Dry, irritated and itchy skin. These are some common complaints I get from clients in the winter months. As soon as the weather changes and the tan fades, so can the glow; but, there are a few simple habits you can incorporate into your diet to help that.

Drink Water

Not only does dehydration lead to fatigue, but it can really alter the appearance of your skin. When you are dehydrated, your body pulls water from the skin to to maintain proper concentration in your blood. This causes the skin to lose its elasticity, causing you to look older.

Staying properly hydrated also helps keep your digestion on track, another factor that is important for great skin.

Eat Those Healthy Fats

Studies show that supplementation with an Omega 3 can reduce acne by up to 50%. I personally like the NutraSea Omega 3 with Vitamin D, but you can also aim to get your Omega 3 intake from food. Salmon, sardines, mackerel, flaxseed, walnuts and hemp hearts are all great sources to incorporate into your diet.

Other sources of healthy fats, like avocados and coconut oil have also worked wonders for me and my skin. I love to add a 1/4 avocado to a smoothie, or sauté some vegetables in coconut oil.

Ditch Dairy

We now know there are many other ways to get your calcium intake aside from cow’s dairy, like almonds, sesame seeds and leafy greens. For my clients with skin conditions, removing cow’s milk dairy is often a quick win for them. It’s thought that the insulin spike from dairy can lead to an increase in testosterone (in both males and females), and higher testosterone is linked with blemishes on the skin.

Nip It In The Bud With Tea Tree Oil

If you do happen to see a pesky zit on its way, rather than popping it and making it worse, try rubbing some tea tree oil on to it. The anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties of tea tree oil can help reduce the size and severity of the blemish, and have it heal faster.

Mandy King is a Holistic Nutritionist and Gluten Free Guru who shares her expertise with She Does The City. For recipes and nutrition tips, visit her website, HEAL. Follow Mandy on Twitter@mandyking_HEAL. Like Healthy Eating and Living on Facebook here. You can also find Mandy on Pinterest and Instagram.