food triggers? Why am I SO allergic to everything? Well, I plan to schedule a consultation with the folks at Nourish123.com to see if they can recommend a diet that will help me rebuild my gut flora. I feel sure that the steroids and drugs unbalanced my gut ecosystem, and so my immune system, and that is why I have so many issues. Oh yes, and I am allergic to the usual suspects, dairy, eggs, nuts, fish, coconut, peas,lentils, tomatoes, and later in life (no longer angry…in acceptance now…) alcohol and caffeine. Goodbye beloved coffee. And whiskey. Not your daughter’s problem, thank goodness. 🙂 If I have any success with Nourish I will come back and post.
Thank you. I started to use digestive enzymes in the beginning of starting diet. But then was scared it would cause a reaction. It’s so hard to know whats going to help it or make worse when your in such bad shape. Her system reacts to Everything. I am not exaggerating. I really have no idea of any food that’s totally safe for her. She reacts to everything but I have lately by accident really been giving her raw cabbage which she loves and it seems to be better than most other food. I give lots of fatty boiled meat because GAPS diet says it helps heal the gut lining but I’m starting to feel like she’s more reactive to meat. Her itching is literally killing us. She’s awake all night crying and scratching. I’m either sitting in a chair or standing and holding her trying to calm her. I have so much anxiety. We’ve got to get her better: we have just started a protocol with biodynamic wellness in Cali. And I am hopeful that they can help us. But the plan was to start Intro gaps with the fermented foods(I haven’t been doing them). We started today with boiled chicken and brussel sprouts and she broke out into hives all over her entire neck and her stomach is covered in eczema now. She’s just Miserable. Nothing worse than having your child suffer and not beig able to stop it and the guilt of the things done that caused this. I just wish I could go back and never have given her any steroids or antibiotics. But here we are now. Now I have to figure out how to get her better. I will definitely ask our practitioner about adding digestive enzymes. I think we may be actually getting something like that through UNDA drops? We just started them today. Praying they help. I’ve heard good things about them and our practitioner was very positive about them helping us. She said she knew they would begin to help the itching.
I think you are right about the raw veggies. I think she may do better with more raw veggies but The only issue is her body doesn’t seem to be able to break them down completely. But hopefully that’s what the drops will begin to help with.
I’m not sure if my other comment came through from my phone, but was wondering if you’ve tried adding homemade yoghurt or kefir to your diet. I’ve so badly wanted to be able to start my daughter on them because I think they will speed her gut healing but she’s so reactive to milk and trying to access raw milk in Kentucky is nuts. I think she would do fine if I could get raw milk. But I’m waiting on a yoghurt maker as I’ve tried kefir and she reacted to it. So I’m hoping the yoghurt is easier for her to handle. I’m just so desperate to get her better. I’ve been so anxious and depressed thinking that there are so many people suffering with a sick child their entire life. I try to be optimistic but then being in the situation it is hard not to worry with the “what-ifs”…I hope we can all find a way to have healthy happy lives as they Should be lived.
Id try a different angle.. perhaps something is irrataten it. The rash.. baking soda baths and mild laundry soap and off any carpets.. for a start.. an see.
Have you ever heard of using Plexus products for gut health and thyroid issues? They have an amazing probiotic called Probio5 that has been a awesome answer to prayer for my family. My sister-in-law had Hashimotos and was healed and able to go off her medications after using their probiotic.
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about hoshimotos. What exactly is it because it is coming up when I boding my researching a lot.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease. The patient’s own immune system creates antibodies that attack and damage the thyroid gland.
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease. The patient’s own immune system creates antibodies that attack and damage the thyroid gland.
It sounds like you may be having a histamine reaction- avocados are a high histamine food, I’ve noticed it in a lot of AIP recipes.
Since I was about 14 years old, I have had terrible stomach problems. At the same time I developed dermatitis and rosacea. I am now 60, am in remission from stage 4 colon cancer, still have stomach problems and skin rashes which occur together. It is clear to me that there is a gut skin connection, yet every doctor I say this to just looks at me blankly and gives me some medicine for my rash. These doctors ignore the connection and I am not getting better.
Have you been tested for celiac? I have a relative that was diagnosed with celiac who also had chronic eczema. She did not have any GI issues.
Since following the fodmap diet- no more folliculitis.
I suffer from seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp for several years and under alot of stress from work.
I have seen a dermatoligist who prescribed head and shoulders and T Gel shampoo and for break outs an ointment which has ingredients i did not want to use long term as it was not healthy.
It did not help much more then a few hours after applying it.
Recently in the last month what did help topically is raw honey applied to the scalp.
Please see medical study here “Therapeutic and prophylactic effects of crude honey on chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11485891
You need to follow the steps followed here to use the crude honey every other day for 3 hours as a treatment.
Its definitely improved my condition but i have only used it for 1 month.
Also i am on a vegan diet for the last 3 years and will see my nutritionist about trying a probiotic to take after reading your blog post
Thank you
Absolutely! I was diagnosed with SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) about five years ago. I started the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet which is based on the Specific Carbohydrate diet and is designed to heal and seal the intestinal tract while balancing the bacteria in the gut. I struggled with acne my whole life up to that point (45 years old). After a few weeks on the diet, my skin was completely clear! There is most definitely a connection between gut health and skin health!
Hi,
Where did you get tested for SIBO?
Thanks
:o)
Hi Kate-
I went to a Hopkins Gastroenterologist in Baltimore. She had me do a hydrogen breath test. You can find more info about the test here: http://www.siboinfo.com/testing1.html
Where did you get a diagnoses for SIBO. What is the name of the test? Thanks Debby
It’s called the hydrogen breath test. You can find more info about the test at the link in my previous comment. To find someone to do the test, I would look for either a functional medicine practitioner in your area https://www.functionalmedicine.org/practitioner_search.aspx?id=117 or call gastroenterologists in your area to see if they diagnose SIBO and/or do this test.
I have been suffering from seborrheic dermatitis and seborrhea for many years.
In the last couple of years it has gotten worse. Now I get these pimples in my scalp. These pimples make my scalp a mess with blood and pus. I think diet has lots to do with my problems. The last few days I’ve been trying to eat better, and there’s less itching. It’s very hard for me to follow a strict diet. Sometimes I just get an overwhelming urge to eat junk food( pizza, ice cream, pop, doughnuts, etc). I stay away from liquor bacause it makes the seborrhea worse. I’ve tried to eat keffir or yogurt but I find that the itching gets worse. I know that the only thing that will help me is to eat a better diet. If I eat junkfood my scalp will be extremely itchy and full of pimples…
I had been struggling with horrible cracked, peeling skin on my hands and fingers for several years. I tried everything, to no avail. I decided to kick the artificial sweeteners out of my diet after research published ~ September 2014 talked about how it disrupted gut bacteria. Never making the connection to my skin, amazingly all the skin issues are completely resolved and have not reoccurred.
I find my skin problem is similar to yours and I also have gut problem likely IBS. Can you describe more about your treatment.
Thanks
In Oct 2014 I developed oral thrush out of nowhere (never had candida before) and later, dermatitis herpetiformis on my face and other candida related problems with my body which also triggered my psoriasis. I started taking massive amounts of probiotics (dr prescribed Nystatin for my thrush) and continue to take them. Everything has cleared up and my skin looks and feels great!! I take a refrigerated kefir-based liquid probiotic that I stumbled upon at the health food store after a couple of months of taking probiotic capsules. This is not only far cheaper than the capsules (this is $12/mo), but it works far better (literally after one dose (1 tablespoon, which has 1 billion cfu), the remaining bit of rash on my face healed up, where I had to take a lot of capsules and the rash was just not going away completely). I just find it to be superior. I’m being checked for celiac, btw.
What type of liquid probiotic do you use?
Also interested in this probiotic as well!
What is the name of the far cheaper capsules (this is $12/mo) you are taking? Thanks Debby
I have vitiligo and issues with my stomach. I can’t eat bread, pasta or the like , especially when I’m highly stressed or I vomit quite violently. I haven’t tried anything and don’t know what to try.
The gut….affects everything. Stress affects the gut, the gut affects stress. I read a LOT. Watercure website by Dr. Batmanghelidj is very helpful , Coconut cures by Bruce Fife, What your doctor may not tell you books by Dr. John Lee ,
The water / mineral balance affects allergic responses to eveything , Histamine is the created by the body to warn us of an imbalance . Coconut is anti bacterial, anti mircobial, anti fungal, and anit viral, the liver does not have to process it and it helps heal the body from teeth to rectum.
Stress affects hormones and John Lee gives many tips on how to correct hormonal issues. Vit D is a hormone.
John Bergman was hit by a car and in a wheel chair and taking pain meds.He began to study to find solutions to his problems and now teaches on Youtube videos
Fermented foods heal the gut and the body , Yogurt helps but Kefir is a powerhouse , if you use it start with a tsp and work your way up till you get a cup or more a day.
Wellness mama has an awesome site on remineralizing teeth.
Earthclinic helps you ask the world questions and find what helped them . Hope you find your solutions .
Sounds like you might have celiac. All what you mentioned has gluten in it. You might have gluten intolerance and vitiligo is very common in celiac (I’m a leaving example). All above are autoimmune diseases which come from Leakey gut syndrome. Since I switch to vegan my symptoms improved but it is work in progress and I hope to resolve it with correct detox and raw vegan diet in my nearest future
I have been suffering from eczema for over 2 years. Currently I am taking a lot of supplements that my Naturopath prescribed me along with Prednisone. I had to take prednisone due to the extend of the damage on my body. It was all covered and I was dehydrated. I am decreasing the dose of prednisone now so I can rely only on the supplements. The redness comes an goes but definitely comes back when I eat food containing histamines. How can I know what exactly is happening with me? Is it hormones, infection. My Naturopath says that it is hard to know until I had left prednisone completely so we can make some tests. I am tired of looking red and irritaded almost all the time.
You should be aware of something very important for eczema sufferers: TOPICAL STEROID ADDICTION. I used betamethasone/desonide/protopic (and a whole slew of antihistamines) for roughly two-three years to treat my spreading eczema. I wish i had realized sooner that my eczema was induced BY the steroids. Please check out itsan.org. It’s helped me so much, I’m currently 3 weeks into Topical Steroid Withdrawal.
I got a notification about someone trying Whole 30. I can’t find the comment. But I’m curious if Whole 30 does in fact improve acne rosacea? I also was curious about weight loss. Have any of you had success with both/either?
Hi the whole 30 worked for me and my acne rosacea!! I demoed the diet for my 5 year old with psoriatic arthritis. A friend swore that this diet would help her but before starting her on it, I decided to try it myself. I had no idea that all of my skin conditions would disappear! But it was so much more than that. I felt GREAT! Had so much energy, and mental clarity and weight that I had been trying to loose since my 5th child just melted away with no effort. I felt fully satisfied and was finally able to resist unhealthy food. Check out this book from the library and give it a try- “It Starts with Food” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. It was a game changer for me. I have had rosacea and psoriasis for years and have tried all of the lotions and potions and they might work for a time, but both conditions just seemed to keep getting worse. Any stress in my life would result in a massive flare. On this eating plan, I feel much less daily stress and have had no flares! I just think it’s great! After about 45 days on the whole 30 diet, I transitioned to a paleo style of eating. Pinterest has some great recipes for both plans. Just try it! Good luck!! 🙂
For 2 years or so I was told by a dermatologist that I trusted and thought very highly of that I had seborrhea dermatitis. I tried eating healthier, used creams, face washes, antibiotics, steroids. Nothing seemed to work, and about a month or so ago I went to a family nurse practitioner. He researched and told me that I have a type of rosacea that causes pustular bumps that turn into scars. I was literally to my breaking point I was too embarrassed to go anywhere and I was seriously depressed. He put me on doxycycline 100mg twice a day. The doxy seemed to help , but as for the cream he prescribed me I personally didn’t think it worked. I started drinking the Alkaline water, I heard it’s supposed to heal you and it’s really good for you. So I was like well it’s worth a try because I was feeling pretty desperate. Then I found an awesome face wash and cream at Walgreens; it’s called Triderma Care for rosacea and inflammation. They also make this for eszema as well. This stuff is amazing. My face has drastically cleared up and I’m not as embarrassed anymore. I still have a lot of scars but oh well. My question for y’all is there a good diet I could try? I tried the gluten free and it bought killed me I starved to death and it didn’t help me. Haha. I also feel like the weather has a big part in it. During the winter I had horrible flare ups now since it’s closer to spring it’s calmed down a lot. Question for the ladies- Also is there a type of make up that is best for you to use? I tried Clinique liquid foundation for redness inflammation/rosacea and I feel like it makes It worse and it clogs my pores. If you feel like responding you can always send me an email at [email protected]
Thanks!
Halee
I use covergirl age defying..doesn’t aggravate rosacea
I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard that Vapour is excellent.
Does Triderma contain any bad stuff? Alcohol, parabens, other bad chemicals?
Vapour? As in Vicks Vapo rub?
I suffered from persistent acne and was able to reduce the severity by consuming absolutely no more than 30 g of carbohydrates in a 24-hour time window and avoiding excessive protein. The more carbohydrates I eat above 30 g, the more acne will appear and the longer they will last. I did this after watching a video from Dr. Mercola:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/31/simple-secrets-to-eliminating-acne-for-good.aspx
However, I was still susceptible to developing several acne pimples even when I did not overeat carbohydrates.
It was not until I took a 4-strain probiotic formula that contained DDS-1 for 2 months that my acne became less severe.
It has been about 3 months since I started taking probiotics and my acne is not as persistent, large, or numerous as it was before.
Unfortunately, I have been left with noticeable acne dents on my cheeks that will likely remain there for life.
What is even worse is that in some places like Singapore, organic meat and probiotics are extremely costly, so although this tactic may work to treat acne, it is impossible for many people to afford.
Before all of this, I was taking clindamycin phosphate, which is a topical antibiotic for the acne. After 2 months of usage, it stopped working.
My guess was that the bacteria was becoming resistant to clindamycin phosphate.
I was later prescribed with a stronger antibiotic called doxycycline. It worked, but I stopped taking it after several days when I found out about the video from Dr. Mercola.
I was hesitant at first, because I did not want to give up carbohydrates, but I figured that it’s better than taking toxic medications.
Peter….Why not look into creating your own fermented vegetables like sauerkraut. The fermented veggies are not only a nutritionally dense food filled with enzymes, vitamins and minerals, but are also proven to be a gold mine of homemade (thus free) probiotics.
hope this bit of info helps ……judy
post script: Make sure you eat this food raw! Cooking the fermented veggies would destroy most of its nutritional value
Please check your blood/sugar relationship, that is the key…
Best luck for you….
I have struggled with acne all my life. Was recently taking antibiotics for the third time and was trying to wean myself off but the acne would flare again. Got tired of it and figured if antibiotics helped then why not probiotics instead? I tried it and switched to just taking probiotics- it has been almost three months since I took the antibiotic and my acne is clearer than it has ever been.
Both my daughter and I do well with lacto varieties of probiotics. However, bi fido strains result in cystic acne on the chin. We have tried three times and it happens every time. The acne starts the very next day.
I suffered from acne my entire adult life. My daughter who is now in her 20s had terrible acne in her teens. We both gave up milk and our skin never looked better. It has been 2 years and I have never had such beautiful skin. The only eruptions happened with adding bi fido strains of probiotics.
I don’t know if it is lactose or hormones or something else, but dairy was definitely the culprit.
Is there a particular brand that works for you and your daughter? I bought Jarrow for my daughter to try but looked on the label and it has b longum and b lactis
i’ve suffered with eczema all my life (37 years) and have had ups and downs that whole time. I recently had the worst flare up I’ve experienced and have been researching day and night to find the right healing process. I had taken little exercise for over a year and had eaten a lot of junk including huge amounts of sugar and very little fresh veg/fruit, etc. For the last 4 weeks I’ve cut out sugar and pretty much all processed foods, starting juicing and taking probiotics. I also started rebounding. I definitely think my ill guy has played a major role in this aweful flare up – and the other thing I think has contributed a lot is stagnant toxic lymph. I’m still on the road to recovery but feel positive that having such a terrible experience has kick started me into finally working towards long term health. Guy health has become of if my key priorities.
Can you give me any information on treatments for vitilago, my son 22yrs had had it since early childhood, causing self esteem issues etc.
Hi, from what I’ve read, vitalligo is caused due to undigested food particles going into the bloodstream, but what all vitalligo people have in common is low stomach acid, one bacteria know to cause low stomach acid is H. Pylori, it can be killed using Triphala powder ( an ayuveda supplement ), mastic gum ( a resin from a greek tree), I dont remember if Vitaminc C can kill it, maybe. But there are a lot of stuff that can kills this bacteria. And in the meantime your son can supplement with HCL or maybe try apple cider vinegar, but if you check on iherb people who used HCL had improvements on the vitalligo.
http://www.iherb.com/product-reviews/Now-Foods-Betaine-HCL-648-mg-120-Capsules/398/?p=1
Best wishes!