Beauty from Within: Healing the Microbiome

Image courtesy: Strike Magazine Tallahassee

Society ingrains in our brains that beauty is to be judged by outside forces. You’re pretty, but only if a boy tells you so. That new shirt is cute, but only if your best friend compliments it. Your favorite part about yourself is your eyes, but only because everyone admires their green hue. I have been trying to rewire my brain to unlearn this habit of valuing external validation above my own. I am learning to find good in myself where others might not see it and cultivate beauty from the inside out.

One of the things that helped me regain my inner beauty is healing my gut microbiome. I know it may sound strange, but your gut is the root cause of many bodily functions, including some that have drastically improved my confidence. Here are a few ways in which healing my gut has made me feel more beautiful.

Image Courtesy: Healthline

When you look in the mirror and see a pimple on your cheek, you likely don’t immediately assume it was caused by bacteria in your gut. As it turns out, your microbiome plays a huge role in keeping your skin healthy and glowing. Since focusing on my gut health, I have seen a noticeable difference in the evenness and radiance of my complexion. If your gut is not healthy, you will not be able to digest and absorb all of the nutrients your body needs which causes your skin to suffer. These nutrients are necessary to fuel collagen production, which keeps skin shiny and elastic.

Image Courtesy: Microba Insight

Another result of healing my microbiome has been the reduction of bloating. Because I had a sensitive gut, I would suffer from severe bloating nearly every day. This may not sound like the end of the world, but the consistent pain and visible protrusion made me self-conscious. Being able to better control the way my body looks and feels is empowering.

The last major effect I have had from healing my gut is an improvement in my mental health. In my experience, it is much easier to feel beautiful when my mind is at peace. Increasing my intake of probiotics has helped equalize my hormone balance, in turn reducing symptoms of my chronic anxiety. Studies show that the microbiome directly affects various central nervous system disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, making a healthy gut essential in supporting your mental health.

Now, what if I told you that gaining all of these amazing benefits could be achieved in just five simple steps?

1. Diet. The easiest and most impactful way to heal your gut is by implementing certain habits into your diet. If possible, avoiding anything difficult to digest, like gluten and artificial sweeteners, can be very helpful. If you don’t want to eliminate anything from your diet, you can also add things in. Foods with high nutrient contents, such as bone broth, will help to repair the intestine linings. Foods with probiotics, like yogurt and sauerkraut, are good at balancing hormones and boosting the immune system. Leafy greens are also vital in reducing inflammation in the gut and aiding with smooth digestion.

Image Courtesy: Happy Healthy Eaters

2. Stress. Reducing stress is another key element of improving gut health. When the body is under stress it causes distress signals to travel to the gut microbiome, disrupting the digestive process. Chronic stress can manifest into ongoing gut issues.

3. Sleep. Lack of sleep can negatively impact digestive patterns and cause abnormalities in the gut. These abnormalities can translate into a multitude of health issues.

4. Exercise. Recent studies have shown that exercising both increases and improve microbes in the gut. Working out promotes the growth of bacteria that produce butyrate, a fatty acid that helps to repair the gut.

5. Probiotics. My final suggestion for an easy step towards healing your gut is taking probiotic supplements. Probiotics help to foster a happy environment inside your gut by manipulating intestinal microbes and fighting off pathogens to ensure a healthy microbiome.

Overall, taking your gut health into your own hands is an easy way to feel beautiful and empowered in your own body without relying on anyone else's opinions.

Strike Out,

Writer: Sarah Gibson

Editor: Jayna O

Graphic Designer: Katie Esguerra

Tallahassee