"After the holidays, rosacea often flares up strongly again. And that's not surprising with our Western highly inflammatory diet. I always suffer from it myself, but since I know how to straighten it out after a few days of vacations and hotel food (no matter how good), I don't worry about rosacea. I know what I can do about it. In this blog, I explain the role of nutrition in causing inflammation of rosacea skin."
Andrea, Founder and Skin Expert of MOTHR EARTH PROOF®
Sensitive skin starts in the gut
Sensitive skin rarely originates only on the surface. In practice, we see that skin sensitivity is often related to what is going on in the gut. Complaints such as rosacea and rosacea frequently occur alongside sensitive skin and in many cases appear to be linked to disturbances in the stomach and small intestine, such as a Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and/or SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). When these underlying intestinal problems are treated, we find that skin complaints - particularly rosacea - are often greatly reduced or even disappear as well.
Rosacea, rosacea, rosacea and disturbances in small intestine (HP & SIBO) calmer skin
Rosacea usually manifests itself in the face at the level of the cheekbones and cheeks, often with small red bumps, inflammation and persistent redness. These inflammatory reactions are fueled not only by disturbed intestinal flora, but also by histamine-rich foods, which further stimulate the immune system. Dairy products such as cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese, as well as fatty and highly digestible foods such as fried foods, sauces and fatty meats, have a strong histamine-boosting effect and are a burden on the digestive system.
Histamine-rich food as a reinforcing factor in skin inflammation
From an Eastern perspective, sensitive or blemished skin shows that the body is having trouble processing nutrients properly and removing waste products efficiently. These undigested residues are looking for an outlet - and the skin acts as a mirror in the process. The places where rosacea and inflammation show up tell you something about where the system is getting stuck. The skin directly reflects the condition of your gut as well as the strength of your digestive fire.
The skin as a mirror of your digestion
Clean, calm skin goes hand in hand with a strong digestive fire. Restless skin with redness, bumps and inflammation often indicates low to moderate digestive function. If you recognize small red inflammations next to your nose, at the level of the beginning of the cheekbones, then it makes sense to critically examine your dietary habits.
Digestive inflammation and skin reactions on the face
Many women eat irregularly, skip meals or start the day with an iced latte or iced matcha on an empty stomach. From both Eastern and functional perspectives, this is one of the most stressful choices for the body: you are severely cooling digestion while at the same time requiring the digestion of fats and stimulants.
Why cold and heavy eating aggravates sensitive skin
The consequence quickly shows itself: a bloated belly, mental fatigue, difficulty starting up in the morning, fluid and fat retention and, ultimately, troubled, sensitive skin.
Spleen Qi deficiency: when food no longer becomes energy
In Eastern medicine, these symptoms are recognized as signs of Milt Qi deficiency - a pattern in which food is no longer efficiently converted into energy and skin health. In Western medicine, these symptoms are rarely considered in context, so the underlying cause often goes undetected.
Recovery from the inside out: nutrition as the key to a
By adjusting your diet - for example, by eating hot and easily digestible foods three times a day, avoiding constipation and avoiding products rich in histamine - you can support the skin from the inside out. Sensitive skin requires not only gentle skincare, but also rest, warmth and digestibility at the cellular level. When the gut calms down, the skin often follows naturally.
If you would like personal skin advice, please email me.
