Foods for Dry Skin

Whilst dry skin is sometimes purely a dermatological occurrence, very often it is due to a dietary problem, a deficiency of some kind.

Below is a list of foods that will help to alleviate dry skin.

Snack on sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and unsalted nuts.

Make sure you drink plenty to keep your body and skin hydrated, water is ideal, but all kinds of fluids (excluding alcohol) help. Even tea and coffee, (in small doses of course!)

Make sure your diet contains plenty of vitamin C, this is essential for skin healing. Try to get your 5 fruit and veg a day!

Vitamin E is also essential for keeping the skin healthy. It keeps it moisturised and promotes circulation. Vitamin E is found in foods such as wholegrains, nuts, seeds and Avocados.

Try to avoid sugary foods, sugar has a drying effect on the skin.

Also, make sure you avoid salt as much as possible, salt dehydrates the entire body, making skin dry and tight.

Fried, fatty foods, animal fats and hydrogenated vegetables all increase production of free radicals which are harmful to the skin.

Oily fish is excellent for maintaining skin health, try to eat plenty of fresh fish.

If you don't like fish, try taking an Omega 3 or cod liver oil supplement.

If you are allergic to fish oils, there are supplements available from many health food/drug stores that contain no fish oils, but can replicate their effects.