Lettuce is a surprise skin saving vegetable, full of antibacterial and antifungal properties
- Beauty
These are the foods to eat to save your winter skin
Tips from an holistic health expert
In winter we gravitate towards cosy knits, warming stews and quiet nights in. It’s nature’s way of letting us rest and restore. It’s also the time to up our face oil and moisturising game to keep our skin looking and feeling its best. Eating certain foods and minerals can also help maintain our skin health throughout the cold, dry months, which is where holistic health expert Josephine Zappia comes in. Her philosophy is we all have the ability to heal ourselves naturally when we work with our body rather than against it. These are the three essential foods and minerals she recommends for luminous winter skin.
Lettuce
“ All lettuce has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. It’s a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, which support minor skin infections and its enzymes provide the anti-bacterial properties to help reduce the likelihood of bacterial infections,’’ Josephine says.
Pear
“Pear is one of the only fruits with little to zero sugar. I often suggest to blend it for a smoothie with ginger, which helps stimulate the heart and circulatory system, and it is also known for its ability to reduce inflammation. It is stapled to the kitchen as my go-to heading into winter,’’ Josephine says.
Zinc
“Zinc is the number one supplement I suggest to support skin health (among other things),’’ Josephine says.
“Zinc has anti-inflammatory activity and supports acne and related scarring. It’s specific for killing some viruses on contact, so If you suffer from constant viruses, or you are unresponsive or relapse after homeopathic treatment, then I would suspect a zinc deficiency.”
Josephine says adequate levels of Vitamin B6 and magnesium are necessary for zinc absorption and a good quality supplement will contain both of these. She recommends always seeking professional advice before starting a supplement.