Our skin is a reflection of what’s going on with our health beneath the surface. Acne and other skin problems are signals that something is off in our body. Conventional medicine deals with symptoms, so their solutions for acne include lathering on potions and lotions, popping and pricking pimples, and taking antibiotics or strong liver-damaging medications. There’s got to be another way, right?Fortunately, there is with Functional Medicine, which addresses the problem’s root cause. From this lens, we can understand that numerous factors contribute to acne, including nutrition, stress, toxicity, inflammation and hormonal and gut imbalances. That’s actually good news because it empowers us to make dietary and lifestyle changes that reverse acne and improve our overall health without the adverse side effects of pharmaceuticals and other invasive procedures.In this mini-episode, Dhru speaks with Dr. Robin Berzin about the most common underlying causes of acne, and the connection between gut health and skin issues. We discuss why conventional acne treatments don’t actually work, and often end up doing more harm. We also talk about how the cosmetics we use on our skin can increase inflammation which inturn leads to acne, and the best skincare routine and products for someone suffering with acne.Dr. Robin Berzin is the founder and CEO of Parsley Health. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Robin completed medical school at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, and trained in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She has also trained in Functional Medicine with the Institute for Functional Medicine, where she is an advisor on digital technology. In 2011 she co-founded the physician communication app Cureatr and subsequently has advised numerous startups in the healthcare space. Robin founded Parsley Health in order to make whole-body, transformative medicine accessible to everyone through better services and smart technology. When she is not at Parsley, you can find her at home in Brooklyn, upstate with her husband, son and two rescue dogs, or at her favorite vinyasa yoga class.Find Dhru’s full-length conversation with Dr. Robin Berzin here: https://broken-brain.lnk.to/DrRobinBerzin/For more on Dhru Purohit, be sure to follow him on Instagram @dhrupurohit, on Facebook @dhruxpurohit, on Twitter @dhrupurohit, and on YouTube @dhrupurohit. You can also text Dhru at (302) 200-5643 or click here https://my.community.com/dhrupurohit.Interested in joining Dhru’s Broken Brain Podcast Facebook Community? Submit your request to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2819627591487473/.This episode is brought to you by the Pegan Shake.How you start your morning sets the tone for the day. I’m a huge fan of morning routines, because I think they can transform your ability to focus, sleep well, and get the most out of your day, especially in this busy, modern world. What I’ve found is that the best way to begin your day is to feed your body the right information or the right nutrients. That’s why Dr. Mark Hyman and I created the Pegan Shake. It’s a nutritionally packed morning blend designed to support healthy blood sugar, energy, and brain power.  It contains some of my most favorite brain boosting foods like MCT and avocado. It also features acacia fiber for healthy gut function and collagen, pumpkin, and pea protein to support muscle synthesis. Check it out at getfarmacy.com/peganshake. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.