Elimination Effect

Beauty From The Inside Out

By Shelley Burns

Originally published in ASCP's Skin Deep, November/December 2008.

Do you often wonder why a skin blemish has not resolved or why acne outbreaks continue in spite of countless therapies? If so, you may need to dig a bit deeper and look inside—inside your body, that is. Good digestive health and the health of your colon can mean healthy skin.

The question is, how?

Both the colon and skin are responsible for absorbing and releasing chemicals, water, and other metabolic products. The colon is the largest internal organ in the body. Its function is specifically to absorb food, nutrients, and water.

One function of skin is to help the body breathe. It inhales and exhales similar to how the lungs work. Inhalation and exhalation by the skin allows it to open pores and perspire. So, sweating is a good thing.

When the colon is unable to get rid of waste produced from food (after having absorbed water and nutrients), a toxic buildup occurs. This inability to remove colon waste is known to most of us as constipation.

To be graphic about it for a moment, the medical definition of constipation refers to passage of small amounts of hard, dry bowel movements, usually fewer than three times weekly. A better definition would be the inability to have one or more soft, well-formed bowel movements daily.

When the colon becomes toxic and constipation results, skin becomes toxic in trying to perform the elimination function. The result may be skin eruptions in the form of acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Prevention

You and your clients can avoid some of this trouble with these tips.
*Consider removing certain foods from your diet—especially dairy. An allergy to milk and other dairy products can cause severe acne.
*Drink at least 64–80 ounces of water every day as it lubricates the colon and helps with regularity.
*Refrain from dehydrating beverages like alcohol, coffee, and soda as they can cause constipation.
*Strive for a daily bowel movement—try 1–3 teaspoons of ground flax seeds added to your breakfast.

This is one case where beautiful skin starts from the inside out. Adopting these practices will not only improve colon and skin health, but will promote your overall health as well.