We are getting to that time of year when cosmetic companies talk about the drying affects on our skin of the Winter months and the necessity to slap on some chemical laden moisturiser. But have you thought about moisturising your body from the inside out?
In a culture that mostly still believes in the myth that eating fats make us fat and that drinking plain water is very boring many of us are chronically dehydrated and this is showing on our skin. Instead we are drinking caffeine and sugar laden beverages that are drying to the body and depleting the body of nutrients. Combine this with the heated, damaged and processed fats found in convenience food and we have a recipe for dry skin.
As the most outward 'organ' our skin always gets the toughest deal as all the goodies get used for the more 'essential to life' inner services such as our circulatory system, cleansing and so on. What we do know is that when we are dry on the outside we are also dry on the inside.
The mix of good fats, oil and water is the key to keeping us hydrated, if we think of a tiny cell it is the oily membrane that holds water and makes it useful in the body. Here are some great ways to get hydrated.
- Eat plenty of good fats in whole food form, avocados, nuts, seeds, plus some oily fish, pasture fed meat (high in omega 3 fats)
- Eat cold pressed oils such as olive oil, seed oils such as flax and coconut for dressings and in cooking
- Have fish oil or flax oil as a supplement, start with 1/2 teaspoon a day and see how you tolerate it.
- Avoid heating delicate oils such as flax and olive oils as they damage easily and create damaging free radicals in the body which contribute to the ageing process
- Cook with heat tolerant fats such as butter, ghee or coconut oil
- Drink plenty of plain water (perhaps with a slice of lemon), warm water is sometimes easier to drink in the cooler weather.
- Avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol laden drinks, these are drying on the body
- Soak grains and other dry food before eating if possible, this energetically gives the message of hydration. For example soak your porridge oats over night before cooking.