Our modern food supply is made up of inflammation-causing foods like refined sugars, cheap vegetable oils, and processed carbohydrates.
This toxic brew often causes your gut’s microbiome to become dangerously out of balance. This affects all of your organs – including your body’s biggest one, your skin.
One way to protect your complexion is by getting your gut back on track with a powerful Ayurvedic remedy called triphala.
I first learned of this 6,000-year-old herbal preparation when I was at the AyurMana or “ancient healing house” in Kerala, India. This is the oldest existing school of Ayurvedic medicine in the world.
It was there that I observed how quickly Ayurvedic doctors brought the conversations with their patients around to the gut – even when talking about improving your skin’s appearance.
Ancient healers always understood the importance of the gut. And they’re right. Most medical disorders can be traced back to your gut.
If you don’t keep your gut healthy, you could end up with a condition called Leaky Gut Syndrome. This can cause many chronic diseases – from diabetes and depression to arthritis and cancer.
A sick gut will also show up on your skin in the form of eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and environmental acne.1
Sadly, dermatologists still don’t understand this connection. Let me explain what’s happening.
The lining of your gut is built like a fine net of just a single layer of cells. It’s this barrier that keeps food in your digestive system until they can be broken down safely.
If your gut is healthy, tiny holes in the lining allow nutrients to pass through. That’s how your body absorbs vitamins, minerals, and other vital molecules.
But like I said, the modern world is hostile to your gut. Antibiotics and other prescription drugs wipe out the delicate gut microflora in your small intestine. These are the good guys you need to crowd out the “bad bacteria.”
And worse, our diet of processed starches, sugars, and food additives, like emulsifiers, feed bad bacteria and break down the integrity of these tiny intestinal holes.
When you have a leaky gut, these tiny holes become bigger.
Food molecules, yeast, bacteria, toxins, and invading germs now flow into your bloodstream and damage your body.
Your body treats all these toxins like foreign invaders. So, it launches an all-out assault that causes an overwhelming inflammation response in your skin.
Ayurvedic doctors know how to treat a leaky gut, as well as the skin disorders and breakouts that stem from it. They use triphala.
Its name comes from two Sanskrit words that literally mean three fruits. Triphala is made by blending the dried and powdered rinds and flesh of amalaki (or Indian gooseberry), haritaki (from the terminalia tree) and bibhitaki (from the baheda tree).
This combination forms a powerful gastric healer and acts as a gentle, safe, and highly effective whole-body purifier and detoxifier. Studies confirm triphala can repair the large intestinal holes caused by Leaky Gut Syndrome. It tightens and rebalances your gut wall. That’s key to protecting you from further intestinal attacks.2
Triphala is also packed with antioxidants like gallic, ellagic, and chebulinic acids, as well as flavonoids and polyphenols with potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. And it’s full of skin-restoring vitamin C.3
I recommend having a soothing cup of triphala tea. It’s easy to make. Simply combine a teaspoon of triphala powder with 1 cup of boiled water and add honey to taste.
Ayurvedic Face Mask Purifies Skin
Triphala can also be used as a detoxifying and purifying facial mask. Used topically, it works as a powerful exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and open pores. And because it’s high in antioxidants and vitamin C, it helps to clear away acne and rejuvenate skin at the cellular level.
 |
- 1 tsp triphala powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- Combine ingredients until creamy smooth.
- Rinse with warm water.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1. Muizzuddin N, et al. “Physiological effect of a probiotic on skin.” Journal of Cosmetic Science November 2012 63(6):385-95
2. Nariya M, Shukla V, et al. “Comparison of enteroprotective efficacy of triphala formulations (Indian Herbal Drug) on methotrexate-induced small intestinal damage in rats.” Phytother Res. 2009 Aug.
3. Scartezzini P, Antognoni F, et al. “Vitamin C content and antioxidant activity of the fruit and of the Ayurvedic preparation of Emblica officinalis Gaertn.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2006.