Gut Health, Immunity, and the Nervous System: What’s the Connection?
(And Why Your Skin May Be Telling You Something Too)
From colicky newborns to adults with recurring rashes or chronic fatigue, we’re seeing more and more signs that our health isn’t compartmentalised, it’s connected.
And some of the most common concerns that bring families to our chiropractic space?
Digestive issues, weakened immunity, and skin flare-ups. Eczema. Psoriasis. Redness. Rashes. Whether it’s showing up on a baby’s cheeks or an adult’s elbows, the skin is often a mirror for something deeper.
It all points to one root: gut health, and how it communicates with both the immune system and the nervous system.
Let’s explore the connection, how chiropractic care can support it, and why both babies and adults may experience symptoms on the surface when there’s imbalance deeper within.
The Gut: A Core Regulator of Immunity and Skin
We often hear that the gut is central to digestion, but it also holds about 70% of your immune system. It’s lined with a complex network of cells that decide what’s safe, what’s foreign, and when to mount an immune response. When this barrier is intact and well-regulated, it functions quietly in the background. But when compromised, often due to inflammation, dysbiosis, or stress, the ripple effects are noticeable.
On the skin, this can look like:
Eczema patches in infants
Baby acne, cradle cap, or rashes
Psoriasis, rosacea, or adult acne
Hives, itching, and chronic inflammation
In the gut, it may also look like:
Constipation or loose stools
Bloating or discomfort
Food sensitivities
Reflux, especially in infants
The connection? When the gut lining is inflamed or permeable, it can leak particles into the bloodstream that trigger immune responses, often showing up first on the skin.
Skin and Gut: Two Sides of the Same Story
The gut–skin axis is a well-researched connection in both medical and functional medicine circles. It tells us that what happens inside is often reflected outside. For example, babies with eczema often also show signs of digestive imbalance such as irregular stools, fussiness after feeding, or visible tension in the body. Adults with stubborn skin issues may also struggle with food triggers, stress, or poor immune recovery.
Why does this happen?
The immune system becomes overactive. When the gut lining is disrupted, the body reacts to foods, bacteria, or toxins that should’ve been filtered out.
Inflammation spreads. Cytokines released by the immune system circulate and may localize in the skin, creating redness, itching, or patches.
The nervous system amplifies the signal. When stress is high or the nervous system is dysregulated, the skin becomes even more reactive.
This is why chronic skin conditions are not just “skin deep”, they’re impacting your whole body.
The Nervous System’s Role (And Why Chiropractic Matters)
Your nervous system is the body’s control center. It governs every function, including digestion, immunity, and inflammation. A regulated nervous system helps maintain gut motility, support the immune system’s boundaries, and reduce the inflammatory response that contributes to skin issues.
But when the nervous system is stuck in “fight or flight”, a common state for both newborns recovering from birth stress and adults under chronic pressure, it disrupts everything from bowel function to skin repair.
But the good thing?
Chiropractic care focuses on nervous system regulation. Through gentle, specific adjustments, we restore the body’s communication network. This helps improve parasympathetic activity (“rest and digest”), supporting the gut’s ability to repair and the skin’s ability to calm.
Chiropractic: Supporting Gut, Skin, and Immunity Naturally
As a chiropractor trained in paediatric and perinatal care, I work with both babies and adults to help the body reset and re-regulate from within. Here's how:
For babies:
Gentle adjustments—no more pressure than you'd use to test a ripe avocado, help restore balance in the cranial and spinal system. This allows the vagus nerve (a key gut–nervous system pathway) to function better, supporting digestion, immunity, and skin.
Parents often notice:
Softer, calmer skin tone
More regular bowel movements
Less crying and more settled sleep
For adults:
Chiropractic adjustments reduce spinal stress, especially in the upper neck and mid-back, which influences the vagus nerve and digestive function. We often see improvements in:
Skin clarity and inflammation
Immune recovery and energy
Digestion, sleep, and stress response
While we don’t “treat eczema” or “clear acne,” we help restore balance to the systems that govern those symptoms.
Natural Ways to Boost Immunity and Support Gut–Skin Health
Whether you’re supporting a newborn or working on your own skin and gut health, here are simple strategies that work with the body:
For babies:
Limit over-bathing; preserve natural skin oils
Use gentle, fragrance-free products
Offer regular tummy time and soothing sensory input
Address feeding and latch concerns early. Breastfeeding challenges can stress the gut and nervous system
For adults:
Support the microbiome with fermented foods (like kefir or sauerkraut)
Reduce sugar and processed food that feed inflammation
Practice daily nervous system resets: deep breathing, movement, time in nature
Stay consistent with chiropractic care to support digestion and immune function
And always, keep an eye on the skin. It tells us more than we think.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Imagining It
If your child’s skin suddenly flares after a round of antibiotics or your own eczema worsens when your digestion is off, it’s not random. These systems are designed to work together. When one is stressed, the others speak up.
Skin, gut, and nervous system care isn’t just about symptom relief. It’s about restoring rhythm so the body can return to a state of ease and healing.
And that’s what chiropractic helps support. Gently. Naturally. From the inside out.
Curious whether your baby’s rash, reflux, or irritability might be related to their gut and nervous system? Or struggling with skin and stress yourself?
We’re here to help. At Purely Family Chiropractic, we offer personalized, gentle care for every stage, from newborns to adults looking to reconnect with their body’s rhythm and resilience.
