5 ways to help your skin get through the winter.

Winter is here - at least for most of us in the northern hemisphere.  Summer is but a memory.  Let's face it, summer does us all good.  A healthy glow to the skin and plenty of Vitamin D provided by the sun.  We all know how important it is to protect our skin from the sun, but it also needs protecting during the cold winter months.  Lots of people say that beauty is only skin deep but if you try looking after the inside it will show on the outside.

The perils of winter for our skin are the cold weather, lack of direct sunlight and dehydration produced by central heating.  Eating the right foods can help protect your skin from all these things.

If you suffer from dry and eczema-prone skin, you will benefit from eating oily fish on a more regular basis.  Salmon, Trout, Sardines, Swordfish, Whitebait, Fresh Tuna - not canned, Anchovies, Eels, Kippers, Mackerel and Carp, to name a few, are full of essential fatty acids Omega-6 and Omega-3.  Omega-3 is especially good for us and helps the skin by reducing water loss.  These essential fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory properties so you will be less prone to sore skin from eczema outbreaks.  Omega-3 has a whole host of health benefits:

1. Reduction of LDL ("Bad" cholesterol) levels in the blood.
2. Alleviates inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
3. Reduces high blood pressure.
4. Prevents blood clot formation which, in turn, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
5. Prevents heart and circulatory problems.
6. Promotes healthy development of the brain and eyes.
7. Reduces the risk of thrombosis.
8. Helps people suffering from gout.
9. Clears cholesterol from the arteries, widening the artery walls and increasing elasticity.
10. Helps to increase HDL ("Good" cholesterol) which protects the heart.
11. Reduces the rist of developing Dementia, Alzheimer's and depression and helps depression sufferers to overcome their depression.
12. Oily fish during pregnancy helps foetal development although pregnant women should limit intake to 2 portions of oily fish per week.
13. Improves brain function.

Do you need any more reasons to increase your intake of oily fish?  Try eating oily fish at least 3 times a week.

Chapped skin from cold windy weather needs a boost in B-vitamins.  These B-vitamins deliver nutrients and regulate skin cell turnover.  Foods rich in these vitamins are brown rice and dark green vegetables, especially broccoli and kale.  Add these to your lunch and dinner everyday and you will see the benefits.

Has your skin lost its summer glow?  Does your skin look tired and dull when you look in the mirror?  We all know that vitamin E is the top anti-aging vitamin that especially helps the skin - it's in all those expensive skin creams we use on a daily basis.  But the best way to benefit from vitamin E is to eat it.  All fruits and vegetables that are orange and yellow in colour (red and yellow peppers, sweet potato, carrots and mangos) are rich in carotenoids - these are antioxidants that the body converts to vitamin E which, in turn, nourishes the layers of skin under the surface.  Two portions a day will give the best results.

Anthocynidin is a pigment that has been found to strengthen collagen fibres which, in turn, produces a much healthier, firmer and more radiant skin.  So you should eat more blueberries, blackberries, black grapes and even a glass of red wine.  Red wine also contains resveratrol which is thought to contain anticancer, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory properties, it is also thought to reduce blood glucose levels and have cardiovascular benefits.

Vitamin D is a big problem especially in winter when the days are shorter and getting your daily dose of direct sunlight can be extremely difficult.  Lack of vitamin D can produce low energy levels, tiredness which is directly reflected in our skin.  We only manage to obtain 10% of vitamin D needed from our diet, so it is extremely important to eat the right foods.  Oily fish is the best source of vitamin D but egg yolks, liver and wild mushrooms are also an essential source of this vitamin.  So eating one of these ingredients everyday is very important.

Is your skin pale and brittle?  An antioxidant mineral called Selenium has been proven to improve elasticity and reduce sun damage.  You can find Selenium in turkey, lean beef, chicken and eggs but is especially concentrated in Brazil Nuts.  The concentration in Brazil Nuts (if you are not allergic) is so high that you will only need 1-2 nuts a day.

Are you suffering from spots?  Here our old enemy sugar comes into play.  We should all know by now that sugar does us no good what so ever.  Most people attribute sugar to weight gain, but it also stimulates the sebaceous glands under the skin which makes your skin break out.  Sugar also stimulates production of the male hormone androgen, which can cause acne in women.  It has also been shown that sugar speeds up collagen damage so it is best to avoid sugar all together - for what ever reason.

I hope that this post will help you to protect your skin through the winter.