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Dirty Looks: The Secret to Beautiful Skin
Internationally renowned dermatologist and research scientist Dr. Whitney Bowe presents, for the first time, the connection between a healthy gut and radiant, clear skin, with a 21-day program to maximize skin health and beauty.
Every year, nearly 80 million Americans will consult their doctors about their skin. In fact, skin disorders beat out anxiety, depression, back pain, and diabetes as the number one reason Americans see their doctors. Unfortunately, however, the vast majority will receive only a surface-level treatment, leaving the underlying conditions at the root of their skin issues unresolved. Skin doesn't lie; it reflects overall health in unimaginable ways.
In The Beauty of Dirty Skin, internationally renowned dermatologist and scientist Dr. Whitney Bowe shows readers that skin health is much more than skin deep. As a pioneering researcher on the cutting edge of the gut-brain-skin axis, she explains how the spectrum of skin disorders -- from stubborn acne and rosacea to psoriasis, eczema, and premature wrinkling -- are manifestations of irregularities rooted in the gut. Lasers, scalpels, creams, and prescription pads alone will not guarantee the consistently healthy, glowing skin we all seek. Instead, Dr. Bowe focuses on the microbiome -- where trillions of microbes "speak" to your skin via the brain -- and highlights the connection between sleep, stress, diet, gastrointestinal health, and the health of your skin.
With simple explanations of the science, do-it-yourself practical skincare strategies, and a life-changing 21-day program, The Beauty of Dirty Skin is your roadmap to great skin from the inside out and the outside in.
Every year, nearly 80 million Americans will consult their doctors about their skin. In fact, skin disorders beat out anxiety, depression, back pain, and diabetes as the number one reason Americans see their doctors. Unfortunately, however, the vast majority will receive only a surface-level treatment, leaving the underlying conditions at the root of their skin issues unresolved. Skin doesn't lie; it reflects overall health in unimaginable ways.
In The Beauty of Dirty Skin, internationally renowned dermatologist and scientist Dr. Whitney Bowe shows readers that skin health is much more than skin deep. As a pioneering researcher on the cutting edge of the gut-brain-skin axis, she explains how the spectrum of skin disorders -- from stubborn acne and rosacea to psoriasis, eczema, and premature wrinkling -- are manifestations of irregularities rooted in the gut. Lasers, scalpels, creams, and prescription pads alone will not guarantee the consistently healthy, glowing skin we all seek. Instead, Dr. Bowe focuses on the microbiome -- where trillions of microbes "speak" to your skin via the brain -- and highlights the connection between sleep, stress, diet, gastrointestinal health, and the health of your skin.
With simple explanations of the science, do-it-yourself practical skincare strategies, and a life-changing 21-day program, The Beauty of Dirty Skin is your roadmap to great skin from the inside out and the outside in.
288 pages, Paperback
Published June 13, 2019
223 people are currently reading
1665 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 12, 2018
Throughout the book, the author refers to Chapter 10, where she will give you the concrete plan to follow. That was a bit of a disappointment when I finally got there since there wasn’t all that much detail. Her science seems solid. Here’s the short version: avoid sugar and processed foods, take probiotics, meditate, get enough sleep, don’t use antibacterial soap, don’t take unnecessary antibiotics. I’m probably sounding overly critical of the book because I do intend to try some of her suggestions. I’m just not sure if any of this is as groundbreaking as I imagined, considering how many TV appearances the author has made lately.
December 17, 2018
For anyone not familiar with how poor gut-health can cause skin problems, this is a clearly-written introduction by a leading dermatologist. I like that the author educates readers about the microbiome under the guise of a beauty book. Dr. Bowe illustrates with anecdotes and references, how it's possible to fix common skin problems by fixing your microbiome. Part diet book, part skincare guide, this book will have wide appeal. For those interested in a slightly different angle on the same topic, a good companion read would be Beyond Soap, by dermatologist Sandy Skotnicki.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-review copy of this book.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the e-review copy of this book.
December 29, 2018
The Beauty of Dirty Skin: Surprising Science of Looking and Feeling Radiant from the Inside Out looked like a promising read for anyone wanting to improve their skin. Dr. Whitney Bowe seemed to be ahead of slow western medicine - instead of treating everything with drugs, you can change your lifestyle and treat the cause instead of the symptom! However, that wasn't the case. Bowe still is happy if you're using drugs, including f**king antibiotics. Disappointing.
Since I've already done in depth research on the gut-brain-skin axis and probiotics, the science was still complementary but I wanted to know how she was going to apply it to lifestyle.
The science in this book about the human microbiome and its connection to skin seemed accurate and interesting. However, there were a lot of flaws in this book that gave a major hit to its rating.
So, the bad things...
Order of topics. This book gives you a lot of science (as promised), but only gives you the lifestyle changes/recommendations much later on. I was getting bored of the science (albeit, it is interesting, but I got the book more to hear her recommendations) and wanted her to get to the juicy part.
Lack of probiotics suggestions. I was excited to hear what strains she recommends and why, and a good product suggestion list. Instead, I had to wait until around page 200 to see the strains and she gave ZERO product recommendations. She kept saying "visit my website! visit my website! Do you want this info? GO TO MY WEBSITE!!!" and I was like "was this designed to be a book, or a redirect to her website?" Another disappointment here...
Vitamins.
Wrong, wrong, wrong... GTFO of the nutritional recommendations if you don't have the proper knowledge.
VITAMIN D
"Should you get tested for a Vitamin D deficiency/ As of now, the jury s still out as to whether healthy people should get screened. USPSTF says evidence is insufficient to assess the risks versus the benefits of screening in people who have no symptoms of a true deficiency, including muscle weakness and bone pain... . So even though Vitamin D testing is widely available, we don't have enough data showing that screening people who don't have symptoms or risk factors does any good!" (188).
ZINC
"Zinc (10-30mg daily)" WTF? Women are supposed to get 8mg daily. Men are supposed to get 11mg daily. Why tf would you take 30mg ON TOP OF the zinc you get in your diet??!?!?!?!??! Too much zinc can lead to high blood pressure, digestive problems and other complications (as I know personally, from others & from research). 10mg is more likely to be safe. And if you're already getting a good amount of zinc from your diet, it really can cause complications.
COPPER
She recommends possibly taking some as a supplement. I tracked what I ate for 3 months with a nutritional profile and found 99% of the time I was getting 100-200% DV of copper. I don't get why most people would need to take a supplement here... (I know, anecdotal evidence, but copper deficiency is super rare unless you're messing with your zinc).
This:
Probiotics don't replace drugs. Just try taking some with your drugs. -Dr. Whitney Bowe
Antibiotics = 👍. To be fair, Dr. Bowe does acknowledge the risk of antibiotics. But instead of denouncing them (especially considering there are other, better drugs out there for majority of skin problems), she still is fine with people using them and probably prescribes them too. WHY TF would you be okay with wasting antibiotics on people with skin conditions like acne that can be cured with SO MANY OTHER treatments??!! There are drugs, topical creams, and natural methods. I just don't understand. Antibiotics are so unnecessary here and it's not even like they have a 100% success rate and are super amazing at treating issues. Any person using antibiotics for an unnecessary reason is contributing to our bacteria-resistant-to-antibiotics problem.
Ummm
Early in the book she says, "don't worry, your diet won't be too restrictive and hard and missing desserts! My plan is soo great and you get the best diet and not too many restrictions!" And then...
EVICT:
"All forms of processed and refined carbohydrates, sugars, and packaged foods (chips, crackers, rice cakes, cookies, pastries, muffins, donuts, sugary snacks, candy, most commercial energy and protein bars, jams, jellies, preserves, ketchup, other condiments with sugar, processed cheese spreads, fruit and vegetable juices, dried fruit, sports drinks, commercial bread and English muffins, soft drinks and soda, fried foods, refined sugar (white and brown), corn syrup."
Also: dairy milk/ice cream, processed fats and vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners
REPLACE WITH
Protein: meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat oh and also legumes. maybe.
Real sweeteners: unrefined brown and white sugar, maple syrup, honey, stevia...
I was expecting no sugar, but okay then... I don't know if I agree with that recommendation.
She says you're allowed one serving of carbs a day. HA that's not hard at all.
Recipes aren't inclusive???
90% of her recipes are meat-reliant and at least 40% of them use stevia, sugar or maple syrup or some sweetener. I basically had to ignore that section. I think she gave one vegan salad option and that's it. Stupid.
idiot
"Also note: there's a lot of unnecessary fear surrounding chemicals in products and whether or not organic is the way to go. Just because something is organic doesn't mean that it's safe. Remember: anthrax and poison ivy are natural and organic!" (229).
FACEPALM x1000.
>> *Correction: There's a lot of NECESSARY fear surrounding chemicals in products. Toxins in cosmetics are DISEASE-CAUSING, awful for the environment, and can come from animals/be tested on animals who were tortured/in horrible situations. If you haven't bothered to do the research on these toxins, don't spread misinformation about there being no harm when you have no idea what you're talking about. | Anthrax and poison ivy are "organic", but they aren't "certified organic" as in no synthetic pesticides, etc. Natural means literally nothing on cosmetic labels, so don't know what your point is there. A product made with cancer-causing toxins like toluene and parabens could be called "natural" by its producer. Of course being organic doesn't mean it's safe - but the chances of it being safe are slightly more if the manufacturer cares about making its product organic.
Good to know:
EMULSIFIERS
"Emuslifiers act as blending agents in food products that contain otherwise unmixable ingredients (like oil and water), as well as being a preservative. They include carrageenan, soy lecithin, polysorbate 80, polyglycerols, locust bean gum, guar gum, and xanthan gum. They are "gut disrupters"." (p. 60)
Recommended strains:
Lactobacillus plantarum, acidophilus, rhamnosus, paracasei
Bifidobacterium breve, bifidum
Bacillus coagulans
Section on importance of exercise and sleep was good. None of that was news to me but the reinforcement was fine.
Overall, I probably would recommend this book to people. However, there is a bit of misinformation and you should be prepared that it takes a long time to actually get to the recommendations. If you care about the science, this book is for you. If you care about the application, this book isn't as much of a winner.
Since I've already done in depth research on the gut-brain-skin axis and probiotics, the science was still complementary but I wanted to know how she was going to apply it to lifestyle.
The science in this book about the human microbiome and its connection to skin seemed accurate and interesting. However, there were a lot of flaws in this book that gave a major hit to its rating.
So, the bad things...
Order of topics. This book gives you a lot of science (as promised), but only gives you the lifestyle changes/recommendations much later on. I was getting bored of the science (albeit, it is interesting, but I got the book more to hear her recommendations) and wanted her to get to the juicy part.
Lack of probiotics suggestions. I was excited to hear what strains she recommends and why, and a good product suggestion list. Instead, I had to wait until around page 200 to see the strains and she gave ZERO product recommendations. She kept saying "visit my website! visit my website! Do you want this info? GO TO MY WEBSITE!!!" and I was like "was this designed to be a book, or a redirect to her website?" Another disappointment here...
Vitamins.
Wrong, wrong, wrong... GTFO of the nutritional recommendations if you don't have the proper knowledge.
VITAMIN D
"Should you get tested for a Vitamin D deficiency/ As of now, the jury s still out as to whether healthy people should get screened. USPSTF says evidence is insufficient to assess the risks versus the benefits of screening in people who have no symptoms of a true deficiency, including muscle weakness and bone pain... . So even though Vitamin D testing is widely available, we don't have enough data showing that screening people who don't have symptoms or risk factors does any good!" (188).
ZINC
"Zinc (10-30mg daily)" WTF? Women are supposed to get 8mg daily. Men are supposed to get 11mg daily. Why tf would you take 30mg ON TOP OF the zinc you get in your diet??!?!?!?!??! Too much zinc can lead to high blood pressure, digestive problems and other complications (as I know personally, from others & from research). 10mg is more likely to be safe. And if you're already getting a good amount of zinc from your diet, it really can cause complications.
COPPER
She recommends possibly taking some as a supplement. I tracked what I ate for 3 months with a nutritional profile and found 99% of the time I was getting 100-200% DV of copper. I don't get why most people would need to take a supplement here... (I know, anecdotal evidence, but copper deficiency is super rare unless you're messing with your zinc).
This:
Probiotics don't replace drugs. Just try taking some with your drugs. -Dr. Whitney Bowe
Antibiotics = 👍. To be fair, Dr. Bowe does acknowledge the risk of antibiotics. But instead of denouncing them (especially considering there are other, better drugs out there for majority of skin problems), she still is fine with people using them and probably prescribes them too. WHY TF would you be okay with wasting antibiotics on people with skin conditions like acne that can be cured with SO MANY OTHER treatments??!! There are drugs, topical creams, and natural methods. I just don't understand. Antibiotics are so unnecessary here and it's not even like they have a 100% success rate and are super amazing at treating issues. Any person using antibiotics for an unnecessary reason is contributing to our bacteria-resistant-to-antibiotics problem.
Ummm
Early in the book she says, "don't worry, your diet won't be too restrictive and hard and missing desserts! My plan is soo great and you get the best diet and not too many restrictions!" And then...
EVICT:
"All forms of processed and refined carbohydrates, sugars, and packaged foods (chips, crackers, rice cakes, cookies, pastries, muffins, donuts, sugary snacks, candy, most commercial energy and protein bars, jams, jellies, preserves, ketchup, other condiments with sugar, processed cheese spreads, fruit and vegetable juices, dried fruit, sports drinks, commercial bread and English muffins, soft drinks and soda, fried foods, refined sugar (white and brown), corn syrup."
Also: dairy milk/ice cream, processed fats and vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners
REPLACE WITH
Protein: meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat oh and also legumes. maybe.
Real sweeteners: unrefined brown and white sugar, maple syrup, honey, stevia...
I was expecting no sugar, but okay then... I don't know if I agree with that recommendation.
She says you're allowed one serving of carbs a day. HA that's not hard at all.
Recipes aren't inclusive???
90% of her recipes are meat-reliant and at least 40% of them use stevia, sugar or maple syrup or some sweetener. I basically had to ignore that section. I think she gave one vegan salad option and that's it. Stupid.
idiot
"Also note: there's a lot of unnecessary fear surrounding chemicals in products and whether or not organic is the way to go. Just because something is organic doesn't mean that it's safe. Remember: anthrax and poison ivy are natural and organic!" (229).
FACEPALM x1000.
>> *Correction: There's a lot of NECESSARY fear surrounding chemicals in products. Toxins in cosmetics are DISEASE-CAUSING, awful for the environment, and can come from animals/be tested on animals who were tortured/in horrible situations. If you haven't bothered to do the research on these toxins, don't spread misinformation about there being no harm when you have no idea what you're talking about. | Anthrax and poison ivy are "organic", but they aren't "certified organic" as in no synthetic pesticides, etc. Natural means literally nothing on cosmetic labels, so don't know what your point is there. A product made with cancer-causing toxins like toluene and parabens could be called "natural" by its producer. Of course being organic doesn't mean it's safe - but the chances of it being safe are slightly more if the manufacturer cares about making its product organic.
Good to know:
EMULSIFIERS
"Emuslifiers act as blending agents in food products that contain otherwise unmixable ingredients (like oil and water), as well as being a preservative. They include carrageenan, soy lecithin, polysorbate 80, polyglycerols, locust bean gum, guar gum, and xanthan gum. They are "gut disrupters"." (p. 60)
Recommended strains:
Lactobacillus plantarum, acidophilus, rhamnosus, paracasei
Bifidobacterium breve, bifidum
Bacillus coagulans
Section on importance of exercise and sleep was good. None of that was news to me but the reinforcement was fine.
Overall, I probably would recommend this book to people. However, there is a bit of misinformation and you should be prepared that it takes a long time to actually get to the recommendations. If you care about the science, this book is for you. If you care about the application, this book isn't as much of a winner.
January 22, 2019
I was familiar with a lot of the concepts in this book already, as someone who has struggled with acne, autoimmune issues, the fallout from an out of whack balance of the proper bacteria in my body, and so on. So much is down to what we eat and how we maintain beneficial bacterial cultures, I want to throttle every doctor and article who told me for years (many still do) that what you eat does not impact your skin or how your body functions. It does!
This book is a bit too “shiny” in some ways (I can’t read “Bowe Glow” without an eyeroll) but gives a good overview of the basics and a lot of helpful advice to get started. I developed a lot of this on my own from previous food journaling, etc, but I would recommend this to anyone interested to learn more. Some of the recipes will be no good to vegans/vegetarians but you can take the concepts and make your own plans.
This book is a bit too “shiny” in some ways (I can’t read “Bowe Glow” without an eyeroll) but gives a good overview of the basics and a lot of helpful advice to get started. I developed a lot of this on my own from previous food journaling, etc, but I would recommend this to anyone interested to learn more. Some of the recipes will be no good to vegans/vegetarians but you can take the concepts and make your own plans.
October 26, 2018
Wonderful resource for anyone struggling with acne. Talks a lot about the importance of our skin’s microbiome and probiotics in supplement and topical form. I was looking for more specific needs-based advice and suggested products. She often instructs the reader to go to her website for products, but her website lists very few products and I think many of them are sponsors. I would rather know what products she ACTUALLY PRESCRIBES her patients. The first half of the book is very, very useful especially for someone who is beginning to learn about the way diet and lifestyle can impact acne as much as skincare. She really gets into the science behind our skin, guts, and brains and how that’s all connected.
April 25, 2018
I didn't really expect to learn as much as I did from this book. It explains the importance of good nutrition for your skin's appearance, as well as other important factors such as exercise, sleep, sun exposure and stress. The author explains in depth the science behind skin damage and aging, and offers solutions to combating the problems. She explains exactly what foods to eliminate from your diet and suggests which foods to incorporate for glowing results. In the back of the book, there is a suggested meal plan, exercise plan and skincare ritual with some recipes included. All in all, a comprehensive book on unveiling your best skin and your overall health by changing your diet, lifestyle and skincare products. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy of this book.
August 7, 2020
I thought reading a book by a dermatologist who advocated "dirty" skin seemed right up my alley. Dude, I was wrong, I mean I'm glad that Bowe is basically full normal of good advice as far as eating veggies and not using harsh chemicals, I have no arguments with the content per say, it's just the delivery and assumptions that underlie everything. I mean obviously we are all just like the very rich and famous people she treats every day, or we wish we were, as obsessed with looking bright and glowing and (I assume) white and blonde, and she is the bright and flawless fairy godmother of wisdom who will help us perfect our glowing skin through the simple and easy steps (basically the same advice we get in every article and book that exists, eat more veg less sugar) she outlines in chipper shallow over-simplistic platitudes. I just couldn't with her whole thing.
January 22, 2018
I received this book as an Advanced Reader's copy through edelweiss and I was very excited to read this book. I love books that focus on not only improving yourself physically but be healthy as well. Everyone wants great skin that has a healthy glow but, with all these benefits comes hard work and Dr. Whitney Bowe MD does a wonderful job explaining the regiments to take to achieve that healthy glowing skin. Also, what intrigued me was the role of stomach health that is needed to achieve healthy looking skin and the effective role that probiotics have for stomach and skin health. This book is also filled with helpful tips on what probiotics, cleansers and exfoliators to get as well as some delicious recipes with healthy ingredients to help with your skin as well. 5 stars!
October 19, 2018
A strange combination of great science mixed with non evidence based claims of the benefits of organic food. Feels more like a sales pitch as a result of the lack of commitment to science vs popular myth. But it did get me to start taking a probiotic.
June 8, 2018
Not a lot of new info. I learned maybe a thing or two but if you pay attention and are into health & wellness, this book does not have a lot of new info.
February 19, 2022
У книги еще есть подзаголовок «Безупречно ровная, красивая и увлажненная» и эти маркетинговые штучки меня бесят.
Книга замечательного издательства «Бомбора», у них много классных книг. Автор Уитни Боу — американский дерматолог, колумнистка Вога и эксперт популярных американских же телепередач. В оригинале в названии книги речь идет не о неидеальной, а о грязной коже, потому что Боу форсит в своем личном бренде тему микробиоты. Выступает против чрезмерного употребления антисептиков и антибиотиков, с чем я с ней согласен. В этой книге она рассказывает о том, как сделать свою кожу красивой и здоровой. В целом, там нет никаких откровений, однако.
Некоторые ругают книгу за то, что в ней прописные истины. Другие за то, что американские лекарства, витамины или даже экзотические продукты у нас трудно достать, но все это неважно. Сейчас я напишу суть в трех предложениях и по идее книгу можно не читать?
— Питайтесь правильно: кисломолочка, рыба, волокна;
— Следите за своим телом: фитнес, сон, медитация, крема против УФ;
— Пейте витамины и делайте маски: A, B, D, E, цинк, медь + маски по рецепту.
Вот и весь секрет.
Что же заставило меня осилить 300 стр? Умение писательницы убедить меня в том, что это работает и надо попробовать. Не знаю как она это делает, но я замечал, что прочитал уже половину книги, а там примерно такое: и вот в 3 главе я расскажу вам как сделать вашу кожу по-настоящему здоровой. То есть, я уже много прочитал, а все еще не знаю, что же именно мне делать? Я вижу как читаю об одном и том же, но с другими доводами или даже синонимами, слова она какой-то бизнес-коуч, который внушает мне, что схема точно работает и не делает это скучно или откровенно с водой. Медленно, но верно, не засыпая на ходу, я продвигаюсь через тернии иногда банальных вещей (восполняйте микрофлору после антибиотиков).
Примерно половина книги о том, что нам предстоит и как это работает и вторая половина что же делать-то? Если свести к сути, то ведите здоровый образ жизни и все будет хорошо.
Если вы прочитаете эту заметку и узнаете суть книги, вам это не сильно поможет, потому что вы и без меня же знали, что надо мазаться кремом от загара или что полезные фрукты полезны? Но для того и нужно прочитать книгу, чтобы самому пройти через этот путь, переваривая прочитанное, повторяя сказанное и убеждая себя в том, что надо попробовать, больно уже она настаивает на том, что это работает.
Я тоже решил попробовать изменить свое меню, потому что я то, что я ем, да? К тому же, это сделать проще, чем найти время для фитнеса и сна, ха!) Поглядим, что получится.
Мой хитрый план по меню заключается в том, чтобы не страдать. Еда стала больше похожа на вегетарианскую, но без фанатизма. Можно есть строго вареное филе курицы, а можно ее слегка (!) обжарить на гриле. Такое уже можно есть, но при этом это далеко не бургеры или шашлык. Наверное, это полностью все не излечит, но точно станет лучше, чем было.
Для меня главная ценность книги в том, что она убеждает вас попробовать. Попробуйте и вы.
Книга замечательного издательства «Бомбора», у них много классных книг. Автор Уитни Боу — американский дерматолог, колумнистка Вога и эксперт популярных американских же телепередач. В оригинале в названии книги речь идет не о неидеальной, а о грязной коже, потому что Боу форсит в своем личном бренде тему микробиоты. Выступает против чрезмерного употребления антисептиков и антибиотиков, с чем я с ней согласен. В этой книге она рассказывает о том, как сделать свою кожу красивой и здоровой. В целом, там нет никаких откровений, однако.
Некоторые ругают книгу за то, что в ней прописные истины. Другие за то, что американские лекарства, витамины или даже экзотические продукты у нас трудно достать, но все это неважно. Сейчас я напишу суть в трех предложениях и по идее книгу можно не читать?
— Питайтесь правильно: кисломолочка, рыба, волокна;
— Следите за своим телом: фитнес, сон, медитация, крема против УФ;
— Пейте витамины и делайте маски: A, B, D, E, цинк, медь + маски по рецепту.
Вот и весь секрет.
Что же заставило меня осилить 300 стр? Умение писательницы убедить меня в том, что это работает и надо попробовать. Не знаю как она это делает, но я замечал, что прочитал уже половину книги, а там примерно такое: и вот в 3 главе я расскажу вам как сделать вашу кожу по-настоящему здоровой. То есть, я уже много прочитал, а все еще не знаю, что же именно мне делать? Я вижу как читаю об одном и том же, но с другими доводами или даже синонимами, слова она какой-то бизнес-коуч, который внушает мне, что схема точно работает и не делает это скучно или откровенно с водой. Медленно, но верно, не засыпая на ходу, я продвигаюсь через тернии иногда банальных вещей (восполняйте микрофлору после антибиотиков).
Примерно половина книги о том, что нам предстоит и как это работает и вторая половина что же делать-то? Если свести к сути, то ведите здоровый образ жизни и все будет хорошо.
Если вы прочитаете эту заметку и узнаете суть книги, вам это не сильно поможет, потому что вы и без меня же знали, что надо мазаться кремом от загара или что полезные фрукты полезны? Но для того и нужно прочитать книгу, чтобы самому пройти через этот путь, переваривая прочитанное, повторяя сказанное и убеждая себя в том, что надо попробовать, больно уже она настаивает на том, что это работает.
Я тоже решил попробовать изменить свое меню, потому что я то, что я ем, да? К тому же, это сделать проще, чем найти время для фитнеса и сна, ха!) Поглядим, что получится.
Мой хитрый план по меню заключается в том, чтобы не страдать. Еда стала больше похожа на вегетарианскую, но без фанатизма. Можно есть строго вареное филе курицы, а можно ее слегка (!) обжарить на гриле. Такое уже можно есть, но при этом это далеко не бургеры или шашлык. Наверное, это полностью все не излечит, но точно станет лучше, чем было.
Для меня главная ценность книги в том, что она убеждает вас попробовать. Попробуйте и вы.
June 13, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this giveaway and learned a lot about probiotics and their effects on the body, most of all what foods are probiotic or prebiotic in nature to add to my daily diet. The gut -skin relationship was very interesting and I will use this book regularly as a guide to keep my immunities in check. Thank you for this knowledge Dr. Bowe.
June 23, 2018
Very informative! I will definitely be changing my diet ASAP!
August 22, 2022
All of a sudden I’m on a heath journey it all starts today
April 17, 2021
I’m sure this wasn’t intentional on the author’s part, but some of the language / phrasing may be triggering for readers with a history of eating disorders
However, I did enjoy the explanation of the gut-health linkages
However, I did enjoy the explanation of the gut-health linkages
March 16, 2022
“The Beauty of Dirty Skin”
I picked up this book because I am a man in my mid-30’s who still struggles with acne breakouts (although it was much worse in my teens than it is today) and I was looking for a scientific-based approach that would help shed some light on this decades-long affliction of mine. I listened to the audio version of this book and it was narrated really well. I also liked hearing about the implications of the microbiome to skin health, an emerging body of study that is gaining traction as bacteria-analyzing technologies improve. (For those interested in furthering their understanding of the hidden world of bacteria, I would highly recommend the book “I Contain Multitudes” by Ed Yong.) This book was extremely comprehensive, explaining the biology underlying your skin and all parts that work with it, namely the gut-brain-skin axis. The author knew her stuff to be sure. It was really refreshing to hear an MD FINALLY admit that diet and nutrition plays an integral role in total health, including skin health. I also appreciated her bemoaning the almost ubiquitous usage of antibiotics to remedy everything from acne to a cut on the skin (hyperbole). As I understand it, antibiotics can be really helpful in very specific situations and really destructive in most other cases. I felt that by and large her health and nutrition advice was sound. I appreciated her emphasis on the benefits of dietary fiber, omega 3’s, managing stress-levels, sleep, and exercise, and her de-emphasis on consuming processed and artificial foods, including sweeteners, although I felt it could have been more restrictive (more on that in the dislikes section below). (Just for a point of reference, I have gone through many popular diets including Paleo, Keto, Vegetarian, and have at last arrived at a Whole-Food Plant-Based diet, which prioritizes fiber and nutrient density over everything else. I’ve actually seen the most significant improvements in my skin health under this regimen and the kicker is that I don’t need to use any skin products at all - I just need to eat good, healthy food.)
Some dislikes I had with the book are as follows. First, this book is geared toward women to be sure, but all can benefit from it really. Second, as other reviewers have mentioned, it reads like a textbook. The reader is inundated with the minutiae of microbiology at times. I actually started skipping entire sections. A minor dislike was that she kept calling bacteria in the body “bugs”. Not only is this gross to think about (unless you’re an entomologist) but it’s a highly inaccurate label. Speaking of inaccurate labels, I have no idea how the title of the book relates to its contents. No where does the author emphasize that dirty skin is the key to beauty/beautiful skin. I understand that marketing considerations should be made for book titles, but I think they should be accurate in some way to the book’s contents, but maybe that’s just me. On nutrition: despite acknowledging that sweeteners like sugar can spike insulin levels and inflame your skin, she recommends not cutting out sugar out of the diet, and even recommends other sweeteners (stevia, xylitol) that can spike insulin levels as well. Another dietary disconnect for me was on dairy: it has been a perpetual source of acne for me throughout my life, milk and cheese especially, yet the author promotes consuming cheeses anyway.
This last dislike is really a complaint on the medical industry as a whole but the author definitely falls into this category with her probiotic supplement recommendations. In my experience, doctors suffer from a ‘Reductionist’ mindset. They love to narrow down a disease or illness or affliction to one or two things and then recommend that you should counteract it with a drug or supplement. Read any whole-food plant-based book (“How Not to Die” by Michael Greger, MD, or “The Pleasure Trap” by Douglas J Lisle, PhD, and Alan Goldhamer, MD, are two that come to mind) to understand this mindset further. This Reductionist mindset has three major flaws: 1) it assumes that something should be added to one’s body to provide a remedy instead of eliminating one or more culprits that might be causing it (e.g. a high-sugar diet, eating fast food five days a week, drinking eight Diet Cokes per day, only getting three hours of sleep per night, etc.) 2) it assumes that what’s added will actually be beneficial and efficacious in the body, nevermind any potential side effects. For instance, the Supplement Industry’s primary goal is to take your money. Read about supplement efficacy and you’ll find that some supplements provide no benefit whatsoever in the body. In my opinion, supplements essentially boil down to a placebo effect with anecdotal efficacy. I don’t doubt bacteria that promote one’s intestinal flora can have some benefit, but can you get it in pill form? In my opinion, no you can’t, and whoever says otherwise just wants your money, this author included. 3) It blatantly and sometimes maliciously ignores the patient’s current level of health and nutrition, or lack thereof. Improving nutrition habits seems like a no brainer to me and adding a serving of salad or black beans into a weekly meal plan will, in my opinion, vastly out-perform any pill addition.
All in all, I enjoyed learning about the insights of the skin from a scientific and microbiome perspective but I knew I would have reservations in other areas, chiefly among them flawed nutrition advice and supplement promotion. It’s important to remember that even MD’s can’t prescribe a single solution that will work for everyone. It’s important to keep an open mind and try different things to figure out what works best for you and if you achieve better skin in the process then that’s all that really matters.
I picked up this book because I am a man in my mid-30’s who still struggles with acne breakouts (although it was much worse in my teens than it is today) and I was looking for a scientific-based approach that would help shed some light on this decades-long affliction of mine. I listened to the audio version of this book and it was narrated really well. I also liked hearing about the implications of the microbiome to skin health, an emerging body of study that is gaining traction as bacteria-analyzing technologies improve. (For those interested in furthering their understanding of the hidden world of bacteria, I would highly recommend the book “I Contain Multitudes” by Ed Yong.) This book was extremely comprehensive, explaining the biology underlying your skin and all parts that work with it, namely the gut-brain-skin axis. The author knew her stuff to be sure. It was really refreshing to hear an MD FINALLY admit that diet and nutrition plays an integral role in total health, including skin health. I also appreciated her bemoaning the almost ubiquitous usage of antibiotics to remedy everything from acne to a cut on the skin (hyperbole). As I understand it, antibiotics can be really helpful in very specific situations and really destructive in most other cases. I felt that by and large her health and nutrition advice was sound. I appreciated her emphasis on the benefits of dietary fiber, omega 3’s, managing stress-levels, sleep, and exercise, and her de-emphasis on consuming processed and artificial foods, including sweeteners, although I felt it could have been more restrictive (more on that in the dislikes section below). (Just for a point of reference, I have gone through many popular diets including Paleo, Keto, Vegetarian, and have at last arrived at a Whole-Food Plant-Based diet, which prioritizes fiber and nutrient density over everything else. I’ve actually seen the most significant improvements in my skin health under this regimen and the kicker is that I don’t need to use any skin products at all - I just need to eat good, healthy food.)
Some dislikes I had with the book are as follows. First, this book is geared toward women to be sure, but all can benefit from it really. Second, as other reviewers have mentioned, it reads like a textbook. The reader is inundated with the minutiae of microbiology at times. I actually started skipping entire sections. A minor dislike was that she kept calling bacteria in the body “bugs”. Not only is this gross to think about (unless you’re an entomologist) but it’s a highly inaccurate label. Speaking of inaccurate labels, I have no idea how the title of the book relates to its contents. No where does the author emphasize that dirty skin is the key to beauty/beautiful skin. I understand that marketing considerations should be made for book titles, but I think they should be accurate in some way to the book’s contents, but maybe that’s just me. On nutrition: despite acknowledging that sweeteners like sugar can spike insulin levels and inflame your skin, she recommends not cutting out sugar out of the diet, and even recommends other sweeteners (stevia, xylitol) that can spike insulin levels as well. Another dietary disconnect for me was on dairy: it has been a perpetual source of acne for me throughout my life, milk and cheese especially, yet the author promotes consuming cheeses anyway.
This last dislike is really a complaint on the medical industry as a whole but the author definitely falls into this category with her probiotic supplement recommendations. In my experience, doctors suffer from a ‘Reductionist’ mindset. They love to narrow down a disease or illness or affliction to one or two things and then recommend that you should counteract it with a drug or supplement. Read any whole-food plant-based book (“How Not to Die” by Michael Greger, MD, or “The Pleasure Trap” by Douglas J Lisle, PhD, and Alan Goldhamer, MD, are two that come to mind) to understand this mindset further. This Reductionist mindset has three major flaws: 1) it assumes that something should be added to one’s body to provide a remedy instead of eliminating one or more culprits that might be causing it (e.g. a high-sugar diet, eating fast food five days a week, drinking eight Diet Cokes per day, only getting three hours of sleep per night, etc.) 2) it assumes that what’s added will actually be beneficial and efficacious in the body, nevermind any potential side effects. For instance, the Supplement Industry’s primary goal is to take your money. Read about supplement efficacy and you’ll find that some supplements provide no benefit whatsoever in the body. In my opinion, supplements essentially boil down to a placebo effect with anecdotal efficacy. I don’t doubt bacteria that promote one’s intestinal flora can have some benefit, but can you get it in pill form? In my opinion, no you can’t, and whoever says otherwise just wants your money, this author included. 3) It blatantly and sometimes maliciously ignores the patient’s current level of health and nutrition, or lack thereof. Improving nutrition habits seems like a no brainer to me and adding a serving of salad or black beans into a weekly meal plan will, in my opinion, vastly out-perform any pill addition.
All in all, I enjoyed learning about the insights of the skin from a scientific and microbiome perspective but I knew I would have reservations in other areas, chiefly among them flawed nutrition advice and supplement promotion. It’s important to remember that even MD’s can’t prescribe a single solution that will work for everyone. It’s important to keep an open mind and try different things to figure out what works best for you and if you achieve better skin in the process then that’s all that really matters.
January 2, 2023
This book does a good job of explaining how good affects your skin inside and out. I follow most of her rules already (fruits and veggies, no sugar). I had no idea how important probiotics were for your skin as well as your body.
May 30, 2019
Dobre, merytoryczne i ciekawe poradniki mogą być impulsem do zmian w życiu. Do tej pory przeczytałam kilka takich publikacji, które sprawiły, że zaczęłam coś zmieniać, spojrzałam na coś z innej perspektywy czy nauczyłam się innego podejścia do wielu spraw. „Ukryte źródło piękna” dr Whitney Bowe bez dwóch zdań zalicza się do tej grupy.
BAKTERIE A ZDROWA SKÓRA
Sięgając po książkę dr Bowe miałam pewne oczekiwania, ale i obawy czy nie będzie to odrealniona publikacja o gloryfikacji medycyny estetycznej. Nic takiego na szczęście nie miało miejsca. Autorka jako doświadczony dermatolog podchodzi do tematu holistycznie.
Zaczyna od jelit – prawdziwego królestwa bakterii, które są odpowiedzialne za zdrowie naszego organizmu, także skóry. Udowadnia jak wielki wpływ ma mikrobiom na zdrowie i cerę przytaczając wiele naukowych badań. Tłumaczy, w którą stronę zmierzają badania w kosmetyce i medycynie. Wszystko to odnosi do cywilizacyjnego momentu w którym obecnie jesteśmy. Opowiada o nieocenionym wpływie probiotyków i prebiotyków na nasz organizm i jak to wszystko jest zmyślnie ze sobą połączone, a co za tym idzie gra i buczy, jeśli się o to dba! Dr Bowe obala pielęgnacyjne mity jednocześnie nie pozostawiając pytań bez odpowiedzi. Sporo miejsca poświęca również diecie, ćwiczeniom oraz pielęgnacji ducha (nie jest to jednak wyssane z palca filozofowanie). Uczy jak zachować balans proponując pewne proste i bardzo intuicyjne rozwiązania.
STRUKTURA KSIĄŻKI
Książka podzielona jest na trzy części. Pierwsza z nich jest w dużej mierze teoretyczna, momentami bardzo naukowa. Druga to prawdziwy praktyczny poradnik. Co, jak, kiedy i dlaczego. Trzecia natomiast to już konkretny plan działania na kilka tygodni. W książce znajduje się również rozdział z przepisami na domowe kosmetyki oraz służące skórze potrawy. Na ostatnich stronach znajdziemy przydatny indeks oraz pokaźną bibliografię. Książka ma ponad 250 stron – jak na poradnik to całkiem sporo. Trudno przyswoić ogrom informacji w jeden czy dwa dni. Dlatego polecam czytanie na raty, bo treści jest na prawdę dużo. Każdy rozdział porusza inną sferę życia i warto go przyswoić w swoim tempie. Wiem jak kuszące jest przeczytanie wszystkiego w jeden dzień i najlepiej przystąpić do działania od razu. Niestety często kończy się to słomianym zapałem. Powoli, a do celu – taka moja rada.
Jedyne czego zabrakło mi w tej publikacji to infografiki, albo grafiki jakiekolwiek, wykresy itp. Uwielbiam przedstawianie treści w ten sposób – o wiele łatwiej zapamiętuję wiedzę jeśli jest ona atrakcyjnie i graficznie przedstawiona. Na szczęście co trudniejsze kwestie autorka objaśnia dodatkowo w ramkach, a to co ważne i kluczowe jest wyszczególnione pogrubionym fontem.
WARTOŚĆ
„Ukryte źródło piękna” zaskoczyła mnie ogromem fachowej wiedzy i praktycznymi wskazówkami. Dodatkowo to całościowe podejście sprawia, ze wszystko jest uporządkowane. Nie ma informacyjnego bałaganu. Jest za to bardzo lekko i miejscami bardzo zabawnie. Autorka nie stroni od błyskotliwego humoru podczas treściwych lekcji biologii i chemii. Nie martwcie się jednak, bo ja jako kompletna ignorantka w tych dziedzinach wszystko zrozumiałam w lot.
PODSUMOWANIE
W trzech słowach to by było tak: dobra, merytoryczna, pomocna. Książka Whitney Bowe to prawdziwa poradnikowa perełka – także kobiety jeśli zależy Wam na nieprzytłaczającej pielęgnacji skóry to bierzecie i czytajcie. Treści jest sporo, ale nie jest ona odrealniona i faktycznie otwiera oczy i pomaga zrozumieć wiele zachodzących w nas procesów. Rozwiązania, które proponuje są bardzo przyziemne, nie wymagają ogromnych nakładów pieniężnych czy kilku godzin dziennie na realizację „pielęgnacyjnego planu”.
Przeczytaj jeśli: masz problemy ze skórą, nie potrafisz sobie poradzić z różnymi skórnymi dolegliwościami, chcesz zapobiec przedwczesnemu starzeniu się skóry.
BAKTERIE A ZDROWA SKÓRA
Sięgając po książkę dr Bowe miałam pewne oczekiwania, ale i obawy czy nie będzie to odrealniona publikacja o gloryfikacji medycyny estetycznej. Nic takiego na szczęście nie miało miejsca. Autorka jako doświadczony dermatolog podchodzi do tematu holistycznie.
Zaczyna od jelit – prawdziwego królestwa bakterii, które są odpowiedzialne za zdrowie naszego organizmu, także skóry. Udowadnia jak wielki wpływ ma mikrobiom na zdrowie i cerę przytaczając wiele naukowych badań. Tłumaczy, w którą stronę zmierzają badania w kosmetyce i medycynie. Wszystko to odnosi do cywilizacyjnego momentu w którym obecnie jesteśmy. Opowiada o nieocenionym wpływie probiotyków i prebiotyków na nasz organizm i jak to wszystko jest zmyślnie ze sobą połączone, a co za tym idzie gra i buczy, jeśli się o to dba! Dr Bowe obala pielęgnacyjne mity jednocześnie nie pozostawiając pytań bez odpowiedzi. Sporo miejsca poświęca również diecie, ćwiczeniom oraz pielęgnacji ducha (nie jest to jednak wyssane z palca filozofowanie). Uczy jak zachować balans proponując pewne proste i bardzo intuicyjne rozwiązania.
STRUKTURA KSIĄŻKI
Książka podzielona jest na trzy części. Pierwsza z nich jest w dużej mierze teoretyczna, momentami bardzo naukowa. Druga to prawdziwy praktyczny poradnik. Co, jak, kiedy i dlaczego. Trzecia natomiast to już konkretny plan działania na kilka tygodni. W książce znajduje się również rozdział z przepisami na domowe kosmetyki oraz służące skórze potrawy. Na ostatnich stronach znajdziemy przydatny indeks oraz pokaźną bibliografię. Książka ma ponad 250 stron – jak na poradnik to całkiem sporo. Trudno przyswoić ogrom informacji w jeden czy dwa dni. Dlatego polecam czytanie na raty, bo treści jest na prawdę dużo. Każdy rozdział porusza inną sferę życia i warto go przyswoić w swoim tempie. Wiem jak kuszące jest przeczytanie wszystkiego w jeden dzień i najlepiej przystąpić do działania od razu. Niestety często kończy się to słomianym zapałem. Powoli, a do celu – taka moja rada.
Jedyne czego zabrakło mi w tej publikacji to infografiki, albo grafiki jakiekolwiek, wykresy itp. Uwielbiam przedstawianie treści w ten sposób – o wiele łatwiej zapamiętuję wiedzę jeśli jest ona atrakcyjnie i graficznie przedstawiona. Na szczęście co trudniejsze kwestie autorka objaśnia dodatkowo w ramkach, a to co ważne i kluczowe jest wyszczególnione pogrubionym fontem.
WARTOŚĆ
„Ukryte źródło piękna” zaskoczyła mnie ogromem fachowej wiedzy i praktycznymi wskazówkami. Dodatkowo to całościowe podejście sprawia, ze wszystko jest uporządkowane. Nie ma informacyjnego bałaganu. Jest za to bardzo lekko i miejscami bardzo zabawnie. Autorka nie stroni od błyskotliwego humoru podczas treściwych lekcji biologii i chemii. Nie martwcie się jednak, bo ja jako kompletna ignorantka w tych dziedzinach wszystko zrozumiałam w lot.
PODSUMOWANIE
W trzech słowach to by było tak: dobra, merytoryczna, pomocna. Książka Whitney Bowe to prawdziwa poradnikowa perełka – także kobiety jeśli zależy Wam na nieprzytłaczającej pielęgnacji skóry to bierzecie i czytajcie. Treści jest sporo, ale nie jest ona odrealniona i faktycznie otwiera oczy i pomaga zrozumieć wiele zachodzących w nas procesów. Rozwiązania, które proponuje są bardzo przyziemne, nie wymagają ogromnych nakładów pieniężnych czy kilku godzin dziennie na realizację „pielęgnacyjnego planu”.
Przeczytaj jeśli: masz problemy ze skórą, nie potrafisz sobie poradzić z różnymi skórnymi dolegliwościami, chcesz zapobiec przedwczesnemu starzeniu się skóry.
June 18, 2019
This is the kind of book that would really appeal to someone who has paid a lot of attention to skin care over the years. It is written by an expert in the field and deals with cutting-edge research on what the skin really needs. Hint: It is not, as I was taught growing up, all about using a cleanser, toner and moisturiser to prevent pimples.
There is a lot of really scientific content in the book which I found rather hard going. Even so, the main message got through loud and clear. As the author explains, healthy skin has a lot to do with the micro-organisms living on the surface of the skin and in the gut, and far from trying to sterilise everything and kill off bacteria, we should be nurturing the good bacteria and feeding them in order to let them do their job of protecting us against the environment.
The style of writing is fluent and easy-going, and the audio version of the book is well read by the author. I feel that I learnt something valuable from reading the book and it certainly motivated me to pay more attention to the health of my skin.
There is a lot of really scientific content in the book which I found rather hard going. Even so, the main message got through loud and clear. As the author explains, healthy skin has a lot to do with the micro-organisms living on the surface of the skin and in the gut, and far from trying to sterilise everything and kill off bacteria, we should be nurturing the good bacteria and feeding them in order to let them do their job of protecting us against the environment.
The style of writing is fluent and easy-going, and the audio version of the book is well read by the author. I feel that I learnt something valuable from reading the book and it certainly motivated me to pay more attention to the health of my skin.
November 9, 2018
The science of skin was interesting to learn – it is the largest organ of the body and much of how you take care of yourself is reflected there. It has its own microbiome that needs attention and care just like the gut biome. She explains the importance of good nutrition, protection from the sun, sleep, exercise, and the science behind skin damage and aging. There is much important and useful information in the book.
Disappointing was that all through this discussion she kept referring to Chapter 10 where she will give her plan for skin care and recommend products, which I highly anticipated, but chapter 10 was a big disappointment. Likewise, she kept saying this information is on her website in more detail but I found little helpful information there – only a very few products that she endorses and no plan.
Nevertheless, the info in the book was definitely useful and worthwhile.
Disappointing was that all through this discussion she kept referring to Chapter 10 where she will give her plan for skin care and recommend products, which I highly anticipated, but chapter 10 was a big disappointment. Likewise, she kept saying this information is on her website in more detail but I found little helpful information there – only a very few products that she endorses and no plan.
Nevertheless, the info in the book was definitely useful and worthwhile.
April 10, 2018
The Beauty of Dirty Skin: The Surprising Science of Looking and Feeling Radiant from the Inside Out by Whitney Bowe is an insightful read that focuses on a healthy lifestyle both inside and out can improve your skin and overall health. Everyone wants healthy glowing skin and Dr. Whitney Bowe shares with you the truth that what you put in your body shows on your skin. A book that is full of self-help and useful tips and tricks to help you achieve glowing skin from within. Bowe shares personal stories, recipes, and easy at home remedies that are sure to improve your skin and health. I was drawn in from the title but each page held my attention with all the insights and information that really proves a healthy lifestyle both inside and out can improve your overall skin and health. I highly recommend this remarkable read!
July 15, 2025
As someone passionate about skin health and holistic wellness, I found The Beauty of Dirty Skin to be incredibly insightful. Dr. Whitney Bowe breaks down the connection between the gut, skin, and brain in a way that’s both scientific and easy to understand. Her approach to treating skin from the inside out is a refreshing alternative to the typical product-heavy routines.
This book reinforces so much of what we practice at Manhas Health — that true beauty and confidence come from taking care of your body as a whole. From lifestyle changes to non-invasive aesthetic treatments, the message here is clear: healing and radiance start within.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in skincare, wellness, and long-term solutions over quick fixes.
This book reinforces so much of what we practice at Manhas Health — that true beauty and confidence come from taking care of your body as a whole. From lifestyle changes to non-invasive aesthetic treatments, the message here is clear: healing and radiance start within.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in skincare, wellness, and long-term solutions over quick fixes.
September 1, 2018
This book goes to the heart of the gut (and its connection with brain and skin), a working immune system and nutrition and personal habits. Good one. A keeper.
Bowe does retell her clients experiences, but she is not plugging any specific product, lifestyle, vitamin wonder, or exercise regimen. She's telling it the way the skin is and what it needs and why the interior matters more than what you put over it. And once the interior is fixed, the 'glow' will be there for all to see. I think everyone should have a cold hard look at the questions (titled 'What are your risk factors?') on pages 45-46, that run the gamut of symptoms in body, your biological / medical diagnosis and blood tests, living conditions and eating habits, and even 'were you born by C-section' (!) to get a comprehensive answer to what is going on inside.
Not a fan of her food or mask recipes though.
Things to remember:
Strains shown to help with acne and roacea:
Lactobacillus plantarum
Enterococcus faecalis SL-5
Streptococcus salivarius
Lactococcus sp. HY449
Lactobacillus paracasei
Strains shown to help with sensitive and dry skin:
Streptococcus thermophilus
Bfidobacterium longum
Strains that may slow premature aging:
Bacillus coagulans
Lactobacilli strains (e.g. L.plantarum)
Streptococcus thermophilus
Top recommendations in probiotic strains:
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus paracasei
Bfidobacterium bifidum
Bfidobacterium breve
Bacillus coagulans
Bowe does retell her clients experiences, but she is not plugging any specific product, lifestyle, vitamin wonder, or exercise regimen. She's telling it the way the skin is and what it needs and why the interior matters more than what you put over it. And once the interior is fixed, the 'glow' will be there for all to see. I think everyone should have a cold hard look at the questions (titled 'What are your risk factors?') on pages 45-46, that run the gamut of symptoms in body, your biological / medical diagnosis and blood tests, living conditions and eating habits, and even 'were you born by C-section' (!) to get a comprehensive answer to what is going on inside.
Not a fan of her food or mask recipes though.
Things to remember:
Strains shown to help with acne and roacea:
Lactobacillus plantarum
Enterococcus faecalis SL-5
Streptococcus salivarius
Lactococcus sp. HY449
Lactobacillus paracasei
Strains shown to help with sensitive and dry skin:
Streptococcus thermophilus
Bfidobacterium longum
Strains that may slow premature aging:
Bacillus coagulans
Lactobacilli strains (e.g. L.plantarum)
Streptococcus thermophilus
Top recommendations in probiotic strains:
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus paracasei
Bfidobacterium bifidum
Bfidobacterium breve
Bacillus coagulans
December 29, 2020
Dr. Whitney Bowe's passion for and deep knowledge of microbiology will change the way you think about your skin as she explains how to improve it from the inside out. She does so in a friendly, joyful way, breaking down complex scientific concepts to layman's terms that make things much easier to understand. She strikes a wonderful balance between scientific and natural approaches to health. The majority of the book focuses on the science behind healthy skin and diet, while the final quarter of the book outlines the "Bowe Glow" method that Bowe recommends for healthy, acne-free skin. There is information here that may be news to some people, including what foods to eat. For anyone who has already been on a health journey of trying to cure physical and emotional health through diet, however, there's not much to gain from the diet and lifestyle changes Bowe recommends.
August 14, 2023
This book is a 250 pages long sales pitch.
The first 40ish pages are trying to convince the reader how great she and her method are. The next part is about the science, which is really interesting. However, instead of using the science to back her recommendations, she explains the science then tells you to wait until the end of the book to actually find out what you should do. When you do finally get to the end, instead of having the information, it refers to her website. Now for the *fun* part, all of the useful information I read a book to learn about (that isn’t in the book, it’s « on the website ») is not even available anymore because she removed it all from her website to launch her own product line !!! So yeah, a 250 pages long advertisment for her skincare line…
The first 40ish pages are trying to convince the reader how great she and her method are. The next part is about the science, which is really interesting. However, instead of using the science to back her recommendations, she explains the science then tells you to wait until the end of the book to actually find out what you should do. When you do finally get to the end, instead of having the information, it refers to her website. Now for the *fun* part, all of the useful information I read a book to learn about (that isn’t in the book, it’s « on the website ») is not even available anymore because she removed it all from her website to launch her own product line !!! So yeah, a 250 pages long advertisment for her skincare line…
June 15, 2018
Great, informative book! I would say the first half of the book was kind of over my head. She really does her best to put it in plain english all the medical terms, but I still found myself zoning out in the first part of the book. The second half she goes over what to implement to have good gut health and in turn, better skin. I really liked a lot of the suggestions and will be putting some in place for sure! Highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about gut health, better skin, etc!
July 31, 2018
An interesting overview of how we are abusing our skin and how we can stop. Also interesting connections between other lifestyle choices and how they affect skin health. Diet, exercise and stress levels are mentioned and discussed in detail. The idea here is that everything we do is connected and to fix problems may take changes in several areas. The positive news it if you are not comfortable with it, maybe medication isn't the first step. Lots of this has been said before with no specific reference to skin but it doesn't hurt to hear it again.
February 10, 2022
If you want a healthy and glowing skin you do not just treat your skin with tons of skincare products, healthy skin starts from inside out. To say the least, take care of your diet (avoid sugar and processed food), exercise (cardio and strength training), don't get stressed out and get plenty of sleep. This book also highlights what types of skincare products and what kind of ingredients to look for tailored to yourself. And of course, it explains clearly how to take care of your skin, guides you to develop your skincare routine.
October 17, 2023
Loved her explanation of gut-skin-brain axis, how tremendous of an impact stress, ongoing inflammation, low nutrient diet have on our skin. I like the fact that more and more dermatologists talk about the influence of stress on acne, gut microbiome, chronic inflammation, instead of blatantly prescribing accutane, spiro or birth control. Our healthcare needs more professionals who are eager to help us find the root cause of our skin issues because pills and synthetic medications are simply gonna mask our existing symptoms.
June 10, 2018
I was very happy to receive this via NetGalley. I found the book to be very infomrative, knowledgeable and easy to read. I did not realize how what we put in our bodies can affect our skin. I for one will be trying the plan outlined in this book. This book will help with your skin as well as your health. Amazing!! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
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