Dr. Roshini Raj always planned on a career in medicine. As the daughter of two doctors, she had an early interest in science, but she was also taught from a young age of the importance of helping people. With medicine as the perfect marriage of the two, her path was clear, and she made her way to Harvard for undergrad then medical school at NYU, where she now practices as a gastroenterologist.
But a decade or so into treating various digestive issues, Dr. Raj started to notice a trend in her practice. “After my patients began probiotic treatments, I saw a significant improvement not only in their internal health but also in their appearance,” she recalls. “Oftentimes, their skin was calmer and clearer, and I could tell they were feeling better before they even had the chance to tell me.” Amazed by what she was seeing, the gastroenterologist began researching the topical benefits of probiotic extracts and soon learned that they have a proven ability to soothe and calm inflammation in skin. “I knew this was the next breakthrough innovation in skincare,” she explains.
So, in 2014, Dr. Raj put the research to action and launched Tula, a clinical skincare brand powered by probiotic extracts and superfood ingredients. Now, after helping thousands of customers treat their acne, wrinkles and fine lines, dryness, and other skin concerns with the method, the gastroenterologist is sharing even more of her wisdom with her new book, Gut Renovation: Unlock the Age-Defying Power of the Microbiome to Remodel Your Health from the Inside Out.
Read on to learn more about the book, how to find beauty from the inside out, the gut health epidemic currently plaguing America, and how the microbiome may be the key to turning back the biological clock.
Gabby Shacknai: Tell me about the digestive issues facing Americans today. Why do you think so many suffer from these issues?
Dr. Roshini Raj: Your gut health matters in ways you may not expect. One of these ways in particular is our bodies’ aging process. In my specialty, I examine people from head to toe and can see how they are aging from the inside out. There are many times where my patients will suffer from medical issues commonly associated with someone decades older than they are. I see people aging faster than they should be due to diet and lifestyle choices. Especially as we enter the third year of a pandemic, the added stress we are putting on our bodies is not helping and only contributing to the speeding up of our biological clocks. We all had to reckon with our health in new ways, making us aware of the changes that need to be made to our diets, exercise routines, and stress management - we need to make our health a priority.
In my new book, “Gut Renovation: Unlock the Age-Defying Power of the Microbiome to Remodel Your Health from the Inside Out,” I present a plan for improving your microbiome and boosting your digestion, your immunity, mood, and vitality. I recommend changes to your lifestyle that can lead to real improvements in your digestive health, chronic health problems, cancer prevention and even your mental outlook.
Shacknai: What exactly is the microbiome? How does it function, and how might it affect various aspects of health?
Dr. Raj: The microbiome is an overall term for the many trillions of microbes (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that live in and on your body. The microbiome influences almost every part of your health. A balanced microbiome is the foundation for enhancing your immunity and protecting against age-related chronic diseases that could lead to premature aging, years of poor health, and a shortened lifespan.
Shacknai: What is the connection between gut health, or the microbiome, and skin health? And how do Tula’s products support this connection?
Dr. Roshini Raj: I am a big believer in approaching beauty from the inside out. A happy and healthy body is going to radiate beauty and gut health has a very strong impact on skin health! Probiotics are good-for-you bacteria that work to improve your health, both inside and out. Tula does not believe that you have to choose between ingredients that are healthy and ingredients that work. Probiotic extracts are incorporated into 100 percent of our topical skincare products and are a powerful natural ingredient that helps to restore the skin’s natural balance and radiance, nourish the skin to improve hydration and smoothness and soothe the skin to calm the look of irritation and inflammation.
Our newly revamped Daily Dose Advanced Daily Probiotic & Skin Health Complex (which officially launches on March 2) offers an enhanced new ingredient formulation, which includes four probiotic strains and superfood beetroot prebiotic fiber and works with ceramides to help promote digestive health while supporting smoother, more hydrated skin. The inclusion of spinach enzymes, and an increased concentration of Vitamin C also provide a vital boost of antioxidants and help protect from stress caused by free radicals.
Shacknai: As more and more people are awakening to the world of wellness and looking at their health more holistically, do you think that they are becoming more aware of their gut health/microbiome as well?
Dr. Raj: I think this is definitely a focus for people. They want to establish good habits for the future. One area I see gaining more attention from people is wanting to know what ingredients they are putting into and onto their bodies.
In skincare, the demand for clean skincare is growing rapidly. People want to know what ingredients are being included in their skincare products and they are knowledgeable about the benefits they bring. We are seeing ingestibles and supplements become a larger part of the beauty industry.
Shacknai: Supplements, especially probiotics, seem to be all the rage these days, but many are not much more than marketing ploys. How can people break through the noise and identify which vitamins and supplements are actually helpful?
Dr. Raj: The first step is to look at the ingredients. You want powerful ingredients that are not only good for you but that will also be effective. This is at the center of Tula’s approach to product innovation. We are committed to looking at the latest research and findings to continuously innovate and bring effective products to market.
Our newly formulated Daily Dose Advanced Daily Probiotic & Skin Health Complex launches on March 2 and features four probiotic strains that are clinically proven to aid with digestive health, help decrease bloating, and support regularity, help support normal metabolism and support healthy immune functions*, along with superfood beetroot prebiotic fiber that supports and nourishes a healthy gut microflora*, and spinach enzymes and Vitamin C to provide a vital boost of antioxidants and help protect from stress caused by free radicals.
Shacknai: In "Gut Renovation," you look at improving gut health through the lens of a home renovation, but what are the practical steps and changes readers can make to optimize their microbiome?
Dr. Raj: My goal for “Gut Renovation” is to help readers take care of their inner ecosystem. I take everything I’ve learned during my many years as a gastroenterologist and condense it into healthy lifestyle and diet strategies that I’ve developed for my patients so that they can improve their microbiome, boost their digestion, immunity, mood, and vitality and slow down the aging process.
I outline the specific steps you can take in the book, but I always tell my patients to look at their bodies as a house. To stay safe and comfortable, a house needs constant maintenance and basic repairs. However, to turn your house into a dream home you need a full renovation. In the book, I outline everything in a room by room approach from diet (the Kitchen), sleep (the Bedroom), workouts (the Home Gym) and more to help readers establish healthy habits that will contribute to a healthier gut and a healthier life.
Shacknai: What kind of benefits can be seen when these changes are made, especially as they apply to reversing the biological clock?
Dr. Raj: Many people think that their aging process and life expectancy is out of their control, but we have more of a say than you think! Genetic factors are responsible for only 25 to 30 percent of your expected longevity. A healthy gut and the right approach to your digestive health can help you age slower. “Gut Renovation” takes the scientific research and findings on gut health and gives you a guide for how to apply it to your everyday life—so you can achieve the maximum benefits that include aging well, looking great and living a better life.
Shacknai: Why do you think this book—and the advice within it—is so necessary right now, as we enter the third year of a global health crisis?
Dr. Raj: We have all been put under enormous stress in the past few years - physically and mentally. This is the time to build up our resilience to disease and aging. Doctors are continuing to see patients come in with a multitude of symptoms brought on by stressful quarantine conditions. Many people developed unhealthy habits and lifestyles during the pandemic that need to be changed. “Gut Renovation” comes at the perfect time to help reinvent, reinvigorate, and reset readers’ aging clocks.
