Sure, pooping is not necessarily a conversation starter, but today we’re switching it up for the sake of skincare.
There are tons of beauty tips and hacks, but medical practitioners and dietitians seem to believe that at its core, the health of your skin is a direct reflection of your digestive system.
Here’s what the experts have to say.
What does pooping have to do with it?
When we go to the bathroom, our bodies are eliminating toxins. If we’re not going regularly, those toxins aren’t eliminated regularly and they remain in our bodies.
Constipation even affects our hormones, particularly as women. “If your bowels aren’t moving, your estrogen sticks around longer than it should and goes back into circulation in the body,” says Jolene Brighten, NMD (doctor of naturopathic medicine) in MindBodyGreen.
“You have to poop every day to get your estrogen out.”
“Poor metabolic waste elimination plus a hormone imbalance can wreak havoc on your skin,” says Brighten. As you may already know, imbalanced hormones are strongly linked to breakouts around the chin and jawline, frequently referred to as “hormonal acne.”
But it doesn’t end there.
Skin conditions like eczema, and dry, and dull skin could also be the result of constipation.
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Healthy skin is an inside job
Topical solutions and makeup coverups can only help so far. They might treat the end result, but if you are suffering from a hormonal imbalance, the problem will reoccur.
Prevention is better than cure
Here are some tips to eliminate toxins and flaunt, healthy glowing skin:
- Hydrate – moisture comes from the inside, even though brands might have you believe that you need to add moisture to the surface of your skin. While they may be helpful, you can’t have hydrated skin without hydrating your body.
- Increase fibre – fibre helps to get things moving in your digestive tract. Together with water, these two components will help your digestive system function at its optimal level.
- Probiotics and prebiotics – get in on the good bacteria, pre/probiotics, if you haven’t yet. Probiotics help your body break down fibre, increasing your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. They also help your body break down foods that might be difficult to metabolise (like gluten or lactose). Prebiotics is food for your gut’s microorganisms, creating a healthy environment for your body to function at its best
- Move your body, girl – getting physically active means that the blood flow to the muscles in your digestive system is increased. This means that food is moved through the digestive tract easier and more effectively.
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Feature Image: Unsplash
