Yogurt Facial? Probiotics Are Really Good For Your Skin Too

By now you know that probiotics are good for your gut, but did you know that they’re good for your skin too?
While most people are aware of the benefits of ingesting probiotics, they might be less well versed on the topical benefits. There’s a growing body of research showing that putting probiotics directly on our skin can be a good thing, for example, researchers have shown a link between probiotic use and clearer skin in patients with acne.
For people working on skin health, the potential of probiotics is exciting. “The American Academy of Dermatoloy has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation,” Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa told Yahoo News.
While the development of topical probiotics is just starting, many people already swear by the benefits of the DIY yogurt facial. Yogurt masks have been shown to have clinical benefits like improving moisture and elasticity of the skin, and while putting yogurt on your face might sound like the new thing to do, it has much older roots. In India, for example, brides-to-be apply a yogurt and turmeric mask before their wedding day. With its lactic acid, which helps smooth rough, dry skin, yogurt has been a popular at home body treatment even before people were talking about probiotics.

As we become conscious of the power of probiotics, it’s no surprise that the benefits are not only reserved to our gut.
“We have good and bad bacteria on our skin, just as we do in our gut,” says Ellen Marmur, MD, an associate professor of dermatology and genetics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City told Prevention. “If the balance is off-kilter, it can result in acne or rosacea.”
Of course brands are hopping on board to make probiotic-powered beauty products, […]

You Can Eat Before Bed! Health Rules You Can Break

Dr. Roshini Raj joins TODAY to discuss some new research that takes a new look at long-standing health rules, including the belief that eating a big meal before bed is bad for you.

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6 Unusual Uses For Natural Probiotics

Natural probiotics are popping up everywhere. Here are 6 unusual places you might find them.

Okay, so we’re all familiar with the importance of natural probiotics for gut health (those Activia commercials make indigestion look so fun, don’t they?) – and word has it they’re also being used in a number of wild and wacky (but apparently effective) ways. Let’s explore them, shall we?
Here are 6 unusual uses for natural probiotics:
1. Cleaning your home
The idea behind natural probiotics in household cleaners is that our cleaning products tend to temporarily sterilize the area you’ve cleaned, but there’s nothing to prevent the pathogenic bacteria from sprouting up again. By using cleaning supplies that contain probiotics, you’re essentially giving your home a shot of “good” bacteria to protect it from the “bad.”
2. Healing cuts and scrapes
Natural probiotics may also come in handy for minor injuries, like small cuts and scrapes, to keep them infection-free and reduce inflammation.
3. Maintaining oral health
Bad breath is usually caused by a build-up of icky bacteria in your mouth, so it adds up that adding natural probiotics to your oral health routine – like probiotic-spiked mouthwash or toothpaste – could help stave off a case of the nasties. There’s even a case built on the potential benefits ofprobiotic chewing gum. For real.
4. Fighting nasal congestion
Also coming to a medicine cabinet near you: Natural probiotics may help treat sinus congestion and other sinus issues. One study found that a probiotic supplement helped decrease “bad” bacteria in nasal passages, while another found it helped to reduce hay fever symptoms.
5. Improving skin
“Probiotics” has become a big buzz word in the beauty biz (try saying thatfive times fast!), and using them topically has become known as the new frontier. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one […]

Living Well with Colitis or Crohn’s

Why Do I Need Extra Cancer Screenings?

Having more colonoscopies isn’t fun, but it can save your life.
 

When it comes to screening tests, colonoscopies rank right up there on the list of everyone’s least favorite. For most people, this test to look for colorectal cancer is just a once-every-10-years annoyance. But if you’ve had inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease — for a long time, you’ll need to have the test done every year or two.

The fact is, if you’ve had IBD for more than 8 years, you need more frequent colonoscopies because you’re at a higher risk of developing colon cancer, says gastroenterologist Roshini Raj, MD, assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center. “And because colon cancer is treatable when caught early, screening and looking out for warning symptoms are very important,” she says.

Why Is Your Risk Higher?
The reason having IBD for a long time puts you at greater risk for colorectal cancer has to do with inflammation. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation in the lining of your colon (large intestine). Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation in any part of your digestive tract, including the colon. Over time, that chronic inflammation can make it more likely that you’ll develop colon cancer. And the more of your colon that has chronic inflammation, the higher your risk.

Dr. Raj says colon cancer has become less common in the IBD population in recent years, but the reason for the decline is unknown. “It may be due to more screening, better IBD treatments and more effective colonoscopy techniques,” she says. “But since we don’t know how much each of these is contributing to the decrease, the screening recommendations haven’t changed.”

Why Screening Matters
As a […]

Feel Great, Look Better, Save Time

Dr. Roshini Raj joined Working Mother Radio to share her tips on balance, healthy living and gorgeous skin and to talk about why she incorporated probiotics into her skin care line TULA.

 

To listen to the entire interview, click HERE

Are Probiotics the Next Big Thing in Skincare?

You probably think of probiotics as that mysterious stuff in yogurt that keeps Jamie Lee Curtis regular. However, yogurt doesn’t just help you poop – it can also improve your skin.
According to Yahoo! Beauty, the live cultures found in yogurt just might be the next big thing in skincare. Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa explained that probiotics are yeast or bacteria that benefit the body by restoring the balance of bacteria. They create an army of good bacteria that make it hard for bad bacteria to do as much damage to the body. When ingested, “probiotics can reduce gut inflammation, restore the lining of your intestine, and aid with autoimmune diseases and I.B.S.”
Now the dermatology world is starting to realize that the bacteria that are good for your insides are also good for your outsides. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation.”
 

 

You can simply apply yogurt to your skin, or you can look for the growing number of skincare products that contain probiotics. You could even try popping open a probiotic capsule and mixing it with your face cream.

Rajapaksa recommends using Activia yogurt or GoodBelly, which is a dairy-free option. It’s important to use the plain unsweetened varieties. If you can’t find either brand, just look for plain unsweetened yogurt that says that it contains active cultures.

Yogurt is also good for your skin because it contains lactic acid, a natural exfoliant that will leave your skin nice and smooth. The sour dairy product might also improve acne and skin discoloration.

You can mix yogurt with various other kitchen ingredients to address specific skin needs. Try blending […]

The Topical Benefits of Probiotics

Doctors, yogurt commercials, and even estheticians have long preached the benefits of adding probiotics to your diet, but did you know they can also be used topically? Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Raj, who’s created her own line of probiotic creams, discusses how they work, inside and out.

What are probiotics?
“Probiotics are beneficial bacteria or yeast—organisms that offer [multiple] benefits to the human body,” says Dr. Raj. She goes on to explain that a bacteria imbalance can result in disease or inflammation, and probiotics help maintain a balance. In forms like yogurt, Kefir, and supplements, probiotics can reduce gut inflammation, restore the lining of your intestine, and aid with autoimmune diseases and I.B.S. But some studies have noted that ingesting probiotics also reduced skin redness, irritation, and inflammation. Topical application is the new frontier. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation,” Dr. Raj says. “You may also see a reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increased elasticity.”
So can I just put yogurt on my face?
Yep. Though applying probiotics to your face may seem like a new trend, it’s not. “In India for many years they’ve been doing ceremony day before the wedding where the bride and groom apply yogurt and turmeric to the skin to give a healthy glow,” says Dr. Raj. “Yogurt has naturally occurring probiotics, that’s why it’s beneficial when used as a topical mask.” To use yogurt yourself, look for products that contain live and active cultures. She recommends Activia and GoodBelly, a dairy-free option that comes in yogurt shots and juice. You can find it at Whole Foods, Safeway, and natural […]

What Is Your Biological Age?

Dr. Roshini Raj of Health magazine looks the diet and daily habits of the TODAY anchors to help them determine their biological ages.

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4 Easy Treatments for Puffy Skin, Acne, Dark Spots

Fix your your problem areas with at-home, easy- to-find ingredients to make nourishing DIY skin treatments. Dr. Roshini Raj joins the JUICE to share some of her favorite beauty nutrients your skin needs and talk about her new skincare line TULA.

Watch the segment here: Veria Living

A Surprising New Cure for Acne, Eczema, Rosacea, and More

Anyone who’s picked up a magazine or visited a health food store recently should know that probiotics—a certain type of “good” bacteria—can aid your digestive health. But lest you dismiss these little microorganisms as just another vaguely-beneficial health supplement, know this: they’re actually quite the overachievers. And unlike your high school class president, you’ll actually want to hear about all that they can do—especially if you suffer from acne, eczema, or rosacea.

We spoke with Dr. Roshini Raj— gastroenterologist, doctor of internal medicine, and founder of the probiotic-based skincare line, TULA —and asked her to school us on all the skin benefits of probiotics (including why we should consider smearing it on our faces).

Bacteria Vs. Your Skin

First things first—let’s establish the fact that bacteria already exists on your skin. If that was a bombshell, we apologize. Here’s the good news: most of the bacterial cells that live inside and on your body are harmless, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. In fact, some studies show that they can even be beneficial. But as any acne or rosacea-sufferer knows, it’s not all sunshine and roses—sometimes, your body may think living microorganisms are a potential threat, and spring into action to counter it, resulting in inflammation, redness, bumpiness, and more. This is where probiotics come in.

Topical Probiotics: Protect

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, topical probiotics work via “bacterial interference”—they literally interfere with the ability of bad bacteria to provoke an immune reaction, by preventing your skin cells from seeing them in the first place.

Topical Probiotics: Calm

“Recent research suggests that when applied topically, probiotics secrete anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory substances that help with conditions like acne, eczema and rosacea,” Dr. Raj says. “By calming inflammation, probiotics are also effective in targeting wrinkles and preventing premature aging.” […]