The 22 Things That Worked To Clear Up My Skin

Here's what I did for optimal skin health:

A few things to look out for if you have skin problems:

I found out that a bacterial imbalance and candida overgrowth were contributing to my skin health.

In addition to what's in your gut when dealing with skin problems, you want to know the health of your gut's defense system itself, namely your intestinal lining. Leaky gut syndrome, or intestinal hyper-permeability, is linked to just about every chronic inflammatory health problem, including those of the skin. I assumed that I had some level of leaky gut syndrome, but I wanted to find out for sure, so I ran a simple blood test. Sure enough, I did. (Here's how to help heal your gut.)

It's important to get tested for hormone imbalances. The communication lines between your brain and endocrine system are essential when understanding what might be causing your skin problems. For example, problems like high testosterone (androgen dominance) can contribute to skin problems. I found out I had adrenal fatigue, which contributed to my body's inability to handle stress well, which wasn't good for my skin. (Here's how I healed from adrenal fatigue naturally.)

I found out I had several genetic methylation impairments when I ran a gene test on myself, including the MTHFR gene. This means my body isn't the best at converting the B vitamin folic acid into the activated methyl-folate that we all need for healthy methylation pathways. This was a major contributor to my gut and skin issues. With careful supplementation and a proper food plan, I was able to support my gene mutations.

The foods we eat can contribute to radiant skin or flare-ups and breakouts. We are all different and can tolerate different foods. It's crucial to start uncovering which foods cause your body problems by going on an elimination diet, which I explain in my mindbodygreen course. Personally, I found that my body didn't tolerate dairy and sugar well.

The foods that damage your gut can also damage your skin. So it's important to avoid certain foods for a glowing, healthy complexion. Sugar and gluten are on top of my breakout list, although we all have different tolerances.

Pasture-raised, organic egg yolks are rich in nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and B; choline; as well as iron; calcium; phosphorus; and potassium, which all contribute to healthy hormones and skin. Not everyone who has inflammatory problems can tolerate egg whites, so having the yolk by itself is one way to mitigate this issue.

I find that healthy fats are essential to healing the gut-skin axis. Coconut oil also has natural antimicrobial benefits. So I cook with it, eat it off a spoon, use it for oil pulling, and put it on my skin!

Avocados are rich in healthy fat that helps our bodies absorb and use fat-soluble nutrients needed for healthy skin, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K2. They are also full of magnesium and a variety of B vitamins, needed for a healthy complexion and methylation pathways.

Bone broth, an ancient healing food with beneficial collagen, is great for healing the skin and gut.

I’ve found this herbal tonic to be very effective in healing chronic infections and balancing low stomach acid production.

Spending around 30 minutes in the sun every day is a great way to get enough vitamin D, which can be associated with skin health.

Drinking freshly juiced greens, especially those with celery, helped me nourish the gut-skin connection and detox pathways.

Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchee are great ways to provide your microbiome with beneficial probiotics. I eat them by the forkful or with my meals.

Fermented dairy drinks like kefir, rich in the beneficial probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus, have been shown to improve the complexion.

Antioxidant-rich plant foods like berries, Swiss chard, and watercress are essential for great skin.

This super spice helps calm inflammation throughout the body. I recommend mixing it with full-fat coconut milk and black pepper.

This one wasn't hard for me, since I love tea. Green tea has been linked to skin cell rejuvenation, so drink up!

This nutrient-dense oil is a great source of skin-healing vitamins A, D, and K2. It’s also a balanced and stable source of omega fats.

Liver is one of the most bioavailable nutrient-dense foods on the planet. If you eat meat, it's a great whole-food source for skin nutrients like zinc and vitamins A and B.

So in addition to eating foods rich in skin-healing vitamin A, I also supplement with retinol-based vitamin A drops.

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