The key to calming your cranky skin—for good—is to address what the issue is really stemming from, says Cates. Here, we get to the root of 5 complexion woes that go more than skin deep. Breakouts can start in your gut. Recent research suggests that an imbalance of bacteria in your gut—too many harmful bugs, too few of the healthy kind—leads to a leaky lining in your intestines. That can release toxins into your bloodstream that cause inflammation in your entire body, which shows up in your skin as a minor breakout or all-out cystic acne, Cates says. To curb inflammation, and its side effects, Cates prescribes a food fix: a diet rich in like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi (pickled cabbage). “When we eat these foods rich in live, active bacterial cultures, the good bacteria in our gut flourish,” she says. In fact, one study in the journal showed that those who drank a fermented drink had fewer acne lesions after just 12 weeks. (In fact, simply balancing the bacteria in your gut can help you lose up to 15 pounds in one month. .) fermented foodsNutrition Here’s how MORE: 4 Vitamins You’re Probably Not Getting Enough Of Psoriasis may indicate arthritis. The chronic skin condition that causes plaques (red, itchy scales all over the body) can be associated with arthritis, which is actually just a fancy term for inflammation in your joints, says Keri Peterson, MD, an internal medicine specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. If you have plaques and joint pain, stiffness, or swelling, you could be dealing with psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune disease that affects up to 30% of psoriasis suffers, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. “If you already have psoriasis and suddenly notice joint pain, tell your doctor,” says Peterson. (In 85% of cases, psoriasis shows up long before any achiness.) If you’ve got it, your doc may prescribe oral or injectable steroids, anti-inflammatories, or biologics, injectable drugs such as Humira and Enbrel, which block the immune system from attacking the body. Rosacea can be hormonal. Rosacea (which is more common in women than men, by the way) is typically marked by broken capillaries, facial flushing, and pimples. It can show up well into adulthood, even if you’ve never had it before, thanks to the hormonal changes you go through as you inch toward menopause. “We’ve noticed that later-in-life rosacea tends to show up right around the same time our hormone levels begin to fluctuate—between the ages of 35 and 51,” says Cates. To help regulate hormones, Cates suggests eating foods that promote liver detoxification: cruciferous veggies, onions, garlic, and beets. “When we improve liver detoxification pathways, we can improve hormone metabolism, which then helps balance what might be out of whack.” (This 12-day liver detox can also help you drop 13 pounds in less than 2 weeks.) Stress hormones such as cortisol also play a role in inducing redness. “Stress is a major trigger for those with rosacea,” Cates says. Managing stress with relaxation techniques like meditation, journaling, and yoga can help, she says. Proof? A recent survey from the National Rosacea Society found that two-thirds of rosacea sufferers were able to decrease the frequency of flare-ups simply by minimizing stress. MORE: 9 Questions You Must Ask Your Doctor About Your Cancer Risk Your eczema might be an allergic reaction. Some 30 million people deal with the dry, itchy, rashy patches caused by eczema—and for many, the root cause is an unknown food allergy, says Cates. The connection: “When you encounter an allergen, your body’s immune response is amped up, causing inflammation,” she says. This process leads to the release of histamines (chemical neurotransmitters) throughout body tissues, which can lead to eczema eruptions. If you have eczema, Cates suggests keeping a food dairy to pinpoint sensitivities. “The biggest offenders are dairy, gluten, soy, and peanuts,” she says. “Cow’s milk is probably the most common one.” If you have a hunch certain foods may be a problem but you can’t figure out which, see an allergist for testing. That blistering rash could come from bread. A red, itchy rash will often get you a diagnosis of contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction that occurs when an irritant—a new laundry detergent, a cleaning product—touches your skin. But sometimes those bumps can indicate something more serious: undiagnosed celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which ingesting gluten damages the small intestine, says Peterson. Dermatitis herpetiformis, a stinging, blistering rash that tends to show up on knees, buttocks, elbows, lower back, and scalp, affects 15 to 25% of celiac sufferers—even those with no digestive symptoms. Here’s what’s going on: If you have celiac disease and ingest gluten, your immune system responds by releasing a defensive antibody called immoglobulin A (IgA) into the bloodstream. IgA can pool in blood vessels under the skin, causing a rash. The short-term fix usually includes the sulfur-based antibiotic dapsone to stop the itch, but the only long-term solution is a gluten-free diet—one free of grains such as wheat, barley, rye, and triticale, says Peterson. (.) If you suspect celiac is your issue, make an appointment with a gastroenterologist, who can diagnose the condition through an endoscopy and blood work. These delicious, clean packaged foods are all gluten-free
