Trust your gut.
I have thrown myself into many, many internet vortexes ever since the dawn of dial-up, but none have been as all-consuming as the ones pertaining to probiotics. Ever since the word ‘probiotic’ crept into the health and wellness industry’s collective consciousness a few years back, I have devoted approximately 3943 hours of time googling the topic; time that could've been spent outdoors in fresh air, or laughing gaily with friends.
Yet, here we are!!!
‘Probiotics’ and ‘gut health’ might be #trending topics right now—both in my Google search history and around various water coolers in the skincare industry—but their importance for overall health have been known for a hot minute now. In fact, in 460BC, Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician who also goes by the casual title ‘Father of Medicine’, stated that, “All diseases begin in the gut”. The guy was right. Happy gut, happy health, happy skin, happy, happy, happy. We thought we'd take a note from the ancient Greek physicians and develop our own product that utilizes a probiotic blend (+ other skin-loving ingredients) to support the skin from the inside. More on that later to come.
So, why are probiotics so important?
Bacteria gets an unnecessarily bad rap, which is especially unfair considering a healthy gut contains about 100 trillion (yes, TRILLION!) bacteria that work thanklessly to digest your food, converting it into nutrients and bidding adieu to waste. The healthier and more diverse these bacteria are, the better your immune system will be. The delicate ecosystem of micro-organisms that live in the gut—including fungi, viruses, yeasts and bacteria—is called microbiome. Our modern lives are wreaking havoc on these microbiomes. Diets lacking in diversity; an excessive consumption of meat, alcohol and sugar; fad diets; the irresponsible overprescription of antibiotics; and generous servings of stress (which impedes our ability to digest food properly) all contribute to depleted levels of microbiomes. Enter the need for the ever-growing probiotic market.
SKIN DISCIPLINE, our ZitSticka daily supplement, is formulated with 5 unique strains of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium. These fancy pants probiotics have been proven to positively impact the "gut-brain-skin axis" due to their anti-inflammatory properties. These strains have been aligned with improving acne from a systematic level. Our complete list of probiotic strains includes: Lactobacillus Acidophilus La-14, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus Plantarum Lp- 115, Lactobacillus Casei LC-11, Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb-06. Put very simply, probiotics are the ‘good’ bacteria that ensure our gut microbiome stay happy, healthy and balanced.
Cool. But, what’s this all got to do with skin health?
Glowing skin and the state of our gut microbiome are closely linked. Intestinal dysbiosis—i.e. a state of microbial imbalance—has the potential to negatively impact skin function. Skin conditions such as rosacea, acne and even skin tone and texture have their root in gut health. Dr. Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist and author of The Beauty of Dirty Skin points to this, saying, “People don’t realize we have live bacteria covering our skin and swimming through our intestines and if we find a way to harness the power of these microscopic warriors we can do magnificent things with the skin."
Products have their time and place, but the root of more pronounced skin drama typically begins on the inside. Inflammation in the gut shows up as inflammation of the skin, in all its myriad forms.
So, how can your skin best lap it up?
In the digestive tract, there’s a lining to the gut, and if there’s not enough healthy bacteria, the lining becomes more porous, allowing toxins to leak through and trigger inflammation. When taken orally, probiotics create a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut, which in turn has an anti-inflammatory effect on your body, including your skin. Note: not all probiotics are created equal, and having a variety of strains is key to getting the most out of your supplement. Foods like yogurt, tempeh, miso, kombucha, fermented veggies like kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir can be helpful for some, too.
Shop SKIN DISCIPLINE, our acne-hating supplement with a 5-strain probiotic blend.
