How to truly heal your skin

Eczema and other skin conditions can be very distressing to deal with. Unfortunately, most dermatologists will tell you diet has no effect on eczema and the only way to deal with it is steroid cream but is this true? The western medicine approach of using a band-aid, instead of addressing the root cause, only leads to more issues.

The truth is that what you eat has a massive effect on your skin, and it is a huge disservice that dermatologists and doctors do by telling you otherwise. After all, your body runs on what you put in, no matter the function, what you eat reflects in your health.

So how exactly do you go about healing your skin, whether of eczema or other skin conditions, and get back to clear skin? Thankfully, I've done it myself and helped many others do the same. So let's dive in.

My story 

Firstly a little background about my story with eczema. I had eczema for a few years before changing my diet completely, I went to the doctors constantly trying to get answers, always asking them “surely my diet is playing a role here?” Only to be told that wasn’t the case at all and I just needed a new steroid cream or “moisturiser” but after a while I took matters into my own hands and even simple changes to my diet such as not eating fast food, had a massive affect on my skin. This led me down the road of learning more about gut health, organic food and the whole lifestyle that comes once you realise how toxic our environment can be.

As I saw how quickly my skin began to heal as I introduced foods such as bone broth and propolis, I completely ditched any steroid cream or “moisturiser” having to then deal with the steroid cream withdrawal process. Fast forward to helping others heal their skin and I found the same story repeated again and again. What you eat and the state of your gut health and the main drivers of skin issues, combined with an environment that is toxic and it Is no wonder so many struggle with their skin.

The good news is that you can heal your skin and eczema isn’t something you just have to accept, in the rest of this article I’ll take you through exactly what I did to help myself and others, I’ll also answer any questions in the comments below!

Gut health

Our skin health is a reflection of our gut health. The gut-skin axis is one of the most tightly linked axes we have in our biology. If our gut is struggling, we will often have skin issues. Good gut health, on the other hand, leads to glowing, clear skin. But how do we ensure our gut is in good shape and not causing our skin to attack itself?

Firstly, we need to focus on sealing the gut, skipping this step is never recommended. A sealed gut is the core pillar of good gut health. To help your gut seal, you need adequate amounts of glycine from foods such as bone broth, and adequate amounts of zinc from foods such as liver and oysters. Zinc helps repair the tight junctions in the gut lining and reduce permeability. Glycine helps your gut rebuild and maintain mucosal integrity.

Alongside this, remove foods and drinks that cause leaky gut, alcohol, ultra-processed foods, seed oils, preservatives, artificial flavourings and colourings. Even coffee and grains, in excess or of low quality, can irritate the gut lining.

Once the gut is sealed, which can take a few weeks to months depending on severity, the next step is to target pathogens or overgrowths that can directly cause an immune system overreaction or histamine intolerance, both of which trigger skin issues. Targeting these with natural antimicrobials is best, propolis, coconut oil, Manuka honey, mastic gum, ginger, garlic, aloe vera and cinnamon, to name just a few.

Pathogens and overgrowths can also be linked to mould exposure, so investigating for mould and eradicating it from your home as best you can will really help your gut heal. Using natural binders is the next step, alongside probiotics. Simple binders such as activated charcoal, coriander (cilantro), bentonite or zeolite clay, chlorella, and even potato starch can all help bind toxins and remove them from the gut.

Probiotics from fermented foods such as yoghurt, sauerkraut, cheeses can aid gut motility and elimination. Some of my personal favourite bacteria strains are S.boulardii and L.reuteri. Healing your gut is the place to start when it comes to skin health, and I am yet to meet someone who has truly healed their gut and still has skin issues.

Immune system

As mentioned above, eczema is often caused by an overreaction of the immune system, stemming from the gut, but also from nutrient deficiencies. Glycine and zinc are both extremely commonly deficient in today's society, and synthetic versions are no match for whole food nutrients.

When it comes to zinc, for example, we don't want it in isolation, we want it balanced with copper in a ratio that helps rather than hinders the body. Too much of one or the other can cause trouble for immunity, or toxicity in the case of copper. The same goes for glycine: it is more easily recognised by the body in its whole food form, combined with natural cofactors, than in a synthetic isolated form.

Getting enough nutrients is all about eating nutrient-dense foods daily. The most nutrient-dense foods, bone broth, organs, oysters, red meat, fruit, all help boost your health and put your body at ease, a state of rest rather than fight-or-flight, ensuring the immune system isn't overreacting to your environment, whether that's clothing, oils on your skin, or histamine in foods.

Other nutrients to ensure that you are getting enough of, are vitamin D(mainly from the sun) magnesium, omega 3’s, B vitamins and vitamin C, again it is crucial you get al these from food sources!

Sun exposure and minerals

Once your gut is thriving and free of pathogens, there is a very good chance your skin will be thriving too, but we need to go a step further to ensure your skin gets everything it needs.

The sun isn't just about vitamin D, though that is a huge part of immunity and a big reason why many people struggle with their skin more in winter than summer. Sunlight is also antimicrobial and a source of infrared light. It provides life to plants, but we have turned away from it in fear. Our skin craves sun exposure, yet we lather it in toxic sun cream.

Getting more bare skin exposure and applying tallow balm afterwards can boost skin health immensely, providing the skin with what it needs and giving the body a reason to be at rest rather than attacking itself.

Combining sun exposure with sea swims, or at least magnesium-rich baths, can further aid skin healing through the minerals absorbed from seawater or a magnesium-rich bath. Daily sun and sea water exposure is one of the most potent healers for eczema.

Sweat

Aside from better nutrient status and infrared light, another reason people often struggle far less with their skin in summer comes down to sweat. Sweating helps us detoxify, and combined with the fact that we tend to move more in summer, we are also stimulating the lymphatic system, a key part of the body's detoxification process.

Prioritise sweating through saunas, sunbathing and movement. Support your lymphatic system with designated lymph movements: legs up the wall, bouncing, and simply moving more. Sweat can be uncomfortable with eczema, but the more you can prioritise it, the better your skin health will become.

A stagnant body that never sweats will be withholding toxins, prioritise movement even if its just walking and you’ll be reaping the rewards with better skin health.

Maintaining great skin

Having clear skin is something most take for granted but for those who struggle with their skin, they’d do anything to have clear skin again. I have been there myself with eczema, struggling to fight it year after year. The information in this article is what worked for me and for the many I have helped.

Start with your gut, and take the time needed to heal it. You may have to temporarily remove certain foods and become stricter for a while, but once your gut heals you will be able to introduce them back in. Alongside gut health work, ensure your lifestyle is genuinely facilitating good health.

Eczema can be healed, you don't have to live on steroid cream. Much of this information will also apply to psoriasis and other skin issues, since our gut and skin are so closely linked through the gut-skin axis. When we eat real organic food our gut can return to a better state and our skin reflects this change.