11 Healthy Eating Tips to Prevent Dry Skin

Dry skin is easy to detect. This type of skin is unable to retain moisture and usually feels "tight" and "uncomfortable" even after applying moisturizer or skin cream. Chapping and cracking are warning signs of extreme dryness. What most of us do not know is that dry skin is a year-round problem. This is the reason why skin-conscious women regard having dry skin as a lingering nightmare, making them lose their confidence during social activities.

To bring back your skin's natural moisture, eating the right kinds of food can do the trick. It has been told over and again that diet plays a major role in preventing dry skin. To help you attain moisturized skin, here are several diet recommendations:

• Eat a balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, and nuts.
• Get quality protein from vegetable sources. Increase your intake of raw foods.
• Eat garlic, onions, eggs, and asparagus and other food that are high in sulfur which help to keep the skin smooth and youthful.
• Consume plenty of yellow and orange vegetables like carrots and squash that contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant.
• Use only unrefined, cold-pressed flax seed oil (that are used daily in salads and baked potatoes), or mixed into any dishes. These usually do not require heating to high temperatures because it will make dry skin moist and supple.
• Eat healing foods such as apricots, carrots and cantaloupes for dry skin. These foods are rich in vitamins A and C that are both essential for a smooth and supple skin. You may eat them whole or drink them as fresh fruit juices.
• Eat food rich in pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), such as raw milk cheese, natural plain yogurt, green leafy vegetables, nutritional yeast and wheat germ.
• Drink at least two quarts of purified water every day to keep the skin well hydrated.
• Avoid animal fats, and heat-processed vegetable oils. Use cold-pressed oils only. Heating oils leads to the production of free radicals, which have a destructive effect on the skin.
• Avoid soft drinks, chocolates, potato chips and other fat and sugar-laden foods.
• Avoid caffeinated alcoholic beverages and other drinks.

To complement this new eating habit towards acquiring moisturized skin, use hypoallergenic lotion specially formulated for dr