SKIN HEALTH & NUTRITION

The body has a way of telling you when things are not working right in your body. Whether it is a change of mood, an increase in weight or something changing on your skin – you should look out for these signs, so that you are able to resolve any issues before they become a problem.

Changes in your skin

For instance, a rash, dryness, hair loss or discolouration – are signs of nutrient deficiencies in the body. As you look and feel your skin every day, here are some changes to look out for that might imply your body is deficient:

• Paleness: an unhealthy pale colour to your skin may be a sign of an iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 or folate deficiency. Skin may become pale when you are anaemic or when your circulation is not working effectively. If you do look pale, it is advisable to test for nutritional deficiencies which will give you a good overview of any nutrient shortcomings. A professional nutritionist can advise on which test to take.
  
• Impaired wound healing: if you have found that you are bruising frequently or when you have a wound or sore it has taken longer to heal than you would expect, you may be deficient in vitamin C and zinc. A simple test for zinc deficiency is a taste test. Again, seek advice from an expert for information on getting tested.
  
• Dermatitis: dermatitis includes dry, itchy and reddening skin which can be a sign of zinc, niacin and essential fatty acid (such as omega 3s) deficiency. You can isolate a niacin deficiency, as the skin normally reacts to sunlight causing red lesions – this can be especially evident when someone has their chest exposed on a sunny day and a necklace shape rash occurs.
  
• Nail discolouration and brittleness: your nails give a lot away. White marks or lines on the nails is the sign of a zinc deficiency. A brown-grey colour, as well as vertical grooves and spoon shapes to your fingernail may be a sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency. And brittle nails may indicate an iron deficiency. Testing for a substance called methylmalonic acid and/or homocysteine in the blood, is useful to understand whether you have a functional vitamin B12 deficiency, rather than just testing the serum alone. Enlarged red blood cells on a routine full blood count test, is also a sign of a vitamin B12 deficiency.
  
• Hair loss: hair loss can present as thinning hair or in patches known as alopecia areata. Many nutrients are important for healthy hair, but deficiencies in the B vitamins, especially biotin and niacin, vitamin A, zinc and iron all contribute to hair loss. As hair loss is complex and can be caused by many different factors, a good starting point is to test for nutritional deficiencies and then determine the root cause of such deficiencies.

There are many other signs that your skin gives you that things may not be going as swimmingly as you might think, so look out for these. For example, blocked hair follicles, dark skin patches and changes in your eyes such as dryness, impaired night vision and photophobia are also worth checking.

When skin issues do arise, don’t fret! Be thankful to your body for giving you a sign that something isn’t right. You can then take action to make sure things don’t get worse, so the issue can be resolved in a preventative and straightforward way.

If you have skin issues and would like to explore the underlying cause of your condition so you can start to take a personalised approach to healing, please get in contact with the Autoimmunity Nutritionist clinic. The clinic offers a free 20-minute health discovery call to kick of the process to get you back to health.