The six ways to lose weight and get better skin – and it’s all in the gut
WHILE some of us might be looking to shift a few pounds as Covid restrictions start to ease, one expert says you should be looking at more than calorie counting when it comes to weight loss.
There are six things that can impact our weight loss and they are all linked to our gut health.
Nutritional therapist Camilla Gray says there's always a way to improve your gut health - which in turn could help you lose weight.
As well as this, looking after your gut, she says, can improve your skin health, leaving you with a glowing, youthful look.
Health and wellbeing has become a top priority for many people during the coronavirus pandemic with more of us focused on how we can keep our bodies in top condition.
Camilla said that around 91 per cent of people now consider gut health to be an important aspect of their every day lives.
Speaking to The Sun she said: "When we don’t get a full night’s sleep we eat more calories compared to when we are fully rested.
"Frequently using caffeine as an afternoon or evening pick me up, can negatively impact sleep quality.
"Too much caffeine can hinder the absorption of some vitamins and minerals including B vitamins and vitamin D needed for healthy skin and essential minerals, including calcium, iron, and magnesium. "
What’s more, Camilla said that sweeteners found in diet drinks can be 1,000 times sweeter than sugar and because of this, makes you crave more sugar.
She added: "Studies show that those who choose diet drinks overeat because of this.
"Regularly consuming sweeteners, too much sugar or processed food can negatively impact our gut bacteria.
"Herbal teas or fizzed water flavoured with lemons, limes and mint can be a great alternative."
2. Up the fibre
According to Camilla, the average UK adult doesn't eat enough fibre.
Fibre keeps us feeling full and Camilla said that this can help with weight management because it reduces cravings and a need to snack between meals by keeping our blood sugar levels stable.
She said: "Some fibrous foods contain prebiotics which is a source of food for our good bacteria.
"Foods like garlic, onions, chicory and leeks are all great options to keep our good gut bugs happy.
"In general, the more plant foods we eat, the better as it cultivates a wide diversity of gut bacteria which is associated with good health."
When it comes to skin health, Camilla said that fibre provides roughage for the bowels which prevents constipation and stops toxins being recirculated into the body system which could potentially come out through our skin, worsening skin conditions or causing breakouts.
Camilla said: ";As a goal, 30g of fibre per day is the minimum intake requirement.
"We recommend aiming for at least 30 different plant foods per week too, with as much colour variety as possible (also known as rainbow eating!)."
3. Consider a supplement
Camilla said that in many cases, the state of your skin reflects your gut health.
"Common skin issues like eczema, psoriasis and acne can be vastly improved by tending to your gut", Camilla said.
"The relationship between these two main organs is known as the ‘gut-skin axis’ and studies show that probiotics or ‘good bacteria’ can improve or prevent inflammatory skin disorders."
She added that certain probiotics can help to improve digestion by preventing constipation and allowing the body to properly eliminate toxins through the digestive tract instead of the skin.
Camilla highlighted that not all probiotics are the same and said that different strains are good for different things.
She recommended using a daily probiotic for around three months to see skin benefits.
4. Stay hydrated
Drinking enough water throughout the day can contribute to the maintenance of healthy skin and weight, Camilla said.
"Consuming enough water helps breakdown the food we eat and allows waste to pass more easily through the digestive system preventing constipation.
"Constipation can impede weight loss and have a negative effect on skin health."
Camilla said that if you're upping your fibre intake, as recommended above, then you need to drink enough water to help fibre move through the digestive system.
She said: "I suggest aiming for eight glasses of water per day (you can include herbal teas in this count too).
"Set a timer to drink water, carry a bottle around with you and don’t worry, your trips to the bathroom will become less frequent when your body gets used to the initial increase in fluids! "
5. Limit processed foods
Processed foods like pizza, ready meals, crisps, and sweets are made by changing their natural state with chemicals, Camilla says.
"This means there is far less nutrition and no benefit for the gut - worse still, it can make the food difficult to digest and cause bad bacteria to multiply!
"It's fine to consume as an occasional treat but if these ultra-processed foods are consumed daily then there will be a danger of developing skin issues and putting on excess weight."
She added that sugar and refined grains and oils are some of the worst offenders for acne.
"Conventional gluten and dairy products could be an issue for inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema too.
"Eat food in its most natural state wherever possible. When shopping, heck the back of labels and if the product has a long list of ingredients you don’t recognise, think twice about consuming it."
6. Try fermented foods
A recent poll commissioned by Biotiful found that 60 per cent of consumers are more concerned now, than ever about their gut-health and immunity.
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"The Kefir cultures break down the lactose sugars in the milk during the fermentation process, making Kefir low in lactose, which is usually the main cause of people’s discomfort when consuming dairy.
"It also pre-digests milk proteins for us, making the essential minerals from the milk and vitamins from the culture so much easier to absorb than from any supplement."