Your Skin Doesn't Work in a Vacuum
Our skin is a body system unto itself, it’s called the Integumentary System.
It works with the other systems of the body to keep all that we are healthy.
One of the main systems that works with the skin is our digestive system, namely our microbiome or gut flora.
Our gut flora is made up of trillions of bacteria (so many they outnumber our cells), both good and bad, that play a direct role in skin health.
Gut flora breaks down nutrients from the foods we consume, these nutrients help skin protect and repair itself.
If your flora isn’t breaking down foods properly and your gut isn’t absorbing these nutrients your skin (all body systems actually) isn’t being nourished, almost every nutrient we eat supports the skin in either a positive or negative way.
Impaired gut flora (too many bad bacteria, not enough good), as it effects the skin, can lead to acne, eczema and loss of collagen and elastin.
The lymphatic system filters the blood by removing toxins. It contains white blood cells to defend the body against infection. If it is not functioning properly the build-up of toxins can cause illness and the visible signs of aging.
The cardiovascular system includes the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries and circulates blood through the body. Blood brings nourishment and oxygen to the organs, including our skin and carries toxins and waste products to the liver and kidneys to be eliminated.
When your cheeks get flushed during exercise, this is your cardiovascular system hard at work bringing circulation, along with nourishment, to your skin.
The excretory system eliminates solid, liquid and gaseous waste products from the body. Sweat glands are a type of excretory gland. By sweating we eliminate toxins that can cause acne and aging.
The nervous system sends and receives signals from the brain. The skin contains sensory receptors that send signals to the brain regarding touch, pain, cold, heat and pressure.
Your endocrine system, of which the skin is a part of releases hormones into your bloodstream. The skin also releases hormones.
The respiratory system works with the circulatory system to provide oxygen and to remove the waste products of metabolism. Respiration is the sequence of events that result in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the body cells. Oxygen is essential to the health and maintenance of all living cells, including skin cells.
The integumentary system (your skin) covers and acts as a shield for your skeletal system. It is the barrier between the external environment and what we show the world.
By keeping your skin nourished, healthy and supported it can keep all the other systems of the body healthy as well.