We love our music here at Supercharged HQ. We each have our favourite genres and artists (though Nordic death metal isn't on any of our playlists at the moment). There’s one thing we have in common though, we all love the organ. In fact, two organs. Can you feel a bad joke coming on? You are correct. Here it is. The organs we love are the gut and our skin. 

Errrrgh, was it worth the set-up? No. But it’s still true. We talk often about just how central the gut is to other organs but to every other part of the body. Yet, while they’re some distance from each other, the gut plays a vital role in another vital organ - your skin.

Lee Holmes, Clinical Nutritionist

Lee Holmes, Clinical Nutritionist from Supercharged Food says “I see many clients at my clinic who are at their wits end with their particular skin condition. Eczema, psoriasis, acne, dry skin, ageing, spots are just a few. They engage a nutritionist so that they can approach their condition from other angles, not just via the usual topical applications and treatments or prescription drugs. My daughter Tamsin has eczema, so I fully understand the drive to find new ways for old problems. She has found that looking after her gut and also doing “wet wraps” to add moisture back into her skin has really made a remarkable difference.

When it comes to the skin, it has its own microbiome, but Supercharging your gut health is where I generally start. Results can vary in degrees but the vast majority of patients find adjustments to their diet and the use of a Love Your Gut Synbiotic (available in NZ SOON) can make a visible and acute difference to their skin condition. The skin is also a barometer for what is going on inside the gut so the relationship is bidirectional.

As a side note, I often recommend patients with skin issues try my Love Your Gut powder or capsules. Not only does it help clean and tone your gut with essential minerals, the silica that constitutes the bulk of the diatomaceous earth ingredient is fantastic and a proven benefit for skin health. Silica is necessary to produce collagen and works as a natural anti-inflammatory.”

Skin health is more than skin deep.

The skin you live with and present to the world is, in many ways, a by-product of what we put into our system. Skin health really does start in the gut. 

A healthy microbiome and a clean and toned gut environment enables it to function at its peak - processing good nutrients and ridding the body of waste. 

It’s this waste removal aspect that can play an outsized role on your skin. Your gut can carry around 500g to 3 kilos of undiscarded waste. This can show on your skin with spots, acne and any number of other skin conditions. This clogging of your gut can lead to clogging of your pores. 

Even bloating, which we feel in the tummy area, can show on our skin. Puffiness, fatigue, baggy skin may be linked to what’s going on in your gut. They’ll at least be alleviated if you tend to the flora in your microbiome.

Love Your Skin…Love Your Gut

Getting your gut to its prime functioning is the job of Love Your Gut products. Love Your Gut diatomaceous earth powder and capsules help clean the gut environment. Fulvic humic concentrate goes even deeper to help your gut rid itself of microscopic heavy metals and debris.

Then populate your gut with pre and probiotics with our Love Your Gut Synbiotic. (available in NZ SOON) Combine all three products and you’re well on your way to a loved, happy gut.

Your skin is what you eat

The old adage is true: you are what you eat. It doubles for your skin too. What you eat and drink is a key indicator of your skin condition.

On the negative side of the equation, alcohol is one of the most damaging things you can do to both your gut and, in turn, your skin. It dries your whole body. Alcohol wrecks havoc at every level of your skin, most obviously the outer skin we present to the world. 

Processed food is another minus sign for both gut and skin health. Overly salted, over sugared, over processed. They are as far from nature as can be. 

On the plus side, fresh fruit and vegetables; good levels of dietary fibre (those fruits and vegetables are a great source) and plenty of water. 

One recipe that is great for skin health is my Smashed Sardines with Avocado on Chia and Flaxseed Loaf. Get the recipe, here.

Lee Holmes. Supercharged Food