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Is cold weather drying out your skin?
 Colder weather and lower humidity levels are on their way...But that doesn't mean your skin has to suffer! There are plenty of inexpensive, natural solutions for flaky, tight, cracked skin and staticky hair.
For starters, be sure to drink lots of water, get sufficient sleep and exercise regularly. You might be tired of hearing these recommendations as a solution for nearly every health concern, but they're constantly reiterated because they work. The sweating caused by exercise actually unblocks pores, allowing natural oils to come to skin's surface and aid hydration. Here are some other helpful hints and at-home remedies to try (some you can whip up right in your kitchen).
Treat your skin from the inside out.
Boost your intake of foods rich in magnesium, essential fatty acids, vitamin C and beta-carotene, which will make it less prone to dryness. Dark chocolate, salmon and other fatty fish, oranges, mango and carrots all contain ingredients that will help hydrate your skin. For an excellent source of sustainably harvested wild fish with low mercury levels, check out Vital Choice. And for a delicious salmon recipe so easy, you can make it even during the busy holiday season, click here.
Try olive oil...not just in your food.
Olive oil is an amazing product, and not just for Italian cooking. Julie Gabriel, author, spa and organic skin care line owner, states that the oil instantly grooms dry cuticles, works fabulously on hands and elbows, removes makeup, and soothes and conditions itchy, dry skin all over the body. She recommends dabbing a thin layer of organic extra-virgin olive oil under your moisturizer for an extra dose of antioxidants and good fatty acids. Using organic coconut oil in lieu of lotion can work well, too. (Try Tropical Traditions oil.)
Raid the kitchen. Plain greek yogurt can work well as a mild exfoliating cleanser - and it's even better with mashed-up papaya. Mixing equal amounts brown sugar and coconut oil, with a tablespoon of honey, makes an excellent homemade scrub, as well. For an effective (and Thanksgiving-themed!) hydrating mask, try mixing up one can pumpkin and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder and leaving on face or body for 5-15 minutes. Other food items that do double duty in the skin department? Mashed avocado for the skin, a dab of organic honey on chapped, cracked lips in the evening...and for dry hair, try a shampoo of one egg yolk and a tablespoon liquid castile soap, mixed, massaged into hair, and left for 5-6 minutes before rinsing.
Convinced Gaining 5 Pounds is Just Another Part of the Holidays? Think Again!
Try these tips from Karen Connolly, Wellness Concepts' nutritionist...and keep reading for healthier versions of some traditional holiday favorites. Show your guests or party hosts that "heavy" and "holiday food" don't have to be synonymous.
1. Only have one helping of food - don't go up for seconds (leftovers will be there for later).
2. Limit yourself when drinking alcohol...one or two glasses of wine with the holiday dinner. (Remember alcohol contains a lot of extra calories on top of the high-calorie holiday meal that you are already going to be eating.)
Go with a dry wine instead of a sweet wine - they have less sugar.
3. Use a small plate for your holiday dinner.
4. Stay away from the bread, muffins, biscuits or any other bread-like foods.
5. Put gravy on the side and not on your food. That way you have a better idea of how much you are using- gravy is loaded with calories.
6. Eat a healthy, low fat/high protein breakfast the morning of your holiday meal, so you are not starving when it comes time to eat dinner.
7. Eat your holiday meal slowly- remember it takes about 20 minutes for our brain and stomach to communicate to let us know when we are full.
8. Increase your workouts the week of the holiday and try to get one in the morning of or a longer workout the day after.
9. For baking, use Stevia! A couple tips for substituting something like Truvia in your baking:
- The most difficult recipes to replace sugar in are baked goods like cookies, cakes, muffins and brownies. Sugar contributes a lot of functionality to baked goods beyond sweetness - like structure, tenderness, spread and browning. For best results, leave about 1/4 cup sugar in your favorite recipe and replaces the remainder with appropriate amount of Truvia® natural sweetener from the conversion chart on www.truvia.com. Use brown sugar for more chewy and moist baked goods.
- Baking with Truvia® natural sweetener often requires using lower temperature than sugar based recipes. Lower the oven temperature by about 25 to 50 degrees F and increase baking time by 5-10 minutes.
- Make your own "powdered sugar" by blending 8 packets of Truvia® natural sweetener and 1 Tablespoon of corn starch on high for one minute in a blender.
Healthier Holiday Recipes
Smoke-Roasted Turkey Breast with Pomegranate-Thyme Glaze: There are two great things about this twist on the classic bird - antioxidant-rich pomegranate, and lower fat content, thanks to using only breast meat.
Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan: Cauliflower is an often overlooked, but very versatile vegetable, with the added bonus of being a cruciferous "superfood". Roasted here until just tender and browned, and flavored with Italian herbs, garlic, Parmesan, and lemon juice, it's the highlight of any meal. It's heavy on flavor but light on calories, with only 89 per serving.
Garlic Roasted Kale: another super-healthy side option.
Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pilaf: Both the main contributors to this yummy side have excellent health benefits, and the brown rice is a great way to add some fiber to your meal! And for dessert...Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without the pumpkin pie, but a good chunk of pie's calories can come from the crust. If you're up to doing the "from scratch" deal, try one of these healthier recipes from Bob's Red Mill (some are even gluten-free!). Bob's Red Mill is a great resource for all sorts of healthy grains, and a lot of their products and mixes can be found in the organic foods aisle at your local Jewel, or with the baking mixes. Enjoy! And Happy Holidays from the Wellness Concepts Family to Yours! |
