Winter is here and we all can suffer from dull, dry, flakey skin!

From being inside where with the heaters blasting, to walking outside and being smacked in the face from the freezing air! It takes its toll on our poor soft skin. Dry skin = premature aging!! Who the hell wants that? I sure don’t. That’s why its super important to nourish your skin in the winter time not just when the harsh summer sun is out.

Most of the time we forget that our skin is our largest organ! It has 3 incredible layers that work hard to protect us from bacteria, germs, toxins and pollution all day, not to mention some questionable skincare products (that’s another topic for another day) so make sure you giving it that extra lov’n this time of year.

I have a few secret tips (that I’m willing to share with you!) to help you prevent aging and breakouts and wave that dull winter skin BUB-EYE. You probably haven’t even heard of a few…

Foods to help you glow from within – because let’s be honest, beauty really comes from within. You can’t glow if your insides are all out of whack!

Sweet Potato

Yes you read that right, I am giving you permission to load up on some sweet potato fries (homemade of course, I even have a recipe for THE BEST, Sweet Potato Chippies, crispy on the outside and soft in the centre… droooool!

They’re loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C and fibre. They can visibly improve the brightness of your completion thanks to high content of beta-carotene, which helps turn over those new cells aka glowing skin! Try adding this versatile root vegetable on your weekly meals rotation and watch your skin shine, mash it, bake it, make chippies, Sheppard’s pie, the options are endless!

Turmeric

I know, I know, again? Turmeric? YES! This little root of goodness has never ending benefits. You would have heard of them by now I’m sure. But did you realise it can help with breakouts! Curcumin, acts as an incredible anti-inflammatory to calm inflammation of the skin, like pimples, rashes, redness, even in some minor cases of eczema and psoriasis etc. when you notice your skin going a little hay-wire try adding turmeric to your food or even try one of my favourite winter drinks, my delish Ginger and Turmeric Latte.

Nuts

We know nuts are a great snack on the run, to curb those hungry vibes but did you know they can also help keep your skin looking younger! They are damn neat.

Nuts are jam packed full of essential fatty acids which hydrate, stimulate collagen production and improve the blood flow supply of nutrients for healthy skin cells, PLUS they reduce inflammation, like breakouts, rashes etc. (similar to our beloved turmeric). Not only that they contain Vitamin E, Zinc and Magnesium the most powerful antioxidants to help skin repair itself naturally.

Next time your skin is feeling a little dull, grab a handful of nuts or nutbutter, the options are endless, Pecans, Sunflower Seeds, Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Macadamias, Cashews – SO FREAKING MANY!

Something to note… I get asked by my clients allot, why do you need to soak nuts before cooking, eating or making bliss balls??

Don’t think that taking the time to soak them is a waste of time, here’s why!  I soak my nuts for a minimum of 6 hours (or overnight, is even better) to break down the phytic acid and enzymes, so the body can absorb and digest the nutrients easier. What’s the point of eating all the good foods if your body can’t utilise them?

Lemon, Oranges, Limes – CITRUS FRUITS.

Citrus fruits are fresh in season and they are loaded with vitamin C! Perfect for these winter months. A great tip, that I talk about often, is to start your day with a warm glass of lemon water to clear the toxins and start up your metabolism for the day!

Vitamin C, is such an amazing nutrient to boost your collagen production, helping your natural turn-over of your cells, which results in bright nourished skin!

Oh and of course I have some super yummy ways to add citrus to your diet, don’t worry sucking down lemons is not involved!

Choc-Orange Bliss Balls

Lemon Meringue Bliss Balls

Lemon Meringue and Coconut Smoothie

Other beauty-skin boosting foods to add to on rotate this winter are, Avocados (do I really need to say more?), Salmon (or any wild-caught fish), Chia Seeds, Home-made Soups, Flaxseeds, Olive Oil and Coconut Oil.

Changing your Pillow Cases

Have you ever thought about how often you change your sheets and pillow cases! Did you know, you should be changing your sheets every 7 days… now be honest… do you really change them this often??

I change my bed sheets every 7-10 days BUT I also change over my PILLOW CASES every 3 days! Have you ever thought about all the dirt and sweat that you leave on your pillow case from your hair and body… well that transfers on to your face AKA BREAKOUTS!

So, my challenge to you this week is to change your pillow cases over and see if you notice a difference in your skin… And who the hell doesn’t want to jump into fresh sheets

Ps if I could find an app that changed my bed sheets for me that would be amazing.

Fresh Eucalyptus in the Shower

Have you ever had a Eucalyptus Shower??!! It’s like an at home day-spa!

Hang freshly cut plants like eucalyptus, or lavender from your showerhead with twine, or fill a diffuser with an essential oil, the steam from the shower will pick up the scents and leave you in heaven!

The steam softens your skin to remove all the impurities, bacteria and dirt, and allows the eucalyptus to get to work!

Eucalyptus has quite a strong scent that will help clear your airways. Soo good for skin congestion AND sinuses – AKA bubeye winter snotty nose.

Lavender is known for its calming ability not only mentally but also calming aggravated skin, so why not mix it up and try different scents and essential oils, to create a rejuvenating at home-dayspa erryday!

Hot & Cold shower

Now having a cold shower might be intimidating at first… especially in winter?! But hear me out…

A warm shower is great, but too hot is super dehydrating to you skin- that is what we want to avoid. Dehydration = Premature Ageing!!

My challenge to you is to try to add a cold burst of water at the end of your shower (start as cold as you can) even just 10 seconds, then try a little longer and a little colder.

The cold water stimulates your blood flow straight to your skin– aka bright fresh skin! extra tip – it has even been said to boost your metabolism – woo winner winner chicken dinner!

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

This one might seem obvious, but we are all guilty of not consuming enough water.

Try to increase your daily water intake by simply adding a couple of herbal tea or adding some lemon to your water to make it yummier (plus an awesome detoxifier AND immune booster, oh and anti-aging! – triple whammy!)

Another way is to increase your intake of hydrating fruits and vegetables; try things like Cucumber, Coconut Water, leafy Greens, Berries (buy Organic Frozen berries this time of year) and even soups!

Bone Broth

Ive saved one of the best till last! The magic that is Bone Broth, I could almost write a whole blog post on bone broth. If you haven’t given it a try yet, I suggest you do ASAP.

There’s a reason we like to have chicken soup when we are sick, our bodies know that the bone broth in the soup is where the healings at. Bone broth has been used for centuries to heal cold and flu’s, and more recently issues in the gut as all the nutrients are easily absorbed by the body.

So, what is it?  Bone broth or stock is made up of every part of the animal including, bones and marrow, skin and feet, tendons and ligaments that are boiled and then simmered over a period of hours (usually 24). The simmering allows the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen and glutamine that have the power to boost your own natural collagen, speed up your natural healing, reduce cellulite (what?! SOLD!!) plus so many other benefits.

You won’t be just improving your glowing skin, you will be healing many areas of your gorgeous body!

I hope you now have a few extra tips to bring your winter glow on! There is no need to hideaway behind a beanie and scarf this winter, show off your gorgeous glow and let your friends wonder if you’ve just gotten back from a holiday or had work done haha they will all want to know your new-found secrets. Check out my Healing Bone Broth Recipe here to make yourself!

If you would like to find out more ways to get that glowing skin and nourish from within, make sure you subscribe to The Wholesome Heart where you will find so many nourishing recipes- I’ll take the guess work out of “What are we having for dinner tonight?” PLUS loads of healthy tips and even EXCLUSIVE VIP OFFERS!!

I would love to know what else you do to keep your skin glowing during the winter time, comment below or send me a message!