TOP 5 Ways to Winter-Proof your Skin with SUPERFOOODS

Every winter here at the Shea Butter Blog we focus on some great ways Shea Butter can be used to winter-proof your skin. From head-to-toe it can help with parched hair, flaky skin, chapped lips, cracked hands and tough feet.

But did you now that there are some powerful Superfoods that can also combat winter skin woes?  Well according to nutritionist Dale Pinnock who is the author of The Clear Skin Cookbook, if you eat the right foods you’ll see the benefits in your skin in a few weeks.

WINTER SKIN PROBLEM #1  Dry Flaky Skin and Eczema

Eat foods and take supplements that are full of essential fatty acids that reduce water loss in your skin. This will help you to maintain high levels of moisture. Some of the food sources of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), hemp oil, soya oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts. Daily fish oil supplements can be used or if you are a vegetarian, DHA algae supplements can also be included to maintain moisturized skin.

WINTER SKIN PROBLEM #2   Dull Skin Tone

Vitamin E can help you to get a more radiant glow. Foods high in Vitamin E include yellow and orange fruits and vegetables. So stock up on carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos and orange and yellow peppers. In addition to Vitamin E, each of these foods contain carotenoids, antioxidants that nourish the layers of skin.

Be sure to also include more blueberries, blackberries, and black grapes. These can all help your skin because they contain anthocyanidins, a pigment that has been found to strengthen collagen fibers resulting in much firmer and more radiant skin.

WINTER SKIN PROBLEM #3  Tired Skin

Since you get 90 per cent of your vitamin D from the sun exposure, during the winter months you will have lower levels of vitamin D than normal.  As a result, it’s not surprising  you may regularly suffer with low energy levels and this tiredness is instantly reflected in your skin. 

Oily fish is the best dietary source, but egg yolks, liver and wild mushrooms contain essential quantities of vitamin D too.  If you are a vegetarian, only mushrooms contain this vitamin but there some herbs which contain good amounts of vitamin D such as ALFALFA, RED RASPBERRY LEAVES, MULLEIN LEAVES, EYEBRIGHT, FENUGREEK SEED, OAT STRAW, THYME, ROSE HIP SEED, AND SARSAPARILLA.  One good vegan supplement to try is from Dhealthstore :  http://www.dhealthstore.com/vitamin-d-100-capsules.html.

WINTER SKIN PROBLEM # 4: Chapped skin

Increasing your B-vitamins is important because these vitamins deliver nutrients and regulate the turnover of skin cells  and this is exactly what you need to recover from dry, chapped, and flaky winter skin.

Brown rice and dark green vegetables, broccoli, kale, and greens are rich in B-vitamins. Adding dark green vegetables to your lunch, dinner, or smoothie snack every day will help to prvent flaking chapped skin.

WINTER SKIN PROBLEM #5: Acne break-outs

Did you know that too much sugar stimulates sebaceous glands increasing break outs? Well too much sugarin the diet can stimulate the production of the male hormone androgen, which can increase acne and breakouts So when you get those sweet-cravings, grab some of  the yummy fruits we listed above instead and your skin will thank you.

DON’T FORGET YOUR PURE SHEA BUTTER!

As always, be sure to keep plenty of Purely Shea organic shea butter on hand to nourish and revive winter-worn skin. Visit us http://www.purelyshea.com/shop_unscented.html.