Winter is fast approaching and with the cold, harsh weather comes dry, flaky skin. You’ve probably already seen the “flurries” (yes, the pun was intended) of commercials, geared towards “winterizing” your skin.  The truth is that dry skin is the result of external and internal factors, in other words, instead of just slathering something on your skin, you should be feeding your body as well.

Dry skin short-term relief : Creams and lotions

“Heal your body, not your symptoms” is a phrase I often quote to my clients’.  As a health coach, I am very fond of this phrase because the key to improving your health and quality of life,  is locating the root of the problem and erasing it.  Treating just your symptoms is like fixing a faucet leak using band-aids.  Sure, the leak may stop for a few hours, but it will never be a permanent solution.

Do you want to know the reason that conventional creams and lotions are only short term solutions?  I’ll give you a hint, its abbreviation is three characters, it starts with an H and ends with an O.   That’s right, WATER!  When you drink water it internally hydrates you, but when you use it on your skin, eventually it evaporates.  Water is usually the first ingredient in most lotions, and creams.  A general rule of beauty products is that the first few ingredients listed make up the majority of the product.  When you use a water-based lotion or cream on your skin – unless a quality oil or emollient is the second ingredient – once the water evaporates, your skin becomes dry again.

External relief with natural moisturizers

A common regimen that I recommend for clients with eczemaA noncontagious inflammatory skin condition. Symptoms include redness, itching, lesions which may become encrusted and scaly., is to use coconut oi and jojoba oil.  During the winter months, I recommend a mix of coconut oil, jojoba oil and unrefined shea butter.  A health coach should be able to offer natural living solutions, such as skincare, in addition to a personalized eating plan.  These non-water based natural moisturizers provide a skin smoothing barrier with essential vitamins, and fatty acids to help keep skin supple. However, this is still only part of the solution to rough, dry skin.

Eat your way to supple skin

Ok, so now that we’ve discussed dry skin problems and external solutions, the problem is solved, right?  Remember the expression I used at the beginning of the article -  “Heal your body, not your symptoms?”  Well, guess what?  Your dry skin is an underlying symptom, not the final problem.  Dry skin can be a symptom of numerous conditions, but it’s commonly a symptom of a lack of fatty acids and / or hydration in the diet.  An easy way to combat the problem is to eat more healthy sources of fats, such as:  Organic virgin coconut oil, grass fed full fat dairy and butter, flax oil, chia seeds,  avocado, extra virgin olive oil and raw pre-soaked nuts,  such as almonds and walnuts.  You’re probably thinking to yourself, “Full fat dairy, coconut oil and butter, is she nuts?”  No, quality saturated fats are actually good for you!  As a health coach, the misconception of fats are a subject that I frequently discuss with my clients.  Grass fed fats have an almost perfect balance of Omega 3 to 6 ratio; plus, full fat dairy keeps you fuller for longer, and helps you to resist the temptation to snack in between meals.  Fats also enhance vitamin and mineral absorption for fat soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E and K, etc.

From a skin standpoint, these fats help to “lube” your body internally, giving you silky skin on the outside.  An added benefit of including  healthy fats in your diet – in addition to receiving proper hydration and fiber – is that you stay constipation-free!

This winter, don’t just reach for the lotion to combat dry flaky skin -  heal your skin from the inside out.  You’ll be stunned at the amount of compliments that you’ll receive for glowing, supple skin!

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