Skin Disorders

Skin and Nutrition

The skin is the largest organ of the body, with an estimated total area of 20 square feet. It is our natural barrier against the elements, helping to regulate our body temperature while giving us the sensation of touch, cold and warmth. It acts as an indicator of what is going on inside us. The skin naturally reflects any imbalances or internal inflammation. You will notice when you feel your best, for example if you are in good health the skin will most likely appear glowing, youthful and clear. When we are unwell however, our skin can become congested, dry and irritated.

Eating a balanced diet is important for preventing skin conditions and keeping skin healthy. This is because your skin naturally reflects your body's internal needs, including what nutrients it requires. If your diet is lacking key vitamins, it is likely that your skin will start to show this. It may look discoloured, dry and spots can start to appear.  If you're experiencing the following skin conditions, you may find it helpful for me to assess what you're eating to see if your diet could be at fault:

  • Flaky, dry skin

  • Acne

  • Dull-looking skin

  • Premature lines/wrinkles

When it comes to healthy eating, there are certain vitamins and nutrients that you should look to include if you want to improve the health of your skin. To ensure you are eating a well balanced diet containing the best foods for skin health, please get in touch.

Please read more about specific skin disorder conditions:-

Acne

Acne is a very common skin condition and it is characterised by blackheads, whiteheads and sore, red spots that appear on the skin. Most often occurring during puberty, acne can also develop when a person reaches early adulthood. Acne is caused by the oil-producing glands in the skin being particularly sensitive to testosterone. This sensitivity overworks the glands, producing excess oil. While there is not a cure for acne, there are a number of medical treatments available, including:

  • Ointments or creams

  • Oral antibiotics

  • Contraceptive pills

An excess of sugar, like chocolate or junk food, or too much alcohol can affect the skin and people often find their skin health lacking. Following a personalised balanced diet will improve your overall health and skin appearance.

Eczema

Eczema is a chronic inflammatory condition of the skin. In healthy skin, the skin cells are tightly knitted together and fats and oils help to keep the skin cells hydrated and keep harmful substances from entering through the skin. In eczema, the protective barrier is not as good as it should be. There are lots of different types of eczema. They have similar symptoms but different underlying causes.

I embrace the Functional Medicine approach to eczema that involves identifying and managing the underlying causes rather than just the symptoms:

  • The first step is to identify trigger factors. This involves getting a thorough understanding of your case history and then where necessary doing additional allergy and sensitivity testing.

  • If a food is a potential trigger this can be detected using an elimination diet. I can then give you advice on how to avoid the problem food and what to eat instead.

  • I will advise a comprehensive digestive analysis that can help to pin-point the cause so the problem can be addressed.

  • I will also advise supporting fatty acid metabolism and addressing the balance of these fats with diet and supplements can calm eczema.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder in which skin cells multiply at a rate which is significantly faster than normal. In an individual affected by psoriasis, the life cycle of the skin is sped up dramatically, with the sheer volume of cells pushing others which have not fully matured to the surface where they form red, crusty patches covered in silvery-white scales. Psoriasis is characterised by an over-reaction of the immune system and this overactivity is thought to be genetic but there are also links to digestive imbalances, stress and diet.

My approach to psoriasis looks at how digestive function, diet and stress are influencing the immune system and aims to address the root causes. For example:

  • Leaky gut, gut flora imbalances and problems with digestive function can be identified by a comprehensive functional stool analysis and then targeted with a specific re-balancing protocol.

  • Food sensitivities can also be an underlying cause in psoriasis, compromising gut integrity and triggering inflammation. I will be able to identify those foods that are worsening your symptoms and design you a personalised low-reactive diet.

  • It is widely accepted that stress has an impact on psoriasis and the condition often worsens during stressful life periods. Stress can also compromise digestion.  If stress is a trigger factor for your psoriasis, Ican also give you advice on natural stress management to allow you more control over your symptoms.