Boost Skin Collagen & Radiance With These Inflammation-Reducing Tips

Externally, when your skin is exposed to irritations like UV light, polluted air, or adverse chemicals such as the ingredients in some skin care products, your body initiates an inflammatory response and may exhibit symptoms such as redness, swelling, and heat. Internally, inflammation occurs when your body engages the immune system to attack a foreign body—anything from a mosquito bite to an ulcer in the lining of your stomach.

You may be surprised to learn that the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the seat of our immune system, as almost 75 percent of our immune cells live there. Our gut, specifically the small intestine, is home to countless bacteria—both good bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, which protects us from deadly pathogens, as well as harmful bacteria, like yeasts and parasites. According to the National Institutes of Health, up to 70 million people suffer from digestive disorders, but scientists do not know why digestive imbalances are on the rise.

One unifying theory is that these imbalances might be driven by increased permeability of the gut (aka "leaky gut syndrome"), which promotes chronic systemic inflammation throughout the body as our immune system responds to the influx of microorganisms.

Factors that may contribute to increased permeability of the gut include:

American diets: High-sugar foods, processed foods, and carbohydrate-heavy diets trigger the release of cytokines, signaling molecules made by cells that regulate inflammation.

Chemicals: NSAIDS (a category of anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing drugs including aspirin and ibuprofen), pesticides, cosmetic irritants, mercury exposure, and other everyday chemical agents can trigger an inflammatory response in the skin and body.

Stress: Stress triggers the release of cortisol, which mobilizes blood sugar, in turn promoting inflammation.