An oasis for dry skin

In the colder months of the year, I often find my clients complaining about their skin feeling dry, itchy and flaky which can not only be irritating but also quite unsightly to look at. The three most important ingredients, which are needed by the skin to keep it luscious are fat, water and spices. I am sure you are shocked that I think that these are the most vital. Let me tell you a little more about the benefits of water, fat and spices have on your skin health.
Our body is made up of 70 per cent water. Blood is an aqueous solution, which transports nutrients like oxygen to all cells of the body and removes wastes from these cells thus removing toxins ultimately out of the system. So, drinking water will not only leave you feeling refreshed overall but will also naturally hydrate your skin. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Skip alcohol, caffeine, aerated drinks, sugar-filled drinks as all these dehydrate the skin and body.

I cannot stress how necessary good quality fats are on your plate during the cold months. My go to good quality fat is ghee made from the desi humped cow. Without it, none of your fat-soluble vitamins and spices, which promote healthy skin is made available to the body such as vitamin A, vitamin E and turmeric. Your carrots, leafy greens and pumpkins contain high amounts of vitamin A, which cannot be absorbed without good quality fat. Vitamin A is known to prevent skin lesions and promote skin health. Your whole grains such as bajra, jowar, barley, amaranth, whole wheat and brown rice contain vitamin E thus they need fat to be absorbed too. Luckily, in the winter you have an abundance of nuts and seeds that are good quality fat, which we could snack on. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds all take care of your zinc and omega 3, which are needed to keep your skin healthy.

Whenever I cook spices, I always ensure that I cook it in some good quality fat to make it highly bioavailable. Turmeric is a blood purifier, which adds a glow to your skin and removes impurities. These properties of turmeric cannot be absorbed without the presence of fat.
Vitamin C helps the production of collagen and can strengthen the capillaries that feed the skin. In the cold months you get amazing guavas, oranges, strawberry, lemons, tomatoes, just add them to your plate daily! You will get a healthy dose of vitamin C easily. Root vegetables like sweet potatoes contain a good amount of vitamin C so now you know that they come in the winter months for a reason!

Sulphur is something that we never think of when talking about skin health. Sulphur keeps the skin smooth and supple. Thus, in the winter you see the market filled with fresh green garlic, just chop this finely and toss it into any of your foods. Onions are sulphur rich and it is so simple to include it in your food.

Let me tell you about a miracle food that will keep your skin radiant and glowing! Coconut is a good quality fat, is rich in sulphur along with vitamin E and vitamin A. Thus, making it a wholesome food of all things that are needed for good and healthy skin.
So, keep the itchy, flaky and dry skin away by following my easy tips and tricks to get clear and radiant skin.