These Foods May Be Drying Out Your Skin


Fries

DRY SKIN AND YOUR DIET

Staying indoors with the dry artificial heat and lack of moisture in the air, the Winter months can be excessively harsh for your skin. On top of that, we’re washing our hands every few minutes. These factors (and more) can leave you with dry, itchy skin. Your diet can also greatly affect your skin’s appearance and cause dry itchy skin.

EAT THESE FOODS TO AVOID DRY SKIN

Here are the foods anyone with dry itchy skin should eat to help soothe and smooth your skin. I’ve also listed the foods you should avoid and the reasons why. As a bonus, your metabolism and waistline will benefit too.

Water

DRINK PLENTY of WATER

The most important thing you should do when treating dry skin is make sure you are drinking enough water. This is usually pretty easy to do in the summer months, but we seem to forget about its importance in the winter time. Water rehydrates your cells, maintains homeostasis, prevents aging, and keeps all your cells active and functioning. Not drinking enough water can leading to many skin problems, including itchy, dry and flaky skin.

Avocado

EAT HEALTHY OILS & FATS

  • Coconut Oil – Applying this miracle oil topically to your skin can help moisturizer dry skin. You may want to avoid using it on your face as it is known to clog pores. You can also eat coconut (unsweetened). I use it in keto energy balls and granola bar recipes.
  • Avocado – Avocados are amazing super foods. They are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, beta carotene, Vitamins C and E. The blend of healthy fats, proteins, and vitamins make it a powerhouse for nutrition and skin health. It helps support the structures of collagen and elastin in your skin, while the fat keeps your skin moisturized.
  • Nuts and Seeds – Walnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds are your best choices for healthy skin. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B, and E, monounsaturated fats, minerals, and antioxidants. Nuts help retain moisture and strengthen the skin barrier, improve skin elasticity, helps regenerate cells, and protects against pollutants and free radicals. 1 oz of nuts is a portion size. Any more may cause you to gain weight because of their fat density.
  • Fatty Fish – Eating foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids will help reduce inflammation, flush out toxins, and lock moisture in your skin. They include fatty fish like salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines.
Sweet Potato

EAT FOODS WITH BETA CAROTENE

  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Red or Yellow Bell Peppers
  • Carrots
  • Cantaloupe
  • Apricots
Asparagus

EAT THESE HEALTHY VEGETABLES & FRUITS

  • Asparagus - High in Vitamin E
  • Broccoli – Great source of Zinc, Vitamin A & C
  • Tomatoes – Rich in Carotenoids, Lycopene and Vitamin C
  • Cucumbers – High in Vitamin C
  • Tangerines – High in Vitamin A & C
  • Dark leafy greens – Kale, spinach, chard, collard greens, turnip greens, etc., are rich sources of vitamins A, B, C, and K, calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron, and folic acid, and dietary fiber. They are also antioxidative and anti-inflammatory in nature. Thus, they may help heal dry and itchy skin by removing toxins from your body and soothing your skin.
OTHER POTENTIAL CAUSES OF ITCHY DRY SKIN
  • Dry windy weather
  • Too much sun
  • Central heating, wood-burning stoves, space heaters and fireplaces all reduce humidity and dry your skin.
  • Hot baths and showers
  • Perfumed soaps and detergents
  • Some prescription medications
  • Menopause
  • Allergic reactions and skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis

    Sugary foods cause dry skin
THESE FOODS CAN CAUSE DRY SKIN, FINE LINES and WRINKLES
  • Sugar - Too much sugar in the bloodstream weakens collagen, reducing elasticity which leads to dry skin and even accelerates fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Salt – Our bodies counter excess salt by drawing liquid out of cells to neutralize the salt. The reduction of liquid causes drier skin.
  • Refined carbs – These foods include bread, white rice, pasta, and pastries. These foods are treated in your body the same as sugar, meaning they damage the collagen in your skin and cause dry skin and wrinkles.
  • Alcohol and Coffee – They cause dry skin because they are diuretics, which means they cause frequent urination and deplete your body of water and nutrients. Less fluid can lead to dehydration and take away moisture, contributing to dry skin. This can make fine lines and wrinkles appear more pronounced as well. To offset the loss off water, you need to drink more water for every drink you have of these diuretics.
  • Vitamin A – While Vitamin A is great for your skin, an excessive amount can lead to dry skin and dry brittle hair. The top food sources of vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, pumpkin, dairy products, fish, eggs, cantaloupe, peppers, and mangos. The typical American diet gets plenty of Vitamin A but not an excessive amount. The problem arises if you are getting too much Vitamin A through your supplements on top of your diet. check to make sure you aren’t getting more than 10,000 mcg a day of oral vitamin A supplements. Vitamin A can be found in multivitamins, hair, skin & nails supplements, fish oils, cod liver oil, supplements to improve vision, etc.