The Ultimate Natural Guide To Healthy Skin & Hair

Healthy Skin & Hair

The top few topics that I get asked about on social media a lot and treat in clinic regularly are often surrounding:

Skin & hair health
Gut health & digestion
Hormone health
Stress management and
Auto-immune conditions

Interestingly for a lot of people they are surprised to find out that the above are all connected! If you treat one successfully then you usually get an improvement in another.

As a Naturopath and Nutritionist I help to find the root cause of any skin complaints and treat it holistically..

Skin complaints I see regularly in clinic range from acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, dryness, dullness and pigmentation. Each skin condition is treated differently and often can have a different root cause.

Hair complaints are also something I address in clinic. This could be surrounding hair growth, thinning hair, hair falling out or weak, brittle hair. This can often be because of an involvement of stress hormones, pregnancy and breast feeding, thyroid functioning or nutrient deficiencies.

My skin and hair treatments in clinic will usually always come down to correcting nutrient nutrient deficiencies, improving digestion or balancing hormones.

Below I am going to give you some of my top tips for healthy hair and skin, answer some Instagram questions about skin, diet, hormones and gut health and share some of my personal skin treatments.

What are some causes of skin breakouts?

Skin break outs and pimples can be caused by many different things however in most cases it is involving one of the below or several together:

Dietary causes: Either a food intolerance, poor nutrition or a deficiency
Female or male hormones: An abnormal elevation
Stress hormones: A chronic depletion or an excess
Poor gut health and digestion
Skin hygiene, toxin exposure and poor detox pathways

How does Naturopathy and Nutrition help treat skin conditions?

As I mentioned above, finding the root cause of a skin condition is our main role at the beginning of treatment. This may involve testing including hormone testing, nutrient deficiency testing, gut microbiome testing or food intolerance testing.

Correct dietary changes can dramatically improve skin conditions within weeks. What we eat reflects in our skin via the functioning of our gut, liver and bowels. Herbal medicine is also very powerful in treating hormonal conditions and skin conditions. Then we have our beneficial skin nutrients that we can include such as: Zinc, Vitamin C, Essential Fatty Acids, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. By having a Naturopath create a dietary plan for you and prescribe proper therapeutic strength supplements this can quickly improve your skin health.

What are your top supplements or foods to help the below issues?

Skin dryness and dullness:

This is often caused by dehydration or lack of essential fatty acids and anti-oxidants in the diet. Taking Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin C will help as will boosting these nutrients in your diet.

Top sources of essential fatty acids: All seafood, flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, extra virgin olive oil

Top sources of Vitamin C: All berries, papaya, pawpaw, citrus fruits, red capsicum, broccoli, brussel sprouts, leafy greens

Also make sure you are drinking 2L + of water per day and avoiding too much caffeine, salt and alcohol.

Collagen production and anti-ageing:

Collagen is a protein made up of amino acids such a glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and arginine. Collagen is critical for the production of new skin cells and helps to improve skin elasticity and texture.

There are both topical and internal support for collagen production.

Internal support includes boosting Vitamin A + C and adding in a daily collagen powder.

Vitamin A increases collagen production, improves cell integrity and promotes skin healing. Food sources include: Eggs, carrots, sweet potato, salmon, rockmelon, apricots, spinach and leafy greens

Vitamin C protects against ageing, acting as an anti-oxidant and also supports collagen production.

Collagen powder forms should be made up of only 100% hydrolysed bovine collagen for best results.

Skin inflammation, redness, rosacea:

Skin inflammation can be caused by extreme stress, skin damage or trauma, excess alcohol intake, food intolerances, sugar filled diet and auto-immune flares.

Anti-inflammatory nutrients such as turmeric, omega 3-fatty acids and zinc can help and these are readily available through the diet.

The best zinc rich foods include: Oysters, mussels, red meat, organ meat, chicken, eggs, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, sesame seeds, tahini, leafy greens, green peas, mushrooms

I also encourage boosting anti-inflammatory foods in your diet such as: Turmeric, ginger, organic bone broth, extra virgin olive oil, matcha green tea, chia seeds

Thinning hair or hair falling out:

This can be caused by auto-immunity, stress, pregnancy, breastfeeding or severe lack of protein, biotin, iodine and iron in the diet. Boosting nutrient intake of these nutrients and foods will help. A lot of my vegan patients need extra dietary or supplement support to prevent this.

Iodine rich foods: Iodised salt, cacao powder, fish sauce/paste, sushi, seaweed, sea vegetable flakes (dulse) oysters, scallops

Iron rich foods: All animal products, eggs, oysters, mussels, spinach, silverbeet, miso, tofu, tempeh

A great supplement for hair growth will combine Biotin, Iron, Iodine and Zinc.

Biotin rich foods for hair growth are eggs, nuts + seeds, organic soybeans, broccoli, mushrooms, yeast

Dull, dry hair:

Essential fatty acids and Vitamin E help healthy, shiny hair so boost these in your diet including: All seafood especially salmon, ocean trout, sardines, mackerel, LSA mix, ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, macadamia nuts, macadamia oil, extra virgin olive oil, olives, hemp seeds, walnuts, chia seeds, avocado, eggs. Look for Vitamin E infused hair products too.

Weak, brittle hair:

This can be caused by topical damage or poor nutrition. If you colour your hair and use hot tools on it every day this will cause damage. Your hair care is really important here to protect your hair. I would invest in a nourishing natural shampoo, condition and hair treatment and begin using a hair mask twice a week.

Our hair is made up of protein so if you are not getting enough good quality, lean protein in your diet this will reflect in your hair quality.

How are the gut and skin connected?

The digestive system has a critical role in absorbing the nutrients from our food. These nutrients absorbed through the gut lining are the building blocks of our hair, skin and nails. The type of foods we decide to eat also play a role in worsening or improving skin.

Our elimination is also critical in keeping skin clear. If elimination organs are sluggish, this can push toxins through the skin.

Another impact seen through the skin connected to the gut is from undiagnosed food intolerances and microbiome imbalances.

What is the difference between probiotics, prebiotics and post-biotics?

Prebiotics and "prebiotic- like compounds" are used to nourish and feed the gut microbiome. These can be found in wholefoods and supplements. Prebiotics feed your gut flora and create therapeutic diversity within the gut which in turn enhances digestive function. Great food examples are: Asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, garlic, onion, dandelion greens, chicory root, raw whole rolled oats, cold potatoes, lentils, legumes, cold stewed apples and chia seeds. Great supplement and superfood prebiotic powders include GOS, partially Hydrolysed Guar Gum, psyllium husk, aloe vera, resistant starch, certain dietary fibres and green banana flour.

Probiotics are used clinically to help recover the microbiome and increase beneficial gut flora levels. There are thousands of clinical trials supporting the evidence of probiotic usage. I prescribe specific strains of probiotics to the individual depending on their presenting complaint. This may be a strain specific to the immune system, digestion, skin health, mood or metabolism. There are hundreds of strains of probiotics used in supplement form and can come in capsule or powder form. They also vary in CFU (Colony forming units) or dosage. It is always best to get a probiotic prescribed by a qualified practitioner if you are wanting a therapeutic outcome. I get fantastic results treating with strain-specific probiotics.
Post-biotics is a relative new term used to describe the metabolic “by-products” of probiotic bacteria. An example of this probiotic flora producing short chain fatty acids and these compounds enhance digestion, support out gut wall lining, reduce inflammation and increase nutrient absorption from our food.

How do I fix hormonal skin?

First we need to address which hormone is at play and causing skin flares. This could be oestrogen, androgen hormones like testosterone or stress hormones such as cortisol. Once we know the specific hormone that could be depleted or elevated then we can begin treatment.

. I do hormonal testing for my patients through either a blood test or saliva testing. I also use the DUTCH hormone test if needed for more complicated hormonal cases.

Hormonal skin is almost always usually improved by supporting optimal liver detoxification and gut health. It is also improved by lowering stress hormones. Some great nutrients I use for treating hormonal skin can be Magnesium, Zinc, B Vitamins, Omega 3-Fatty acids and herbal medicine depending on the hormone involved.

Do these “skin-glow” powders work that I can by over the counter? What about “skin supplement" tablets?

These powders will only give you the benefits you are after if you address any underlying cause of why your symptoms are there in the first place. The over-the-counter products cannot correct all topical skin complaints. I always recommend working with a qualified practitioner before self medicating, especially if you have any longer term health complains that have not been addressed, tested or treated properly.

If your foundational health is fantastic then supplements can enhance your hair, skin and nails yes however, supplements will never make up for a poor diet.

Furthermore, as a qualified practitioner I am looking at the active ingredient in the supplement, where it was sourced, if it is reaching a therapeutic amount per serve, how it is packaged and stored, how it is absorbed within the body etc. If all of these elements are up to my standards then I will be in favour of the product. Unfortunately a lot of over- the-counter products do not reach these standards and therefore they will not have a beneficial outcome and people are left disappointed and have essentially wasted their time and money. Research is key for quality. This industry is booming which is fantastic however some companies are taking short cuts which impacts the therapeutic quality of a product.

Does everyone need a supplement for their skin or hair or can we get enough nutrients through our diet?

There are two trains of thought for this question…. Yes technically we should be able to get everything we need through a balance whole food diet and not need supplements.

However in saying this, unfortunately our agriculture and food processing has changed a lot which means our soil and food is more depleted than ever in the vital nutrients we need. Eating with the S.L.O.W mantra will really help this: Seasonal, local, organic & whole foods. If this S.L.O.W mantra is not your reality then most likely yes you will need some type of supplement. I am quite an evidenced based practitioner and I believe in testing nutrient levels within the blood before prescribing. For example if you have a zinc deficiency in your blood testing, this will most often be reflecting in your skin health.

What products do you use on your skin & body?

I get all of my skin products from @skin.angel on High Street Armadale. I have a specific skin prescription for my skin and I believe that is really important. Having a skin clinician analyse your skin and tell you what it needs is the best step for success. Everyone’s skin is very different and I never recommend self prescribing topical skincare, especially when using actives.

My favourite clean skincare brands I love include:

Osmosis

Epicure

Cosmedix

Rationale

Eco Tan

What make-up do you recommend?

I only use more natural, clean make-ups such as:

Osmosis

Jane Iredale

Westman Atelier

Hourglass

What is your advice on picking haircare products?

Like skincare, I only use haircare that is free of most of the nasties including harsh chemicals & fragrances, parabens and sulphates. I am trying a few different natural brands at the moment! I always recommend doing a hair mask or treatment once a week too.

What are the best herbs and natural medicines for skin?

Herbal medicine that can help improve skin are:

Calendula flower

Burdock root

Nettle leaf

Echinacea

Poke root

Cleavers

Chamomile flower

Other natural medicine that are often included for skin treatments are:

Zinc

Fish oils

Vitamin C, A, D, E

What is your skincare regime?

My skincare regime involves cleansing twice, applying a serum or active and then a moisturiser and eye cream. I do this on my neck and décolletage too. I will do a mask once a week too depending on what I think my skin needs. It may be a hydration mask or a detoxifying mask depending on the week. The incredible girls at @skin.angel create my regime for me and help guide me.

What skin treatments do you do?

I can not recommend the skin treatments at Skin Angel in Armadale more highly. I send all my patients with skin complaints to Angelina and she will begin treating their skin topically while I work on the internal treatment. We get the best results for our clients doing this. It also helps that Skin Angel is nearly directly across the road from Willow where I consult. Very convenient!

The treatments I love and have every 6-8 weeks range between:

Laser genesis

A herbal peel facial

The lifting and sculpting facial massage

The Rationale EpiNova photosonic facial

LED light therapy

Skin Angels website has incredible information on the benefits of the above.

What is your best winter skin tip?

Skin barrier support! As we are all inside more and heading into winter in Australia we need to look after skin hydration and the barrier. This improves all skin complaints.

My best tips for skin hydration and barrier support is:

-Ensure optimal water intake each day- 2L+ for most people

-Decrease excess salt, sugar, alcohol and too much caffeine (sorry!)

-Including essential fatty acids and omega 3’s into your diet. These are found in so many foods including: All seafood especially salmon, ocean trout, sardines, mackerel, ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, macadamia nuts, macadamia oil, extra virgin olive oil, olives, hemp seeds, walnuts, chia seeds, avocado, eggs

-Include a collagen powder

-Take a high strength fish oil supplement

-Boost your Zinc as this helps all skin complaints & your immunity!

What are your favourite skin glow foods?

Oysters- So rich in Zinc

Extra Virgin Olive oil- A anti-inflammatory source of essential fatty acids

Sardines- Very rich in essential fatty acids and calcium

Blueberries- Powder anti-oxidant rich fruit

Flaxseeds- Rich in essential fatty acids and fantastic for gut & hormone health

Aloe Vera juice- A gut and skin healing plant (See photo below) I add the fresh plant to smoothies and use it topically

Collagen powder- To boost natural production of skin collagen

Organic Bone Broth- Gut healing and rich in gelatin for skin