Did you know your skin is a reflection of your gut health? If you’ve tried every lotion and potion to achieve perfect skin without success, maybe it is time to take a look at the end of your fork.

The key to beautiful skin is focusing on digestive function and quelling inflammation. Wheat and other gluten-containing grains are common triggers of inflammation, leading to poor absorption of critical nutrients the skin needs to regenerate. A lack of these nutrients paired with inflammation is likely to result in acne, eczema, dermatitis, wrinkles, dull skin and more. And no amount of expensive cream can treat your nutritional deficiencies!

To improve skin health, you should not only omit foods that irritate the gastrointestinal tract, but also increase specific nutrient-dense and antioxidant-rich foods to nourish the skin.

Let’s take a look at a gluten-free diet tailored for skin health.

Low glycemic foods: It’s not just gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye, and barley that spike your blood sugar. Even gluten-free foods such as rice, quinoa, and corn, along with dairy, sugar, and processed foods can accelerate aging and trigger acne due to the high glycemic load.

Skin superfoods: Increase your portion of healthy fats, and eat them with foods high in sulfur, biotin, and vitamins A, C, and D. Berries, broccoli, egg yolks, almonds, avocados, and ghee (clarified butter) are great choices for glowing skin. Half of your plate should be vegetables.

Food quality: Make sure all animal products are organic and grass-fed, or at minimum free-range. Eliminate inflammatory fats from fried foods and vegetable oils.

Probiotics: Long-term antibiotic use and poor diet can strip away your body’s healthy organisms. Probiotics are found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha tea, and miso. They promote digestive health leading to improved liver function and greater absorption of nutrients. Alternatively, consider supplementing with a high quality probiotic.

Prebiotics: Prebiotics are special fibers that feed the good bacteria, and make good use of our probiotics. Fibers like chicory, inulin, and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) can be found in green tip bananas, sunchokes, leeks, asparagus, and garlic.

Digestive support: If you have bloating, gas, or heartburn, it’s likely you are not digesting food very well. Consider a digestive enzyme supplement at each meal. To stimulate your own enzyme production, try one tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar before each meal.

Stress management, hydration, and responsible sun exposure are important factors as well. Combine your healthy lifestyle with a nutrient-dense, gluten-free diet that can digest in a healthy gut, and you may have found the missing link to your beauty regimen.

Tiffany is a certified nutrition consultant and functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and can be reached at (760) 285.1221 www.GlutenFreeWithTiffany.com