Author: Narveen Jandu, Associate Professor (Teaching), Biology and Health, University of Waterloo

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Not only does it act as the first line of defence against external stressors such as environmental toxins, pathogens and pollutants, our skin can also reveal much about our internal health. Research has shown that the gut and skin are constantly communicating through the “gut-skin axis.” This means that itchy, red, bumpy or scaly skin may be associated with something happening in the gut. Intestinal bacteria and skin conditions There is increasing clinical evidence linking changes in the composition of the gut microbiome to the development of various skin diseases.…