You’re probably aware by now that the health of your intestinal tract has a major effect on whether you suffer from problems like gas, constipation or bloating.

You might also know that your gut houses 70 percent of your immune system and makes most your body’s serotonin.

But here's something you might not think of.

The health of your gut can also affect the skin on your FACE!

Here’s how:

Rosacea-- facial inflammation overdrive

About 14 million people in the US (mainly women) suffer from rosacea, which is chronic inflammation of the skin on your face.  It can also occur on your scalp, neck, chest or ears. 

Symptoms of rosacea can include:

• Persistent facial redness, especially around the center of your face
• Small blood vessels in the nose and cheeks that swell and become visible
• Swollen red bumps that resemble acne
• A hot or tender feeling on your facial skin
• Eye dryness or irritation
• Swollen, reddened eyelids
• Swelling around the nose

These symptoms are not always constant--they can flare up for weeks or months, then diminish for a while until the next flare-up.

Like acne and psoriasis, rosacea can be a tough condition for many people because it obviously can't easily be disguised...and that can lead to self-esteem issues especially in younger people.

It's a mystery!

Rosacea is considered a mystery because there’s not one clear-cut cause.  Certain triggers have been noted to lead to a flare-up of symptoms including:

• Hot foods or beverages
• Spicy foods
• Alcohol
• Temperature extremes
• Sun damage
• Stress, anger or embarrassment
• Strenuous exercise
• Hot baths or saunas
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Drugs that dilate blood vessels, including some blood pressure medications

But this doesn't explain all the cases of rosacea because there are millions of people with the condition where there's been no connection to a "trigger."

The typical treatment offerings for rosacea are long-term antibiotics or medications like isotretinoin, but they don’t come without a price.

Long-term use of antibiotics can obliterate your friendly gut flora and make your immune system practically non-existent, and isotretinoin has a mile-long list of side effects including birth defects when used by pregnant women!

The gut-face connection

Studies have shown a strong connection between the health of someone's gut and rosacea.

One study of 113 participants with rosacea showed small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) was present in nearly half of the subjects (52 out of 113).

Once the SIBO was treated, the rosacea lesions cleared up in 71 percent of the people, and another 28 percent showed vast improvement in their symptoms!

In addition, other studies have shown that a high percentage of people with rosacea also have hydrochloric acid insufficiency or other enzyme deficiencies. 

And still, others have linked Candida overgrowth in the gut with rosacea!

Why in the world?

The gut-rosacea connection should not surprise you.

Consider this:  Your intestinal tract is responsible for getting nutrients INTO you and escorting wastes and dangerous substances OUT of you. 

But when your gut wall is unhealthy, it can’t do its job.  It can become leaky and allow harmful microbes and wastes to seep into your bloodstream. 

At that point, any of your cells, tissues or organs is fair game to suffer the consequences because your blood vessels go everywhere. 

And that includes your largest organ--your skin!

Heal thy gut, help heal thy face

If you or someone you love suffers from rosacea (or other skin disorders) you too can see a tremendous difference in how you feel without having to resort to dangerous drugs!

Healing the gut is where it's at, and it’s as easy as 1-2-3:

1. 1. Probiotic supplementation

Probiotics like Super Shield are numero uno in terms of beefing up your population of friendly gut bacteria.  Nothing can help restore gut health more effectively than a daily dose of the health-enhancing bacteria that should (ideally) reside in you!

Super Shield contains strains from both the Bifidobacterium species (for the colon) and lactobacillus species (which inhabit the small intestine).

This carefully designed blend of helpful bacteria can help enhance the health of your gut wall safely and naturally by restoring and maintaining the flora balance of your entire intestinal tract.

2. 2. Eat for better digestion

Poor digestion can lead to waste buildup, which creates an environment that favors dangerous bacteria and yeasts in your intestines.

In addition, without thorough digestion, it's extremely difficult for your body to absorb essential nutrients—including the nutrients your skin needs!

Concentrate on nutritious real foods—antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry, wild-caught fish, and healthy fats like real butter and olive oil.

And make your body’s job easier by avoiding eating proteins and starches in the same meal.  This combination is very difficult for your system to break down and leads to many cases of acid reflux, gas, bloating and constipation.

Check out Great Taste No Pain for more guidance on smart food combining. 

3. 3. Compensate for enzyme deficiencies

If you suspect you may be "enzyme challenged" (and if you're taking acid reducers, that's practically a given!) or you just want a little extra boost, a digestive enzyme supplement like Digestizol Max can be just what you need. 

Its super-potent blend of 15 plant-derived enzymes helps break down proteins, carbohydrates, sugars, fats and fibers in your diet...while helping to conserve your body's ability to produce the enzymes you need from head to toe.

If you or someone you love suffers from rosacea or other skin problems, see for yourself what a dramatic difference it can make to help restore your gut health and have sound digestion.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia