Based on conversations I'm having – and my own personal experience – it seems as if tricky skin issues are on the rise. From perioral dermatitis to eczema and unexplained breakouts, a huge number of us are dealing with confusing conditions and no real clue as to why.

While there's no hard and fast rules (everyone is different, after all), my own research plus the expertise of others has caused me to believe that more often than not, some of the underlying triggers are internal, specifically in the context gut health. Our gut is home to our microbiome, a community of bacteria and microorganisms that play an important role in regulating inflammation, immunity and nutrient absorption, all of which influence skin function.

If you are experiencing flare-ups of any kind, it can be worth looking into. To help break it down, I spoke with Carla Oates, a gut health expert and the founder of ingestible brand The Beauty Chef. Carla is a wealth of knowledge – her brand is based on the ethos that glowing skin begins in the gut. She also comes from a place of personal experience – as a kid her own skin issues were resolved through naturopathic rituals and a diet rich in fermented food. Below Carla covers everything – the gut skin axis, foods to eat and to avoid, and the best way to support our gut, thus improving the condition and quality of our skin.

To begin, can you explain the connection between gut health and our skin?

There is a really remarkable connection between your gut and your skin, it's known as a gut-skin axis. Basically it's a bi-directional pathway where the gut and skin literally speak to each other through the microbiome and your immune system. When you have inflammation in the gut or a gut imbalance, it can show up on the skin as dullness, sensitivity or more complex concerns. It all comes down to the fact that the gut regulates every system in the body. 70% of your immune system lies in your gut and it's where we make neurotransmitters that affect our mood and brain. It's where we make nutrients and detoxifying enzymes. It's also where we regulate key hormones that can impact our complexion. The gut really is so important when it comes to general complexion health and wellbeing.

Tell me about your own experience with skin issues as a child – I know you saw a naturopath and that started you on this wellbeing journey. What foundational health principles did it teach you?

I had chronic eczema and allergies as a kid. I'd come home from school and go across the road to the service station and buy litres of milk and red frogs – it did me no favours. My mum took me to the doctor initially and we were given antihistamines and cortisone cream. It definitely calmed my allergies and eczema, but it didn't really get to the root cause. By age 13, it was pretty severe. My mum took me to see a naturopath and she looked at my diet and food intolerances. She removed gluten and dairy. She also introduced whole and fermented foods – things improved dramatically. So from a really young age, I learned the connection between what you consume and your skin health. Food really is medicine.

Really interesting.  So what are some of the common skin issues we see that are, more often than not, connected or linked to our gut health?

Where there's gut inflammation, there's likely to be skin inflammation, and most skin issues are fuelled by inflammation. Generally speaking that includes acne, rosacea, dermatitis, even autoimmune issues like psoriasis and eczema. Premature ageing of the skin, also known as inflammaging, is another one. Inflammation can manifest as dullness, loss of elasticity and loss of collagen.

I've had a lot of issues with dermatitis personally, and it does seem to correlate with times where I'm stressed, run down, not eating correctly and as a byproduct, experiencing gut issues...

There's definitely truth there. I think around 34% of people that have Irritable Bowel Syndrome also show some sort of skin manifestation – there's a real link between gut and skin.

Even when you think about allergic skin issues, often it's food-related, which comes down to gut health and a condition called leaky gut. When you have a leaky gut, you'll often also have leaky skin. Both are awful sounding terms, but what it means is that you lack a robust gut lining – it's loose and therefore toxins and food particles can bypass the gut and get into the bloodstream, causing an immune and inflammatory response. This can have a really negative affect on complexion health.

Tell me about acne specifically, because I think a lot of people are interesting in the connection between oil production, breakouts and gut health...

Acne is predominantly an inflammatory condition. When there's gut inflammation, there'll also be inflammation in the body and skin – in some cases this will manifest as acne. There's a deep connection between your gut microbiome and acne, but more specifically between hormone-related  acne and your microbiome. We know that when you've got a disruption in your gut microbiome, that can cause an increase in insulin resistance that drives up androgen production, which in turn increases sebum production causing congestion. Your microbiome also influences cortisol patterns, and we know an increase in cortisol can contribute to acne.

There's also the matter of estrogen metabolism. A poorly functioning gut can negatively impact the way estrogen is recycled in your body. Basically it causes an increase of the recirculation of estrogen, triggering hormonal imbalances and breakouts.

So what are some key signs or symptoms that we might be experiencing poor gut health or an imbalance?

If you've got a digestive discomfort or an upset tummy, that's a clear indicator you've got gut issues – classic signs such as bloating, gas, constipation and intolerances. But there are other surprising symptoms that can indicate something is off. Often this relates to immunity – frequent colds or infections – as well as skin health (acne, rosacea, dullness, sensitivity or a ruddy complexion). Metabolic problems can be a telltale sign as well: difficulty gaining or loosing weight, low mood, anxiety or trouble sleeping.

The gut is your body's command centre, so symptoms can be far reaching. It all comes down to systemic inflammation – when your microbiome is healthy and robust, it helps to reduce this and extends to all systems in the body.

When it comes to gut and skin health, what sort of whole foods should we look to include more of in our diet?

Fermented foods are incredible because they're naturally rich in probiotics and postbiotics that support gut health; they're also anti-inflammatory immune modulating, which is good for overall wellness. You also want foods that are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants – green tea, vibrant fruits and vegetables, cacao, mushrooms – plus healthy fats and omega threes. Definitely plenty of fiber: leafy greens, legumes, nuts and seeds. Collagen-rich foods are great for your gut and skin as well, things like bone broth. I love to cook meat with the bones in for extra nutrients. On that note, good quality protein is also essential.

What's your go-to breakfast for glowing skin?

I like to mix it up. I sometimes intermittent fast, but I usually focus on something nutrient dense and protein-rich. I love a smoothie, or I'll do eggs with wild caught salmon, spinach, mushrooms and roasted tomatoes. If I want something quick I'll add Glow to yogurt with a paleo-type granola, fresh berries, papaya and lime juice.

What do you put in your smoothie?

Glow Ageless, Body Protein+, Deep Marine Collagen, some healthy fats – depends on the smoothie but usually a nut butter. I might add fruit or yoghurt, too. Delicious and great for my skin.

Your Glow Powder is incredible – I always notice a difference in my skin health when I'm taking it consistently. What's inside that makes it so transformative when it comes to complexion?

Glow is a bio-fermented probiotic super nutrient powder that I developed it 2009. My daughter also had skin issues and allergies, I had been reading a lot about the benefits of fermented foods – I started fermenting at home. During that process I launched Glow Inner Beauty Powder with pre- pro- and postbiotics. Now we're on the third iteration with more evidence-based ingredients, it's truly unique to us. We use Floraculture which is our exclusive fermentation process with 13 different strains of beneficial bacteria and yeasts that we ferment ourselves for six weeks. It's incredible for digestion, immunity and of course skin health, especially for anyone dealing with concerns like dullness, acne or sensitivity.

Finally, what sort of things should we look to minimise if we're focused on nourishing our gut microbiome?

We know that sugar feeds pathogenic bacteria and causes inflammation in the body – high sustained blood sugar levels cause glycation, which damages collagen. I also try to minimise processed foods, refined seed oils, excessive alcohol. But I'm a big believer in moderation. Like, I'm going to have a glass of red wine, I'm going to eat the tiramisu. You have to find balance – it's not about deprivation.

Any final gut health wisdom you can share with us?

Minimising stress is important – I love adaptogenic herbs for this, and walking. After a long day or week walking is like a natural filing system. It's great for ideas and creativity. A swim often helps, too. Also prioritising sleep, movement, eating whole foods. It's quite simple but modern life has a way of making it hard for us to achieve those simple things that are actually very fundamental to human health.

The Beauty Chef Glow

Glow is a cult supplement filled with fermented extracts to support a healthy gut and complexion (because beauty begins in the belly).

The Beauty Chef Glow Ageless

Glow Ageless carries all the same benefits as the original Glow but formulated specifically for those over 50.

The Beauty Chef Gut Primer

If you're just starting from scratch, Gut Primer is a restorative powder to heal and soothe the gut wall lining.

Images: Jamie Heath for RUSSH, @thebeautychef