Poor metabolic health isn’t always easy to spot. Often, it’s impossible to diagnose without blood work.
But the truth is that our external features ultimately reflect our internal health. If you’re suffering from metabolic syndrome, you’ll probably get a few hints — including the health and wellness of your skin.
The connection between skin health and metabolic health
Skin is the largest organ in the human body, so we shouldn’t be surprised by how in tune it is with our metabolic health.
It’s no secret that changes in our bodies tend to manifest on our skin. I’m sure you remember the woes of puberty acne, and many women will recall changes to their skin during pregnancy.
But studies also show significant correlations between skin and metabolic health. For example:
- Skin tags are directly associated with high blood sugar and insulin resistance.
- Metabolic syndrome has ties to chronic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne vulgaris.
- Skin diseases and inflammatory markers are tied at the hip, which suggests that the more inflammation you carry, the more issues you’ll express through your skin.
If we look closer at the common denominator, we see that high blood sugar sits at the root of metabolic dysfunction and many skin conditions. If the sugar in your blood doesn’t have a place to go, you may start developing rashes, skin tags, and chronic skin conditions.
The key point I want you to take away here is that, when you’re metabolically unhealthy, your skin may tell you before your blood work does.
The good news is that both issues are fixable. With sustainable lifestyle changes, you can reclaim your health in more ways than one.
The fastest way to repair your skin
Your skin can only be as healthy as your metabolic health is. But as we know from decades of research, it is possible to reclaim your skin without medications, cosmetic procedures, or expensive skincare regimens.
This applies whether you’re struggling with a common skincare problem like acne or dealing with a chronic condition such as psoriasis.
It also won’t take long to start seeing results. If you can do these five things for the next two weeks, you’ll feel an almost immediate difference.
Eat whole, real food
I’m referring here to food that grows on the ground or eats things that grow on the ground. Apples, beef, kale, and eggs are some of the most common examples.
One of the easiest ways to restore your metabolic health is to eat (and cook with) food that has just one ingredient. This means avoiding restaurants with dubious ingredients and processed foods that hide a variety of mystery additives.
Of course, just because something has a single ingredient doesn’t always mean it’s good for you. That’s why I also suggest the following:
Avoid inflammatory ingredients
Sugar and seed oil are some of the most common of these. However, ‘near food’ objects such as processed carbs can also affect your metabolic health.
Keep an eye out for known inflammatory ingredients:
- Processed meat (bologna, lunchmeat, etc)
- Baked goods (cakes, cookies, pies)
- Breads, pastas, and cereals
- Fake sugars such as aspartame
Remember: if you can identify the foods that are spiking your blood sugar, you can effortlessly improve your skin at the same time.
But we also need to consider what goes on to our skin. . .
Read your skincare labels
Your skin is a semi-permeable membrane, which means it allows certain substances to pass through to your bloodstream. This also means you need to be extraordinarily careful of the chemicals, makeup, and sunscreen you apply.
We know, for example, that chemical sunscreens can leech water-repelling molecules into the bloodstream. Many concealers, skin lighteners, and anti-aging creams also carry dangerous chemicals that could interfere with your skin and metabolic health.
I recommend checking all skincare products for the Toxic Twelve and similar contaminants. With better metabolic health, you may find you don’t need makeup at all — interestingly, better metabolic health is associated with higher attractiveness overall.
Give up smoking and alcohol
Unhealthy habits are the #1 enemy of both your skin and your metabolic health. Smoking and drinking can both have major effects:
- Smoking has long been known to accelerate aging of the skin, making the skin look drier and more wrinkled.
- Alcohol transforms into sugar in your blood. Unsurprisingly, there are studies linking alcohol consumption to acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and more.
Weaning off both substances will do a world of good for your health.
Just keep in mind recovery requires adequate hydration, which may require more electrolytes as your body heals.
Sleep, sweat, and stress management
As you might expect, sleep, sweat, and stress are inherently related to one another and directly impact your skin and metabolic health.
For example, we know getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night directly correlates to healthier skin. There’s also research to suggest that daily sweating — whether that’s from cardio, strength training, or a visit to the sauna — can help your skin stay clear and moisturized.
Other studies point to the correlation between high levels of stress (or cortisol) and poor skin health. Individuals under high stress are more likely to struggle with skin issues such as wrinkles, acne, psoriasis, and more.
If you’ve struggled with sleep or exercise routines in the past, it probably feels daunting to ‘fix’ your habits. The good news is you don’t need to balance all three at once. You can use bundling strategies to piggyback one routine off another.
For example, studies show getting adequate exercise induces daily sweating and leads to better sleep quality. This means if you focus on increasing daily exercise first, everything else may start falling into place.
Where’s your metabolic health at right now?
Maybe your skin is already showing signs of wear. Maybe you’re wondering if it’s a sign of something deeper.
In any event, I urge you to test, not guess. This may require lab work to get an accurate measurement of your fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol levels.
With your results in hand, you can then get a general idea of where you’re at. You’re welcome to explore my free metabolic health quiz and get a baseline measurement of your metabolic health.
