With this year's extreme cold winter we have had in Toronto, you may have turned up the heat on full blast just to keep temperatures moderate indoors. As a result, you may have noticed drier skin. You might even be waking with a dry mouth and nose.
The worst part is your hands and feet are like a desert! No amount of lotion or Vaseline seems to keep them from drying up again.
In this blog I'm going to share with you a few simple solutions to re-hydrate your body from the inside out. In doing so, you won't have to apply as much lotion continuously, and your mouth and nose should not be as dry when you wake up in the mornings.
First let's dive into why this is happening. With dryness, there's actually 2 factors going on. 1. External dryness, 2. Internal heat. Dryness can be moistened with foods that help generate more fluid in the body. Here's a few that can help:
1. Honey
Honey has so many healing properties. Moistening dryness is just one!
2. Kiwis & Bananas
Great for relieving thirst. Bananas also have moistening properties that are good for regular bowel movements and help dry skin.
3. Oatmeal
Any kind of porridge is good for restoring fluids. In asian culture congee is one made with rice and water in a ratio of 1:6.
Heat on the other hand doesn't disappear by moistening it. You actually have to clear it out of your system.
But where is this heat coming from? It's the middle of winter, so if it's not externally generated, it must be coming from within.
"What generates heat internally though?" you might wonder. And the answer is stress.
That could be tight deadlines, or having to multi-task non-stop. You can think about a computer overheating, when it has too much to process, or hasn't been shut off in a while. Our brains need the same "TIME OFF". Otherwise, we crash and burn.
Add more meditation, or go for a weekend getaway. This is great for bringing down stress levels. In addition, here are some foods you can add to your diet to clear the heat/inflammation from your body:
1. Peppermint
Great for clearing heat, emotional frustration, and ‘chilling you out’.
2. Pears
Pears are a 2-in-1 combo. Not only do they clear heat, but they also moisten dryness. This is the go-to for feelings of thirst, especially if you have been eating spicy lately, or fried foods. The heat clearing properties will get you feeling refreshed and thirst quenched.
3. Watermelon
Great for clearing heat from your system. In fact watermelon is something we typically crave during the intense summer heat. However, due to its cooling nature, it should be eaten in moderation.
I hope you enjoyed these tips. Feel free to book an acupuncture & food therapy session to dive deeper into your health concerns.