Got Severe Dry Skin? 4 Tips to Rehydrate From the Inside Out

Somedays your skin feels like a combination of sandpaper and leather. It’s not a pretty sight--flaking, cracking, peeling, and facial redness. It all comes down to staying hydrated so that your body’s largest organ, your skin, looks its best. Your body loses moisture in a number of ways like sweating from being outside in the sun or exercising. Being sick can also cause dehydration, either from having a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Whatever the cause, consider taking these steps to rehydrate your skin: 1. Drink up. Make sure you’re drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day. If you’ve done a lot of sweating either because you’re out in the sun or exercising, make sure you’ve replaced any water that you lost. Eat hydrating foods like watermelon, cucumber, celery, and radishes. 2. Get your omega-3’s. Omega-3s create a barrier to help your body retain moisture. Get your fill of flax seed, salmon, and walnuts. One study found that the Inuit populations do not suffer from psoriasis, a skin disease that causes painful inflammation, redness, and scales because of their intake of omega-3s from fatty fish. 3. Avoid depleting elements. Avoid exposure to elements like harsh winds, dry heat, high altitude, sun, alcohol, and long baths. These conditions deplete your skin of natural moisture faster than unusual. 4. Choose effective natural moisturizers. Choose effective topical moisturizers made with green tea extract. There have been a number of studies that show the benefits of green tea extract for your skin. It’s well documented for antioxidant activities--shown to slow the signs of aging and diminish wrinkles. Aloe vera is another ingredient to look for in a natural moisturizer. It was called the "plant of immortality" by the Egyptians. It’s a cactus plant that belongs to the Lilliaceae family. The clear gel, secreted from the aloe vera plant, can be applied topically to heal wounds and soothe facial redness. Or it can be included as an ingredient in natural topical treatments.

Sara Novak is a Natural Health Care Expert for Zax Health. Follow her on Twitter at @sarafnovak.