I first fell in love with nutrition when I started my own skin journey in my early 30s with cystic acne. I tried antibiotics for a while and I didn’t want to go down the Roaccutane path and so I started researching the impact of diet, supplements and lifestyle and found it fascinating. A few years later, I was then involved in a bad motor accident and endless painkillers played more havoc with my gut health and I finally then went on to complete my Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine to become a qualified Nutritionist. 

Our gut and skin are connected through what’s known as the gut–skin axis. A healthy gut supports nutrient absorption, hormone balance, and reduces inflammation – all essential for healthy skin. But when the gut is out of balance, for example, when bad bacteria outweighs the beneficial bacteria, it can lead to increased intestinal permeability (what’s known as ‘leaky gut’),  hormonal imbalances, food intolerances, and inflammatory skin conditions like acne or eczema.

Things that can disrupt the gut microbiome can be poor diet, high stress, poor sleep, antibiotics/medications, alcohol and exposure to toxins/chemicals. 

If you are experiencing breakouts or other skin conditions, one of the first areas I look into is gut health.

Some key symptoms to look out for are things like abdominal bloating or abdominal discomfort and any changes in bowel movements – any changes in your gut, might be impacting your skin and this is something I delve into during Nutrition Consultations.

So many!

For healthy and glowing skin I swear by foods that nourish from the inside out – like avocados, which are rich in skin-loving fats, vitamin E and fibre that support skin hydration, and berries (fresh or frozen) are also a really good source of antioxidants.

I also love kiwis for their high vitamin C content to support collagen, and nuts and seeds for zinc, which helps with skin healing and breakouts.

Foods that contain Omega 3’s are also great to reduce inflammation and oily fish like salmon or trout is a perfect choice – pair that with some leafy greens to support detoxification and you’ll be giving your skin a nourished glow.

I have got a few habits that have really just become part of my daily routine.

When I wake up I have a glass of water with collagen and creatine every day before I do anything else. That is usually followed by a cup of green tea – I love green tea for its antioxidants and usually have 1-2 cups every day.

Breakfast is really important for skin health to keep our blood sugar levels stable and I have breakfast every day with at least 20g protein.

Dietary fibre is also so crucial for our skin and gut health so I make sure I have fruit and vegetables every day and love to make fruit bowls for my afternoon snack or if I’m on the go I’ll grab an apple.

If I’m feeling overly busy/stressed I also find 5/10 minutes to listen to a meditation because, for me, stress always impacts my gut and my skin health.

The first thing I look at is what someone is eating – and not just what they are eating but also the timing of their meals and are they eating enough.

For example, skipping breakfast can increase production of cortisol which can impact the skin so starting the day with a good breakfast is really important and small tweaks like that can make a really big difference. I often refer to the importance of a high protein breakfast, but carbohydrates are equally important.

A diet to support acne and breakouts doesn’t need to be overly complicated and focusing on whole foods is really beneficial. Fibre is really important to support our gut health and regular bowel movements to eliminate toxins in the body, again, this will be beneficial for our skin.

Some people can also really benefit from reducing or removing dairy or gluten, although that’s not something I would suggest without getting professional advice – to make sure you are still getting adequate calcium for example, from other sources.

Hydration is really important – in the same way we need fibre to eliminate toxins, we also need water for the same reason.

I start the day with a glass of water and use a water bottle at home and work so that I can make sure I know I’m drinking enough. It can be quite easy to go through the day without consuming much in the way of liquids and using a water bottle is a great way to monitor it.

I always aim for at least 2 litres a day. This is mostly from water or sparking water but also from teas.

Electrolytes have been rising in popularity too and whilst they add some flavour if you don’t like plain old water, they have added minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. If you exercise a lot or use infrared saunas, electrolytes can be a good way to rehydrate.

My top 3 tips are!

Drink more water

Eat more fibre

Prioritise 8 hours sleep

It’s sometimes easier said than done, but those 3 things will really help your gut and skin.

The foundations of The Signature Program cover nutrition, sleep, stress and gut health.

It’s a 4 week program with a meal plan designed to include all the things we’ve talked about – a high protein breakfast, healthy balanced meals/snacks and 25-30g fibre every day – which is something so many people struggle with, but is so beneficial for your gut health, which in turn supports healthy skin from within.

It’s got some amazing recipes but they are also really quick and easy to make and weekly reading so that you can learn about a healthy balanced diet and, for example, how sleep, stress and gut health can impact that and it shares lots of tools to empower you to understand your own health.