The Healthy Skin Show

Welcome to part two of an incredible and mind-blowing interview I had with microbiologist Kiran Krishnan. Here we continue our conversation about the link between the gut and the skin and the role that probiotics can play in maintaining a healthy microbiome. If you haven't listened to part one with Kiran, please head here to listen to it first! My guest, Kiran Krishnan is deeply involved in the nutrition and dietary supplement market. He has a strict research background having spent many years in research and development in molecular medicine and microbiology. He is also the co-founder and partner in his nutritional research and development company Nu Science Trading. Most notably he is the co-founder and chief scientific officer at Microbiomes Lab where he makes MegaSporeBiotic, one of my all-time favorite probiotics. In this part of the interview, we talk about how we can use probiotics as a natural defense to ward off bad bacteria from our skin. In fact, you can apply many probiotics directly to your skin to help with many issues and we discuss how to best do that. The right probiotics can even help you tackle certain more hard to control issues like candida overgrowth.   Have you had success using probiotics to treat a chronic skin issue? Tell me about it in the comments!   In this episode: How good bacteria on your skin will provide a defense against the bad bacteria you don’t want there Just what spore-based probiotics are and their unique benefits for you Kiran’s dos and don’ts for applying probiotics topically to make the good bacteria on your skin happy Coconut oil's role as an antimicrobial and how it can kill both helpful and harmful bacteria What makes candida overgrowth so hard to get rid of and how probiotics can help   Quotes: “One of the things that we know about the skin is there’s a couple of classes of important bacteria that keep the skin healthy. But once you start to get an overgrowth of a bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus you end up with eczema, dermatitis, and so on. So it's just a matter of switching the types of bacteria that are growing on the skin.”  [17:36] “You know who wants sugar on your face? Fungus. Fungus will love the sugar on your face, so be careful with that. A lot of people suffer from fungal overgrowths on their skin…. You want to be careful of using sweet things, because that’s what the fungus liReady to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

We’re increasingly realizing that your skin does not exist in isolation. Its health is tied to the health of the rest of your body, particularly your gut. But how can you take care of your gut’s biome in a way that is healthy both for it and for your skin? Kiran Krishnan is a microbiologist who studies this connection. He is deeply involved in the nutrition and dietary supplement market. He has a strict research background having spent many years in research and development in molecular medicine and microbiology at the University of Iowa. Additionally, he is the co-founder and partner in his nutritional research and development company Nu Science Trading. Most notably he is the co-founder and chief scientific officer at Microbiomes Labs where he makes MegaSporeBiotic, one of my all-time favorite probiotics. Today we talk about new ground-breaking research that is ongoing in the skin world. Kiran’s research has revealed many connections between your skin’s health and the health of your gut’s biome. We get deep into how our skin is part of a complex and extensive system. This was a very enlightening conversation for me and it will be for you too! Have you used probiotics to address a condition with your skin? Let us know how it went in the comments!   In this episode The latest research and scientific breakthroughs concerning chronic skin problems How your skin’s health is dependent on so many other parts of your health, particularly your gut The two most important components of your skin’s health and how you can keep them healthy Why it’s a good thing to have certain bacteria all over your skin   Quotes “Skin is your biggest reflection of the health of the inside of your body.”  [3:27] “What we’re coming to understand is that there is an amazing ecology on your skin’s surface and that ecology determines so much of what happens to your skin and how it reacts to the world around you. In the large part, that ecology is controlled by the ecology in your gut.” [4:17] “If you know that if you eat sugar or certain carbohydrates and would break out or you’d get a rash, that comes from those bacteria producing higher levels of ammonia or unfavorable gasses that would actually affect your circulatory system and cause an inflammatory reaction in the skin rather than that repairing action that butyrate does.”[14:38]   Links Follow Kiran Krishnan on Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

It’s well known that the source of many skin problems lies in the gut. In fact, you may have a sensitivity to a natural chemical in your food that is triggering an issue with your skin. The tricky part, though, is often identifying just what the chemical cause of that trigger is. My friend Jennifer Brand knows all about this. She’s a certified nutrition specialist and an integrative functional and clinical nutritionist with a bachelors in nutrition and dietetics as well as two masters degrees in public health and human nutrition. Jennifer enjoys taking into account her clients’ unique biochemistry using conventional and functional tests combined with a thorough case history while addressing problems using holistic and natural means. In this chat, Jennifer and I talk about common chemical triggers that occur naturally in food but can cause major flare-ups and problems in your skin without you even realizing it. We go on to discuss what you can do to try to identify a potential food trigger and how you can take charge of your gut and skin health by eliminating the chemicals that are causing problems.   In this episode: How impaired gut health impacts the skin’s health in myriad ways The differences between food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities Some common chemical triggers you might want to watch out for in what you eat Simple steps you can take to see if you have a food sensitivity   Quotes: “As you know, health begins in the gut. It’s where 80% of our immune system is located. So when we have impaired gut health, it impacts all the systems of the body including the skin.” [2:58] “When you’re doing an elimination diet … if you don’t see results in one to two weeks, stop right there, it’s something else. It should help quickly if you remove these things.” [8:29] “If you’re finding that you are sensitive to these natural chemicals, it really warrants a look at your gut-health. That really does involve working with somebody who can help guide you through the process.” [14:34]   Links: Find Jennifer Brand online Get Jennifer’s Skin Tools Watch Jennifer’s interview at the Eczema & Psoriasis Awareness Week Do you have low stomach acid? Take this test to find out Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

If you’ve got thyroid issues, weight to lose, or chronic skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, an issue with your liver may be at the root of it all. Too often we fixate on other things when it’s really the liver that is driving many aspects of our health. My guest, Dr. Alan Christianson believes that understanding that the liver is an important organ and being aware of its functions and taking good care of it is crucial to healthy living. Dr. Christianson is a naturopathic endocrinologist who focuses on thyroid function, adrenal health, and metabolism. He’s been practicing medicine in Scottsdale since 1996 and is the founding physician behind Integrative Health. He’s also the New York Times bestselling author of Adrenal Reset Diet, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease, and The Metabolism Reset Diet. You may even recognize Dr. Christianson from his many appearances on national media such as Dr. Oz, The Doctors, and The Today Show. In this interview, Dr. Christianson and I sit down to talk about one of my favorite subjects, liver health. We discuss his findings in which Dr. Christianson has tied metabolism issues to liver function. We talk about how to best take care of your liver in order to prevent or repair more obvious manifestations of liver problems that show up on the skin. Dr. Christianson also shares a preview of his new book which is aimed at helping people reset their metabolism by taking better care of their liver. It is all super empowering to realize that we are in control of our body’s functions and health if we stop long enough to understand it. Do you struggle with your metabolism? How aware are you about the current health of your liver? What have you done to help care for your liver? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode: The surprising connection between the liver, metabolism, and chronic skin issues How the liver manages blood sugar in ways many don’t realize Rebalancing liver function to help maintain a healthy weight Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

Some rashes, like candida and eczema, can seem to last forever! You might have tried a dozen different creams, seen specialist after specialist to no avail. Ricki Heller shares today why you should not give up. There is hope. You just need to be persistent! My good friend, Ricki joins me today to tell her story dealing with candida caused skin rashes. Ricki has spent 19 years following an anti-candida diet and now she helps people eat, cook, and live well so they can focus on healing and enjoying their lives. She’s the author of three best-selling cookbooks in addition to writing for a whole bunch of magazines and websites. She’s just amazing at helping people learn to love their food regardless of how restrictive their diet is. Ricki’s shares her own story of changing her diet to overcome her skin rashes. I believe it’s so important to hear Ricki’s story. When the process of ridding herself of her rashes looked bleak, she hung in there and persisted. Now she lives a rash free life. She’ll be back again in a future episode to talk about eating sugar-free by making use of alternative sweeteners. I hope you’ll join us then! Have you had candida related complex? Tell me about what helped or didn’t in the comments!   In this episode: Ricki’s story of finding a treatment for her candida rashes What a candida rash actually looks like Staying positive when a skin condition just won’t go away Lifestyle changes and natural remedies you can use to help you get relief   Quotes: “Candida is just so persistent... So even though I had been feeling good for a while, as soon as I started feeding it all that sugar, and all those processed foods, and refined foods, I think that’s what tipped the scales and boom, my body just said I can’t handle this. It has to come out somewhere.” [6:27] “I truly believe that our bodies are meant to be healthy and want to heal. If you give the body what it needs, it will heal.” [10:24] “As long as things were getting better, no matter how small the improvements, I knew I was moving in the right direction and that eventually, things would clear up.” [11:15]   Links: Get Ricki’s free ebook: Top 10 Quick and Easy Anti-Candida Recipes Find Ricki Online Follow Ricki on Facebook Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

For many women, the decision to stop taking birth control comes with the unintended and generally unforeseen consequence of skin issues like acne and rashes. The truth is, your hormones are taking an unexpected roller-coaster ride and your body is just trying to regain its balance. My friend Dr. Jolene Brighten knows a thing or two about this. She’s a functional medicine and naturopathic medical doctor and the founder of Rubis Health, a clinic specializing in women’s hormones. Recognized as a leading expert in post-birth control syndrome and the long term effects of hormonal contraceptives, Dr. Brighten helps her patients find a healthy balance between conventional and alternative medicine. In this interview, Dr. Brighten and I look at the seldom discussed effect that birth control pills can have on your skin, whether you take them currently or have in the past. As always, talking with Dr. Brighten was so enlightening. She is full of information, that as a woman, I wish I had learned years and years ago.   Have you experienced unexpected effects when you stopped birth control, specifically that may be tied to your skin? Leave a comment!   In this episode: What “post-birth control syndrome” is and what the common symptoms are The effect that birth control can have on your body’s nutrients What happens to your hormones when you go off of birth control Tests you should ask your doctor for if you’re struggling with a hormonal issue after stopping birth control   Quotes: “If you’re on hormonal birth control now and you’re like, this is my jam and I want to stay on it, let's talk about how to keep you safe. And if you’ve already come off you may be experiencing post-birth control syndrome.” [2:47] “Your body has to detox, it has to get things out. But if you’re not getting things out through the channels of elimination, like urine and breathing and pooping, your skin becomes the place where your body pushes that out. It’s not betraying you. It’s trying to keep you super safe!” [5:44] “I advocate that women get a full thyroid panel every single year as part of their yearly exam, sooner if you have symptoms.” [15:22]   Links: Be sure to enter our incredible launch contest to win over $500 of skincare goodies! Get Dr. Brighten’s free post-birth control syndrome diet ebook Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

When topical steroids and other treatments don’t work to clear up eczema, we can get pretty desperate for a solution. If your dermatologist has run out of options, my guest, Dr. Richard Aron, might have what you’ve been looking for. Dr. Richard Aron is a world-renowned dermatologist with a focus in atopic eczema. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, he is the creator of the Aron Regimen. By examining the causes of atopic eczema and the common flaws in conventional treatment, Dr. Aron has developed a totally different approach to treating it. In this episode, Dr. Aron shares his groundbreaking treatment regimen and how he discovered it. Perhaps the most interesting part of it is its simplicity. It involves taking normally available medicines and combining them in such a way that can be used throughout treatment and adapted for patients of all ages. Have you reached a dead end in treating your eczema? Tell me about it in the comments!   In this episode: An explanation of Dr. Aron’s unorthodox approach to diluting medicines when treating eczema Why treating the root cause of eczema is the most important thing you can do The potential synergy of antibiotics and steroids for sustainability treating eczema in patients of all ages   Quotes “I have done something that confounds common sense in the sense that I've taken a steroid that we all use and is widely available, I've taken an antibiotic… and I’ve taken those two active products and put them in a moisturizer.” [4:21] “The skin is almost certainly infected if the condition is chronic. The key thing which will give you the best chance of healing, which may lead to remission, it may give the body the chance to heal from within, is controlling infection.” [17:23]   Links Be sure to enter our incredible launch contest to win over $500 of skincare goodies! Find Dr. Aron online Follow Dr. Aron on Facebook Dr Aron Eczema Treatment Discussion Group Get my list of root cause skin tests!   Check out the full show notes here! Keep up with everything The Healthy Skin Show here! Follow The Healthy Skin Show on Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

Sometimes I have clients who are losing their minds because they can’t figure why they keep getting hives. They’ve had allergy testing but just can’t figure out what to do. These chronic, itchy, bumpy conditions have solutions as my guest today tells us all about. Dr. Kara Fitzgerald is a mentor, a teacher, and a brilliant practitioner. She not only sees patients but also teaches clinicians. With a postdoc in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science, Dr. Kara is the author and editor for case studies in integrative and functional medicine. She’s the co-author of the e-book the Methylation Diet and Lifestyle, she’s on the faculty at the Institute of Functional Medicine and has her own practice in Connecticut. As Dr Kara explains, hives are caused high histamine, which is often the result of an allergic reaction, but not always. We discuss identifying the most common allergies so you can eliminate those. We also examine non-allergic factors of hives, like autoimmune disease, and how to mitigate those. There are steps you can take to counter the histamines that flood your system and cause these uncomfortable reactions. What steps do you take to treat hives? Let me know in the comments!   In this episode What hives are and why it’s so bothersome Common resolutions to hives What mast cell activation is and how it leads to hives What you can do to help lower your histamine load in the face of a hives outbreak Labs to ask your doctor to run if you have chronic hives   Quotes “It’s up to us to figure out two things. One - we want to figure what the triggers are, and two - we want to balance the immune system so we stop having those reactions altogether.” [3:45] “A low histamine diet is probably going to be the best for someone who’s got some gut disturbance.” [8:08] “As soon as you go on a good supplement, a good antihistamine immune balancing supplement protocol and work on your diet, you’ll be able to step away from relying on those medications.” [14:04] “Treating your gut, taking botanical antihistamines, lowering overall inflammation, and changing your diet. If you respond to those, that’s your diagnosis and your cure.” [16:05]   Links Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

If you’ve tried just about every medication under the sun for your persistent skin condition and nothing seems to be working it may be because those medications are not addressing inflammation in the gut. Inflammation is part of just about every chronic skin condition, but it’s often overlooked. My friend Kelsey Kinney is a registered dietician specializing in digestive and hormonal health. Kelsey works with her clients to address all sorts of digestive and hormonal diseases including balancing microbiomes, optimizing motility, regulating the HPA axis, and encouraging a healthy diet and lifestyle. She’s also my go-to person for all things probiotics. It turns out that skin problems are often caused by an overgrowth of bad bacteria or a deficit of good bacteria in your microbiome. When bad bacteria get through to where they don’t belong, our immune systems go on the attack and inflammation results. Looking at the microbiome and understanding what’s happening in there is key to getting to the root of chronic skin conditions. Have you treated a skin condition by balancing your gut’s microbiome? Let us know how it went in the comments!   In this episode What inflammation has to do with ongoing skin problems What “leaky gut” is and how it is the source of many skin conditions The importance of the microbiome and the shortfalls of restrictive diets The role that probiotics can play in managing your microbiome’s health How you can use prebiotics and immunoglobulin to build a healthy gut biome   Quotes “There’s this really delicate balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut. What we’ve seen more and more these days is that there are so many people who have imbalances in their microbiome.” [3:47] “If there’s internal inflammation, which there almost always is, then it’s going to aggravate those skin conditions and cause flare-ups or ongoing issues, and external salves or lotions or even steroid creams are only going to go so far. You have to deal with the root cause of the inflammation.” [7:05] “If you are someone who has noticed that, across the board, you are not really tolerating probiotics, usually that is an indication that there is definitely some microbial imbalance in your gut that needs to be dealt with.” [17:16]   Links Be sure to enter our incredible launch contest to win over $500 of skincare goodies! Find Kelsey Online Follow Kelsey onReady to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com

Many people don’t realize that our skin acts as a barrier to help protect us from the outside world. When that barrier fails, it can lead to a whole host of conditions from, eczema to food allergies. I am so excited to have an expert on the skin barrier, Dr. Peter A. Lio, on this episode to talk about this important topic. Dr. Lio is a Harvard trained integrative dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He’s published over 100 papers in addition to a textbook on integrative dermatology. He specializes in using moisturizers to protect and support the skin and its function as your body’s outer barrier. Today we discuss how skin is the first line of defense for our bodies. It keeps out the elements of the environment that would cause a lot of damage if they made their way in. When there is a breakdown in this barrier there can be a whole host of issues. As Dr. Lio tells us, the proper use of moisturizers can play a big role in maintaining your skin barrier’s functions. Do you use moisturizer to treat chronic skin conditions? Tell me about it in the comments!   In this episode What the skin barrier is and why it is important Filaggrin and its connection to eczema What you can do to protect your skin-barrier if you have a deficiency in filaggrin The connection between leaky skin and food allergies and what the research says about preventing the development of these allergies in the first place What you should keep in mind when looking for a moisturizer The role the skin barrier plays in conditions like psoriasis, rosacea, acne, and seborrheic dermatitis   Quotes “Our skin barrier is really critical to keeping our skin healthy and keeping the immune system and our other allergies in check. It’s our barrier to the outside world.” [2:38] “If you have eczema, you know that you’re deficient [in filaggrin], either genetically or functionally.” [6:44] “Wherever there is inflammation in the skin, the barrier is in trouble.”  [15:01]   Links Be sure to enter our incredible launch contest to win over $500 of skincare goodies! Find Dr. Lio Online Follow Dr. Lio on Twitter Ready to figure out your skin’s root causes so you can finally fix your skin + break free from meds + flare ups?My virtual clinic works with adults worldwide struggling with eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, urticaria, hives, dandruff, perioral dermatitis + more.Trusted by 1000+ clients, we get results WITHOUT restrictive elimination diets.Schedule an assessment call at skinrepaircall.com