Anyone Else’s Skin Cracking? Battle Dryness from the Inside Out

One of the first ‘gifts’ that Colorado winter gives to me every year around this time is cracking thumbs. This is how I know winter has arrived. It is a painful nudge to take a look at strategies to hack my health to promote better moisture and hydration. These techniques get me through the winter months with minimal painful cracking skin. 

The increased dryness comes fast and with fervor in Colorado. We strive to spend time outside skiing, walking the dog, and getting in our daily nature boost. But cold air holds less moisture than warm air and it works quickly to dry us out if unprepared. 

When we look at moisturizing skin from ONLY the outside we tend to add in all the lotions and potions that are advertised as best for dry skin healing. We often make the problem worse. Many of these products contain chemicals that are actually counterproductive to keeping the body/skin hydrated, nourished and strong. 

So let’s change our approach and move towards moisturizing and hydrating from the inside out instead. 

Here are a few of the natural ways I ‘moisturize’ especially during winter months when I get SO dry.

• Eat high fatty, cold water fish and seafood (and/or supplement fish oils)
• The essential Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and other fatty, cold-water fish are crucial to nourishing our skin. In fact a deficiency in Omega-3s can cause dry skin in and of itself! I personally am not a fish fan :( so I make sure to supplement with pharmaceutical brand quality fish oils to support the 3:6 balance and lots of plant based sources. 
• Want some plant based Omega-3 boosters? Try avocados, walnuts, chia, flax and hemp seeds (I add some into my green morning smoothie!), as well as brussel sprouts!

• Get in on the best skin supporting nutrients (avocados have a LOT of these in addition to the great fats!!)
• Vitamin D!! Keep that skin’s ability to provide protection. It’s a fat soluble vitamin so consume with fats to absorb it!
• Vitamin C – a powerful anti-oxidant that protects the skin and is also essential to creating collagen in the body. Find it in avocados, citrus and berries as well as spinach and greens
• Vitamin E is a strong anti-oxidant and skin supporter. Eat it up in avocados, plants, seeds, other veggies.
• Zinc is a must for skin health and building healthy skin cells as well as decreasing inflammation.. helps create and protect collagen too.

• Collagen is amazing for skin (and a lot of other things on the inside!) so let’s nourish it!
• One of my favorite skin nourishing nutrient proteins,
• Coconut oil. It’s a stable fat so it’s great for cooking and can be applied to wet skin as well to seal in moisture topically.
• We’ve discussed bone broth before- make it, drink it!
• Want a quick snack to help create more? Try some cashews which contain zinc and copper- both of which support the body’s production of collagen. 

• To-do tidbits to support your efforts
• Wear gloves for washing dishes so you’re not constantly drying out with warm/hot water and limit extended hot showers
• Use oil after shower and apply to wet skin
• Super dry hair? Silk pillow time!
• Add in hyaluronic acid as supplement/topical
• Take care to balance the gut! Protects skin cells and keeps hydration strong.