Photo Credit: Swamibu
I eat 100% raw all year round and my skin stays soft and beautiful and I stay warm and happy. Here are my top tips for gorgeous glowing skin and radiating warmth this winter:
Stay Hydrated
It is extremely important to stay hydrated all of the time, especially during the winter when there is less of a desire for water and when skin tends to dry out. If room temperature water is too cool for you, heat it up a bit. Add a squeezed wedge of lemon. Lemon is also great for alkanizing the body and cleansing the liver. Drink more moisturizing herbal teas: Irish Moss, Red Clover Blossom, Marshmallow Root, and Fennel Seed. Always drink herbal teas, and stay away from caffiene. Also, try adding raw ginger or a dash of cayenne to drinks or dishes.
Eat more Healthy Fats
Eating more healthy fats beautifies your skin and warms your body from the inside out:
All raw and organic:
Avocado
Coconut, especially organic young coconut
Seeds especially Hemp Seeds, Chia Seeds, and Flax seeds
Nuts, especially almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts
Olives
Fresh Oils
* Only use Extra Virgin Olive oil or Coconut oil when cooking
* Only use Flax, Hemp (only if very fresh) or Olive oils for raw foods and salads
Get your Vitamin D
If you live in a less sunny place, and I know what that is like (I lived in Seattle for many years until very recently), make sure to take a high quality Vitamin D supplement, at least 4000 IU per day.
Cleanse with care
Be very cautious not to cleanse skin too often or use a harsh cleanser. All of our cleansers are very gentle and hydrating.
Rehydrate throughout the day
Rehydrate skin frequently throughout the day with a hydrating mist, which will work even over makeup. You could also reapply your favorite moisturizer.
Bathe with moisturizing herbs
If you take baths, bathe with moisturizing herbs such as rosebud, lavender flowers, calendula, and chamomile flowers
Eat warming foods
Eating Raw foods is actually warming to the body. This may be a surprise, but more heat is produced through digesting raw foods then eating cooked foods. Also, raw, living foods are beautifying, whereas, cooked foods are not. In general, foods that take longer to grow are generally more warming than foods that grow quickly. What do I see most abundant this time of year, root vegetables. They grow this time of year for a reason, they are very warming to the body. Foods that are warming include: squash, carrots, potatoes, yams, rutabagas, turnips, garlic, leeks, onions, rice, oats, cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black or hot pepper.
