Today I would like to talk prevention of skin conditions, and the, often ignored reasons why they occur. Whether it is acne, psoriasis, rashes, or any persistent or episodic conditions of the skin. If you have ever come to me asking for recommendations on a skin issue, I probably first asked you if you have any digestive conditions and most often the answer is “how did you know”?And even if you said no, I most likely took the conversation down the road of asking about food intolerances, consumption of dairy or grains and gluten, if there are any foods which you have a strong emotional connection with (aka, you can’t live without), or if there was past antibiotic use. In the case of acne, this seems like a trick question, as acne is often treated with antibioticsYou might have heard of the gut – brain connection, where the health of our digestive tract can influence our mood, behavior, and more. Well there is also a gut – skin connection which has been recognized in our medical system since the 1930’s, and much further back in older systems of medicine, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine. If you think about it, both the intestines and our skin provide similar functions. They are both physical, chemical and antimicrobial defense systems against foreign invaders.Both have permeability issues. When the intestines are afflicted with increased permeability, or even leaky gut syndrome; undigested food particles, proteins and other toxins slip through and make it to the blood stream. This invasion of foreign items can cause systemic inflammation, and often an altered immune response results. The skin can then become a mirror of what is going on in the intestinal tract.Research indicates that unhealthy bacteria overgrowth in the small intestine is ten times more prevalent in people with acne rosacea than in healthy people, and that correction of the bacterial overgrowth leads to marked clinical improvement.Similarly, a significant percentage of patients with digestive issues such as ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s disease, and Celiac disease are also afflicted with skin manifestations. One common thread in nutritional support is being on a quality probiotic supplementation.As with almost everything, the formula is “out with the bad, and in with the good.” This is why my recommendations are often the same when dealing with skin issues; avoid or limit the highly intolerant foods such as dairy, soy, grains and gluten, and get on a quality probiotic.Remember how I mentioned acne and antibiotic therapy? If you are not replenishing the good bacteria from what the antibiotics are killing off, you are merely plugging the damn with bubble gum.Please visit my website at www.irsfeldpharmacy.com to find this and other archived articles in the blog section. Until next time, be vigilant about your health!!