• Hydratation

Hydration from the inside out

I’ve just got back from an extremely chilly Norway. And I can tell immediately by my skin, I am continuously moisturizing….. Does that sound familiar? Apart from moisturizing, is there something on the inside that can be done to make your skin more resilient to the cold? I’ve been on an information gathering exercise for you.
 

The science says this

I came across an interesting review which covered 66 studies on supplements that hydrate your skin from the inside out. And what I already sort of expected was that collagen and ceramides are apparently the best at this.
 

Studies into omega fatty acids, however, are not included in this analysis. Even though we know that a shortage of omega 3 fatty acids is often linked with very dry skin. Therefore, it’s a good idea to take in more of these substances. I am certainly an advocate of getting as much as possible out of your daily diet. And if that isn’t enough, you could give good quality supplements a try …
 

Ghee

My friend, who is from India, once introduced Ghee into my kitchen and I’ve been using it regularly ever since. Ghee is considered a “holy medicine” in Ayurveda, and has been used in India for centuries. This clarified butter contains a perfect combination of omega fatty acids along with a high concentration of butyric acid; the latter works wonders for your gut as well as having anti-inflammatory properties.
 

More good fats

I have also added extra nuts, avocado, olive oil, linseed and chia seeds to my menu in order to get the good fats. And it’s not for nothing that they eat a lot of oily fish in the cold North and even have a daily dose of cod liver oil. Luckily, there are now more pleasant alternatives for the latter, because the smell and taste of cod liver oil won’t make you smile!

The best way to eat nuts

My nut tips:

  • Something I think is not very widely known is that nuts soaked in water overnight before eating are far more beneficial for you. Many nuts are super healthy. It’s amazing to think that such a tiny seed contains all the substances needed to grow an enormous tree. Unfortunately, however, nuts also contain chemicals like tannins and phytates that are less beneficial (and sometimes even toxic) to us. They can prevent our body from absorbing good substances such as calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium and these chemicals can also disrupt our digestion. Nature has been clever here because the seeds can easily survive in this way: they are less likely to be eaten by animals and only germinate under favourable conditions (after a rain shower). This is how a plant’s survival can be guaranteed. By soaking the nuts (these substances are water-soluble) you are, in fact, removing just the bad substances and making it a lot easier for the good substances to be effective. All you need to do is put the nuts in a little water and leave them to soak for a minimum of 8 hours!
  • Also buy real organic nuts. If the nut trees are treated with fertilizer containing a lot of phosphates, this will increase the concentration of phytates in the nut.
  • If you still plan to eat your nuts without soaking them, then go for nuts without shells. Almonds are a good bet.
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    Do you have any food tips for hydrating your skin from the inside out?

    Love Jetske.

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