Rosacea

Photo credit: Dhyamis Kleber

Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory disease that affects the skin on the face and causes it to look blushed, “ruddy”, or even sunburned.

 Symptoms include:

• Redness

• Flushing

• Flaking and dryness

• Bumps and pimples

• Enlarged blood vessels

Rosacea can affect the eyes too and cause:

• Tearing

• Light sensitivity

• Redness

• Blurred vision

While the cause of rosacea is unknown, it may be due to:

• Diet

• A reaction to ongoing inflammation in the body

• Changes in the immune system

• Changes in the gut microbiome

• Low stomach acid and H pylori infection

• Stress

Changes in diet may play a role in addressing rosacea, where some foods and beverages can make it worse, including:

• Hot beverages

  • Coffee

  • Hot tea

• Alcohol

  • Wine

  • Beer

  • Champagne

  • Hard liquor

• Capsaicin (spices and peppers) and other spicy foods

  • Hot sauce

  • Cayenne pepper

  • Red pepper

  • Jalapeno

  • Chili pepper

  • Paprika

  • Mustard

  • Horseradish

  • Ginger

  • Cumin

• Cinnamaldehyde

  • Tomatoes

  • Chocolate

  • Citrus

  • Cinnamon

• Histamine

  • Avocado

  • Aged cheese

  • Cured meats

  • Dried fruit

  • Eggplant

  • Fermented foods

  • Nuts (cashews, peanuts, walnuts)

  • Smoked fish

  • Mackerel

  • Sour cream

  • Vinegar

  • Spinach

• Inflammatory foods

  • Refined sugars and sugary foods

  • White flour

  • Processed vegetable oils

  • Fried foods

  • Processed meats

  • Food additives and preservatives

  • Artificial sweeteners

  • Carbonated drinks and sugary juices

Heath begins in the gut. It’s where 80% of your immune system is located, and people with rosacea tend to have a higher prevalence of gastrointestinal conditions including:

• Celiac disease

• Crohn’s disease

• Ulcerative colitis

• H. pylori infection

• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)

• Candida overgrowth

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Impaired gut health and gastrointestinal conditions can cause systemic inflammation, and impair your immune system (remember, 80% of your immune system is located in your gut).

Supporting a healthy gut microbiome and resolving GI issues can result in improvements in rosacea. General strategies to promote a healthy gut microbiome include:

• Explore your gut health (get tested)

  • Address microbiome imbalances and infections

  • Resolve impaired digestion

• Diet

  • Consume a fiber-rich diet

    • Prebiotics and resistant starch

  • Include probiotics

    • Fermented foods (if not histamine sensitive)

      • Yogurt

      • Sauerkraut

      • Pickled vegetables

      • Kefir

      • Kimchi

    • Supplements

  • Eat an anti-inflammatory diet

Other nutrients that may be beneficial for rosacea include:

• Omega 3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory)

  • Salmon and fish, and fish oils

  • Seaweed and sea vegetables (marine sources)

  • Eggs

  • Walnuts (if not histamine sensitive)

  • Flaxseed

  • Supplements

• Zinc (important for the immune system, acts as an antioxidant, and is anti-inflammatory):

  • Beef

  • Lamb

  • Turkey

  • Pumpkin seeds

  • Lentils

  • Garbanzo beans

  • Quinoa

Stress can make rosacea worse, therefore stress management is an important piece of the puzzle for symptom improvement as well.

Clinical Pearls:

Your skin is your largest organ. It protects your body, makes vitamin D, is important for detoxification, and much more.

Your gut microbiome is your second largest organ, and gut dysfunction can cause skin problems.