Chicken soup is definitely a staple at our house in the winter months. I love that it helps give the immune system a nice boost when you’re sick and that it’s also super healing for the gut.

So put down the can of Campbell’s soup…and make this incredibly nourishing gut healing chicken soup instead. It’s 100x more flavourful and is packed with anti-inflammatory foods to support you from head to toe — including your skin.

Studies have shown a direct (and very strong) link between the health of the gut and acne.

The Gut-Skin Axis

Your digestive system is home to about 100 trillion good and bad bacteria that help make up your gut’s microbiome. One of the ways that the gut and skin interact with each other is through this microbiome. Thus creating a link between the two known as the gut-skin axis. Because of this two-way communication that’s been set up in the body, both the gut and skin have an influence over each others health.

Here’s an example…

When intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut) and an imbalance in the gut occurs, systemic inflammation starts to pop up. In turn, acne appears. We can help combat inflammation in the body by focusing on an anti-inflammatory diet.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Clear Skin

BONE BROTH

Bone broth is something I recommend to my clients in The Clear Skin Solution. For two reasons.

One…bone broth is rich in amino acids that promote collagen production. And ladies, we all love collagen because it helps keep our skin plump and firm.

Second…is the whole gut healing aspect I already mentioned. The integrity of your gut makes or breaks the health of your skin. When it’s been compromised, body-wide inflammation occurs. One symptom of this? Acne. Luckily, bone broth is full of gelatin which helps “heal and seal” the gut lining. In turn, this brings down that inflammation and tackling acne from the inside out.

GARLIC

This is another key nutrient when it comes to healing the gut. While it adds a punch of flavour to dishes, garlic has some very potent anti-microbial properties. It helps to kill off any unwanted intruders that could be wreaking havoc in our gut. Always add garlic at the end of cooking to keep as many anti-microbial properties alive and well (heating destroys them).

TURMERIC

An anti-inflammatory powerhouse, turmeric is known for its bright orange hue. It boosts liver detoxification to help flush any toxins or pathogens from the body. Turmeric’s also helps inhibit the growth of bacteria, viruses, and yeast. The active compound that makes turmeric so wonderfully anti-inflammatory, curcumin, has poor absorbability into the body. One of the compounds in black pepper known as piperine can help increase the amount of curcumin your body absorbs.

So let me say this again…the health of your gut = the health of your skin.

This gut healing chicken soup is great to enjoy often to help soothe your tummy. I love having it with a slice or two of my Herbed Low Carb Bread.

Gut Healing Chicken Soup

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 cups

Author: Katie Stewart Wellness

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 large red onion finely diced
• 1 large stalk celery finely diced
• 1 large carrot grated
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled and chopped into ½” cubes
• 6 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 chicken breast chopped (can use raw or leftover rotisserie)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup baby spinach thinly sliced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
• Sea salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat avocado oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat.
• Add onion, celery, carrot, sweet potatoes, rosemary and thyme. Sauté until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes).
• Add bone broth, chicken and turmeric. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add garlic, spinach and parsley to the soup and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and serve.