Dry Skin Remedy

[Lancelion]

Hi, Ive had dry skin problems since my teen years. The areas most dry are : the nose, face around the mouth (specially after shaving and hot shower), back of the arms, hips. Also, I have mouth infection problems since a long time. I have jsut begun eating raw, but do any of you know of any plant or food that would help me with those problems?

Thank you in advance

[goodsamaritan]

Avocado, coconuts.
Any hydrating fruit or veg you can juice that will keep you well hydrated.
Get a juicing book.

[Mario]

My skin really improved when I started to eat a lot of animal fat.

[MaximilianKohler]

I've had cronic dry skin for years as well. Antioxidants seem to help the most for me. I've heard that omega3's are supposed to be good for it as well.
I take 500mg of resveratrol, over 3g of fish oil(will probably switch to krill oil), coq10 and ala. Though I only plan on continuing with the resveratrol. I also have shower and drinking water filters for the chlorine which drys your skin. I've also stopped using soaps and shampoos except for occasionally on private parts. I've been on the raw meat/fat for a few months now as well and my skin and hair have definitely been improving.

[goodsamaritan]

It's cold in Canada so you should really be looking at the amount of raw animal fats the traditional natives there eat in those cold climates.

[MoonStalkeR]

Avocado, coconuts.
Any hydrating fruit or veg you can juice that will keep you well hydrated.
Get a juicing book.

Do fruits actually hydrate you? It's impractical for humans to get hydrated via fruits as they actually do the opposite. Water and sodium rich foods hydrate, and consuming raw animal fat lubricates body.

[goodsamaritan]

Do fruits actually hydrate you? It's impractical for humans to get hydrated via fruits as they actually do the opposite. Water and sodium rich foods hydrate, and consuming raw animal fat lubricates body.

Probably depends where you live and which fruits.  I live in Manila, tropical weather, tropical fruits.  And yes our fruits here hydrate us.  Watermelon, Coconuts, Papaya, local oranges, etc.

[MoonStalkeR]

Fruits are well known as natural diuretics, they draw water out of the body due to high potassium content. Watermelon is especially high in potassium, so despite being full of water, it is capable of dehydrating a person. I feel dehydration from fruits myself, but the quick effect I feel might be due to my conditions. Given proper amounts of sodium (through salt etc.), the body can probably regulate potassium content to avoid dehydration, even on high-fruit diets.

[bharminder]

I think you should try animal fats. especially oily fish. Then some land meat fats. Saturated fats lubricate. The fats in olive oil can cause dry skin, according to aajonus vonderplanitz, raw meat advocate

[PaleoPhil]

Fruits are well known as natural diuretics, they draw water out of the body due to high potassium content. Watermelon is especially high in potassium, so despite being full of water, it is capable of dehydrating a person. I feel dehydration from fruits myself, but the quick effect I feel might be due to my conditions. Given proper amounts of sodium (through salt etc.), the body can probably regulate potassium content to avoid dehydration, even on high-fruit diets.

Interesting. I found some confirmations, such as here: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5006618_that-act-as-natural-diuretics.html. I wonder if this is one reason I get dry skin after eating more than a little fruit. Thanks for the info MoonStalker.

[the PresiDenT]

My skin really improved when I started to eat a lot of animal fat.

dido

[miles]

Interesting. I found some confirmations, such as here: http://www.ehow.com/facts_5006618_that-act-as-natural-diuretics.html. I wonder if this is one reason I get dry skin after eating more than a little fruit. Thanks for the info MoonStalker.

Durianrider is the expert on living off of fruit alone and he drinks a ton of water. In an environment with lots of watery fruits there should also be plenty of water though, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Fruit makes me thirsty too. I'd previously wondered if it might be the vitamin c.

[goodsamaritan]

I did a blog post on this a few months ago.

http://www.eczemacure.info/blog/2010/01/15/dry-skin-try-this-raw-fatty-lubricating-daily-diet-and-living-routine/

and... have you ever done a liver flush? What kind?

[wodgina]

Meat is hydrating.

I would change fats, thats what I do. I eat mainly suet, when I get dry skin I know i'ts time to go buy some marrow.

[majormark]

When I get dry skin after a hot shower, butter or cream seem to work quite good for me. Cream is better.

[yuli]

Eat whats in season, I am in Canada too and summers are hot and short and winters are long and cold (usually).
In the winter I do well on meat and fatty animal parts, honey, starches (roots and tubers), this keeps my skin hydrated in winter.
After hor shower I still get a little dryness in certain areas, I use unrefined shea butter to get rid of that, any solid buttery thing should work.
In the summer however, I can gorge on fruits in season, no problem.
If its the hottest week of summer my diet will consist of mostly fruits during that time, with some fish and meats to keep me sane.

EDIT: so yeah I suspect fruits are only hydrating when you are supposed to be eating them, like if you have fresh in season fruits where you live then eat those, once they are not in season stop eating them. If you live in tropical place where there are always fruits in season then eat whatever fruit in season is currently.

[MoonStalkeR]

Such mineral disbalances created by large amounts of fruit, further disprove vegan and fruitarian ideas.

EDIT: so yeah I suspect fruits are only hydrating when you are supposed to be eating them, like if you have fresh in season fruits where you live then eat those, once they are not in season stop eating them. If you live in tropical place where there are always fruits in season then eat whatever fruit in season is currently.

Fruits have excess potassium and dehydrate regardless of type and season

[laterade]

I recommend eating lots of fat and not taking hot showers. I have learned to like showers in water near body temp. It does not strip as many oils off of your skin.

[PaleoPhil]

I envy you Yuli. I get dry skin whenever I eat too much fruit for me, which is not a lot. I think things may be getting a little better though. I seem to be handling raw honey a mite better.

[sabertooth]

I use coconut oil as an after shower skin treatment about 3 times a week.I also use it for my hair and scalp. Its so much better and cleaner feeling than any other oil I have used, and it seems to replace the oils that were washed away in the shower. I am all for the theory of raw fats being good for skin, I remember a couple of years ago I went on a low fat quasi vegetarian diet and it was winter time, I got dry skin(rusty patches) as well as completely malnourished, I then started to use olive oil with my cooking and got some improvement but after a while I got burned out on olive oil and my body started rejecting it; literally it would pass through me. I wish I had learned about the benefits raw animal fat sooner. I had used tallow and it was not good at all at least used internally

[yuli]

Fruits have excess potassium and dehydrate regardless of type and season

No way dude, I can eat seasonal fruits in the summer until I burst and I am NOT dehydrated, and I am NOT drinking water and I am ABLE to withstand the heat well with them. Just because you read about potassium doesn't mean everything will follow that text-book case in all people all the time all seasons. The reason why I eat lots of fruits in the summer if because it makes me cool and hydrated, simple. In the winter too much fruit screws me up. Perhaps there is seasons when we need this excess potassium???

I envy you Yuli....

No need to envy, it sucks when cold starts and I still have fruit cravings then I have to relearn not to eat them every winter ha ha
I am sure you will be able to enjoy some fruits when the right time and the right fruits come along 

I use coconut oil as an after shower skin treatment about 3 times a week....

Putting fat on the skin after shower is awesome, last time I made a nice facial cream from shea butter and honey together, try that on the face or mix honey and coconut, its soothing.
I know hot showers are not good for you but they feel so great, sigh
I try to follow the hot shower will cool water after, if that even makes a difference, lol....

[MoonStalkeR]

No way dude, I can eat seasonal fruits in the summer until I burst and I am NOT dehydrated, and I am NOT drinking water and I am ABLE to withstand the heat well with them. Just because you read about potassium doesn't mean everything will follow that text-book case in all people all the time all seasons. The reason why I eat lots of fruits in the summer if because it makes me cool and hydrated, simple. In the winter too much fruit screws me up. Perhaps there is seasons when we need this excess potassium???

What text book case? I am basing this off of the account of myself and other people here. I have a number of dehydration symptoms which I see increase in after consuming fruit. Most sources I saw including the one Phil linked to actually praise potassium in its ability to get rid of "excess water". Although that site can easily prove the negative effects of potassium too, despite praising it.

Some people are better at regulating electrolytes than others. There is no need for excess potassium. Sodium and potassium are best either at a balance ratio (similar to the relationships we see between other minerals, calcium vs magnesium, etc) or sodium must be higher. According to dietary sources (I am not aware of the accuracy of this), meat is usually higher in potassium than sodium. Most of the sodium is concentrated in the Blood of the animal, which we typically see drained off. Blood can be considered nature's ultimate hydrator that is difficult to obtain in our modern world.

[yuli]

What text book case? I am basing this off of the account of myself and other people here. I have a number of dehydration symptoms which I see increase in after consuming fruit. Most sources I saw including the one Phil linked to actually praise potassium in its ability to get rid of "excess water". Although that site can easily prove the negative effects of potassium too, despite praising it.

Some people are better at regulating electrolytes than others. There is no need for excess potassium. Sodium and potassium are best either at a balance ratio (similar to the relationships we see between other minerals, calcium vs magnesium, etc) or sodium must be higher. According to dietary sources (I am not aware of the accuracy of this), meat is usually higher in potassium than sodium. Most of the sodium is concentrated in the Blood of the animal, which we typically see drained off. Blood can be considered nature's ultimate hydrator that is difficult to obtain in our modern world.

Hmm ok, I am not thirsty person in general, and if I am eating fruit at the right season I loose my thirst altogether. SO thats why I doubt its dehydrating when you are eating the right fruit and in the time you're supposed to. I do eat sea salt quite often, perhaps that is why I am less thirsty when I eat fruit, it balances it out. Perhaps if you eat no salt you should not be eating fruits then as the imbalance will occur and dehydrate you.

[miles]

Hm interesting. About the salt/blood.. Salt makes good sense as a preservative then. I wonder how 'important' it could be for us to use some salt if we're not getting blood?

[MoonStalkeR]

Hmm ok, I am not thirsty person in general, and if I am eating fruit at the right season I loose my thirst altogether. SO thats why I doubt its dehydrating when you are eating the right fruit and in the time you're supposed to. I do eat sea salt quite often, perhaps that is why I am less thirsty when I eat fruit, it balances it out. Perhaps if you eat no salt you should not be eating fruits then as the imbalance will occur and dehydrate you.

You should be fine if you consume salt or blood.

Hm interesting. About the salt/blood.. Salt makes good sense as a preservative then. I wonder how 'important' it could be for us to use some salt if we're not getting blood?

Using salt is important as the deficiency will occur if one isn't consuming blood. People here following a paleo diet report issues with dehydration and mineral deficiencies that are corrected by salt consumption.