Enjoying the cooler Autumn breeze is a welcome relief to the hot Summer sun but for many this breeze can lead to skin flare ups, dry, flaky skin and itchiness all over the body.
Why does Autumn seem to have such a negative effect on our skin?
At the Salubre Skin Clinic in Surrey Hills, I often see patients who complain of dry, itchy, and sometimes even cracked skin during the windy Autumn months.
In Chinese Medicine, wind causes itchiness, which is not limited to the skin and can include itchy eyes, nose and mouth that hay fever sufferers often battle with when the seasons change.
The increase in wind during Autumn enters the body through the nose, mouth and skin and results in itchy skin.
Wind is also very drying to the skin, therefore being exposed to the elements will cause the skin to become more dry which in turn increases itchiness.
What can you do to reduce the skin’s itchiness and dryness?
1. Moisturise dry, itchy skin.
Moisturising the skin is absolutely essential all year round but especially during the windy Autumn months.
Sensitive skin sufferers are more prone to weather changes, therefore using skincare specifically tailored to your skin needs such as Salubre’s Pure Delicacy range is important to hydrate the skin and repair the damaged skin barrier.
This will reduce the intensity of wind entering the body through the skin, minimising its negative effect in the body.
Sensitive skin results from a damaged skin barrier whereby the hyperlipidic layer in the epidermis has less than 10% water. To rejuvenate the skin barrier, specific nutrients are required to encourage the skin's natural healing process. Salubre’s Pure Delicacy range is formulated with natural ingredients that contain a complete nutrient profile to replenish the skin and provide all the essential nutrients it needs to encourage its natural healing process.
2. Eating Autumn foods to prevent itchy, dry skin.
Eating foods specifically for Autumn is a great way to help the body adjust to the change in seasons. You may not be familiar with Autumn food but the truth is our body is connected to Mother Nature, so ideally with the change of each season we must change our diet to accompany this change in season.
A few examples of Autumn food are beetroot, pumpkin. Carrot, apples and pears. For a more comprehensive list please read Is Autumn Making Your Psoriasis More Dry?.
3. Keep your skin healthy by keeping your liver healthy.
As we know, the liver is closely connected to the health of our skin. Stress will directly have an impact on the healthy functioning of our liver. As a result, our skin can feel more dry and itchy. Nurturing your liver by mediating, creating a positive mindset and getting to sleep early will all have a positive effect on the health of your skin.
Additionally, our liver stores blood, a ‘stressed’ liver may lead to a blood deficiency. If this occurs, the blood fails to nourish the skin and the result is dry sensitive skin.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and are in need of TLC, Salubre’s Sereni-Tea is formulated to calm the nervous system and help you feel more in control by minimising the feeling of overwhelm and anxiety.
Ways to improve the health of your liver include:
- Meditation.
- Manage stressful situations. If this is difficult to do then perhaps improve adrenal health with Salubre’s Sereni-Tea.
- Minimise or avoid alcohol.
- Eat more blood nourishing foods – beetroot, berries, red meat, legumes, filtered water, go ji berries, organic vegetables.
Most importantly, remember to nourish your body throughout the year. Enjoying inflammatory foods (sugar, alcohol, greasy/fatty food, dairy) will create dryness and redness in the skin and all over the body. If these foods are enjoyed, then balance them with loads of filtered water and antioxidant rich foods.
Also, it is a good idea to eat lots of fibrous foods as that will help toxins be eliminated through the bowel and minimise the negative impact on the body toxins create when sitting around the bowel for longer periods of time.
Looking at ways to improve your liver health and skin health, why not try out the Sereni-Tea? Enjoy 15% off your first purchase with the codeword happyskin
If you found this article useful, you might also enjoy our blog on The Sensitive Skin Diet and A Complete Guide to Healing Sensitive Skin.
As you can see, when you are experiencing sensitive itchy skin your body is communicating with you and trying to bring your attention to something under your skin. Being mindful of the food you eat, avoiding inflammatory foods, meditating and applying a soothing nutrient dense moisturising cream will help your skin rejuvenate and address some of those underlying factors at the same time.
