Skin & Belly by Gosia Sojka

17/07/2025

Which oils to chose for great health - part 2 :)

What fats should you eat if you have melasma and for healthy skin? 😊 – Part 2

In the previous post, I wrote about polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) – you’ll find the link in the comments. Today, it’s time for monounsaturated and saturated fats.

🧬 Why does the type of fat matter?

Every cell in our body – including skin cells – has a membrane made of phospholipids, which include fatty acids.
Depending on the fat composition:

Unsaturated fats (e.g. omega 3, omega 6, omega-9) → make the membrane more flexible, some act strongly anti-inflammatory

🥥🧀🍳Saturated fats (e.g., butter) → make the membrane more rigid.
Although saturated fats (butter, coconut oil, animal fats from meat, eggs, dairy) are stable and resistant to oxidation (which is why they’re good for cooking – like clarified butter or coconut oil), too much of them can stiffen cell membranes, making it harder for nutrients to be absorbed. Excessive intake may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
➡️ Limit them to 9% of daily calories intake (for example 22g daily if you eat 2000 kcal a day).

🥑🫒 Monounsaturated fatty acids (omega-9) – skin boosters!
You can find them in:

olive oil,
olives,
avocado,
almonds,
hazelnuts,
macadamia nuts.

🫒They have anti-inflammatory properties, support skin’s lipid barrier, and improve skin condition.

🫒 Olive oil stands out for its content of hydroxytyrosol – a powerful antioxidant that:

- protects the skin from UVA radiation,
- inhibits tyrosinase production – an enzyme key to melanin synthesis, which tends to be overactive in people with melasma.

It’s worth investing in high-quality olive oil – ideally cold-pressed and extra virgin.
Personally, I love Greek olive oil – its bitterness supports digestion and liver function, and a healthy liver = healthier skin.

🌸 Omega-7 – lesser-known but special for very dry skin (and also dry eyes)
They help to moisturize the skin, making it smooth and comfortable. These fats are found in sea buckthorn oil, macadamia nuts, and fatty fish – another great reason to include them in your diet.
I personally like adding sea buckthorn oil to my porridge– it gives a nice flavor. 🙂

🚫 Watch out for trans fats
These are artificially processed fats that:

- don’t occur naturally,
- are found in margarine, fast food, and industrial baked goods,
- are labeled as “partially hydrogenated” or “partially hardened” fats.
➡️ Avoid them – they are pro-inflammatory and harmful to both skin and overall health.

Thank you for reading my posts! 💛
If you have questions or want me to cover a specific topic – let me know in the comments 😊

15/07/2025

🌿 Melasma a nierównowaga minerałów – żelazo, miedź i cynk
Melasma (ostuda) to przewlekłe przebarwienia skóry, które często mają związek z zaburzoną gospodarką hormonalną, ale coraz częściej zwraca się uwagę na wpływ minerałów – takich jak żelazo, miedź i cynk – na jej rozwój i przebieg.

🧬 Dlaczego minerały mają znaczenie?
Każdy z tych pierwiastków odgrywa kluczową rolę w procesach metabolicznych skóry, w tym w produkcji melaniny – barwnika odpowiedzialnego za kolor skóry.

🟥 Żelazo (Fe)
Nadmiar żelaza może prowadzić do stresu oksydacyjnego, który nasila stany zapalne i może stymulować melanocyty do nadprodukcji melaniny.
Zbyt niski poziom żelaza (np. ferrytyny) może zaburzać regenerację skóry i jej odporność na promieniowanie UV.
Niedobór żelaza może być związany z niedostępnością miedzi, która jest potrzebna do jego metabolizmu: wchłaniania żelaza w jelitach oraz jego transportu do szpiku kostnego. Dlatego,jeśli brakuje odpowiednich kofaktorów (miedź, witamina A, witaminy z grupy B, czasem sama suplementacja żelazem w przypadku anemii może nie być skuteczna w podniesienu poziomu zelaza. Może to, dla odmiany, prowadzić do zwiększonego stresu oksydacyjnego.
🟠 Miedź (Cu)
Miedź jest kofaktorem tyrozynazy – enzymu kluczowego w syntezie melaniny.
Nadmiar miedzi może zwiększać aktywność tyrozynazy, co sprzyja powstawaniu przebarwień.
Estrogen, często uznawany za przyczynę melasmy, może podnosić poziom miedzi w organizmie.
Zdarza się, że mimo odpowiedniego spożycia miedzi, odkłada się ona w niebiodostępnej formie (np. w skórze, wątrobie), przez co nie może być efektywnie wykorzystywana przez organizm.
Nierównowaga między miedzią a cynkiem może zaburzać równowagę pigmentacyjną skóry.
🟡 Cynk (Zn)
Cynk działa przeciwzapalnie i hamuje aktywność tyrozynazy, co może wspierać walkę z melasmą.
Niedobór cynku może prowadzić do osłabienia bariery skórnej, zwiększonej wrażliwości na słońce i wolniejszego gojenia się skóry.
Ze względu na silną zależność między cynkiem a miedzią, niedobór cynku może prowadzić do zbyt wysokiego poziomu miedzi w organizmie.
Niedobór cynku jest powszechny z kilku powodów:
diety ubogie w cynk – np. wegańska lub wegetariańska (cynk z roślin jest gorzej przyswajalny niż z produktów odzwierzęcych),
zaburzenia wchłaniania – np. niedobór kwasu solnego w żołądku, osłabiona praca jelit,
antykoncepcja doustna,
przewlekłe infekcje i stany zapalne – cynk odgrywa kluczową rolę w działaniu układu odpornościowego.
🔬 Diagnostyka i równowaga – co warto zbadać?
Żelazo: morfologia, zelazo w serum, ferrytyna, transferyna
Miedź: ceruloplazmina (główny transporter miedzi w organizmie), poziom miedzi w osoczu lub erytrocytach (mniej dostępne).
Cynk: poziom cynku w erytrocytach (dokładniejsze) lub w osoczu.
Analiza pierwiastkowa włosa – bardzo przydatne badanie pod kątem żelaza, miedzi i cynku. Pokazuje zależności między tymi minerałami, ich nadmiary lub niedobory, a także biodostępność miedzi w organizmie.

08/07/2025

What fats should you eat if you have melasma and for healthy skin? 😊 – Part 2

In the previous post, I wrote about polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) – you’ll find the link in the comments. Today, it’s time for monounsaturated and saturated fats.

🧬 Why does the type of fat matter?

Every cell in our body – including skin cells – has a membrane made of phospholipids, which include fatty acids.
Depending on the fat composition:

Unsaturated fats (e.g. omega 3, omega 6, omega-9) → make the membrane more flexible, some act strongly anti-inflammatory

🥥🧀🍳Saturated fats (e.g., butter) → make the membrane more rigid.
Although saturated fats (butter, coconut oil, animal fats from meat, eggs, dairy) are stable and resistant to oxidation (which is why they’re good for cooking – like clarified butter or coconut oil), too much of them can stiffen cell membranes, making it harder for nutrients to be absorbed. Excessive intake may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
➡️ Limit them to 9% of daily calories intake (for example 22g daily if you eat 2000 kcal a day).

🥑🫒 Monounsaturated fatty acids (omega-9) – skin boosters!
You can find them in:

olive oil,
olives,
avocado,
almonds,
hazelnuts,
macadamia nuts.

🫒They have anti-inflammatory properties, support skin’s lipid barrier, and improve skin condition.

🫒 Olive oil stands out for its content of hydroxytyrosol – a powerful antioxidant that:

- protects the skin from UVA radiation,
- inhibits tyrosinase production – an enzyme key to melanin synthesis, which tends to be overactive in people with melasma.

It’s worth investing in high-quality olive oil – ideally cold-pressed and extra virgin.
Personally, I love Greek olive oil – its bitterness supports digestion and liver function, and a healthy liver = healthier skin.

🌸 Omega-7 – lesser-known but special for very dry skin (and also dry eyes)
They help to moisturize the skin, making it smooth and comfortable. These fats are found in sea buckthorn oil, macadamia nuts, and fatty fish – another great reason to include them in your diet.
I personally like adding sea buckthorn oil to my porridge– it gives a nice flavor. 🙂

🚫 Watch out for trans fats
These are artificially processed fats that:

- don’t occur naturally,
- are found in margarine, fast food, and industrial baked goods,
- are labeled as “partially hydrogenated” or “partially hardened” fats.
➡️ Avoid them – they are pro-inflammatory and harmful to both skin and overall health.

Thank you for reading my posts! 💛
If you have questions or want me to cover a specific topic – let me know in the comments 😊

18/06/2025

🧴 What Fats to Eat for Melasma, Skin Health and Overall Health? 😊 – Part 1

Every cell in our body — including skin cells — has a phospholipid membrane, which is made in part from fats. This means the quality of fats in your diet directly affects the quality of your cell membranes, and therefore the lipid barrier of your skin.

Fats also play a key role in the body’s inflammatory response — and melasma is often linked to chronic inflammation, both in the skin and systemically.

🧠 Types of Fats

Saturated fats
Monounsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) – today’s focus

🔥 PUFA – Pro-Inflammatory or Anti-Inflammatory?

Due to their structure, PUFAs are prone to oxidation, which can increase inflammation. Consuming already oxidized fats (e.g., from processed oils) may raise the risk of skin damage and sun sensitivity.

Common PUFA-rich oils include:
-Canola oil
-Soybean oil
-Sunflower oil

These are often processed at high temperatures and with chemicals, which can reduce their quality and negatively affect skin health.

🐟 Omega-3 – Strongly Anti-Inflammatory
Many people are deficient in omega-3s. To boost your levels:

Eat fatty fish 3–4 times a week (salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, herring)
Include plant-based sources: flaxseed oil (stored cold and from a trusted source), ground flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, pecans (nuts in moderation)
Consider a high-quality fish oil supplement

🌿 Omega-6 – It’s All About Balance!
Omega-6 fats include:

Pro-inflammatory types (abundant in most diets)
Anti-inflammatory types like GLA (gamma-linolenic acid)

The typical omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is often 10:1 or higher, but it should be closer to 3:1. To improve overall fats balance in our cells and support the skin and overall health implement the following tips:

🐟 Eat high-quality omega-3s: fatty fish, flaxseed oil, walnuts, pecans (in moderation)
🧈 Avoid processed oils – for cooking, use ghee, coconut oil, or goose fat
🥗 For salads, use flaxseed oil or extra virgin olive oil
🌸 Consider supplementing with GLA – for skin and hormonal balance

18/05/2025

🧂 Salt: More Than Just a Seasoning 🧂

Salt (NaCl) is a primary source of sodium, one of the most abundant and essential minerals in the human body. Sodium plays a vital role in:

• Regulating blood pressure and blood volume
• Maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance
• Supporting nerve signal transmission and muscle function
• Aiding in the production of hydrochloric acid (HCl) for digestion
• Enhancing the absorption of glucose, amino acids, and water

❗ Who Should Limit Salt?
Some individuals need to be cautious with their salt intake, including those with:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Kidney disease

👶 Babies and young children also require very little salt, as their kidneys are still developing.

💡 The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a well-known low-salt eating plan designed to support heart health and manage blood sugar levels.

✅ Who Might Need More Salt?
In certain cases, a slightly higher salt intake can be beneficial (note: this doesn’t mean overconsumption!):

• People with low blood pressure
• Those with weakened adrenal function (often linked to chronic stress and visible in hair mineral analysis)
• Individuals with low stomach acid (salt supports HCl production and digestion)
• After diarrhea, when electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride need replenishing

🧂 Best Sources of Salt
Choose natural, mineral-rich salts such as:
• Himalayan pink salt
• Sea salt
• Kłodawska salt (a Polish rock salt)

Other good options:
• Tamari or soy sauce (in moderation)

🚫 What to Avoid
Limit highly processed foods like:
• Crisps
• Crackers
• Cured meats
• Salted nuts (unless in small portions)

⚖️ Balance is Key
Sodium doesn’t work alone! It must be balanced with potassium and other minerals to maintain proper electrolyte harmony. In fact, potassium deficiency is more common today than sodium excess. Ensuring adequate potassium intake helps support overall mineral balance and homeostasis.

11/05/2025

Eat WITH SEASON! MAY!

Just a small reminder of the variety of food available in May, rhubarb, asparagus, plenty of greens, strawberries, radish, cucumbers - enjoy all of them. Food variety helps to diversify gut microbiome and brings more health for our overall body.

What have you had already? I am sure strawberries are winning!

27/04/2025

👉 Fermented foods are a fantastic addition to our daily menu and should be enjoyed regularly. They provide beneficial bacteria for our gut flora, helping to grow a healthy gut microbiome. These foods can also pass through the digestive tract, preventing the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria or yeast.

👉 Eating fermented food enhances also our digestion by increasing the acidity in the stomach - sometimes worth to eat at the beginning of the meal for better digestion and absorption.

👉 While modern fermented foods might not always be classified as probiotics due to potentially lower therapeutic doses of bacteria, they are still valuable sources of “live and active cultures.” Here’s how to ensure you’re choosing high-quality fermented foods:

✅Check the Label: Look for the words “naturally fermented” on the label. Avoid products with added vinegar, as this can indicate that the fermentation process was not natural.

✅Look for Bubbles: After opening the jar, check for telltale bubbles in the liquid. These bubbles are a sign that live organisms are present inside the jar.

Incorporating fermented foods into your diet can support your digestive health and enhance your overall well-being.

So what’s your favorite fermented food?

27/04/2025

👉 Fermented foods are a fantastic addition to our daily menu and should be enjoyed regularly. They provide beneficial bacteria for our gut flora, helping to grow a healthy gut microbiome. These foods can also pass through the digestive tract, preventing the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria or yeast.

👉 Eating fermented food enhances also our digestion by increasing the acidity in the stomach - sometimes worth to eat at the beginning of the meal for better digestion and absorption.

👉 While modern fermented foods might not always be classified as probiotics due to potentially lower therapeutic doses of bacteria, they are still valuable sources of “live and active cultures.” Here’s how to ensure you’re choosing high-quality fermented foods:

✅Check the Label: Look for the words "naturally fermented" on the label. Avoid products with added vinegar, as this can indicate that the fermentation process was not natural.

✅Look for Bubbles: After opening the jar, check for telltale bubbles in the liquid. These bubbles are a sign that live organisms are present inside the jar.

Incorporating fermented foods into your diet can support your digestive health and enhance your overall well-being.

So what’s your favorite fermented food?

24/04/2025

Fermentation - think of it as controlled rotting!😄

Here’s why fermentation is so amazing:

1. Pre-digestion: Fermentation helps to predigest food, making nutrients more easily available for our bodies. This means better absorption and more health benefits!

2. Probiotic Power: Fermented foods are rich in beneficial probiotic bacteria, which offer huge benefits for our digestive tract. 🦠💪

3. Safe and Protective: Lactic acid produced during fermentation decreases pH, creating a safe environment for humans. It promotes the growth of beneficial microorganisms and protects against pathogenic bacteria like E.coli and Listeria.

4. Enhanced Shelf Life: Fermentation increases the shelf life of foods, making them last longer without artificial preservatives.

5. Flavor, Texture, and Aroma: The fermentation process enhances the taste, texture, and aroma of foods, turning simple ingredients into culinary delights.

So, what kind of fermented foods do you know? What’s your favorite? Share your thoughts :)

13/04/2025

"The people are programmed that their health is beyond their control. Then they seek someone powerful that will facilitate their health. And so they give up power, I am powerless, so I have no power, but I accept what you say." Bruce Lipton

We can take our health in our hands, with good guidance also, but we need to trust ourselves too and not always get attached to the diagnosis. We should know that even if we hear there is no hope - there still can be a hope for a change.

Will be attending Bruce Lipton lecture in Rotterdam on November 13th - who is joining?

31/03/2025

😋 FULL SEASON ON THE ASPARAGUS 😋

Do you like ASPARAGUS? Now is the full season 🙂

I think it shows up early in spring already because it is a great support for the detoxification - asparagus has diuretic properties and helps to clean the kidneys. The amount of fiber helps also to clean the intestines and have regular bowel movement.

We have a choice of green, purple and white asparagus. White asparagus is one of the delicacies in Germany - I had a chance to eat it there 🙂
Asparagus is one of the most frequently recommended sources of prebiotics to nourish the intestinal flora. Prebiotics are the part of the plant that our body cannot digest. However, they have a positive effect on our health by selectively stimulating the growth and / or activity of one or a limited number of probiotic bacteria already present in the large intestine. Fructans are the leading prebiotic in the root and rhizome of asparagus.
They also have relatively few calories, but are rich in folic acid, vitamins K, A and C.
The asparagus also contains the so-called Asparagic acid, containing sulfur, which gives urine a specific smell after ingestion 🙂 Plus Sulphur helps to detoxify the liver :)

SUPER DELICIOUS AND SUPER SIMPLE WHITE ASPARAGUS SOUP RECIPE 🙂

The recipe for the soup was given to me by my friend from the Netherlands 🙂

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of white asparagus (about 400g)
0.5 liters of poultry broth (I recommend the Natur Campagnie brand or any other without additional flavorings)
1 heaped tablespoon of flour (can be spelt or rice for people without gluten)
1 heaped tablespoon of butter
pepper and salt
parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Peel the asparagus, but do not throw the peel away.
Bring the broth to the boil and add the peeled asparagus, including peels, and cook for 30 minutes.
Then drain the asparagus, leaving the broth and discarding the peelings.
In a pot, heat the butter and add flour to make a light roux. Then add the broth a bit and mix with a whisk, finally add asparagus and mix with a blender.
Finally, decorate with parsley.
Enjoy your soup!
😋

30/03/2025

Join the Keto Green Spring Challenge – with a Gentle Detox!

Spring is the perfect time for a refresh! I invite you to a one-week Keto Green Challenge, infused with a gentle spring detox to help you feel your best.

From April 7th to April 13th, we’ll explore healthy keto recipes packed with nutrient-rich veggies, inspired by Anna Cabeca’s cookbook and beyond. This challenge is designed to support your health, boost energy, and promote well-being. Plus, we’ll incorporate gentle detox strategies to help your body reset and thrive.

Why join?
✅ Delicious & healthy keto meals with plenty of greens
✅ Gentle detox to refresh your body for spring
✅ A supportive community to keep you motivated

How to join:
📍 Where? In our Facebook group
📅 When? April 7th – April 13th, 2025
🛒 Sign up by April 5th (so you have time to shop!)
💶 Cost: €10 (free for previous participants!)

Invite your friends—it’s always more fun (and easier) to do it together! Let’s welcome spring feeling lighter, healthier, and more energized.

Are you in? Let’s do this! 🌿💚