40: How to Heal Your Skin Naturally [6 TIPS]

[00:00:00] Michael Kummer: Very often, I see it all the time, the skin is simply a reflection of an issue that's going on in your gut. What are the root causes of most chronic skin conditions? So your immune system is responding to something, and inflammation is the result of that. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, If there is an issue in your gut, it can lead to chronic inflammation.

[00:00:22] Skin issues are not because, you don't have skin issues because of bad luck or because of genetic factors. They are typically driven by lifestyle. You're listening to the Primal Shift Podcast. I'm your host, Michael Kummer, and my goal is to help you achieve optimal health. by bridging the gap between ancestral living and the demands of modern society.

[00:00:43] Get ready to unlock the transformative power of nature as the ultimate biohack, revolutionizing your health and reconnecting you with your primal self. This episode of the Primal Shift Podcast is brought to you by MK Supplements. Are you looking to boost your energy, enhance your overall [00:01:00] well being and tap into the primal power of nature?

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[00:01:24] And here is something to get excited about. Use code PRIMALSHIFT at checkout for an exclusive 15 percent off on your first purchase. Learn more at shop. michaelkummer. com or check out the show notes. Did you know that a significant number of Americans suffer from inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, eczema, or psoriasis.

[00:01:43] In fact, estimates suggest that acne affects about 50 million Americans and almost 10 percent of the global population. And that's crazy considering that most skin conditions are 100 percent lifestyle induced and have an easy fix. What's even crazier is that most doctors simply prescribe [00:02:00] pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics or anti inflammatory medication in the form of expensive creams and lotions.

[00:02:06] Hey, welcome back to the Primer Shift podcast and in this episode we'll cover Why treating the symptoms of skin conditions doesn't work? If you ignore the root cause, what are the root causes of most chronic skin conditions? Why the gut and your gut health play a major role in skin health? Some of the lifestyle factors that can ruin your gut and skin health.

[00:02:27] And my top recommendations on what you can do to fix your skin problems today. Let's start with giving you an example. of how skin conditions are usually treated in this country. So let's talk about what I mean by treating symptoms versus treating the root causes. Now let's imagine you have a water leak in your home because a pipe burst, maybe.

[00:02:49] And you can see the damage, you know, behind the drywall, there is a wet spot, there is maybe water on the And there are two things that you probably wouldn't do to fix that problem. One is [00:03:00] to simply turn off the water at the street level and call it a day because you need water. You just don't need it coming out of that broken pipe and ruining your, your drywall and your inventory, but turning off the water permanently.

[00:03:13] It's not going to solve the problem, you know, at least not in the long run. It makes your life miserable because you need water to live. And the second thing is, you know, just replacing that damaged patch of drywall and call it a day without fixing the water coming out of the broken pipe. But that's exactly what's happening.

[00:03:30] With most skin conditions, you know, that means doctors either prescribe something that completely Disables your immune system and the immune response meaning, you know getting rid of the inflammation because inflammation is a sign of immune response So your immune system is responding to something and inflammation is the result of that and by disabling that yes You get rid of the inflammation, but You need your immune system, you know, you cannot just disable your immune system and hope for the best.

[00:03:59] And the [00:04:00] second thing is, you know, patching the drywall is akin to putting on a lotion that treats the inflammation locally, topically, or that kills the bacteria that are involved in some of those skin conditions, like acne. Without, again, fixing the underlying issue. If there is still water gushing out of that pipe, you know, fixing the drywall is not a sustainable solution.

[00:04:21] So you need to address the crack in the pipe, you know, replace the pipe, and make sure it doesn't happen again. And then you can all, yeah, fix the drywall if you want to. But the good news is that your skin can actually heal itself. If you remove the underlying cause of your skin issues, you don't need to patch the skin.

[00:04:41] It usually takes care of that itself. Unlike our drywall, which doesn't just auto repair, you need to fix it. Your skin is significantly better at dealing with that if you remove the underlying issue. And so that's, you know, what I'd like to talk about in this episode. And one of the core issues with most skin [00:05:00] conditions is inflammation.

[00:05:01] And inflammation, as I've mentioned already, is the result of an active immune system. And inflammation isn't a bad thing. You know, there is a, depending on the type of inflammation, of course. If you cut your finger, if you get stung by a bee, you need an inflammatory response. You need your immune system to respond.

[00:05:20] So your tissue can heal. So acute local inflammation is incredibly important and a natural part of the healing process. And you definitely don't want to disable or interfere with that process. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is a different thing. If you're constantly and systemically inflamed, then something is wrong.

[00:05:41] That means if your immune system is constantly responding to either something that it shouldn't respond to, like in the case of an autoimmune condition, where the immune system is attacking healthy cells, or in the case of being exposed to constant invaders that shouldn't be in your body in the first place.[00:06:00]

[00:06:00] You know, that could be the second reason why your immune system might be responding all the time. And so the gut plays a major role in modulating your immune response, in influencing how your body's immune system works. And the problem is if there is an issue in your gut. It can lead to chronic inflammation.

[00:06:18] It can lead to your immune system being constantly responding to something. And one of the easiest to understand examples is if you're, you know, there is this lining inside of your gut, it's only a few cells thick and that lining is meant to prevent. pathogens that you may not, might, that might have gotten into your, into your digestive system or undigested food particles from getting into your bloodstream.

[00:06:46] Because once they are in your bloodstream, you know, that are, and they are not supposed to be there, your immune system sees that and says, Hey, there is something in our blood that should not be there. We need to attack it and get rid of it. And so the [00:07:00] delicate lining in your gut prevents that from happening.

[00:07:02] The problem is that stress Environmental toxins and in particular food, inflammatory foods, can widen those what they are called, what are called teach tight junctions or T junctions. Those are what make up that barrier within the delicate lining and if those junctions become too wide and allow pathogens and undigested food particles into your bloodstream, then you have a problem.

[00:07:28] Your immune system will respond. And that is called leaky gut and leaky gut is usually, again, the result of poor diet or poor dietary choices, stress, environmental toxins, and some other factors. But diet is very important. One of the major factors in developing leaky gut. And so when your gut is leaky and stuff gets into your bloodstream that should not be there, or that should not get there, your immune system responds and you deal with, or as a [00:08:00] result, you have chronic inflammation.

[00:08:01] Your immune system starts attacking all of those pathogens that are in your bloodstream, all over your body. And that can have a negative impact on your skin health, because while there is a microbiome or a microbiota in your gut, you know, all those trillions of bacteria and, and fungi and, and, and viruses, all of which make up your, your gut's microbiome, you have a similar microbiome on your skin and in your mouth as well.

[00:08:28] So there are different microbiota in your body, gut, skin, mouth, in your nose, and those are connected. So if your gut's microbiota is out of whack, if your, if the immune system is out of whack because something is going on in your gut, then your skin responds to those inflammatory signals. And that can then either trigger or exacerbate skin issues.

[00:08:56] That's one of the ways on how the gut is connected to [00:09:00] your skin health. And very often, I see it all the time, the skin is simply a reflection of an issue that's going on in your gut. So a gut issue is causing, or is exacerbating, is representing itself as skin issues. That's why there is the term leaky skin, which is very similar to leaky gut, where your skin's barrier is compromised by inflammation, by again, poor dietary choices, environmental toxins, stress, poor sleep, you know, all of those things.

[00:09:29] The second way of how the gut is connected to your skin health is through nutrient absorption. As you might know, nutrients get absorbed in your gut. And there are specific nutrients that are important for skin health. If you don't absorb them, then your skin integrity, your skin's ability to repair and function, is impaired.

[00:09:49] And there are certain vitamins like A, C, D, E, and certain minerals like zinc and selenium, that are crucial for optimal skin health or for maintaining skin health. And if those nutrients don't get absorbed [00:10:00] properly and in the right amounts in your gut, you might have, or you might suffer from skin issues, or you might exacerbate skin issues that might otherwise be under control, despite maybe having less than ideal diet, more stress than you can handle, and more exposure to environmental toxins.

[00:10:17] And so, why would you not have enough of those nutrients? Well, it could be, A, because you're not eating foods that contain or enough of those nutrients Dense foods like, you know, animal based foods in particular, meat, organs, eggs, etc. Or it could be, you know you could be eating those foods but they're not getting absorbed.

[00:10:36] Maybe because of the leaky gut that causes absorbability issues or maybe because you're also consuming you know Antinutrients as part of your diet. And antinutrients, also sometimes referred to as enzyme inhibitors, prevent your gut from absorbing certain micronutrients, in particular minerals, but certain vitamins as well.

[00:10:59] And [00:11:00] antinutrients are typically found in plant foods. So if you consume grains, legumes, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, all of which have incredibly high amounts of certain antinutrients, then even though you might be also eating the right types of food, you might not be getting enough of those micronutrients, because the antinutrients in the plant foods prevent your gut from absorbing them, leading then to less than ideal skin health.

[00:11:27] The next component or the next factor in this, you know, gut problem Skin equation is hormonal balancing. Stress, obviously, and emotions can negatively impact your gut health. You probably know this. And so if stress and emotions, negative emotions, negatively impact your gut health, then your gut health could negatively impact your skin health.

[00:11:48] You know, there is this gut brain skin axis. You know, all of that stuff in our body is connected. If your gut is not, if your head is not well, Your gut might not be well, your skin might not be well, and so it's [00:12:00] incredibly important also to pay attention to, to stress and how elevated stress levels, especially chronic stress, can negatively impact your gut health and your skin health as a consequence, because there are certain stress hormones like cortisol, cortisol.

[00:12:14] which can exaggerate or even trigger skin conditions. So you might be perfectly fine if you're not under stress despite what you're eating, despite what you're doing else in your life, but once your stress levels go up, suddenly your skin breaks out. And with nothing else having changed, it might just be the stress that puts you over the limit and that prevents your immune system from functioning optimally and your gut from functioning optimally.

[00:12:39] And then the last one, the last factor in this equation is the detoxification pathway. So, as I'm sure you know, your gut is one of the ways that allows your body to get rid of waste through detoxification. Um, you know, urine and sweat being some of the other pathways on how your body can rid itself of toxins, either [00:13:00] environmental toxins from skincare products, from the air you breathe, from the water you drink, but also, of course, you know, toxins such as heavy metals, et cetera, that you might, uh, get into your body from the food you eat.

[00:13:13] And so toxin elimination is incredibly important. If that doesn't work well. Then those toxins may accumulate and cause issues not only in your gut, not only in your liver, but also in your skin. So again, if your, if your body cannot get rid of, of toxins, and obviously the liver plays you an important role as well, then you might have skin issues or aggravate skin issues that might otherwise be under control.

[00:13:39] So the bottom line here really is. that skin issues are not because you don't have skin issues because of bad luck or because of genetic factors. They are typically driven by lifestyle, either lifestyle choices or lifestyle habits that you might not be aware of. And in particular, diet, stress, poor sleep, and [00:14:00] environmental toxins are likely the most likely culprits of poor skin health.

[00:14:07] And so what you can, what can you do about? If you already have acne, eczema, psoriasis, or any other skin condition, any other inflammatory or chronic skin condition, what can you do, what lifestyle changes can you implement to fix those without having to rely on prescription medication and expensive creams and lotions, because ultimately www.

[00:14:29] vintrospektiv. de And if you don't treat the root cause, it's not going to provide temporary relief. You might see, you know, some results short term, but as soon as you stop taking the medication, as soon as you stop applying those lotions and creams, your skin issues are likely going to come back. And most of them have negative side effects that you have to also take into account.

[00:14:47] So what can you do? Well, my number one recommendation would be to remove processed foods, seed oils, and the most toxic plants that are rich in antinutrients, such as grains, leafy [00:15:00] greens, legumes, nuts, and seeds. I mean, there's just a variety, but most of them come from the plant word, unfortunately. Within, if you look at well raised animals or foods made from well raised animals, there are very few that are known or have the likelihood of, of causing or triggering skin issues.

[00:15:21] Focus on animal based foods. You know, that's why I created this animal based food list that you can download from my blog. I'm going to link it down below in the show notes. It has all the different categories of food, the ones that you can eat without holding back. Maybe some that you should only eat in moderation, and many of which you should avoid completely.

[00:15:41] Or at least figure out how to process them properly to mitigate many of the issues that they have, including, you know, removing or mitigating some of those antinutrients. I would also encourage you to incorporate organ meats in your diet because they are rich in micronutrients that you might be missing.

[00:15:58] Support your skin and [00:16:00] to maintain or achieve optimal skin health. Learn how to better manage stress. You can leverage meditation, just doing less. Removing stuff from your plate is usually one of the best ways to reduce your stress levels. Breath work. Leveraging hormetic stressors strategically. Again, as the name already implies, a hermetic stressor is a stressor nonetheless, so, you know, jumping into the cold plunge, um, exercising vigorously and doing the sauna all on the same day where you're already redlining as far as the stress is concerned, likely not a great idea, but you can leverage those hermetic, those positive stressors to improve your stress resilience and to learn how to better handle stress.

[00:16:39] Exercise is another good example that you can use strategically to lower your stress if you don't overdo it. There are also certain supplements you can leverage. I mean, most of what I've mentioned in this episode is very much based on whole foods, based on lifestyle to talk Don't necessarily cost you any money, so I'm not saying that, hey, [00:17:00] take those supplements and don't worry about anything else.

[00:17:03] No, but there are certain supplements that can help speed up the healing process and support you in your journey towards better skin health. And one is called, or is from a company called Intelligence of Nature. It's, the product is called, I think, Ion Plus. And it helps, it can help you close those tight junctions in your gut.

[00:17:22] to avoid leaky gut. And that's often a very effective way of getting your chronic inflammation under control. Assuming you stop eating foods and exposing yourself to the things that cause your leaky gut. And that will often have a very quick impact on your skin health. The second one is bovine colostrum.

[00:17:40] I'm going to link an article down below into the show notes with the benefits of talking about the benefits of bovine colostrum and mentioning some of the brands that I use, because all the bovine colostrum supplementation has been shown. to help with leaky gut. And then the third one is freeze dried beef organs.

[00:17:56] Again, Organ meats are a great source of [00:18:00] micronutrients if you can't stomach the taste and texture. Then freeze dried capsules or beef organ supplements are a great way to get all the micronutrients from those beef organs without the taste and texture. I'm gonna link that down below as well. You know, it's one of the reasons why I started MK Supplements with my wife.

[00:18:17] To provide a convenient way of getting all of the micronutrients into your diet without, you know, the hassle. With that, we're gonna wrap it up. Again, bottom line is, skin issues, lifestyle induced, very often, more often than not. There is no reason why you have to suffer from acne. or psoriasis or eczema.

[00:18:35] You can fix all of those issues by making a few lifestyle changes. I know that making those changes is not always easy in the context of our modern world, especially in the context of a family where everyone has different preferences, et cetera, but it's not rocket science, you know, just taking a few steps by removing the most inflammatory foods and focusing on the least inflammatory and most nutrient dense foods, [00:19:00] you can make a significant difference, you know, stress.

[00:19:03] Environmental toxins, you know, stop using skincare products that are known to contain xenoestrogens and other inflammatory compounds. I have a separate episode on that, separate blog post on that to learn more if you're interested. Make a few simple changes. And the goodness really is, there is very little risk on trying out and, and seeing if my recommendations work for you.

[00:19:23] If you have acne, making a few dietary changes, stop putting stuff on your skin that's likely exaggerating the issue or only treating the symptoms, there is very little risk to it. Try it out, give it 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, see how you feel, see how you look. I promise you by implementing a few of my recommendations you likely see a significant improvement in your skin health Without any negative side effects try it out and let me know how it works.

[00:19:48] Shoot me an email. I always love to hear from Um from the audience to see how they've implemented those recommendations and what differences is made in their life So shoot me an email. I'd like to hear from you and I hope i'll [00:20:00] see you in the next episode