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What to Eat to Avoid Dry Winter Skin

Eating + pretty skin? We’re in.

Health
What to Eat to Avoid Dry Winter Skin
Perhaps the cruelest outcome of bitter temps is the unrelenting parched skin it leaves us with well into spring. It’s a perpetual battle (with an artillery of moisturizers, sheet masks, and oils) to stop our skin from looking like an old YSL crocodile clutch. Yet, one factor we’ve come to realize should never be overlooked when it comes to skin care is what’s in our fridge. Because, yes, what we put in our body now can actually stave away the dry, flaky skin that comes later. Friends, it turns out there is some weight to the adage “You are what you eat.” And much of that knowledge comes from two of our most trusted experts, dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe and nutritionist and multi-time New York Times best-selling author Kimberly Snyder, who gave us a handy menu of nourishing foods for our skin, plus the dry-skin culprits to avoid. Stock your fridges.

 

Foods That Are Dehydrating


Snyder suggests you should “avoid eating too many dry, crispy foods such as crackers, pretzels, etc.” and opt for more foods with a higher water content. She also recommends eliminating common allergens “such as wheat, soy, dairy products, and peanuts.” Dr. Bowe adds, “If you have dry skin, you want to decrease your alcohol intake and increase your water intake because when your skin is dry and dehydrated, your fine lines and wrinkles are much more pronounced. When your skin is hydrated, it will appear more even, radiant, and supple.”

Foods to Eat for Hydrated Skin


Both Dr. Bowe and Snyder agree that healthy fats like avocado, omega 3 fatty acids, and coconut oil are essential for skin health. So is drinking lots of room-temperature water. As for specifics, Snyder recommends the following foods:

Açaí: “Although açaí is a berry, it’s actually a fatty fruit that contains powerful omega fatty acids that help to nourish dry skin. My favorite brand that I’ve been using for years is the Sambazon Unsweetened Açaí Smoothie packets. They are the only certified organic and fair trade Acai brand out there, so you can feel good about how you spend your dollar.

Pineapple: “Is an excellent food to support digestion and eliminating toxins, which help to avoid recirculation of toxins that cause dry skin and wrinkles. It is also high in vitamin C, which helps in the formation of collagen, a protein that helps grow new skin and blood vessels.”

Almonds: “Almonds are a wonderful aid for dry skin. They are an extremely rich source of the skin-beautifying antioxidant vitamin E, which helps to create smoothness and suppleness.”

Walnuts: “These boast a high content of omega-3 fats, which helps to keep the cellular membranes flexible and fluid, allowing your cells a greater opportunity to usher nutrients and moisturizing fluids to your skin to prevent dryness.”



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