You can fight dry skin in winter with the remedies that help all aspects of health: lots of water and a nutrient-rich diet. Good nutrition forms the foundation of skin structure and helps you set up resiliency when skin is exposed to various challenges.
The Importance of Hydration
Fluid intake plays a direct role in this. Like every cell in the body, skin cells won’t work properly without enough H2O. Hydration is directly correlated with how your skin functions. You can even see it. If you get dehydrated, your skin will appear more wrinkled. If you’re hydrated, your cells are stronger, fuller, plumper and more elastic.
How much water do you need to fight dry skin in winter? We used to say six to eight cups per day. It’s really more like 10 to 12 cups per day, but it depends on your health and age.
Watery foods like fruits and vegetables also count toward your daily fluid intake and contribute to warding off dry skin in winter.
Watermelon.
Strawberries.
Cucumbers.
Celery.
Healthy soups.
Green Juices.
It takes a complex combination of nutrients to keep skin cells healthy and maintain the integrity. Since nutrients are most potent when they come from food, I advise that you include the following in your diet:
Omega 3 fatty acids.
Protein.
Zinc.
Vitamin A.
Vitamin C.
Vitamin E.
The nutrients linked to better skin health are plentiful in a wide variety of foods. For example:
Omega-3 fatty acids come from avocados, nuts, seeds, flax seed oil and oily fish.
Protein comes from legumes (beans, lentils), fish, lean red meat, poultry, organic dairy and non-GMO tofu.
Selenium is in Brazil nuts, fish, chicken, beef, pork, eggs and cheese.
Vitamin A is in squash, some dairy foods, dark leafy greens, animal protein, and dark orange foods (sweet potatoes, cantaloupes and carrots).
Vitamin C. Citrus gets all the fame as a source of vitamin C, but it's also abundant in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, cantaloupe, red and green peppers and kiwi.
Vitamin E. Foods high in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, peanuts, hazelnuts, broccoli and spinach.
Zinc. Zinc-rich foods include nuts and seeds, legumes, meats, shellfish and dairy products.
You might feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to fit so many nutrients into your diet to ward off dry skin in winter, but all it takes is incorporating a wide variety of whole (unprocessed) foods in every color of the rainbow. It’s not just one nutrient that makes your skin healthy, it’s all of the nutrients from whole foods that get into your system and work synergistically together.
That means eating a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, fish, lean meat, poultry and grassfed/organic dairy.
I love my work as a dietitian, it is truly my calling in life. Getting to work with such wonderful human beings like yourself fuels my passion and pushes me to be a better individual, nutritionist and business owner. I am grateful for each and every one of you, even when you don't want to eat your veggies or give up sugar 
Have a happy and healthy holiday season!
All you need:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-8 oz.) salmon filets, skin removed
Salt, to taste
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons fig preserves
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
All you do:
1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season salmon filets with salt and place in the hot pan. Cook for 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and flaky. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add onion and cranberries to the same pan and saute until the cranberries start to pop, about 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, orange zest/juice and fig preserves and cook for 2 minutes longer.
3. Finish the sauce with fresh rosemary. Spoon sauce over each salmon filet and serve.
During the holidays, I like to buy several bags of fresh cranberries to throw in my freezer so I can enjoy them through out the year.
