Health Hotline Magazine | September 2025

Fight Dryness from the Inside with a Three-Pronged Approach STEP 1: Hydrate We know the idiom, “But first, co ee,” but what we should be hailing as the first step to waking up is, “But first, hydrate.” Drinking a glass of water upon waking starts your day with the hydration your cells need right away. Though co ee no doubt wakes you up, it’s also a diuretic (increases urine frequency) and can start you down the path of being dehydrated before you know it. Dehydration, in general, occurs when fluid loss exceeds intake and leads to a reduction in total body water. Even something as simple as drinking too much co ee and not enough water with key minerals, like sodium and potassium, can result in abnormalities in skin elasticity, texture, and appearance. A general rule of thumb is 8–10 glasses of water a day, but the mineral content of the water also matters. There’s a reason why IV drips in hospitals contain sodium and potassium—these minerals are required by our bodies to help control the movement of water in and out of cells, ensuring proper hydration. Adding electrolytes to your water is one way to ensure you get plenty of these hydration-supporting minerals. Electrolyte packets will often include a blend or one type of hydrating salt, as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and trace minerals. In addition to electrolytes, try these other ideas to increase your water intake: add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV), a squeeze of lemon juice, or infuse your water with fresh fruit, herbs, or cucumbers. Also be sure to eat plenty of hydrating organic foods—cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes, celery, and lettuce all stand out for their high water content. Get creative to see what gives you that extra boost to get through the day well hydrated. Your skin will thank you for it. STEP 2: Supplement with Omega-3 Fish Oils Another way to fight dryness from within is by taking omega-3 fish oil supplements. The skin’s lipid barrier, which protects against environmental damage and water loss, is comprised partly of fatty acids, including omega-3s. When this barrier is strong and healthy, your skin retains moisture more e ectively, which helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, thereby improving overall skin texture and elasticity. Research shows that the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA play a crucial role in maintaining skin-barrier function, protection, and hydration. In fact, it’s noted that a lack of these fatty acids can cause increased trans-epidermal water loss, resulting in skin-barrier function deficiency. In an animal model, fish oil was also shown to provide a 30 percent increase in skin hydration after 60 days and continued for the 90-day study. They noted that the itch-related scratching behavior due to dryness was also eliminated after oral supplementation with fish oil. Regular intake of omega-3s can improve conditions like dry, flaky skin, and even reduce redness from sunburns. Studies also show that EPA and DHA Fun fact: vitamin E is the most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant found in human skin. As a supplement, vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin from within, improving moisture retention and promoting healing. It also plays a role in supporting the immune system, which can indirectly help skin health. Studies show that oxidative stress is a factor in immune-mediated skin diseases like atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis. Vitamin E supplementation points to a positive role in preventing and treating both AD and psoriasis. reduce the skin’s sensitivity to damaging ultraviolet rays. STEP 3: Supplement with Vitamin E

Fight Dryness Topically with 3 Tweaks to Your Routine Tweak 1: Try a Natural Remed-E for Skincare On the subject of vitamin E, it’s also a tried-and-true topical remedy to alleviate skin dryness and support overall skin health. It’s no wonder it’s sometimes called the “vitamin of youth,” as it naturally moisturizes, reduces itching associated with dryness, helps treat eczema and psoriasis symptoms, shows promise against preventing and treating fine lines and wrinkles, and promotes healthy-looking skin overall. Look for creams, cleansers, oils, serums, and masks containing vitamin E (often listed as tocopherol acetate—a more stable derivative of vitamin E with a longer shelf life—and alpha-tocopherol, the most active form of vitamin E) to fight dryness and maximize your daily skincare routine. Tweak 2: Plump It Up + Hydrate with Hyaluronic Acid Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a fantastic humectant—a substance that retains moisture—and is capable of binding over 1,000 times its weight in water. It’s present in every tissue of the body, with some of the highest concentrations found in the skin. A 2021 study examined the e ects of HA facial serum on skin benefits in those with signs of photoaging, a term used by dermatologists to refer to the damage caused when the sun prematurely ages the skin, and also a sign of skin barrier damage. Forty subjects with photoaging, ages 30–65, were given a HA facial serum twice a day with sunscreen. Immediately after application, there was a 134% increase in skin hydration. At week six, there were staggering improvements on the whole: 63% in hydration, 64% in skin smoothness, 60% in plumpness, 31% in fine lines, and 14% in wrinkles. Tweak 3: Ceramides for Skin Barrier Health Dry skin can be a sign that the skin barrier is damaged. Ceramides— natural fats that are found in skin cells and play an important role in skin-barrier function—make up about 50 percent of our outer skin layer, called the stratum corneum. With age, levels of natural ceramides decrease; additionally, the same factors that damage the skin barrier (abrasive washing, etc.) can also deplete ceramides in the skin. When levels of ceramides are low, this allows moisture to escape the skin, letting in irritants, pollution, and even infectious agents like bacteria, which leaves skin dry, irritated, and inflamed and can eventually lead to psoriasis, eczema, and acne. Many skincare creams on the market today contain ceramides, which are e ective at replenishing natural skin ceramides and restoring healthy barrier function, improving dry, itchy, flaky skin, and even dermatitis and psoriasis. Oils such as jojoba and grapeseed are naturally high in ceramides; the ceramides in jojoba oil are especially high, around 96 percent, and can be found in many anti aging skincare product. Studies show that jojoba oil is a good option for those with altered skin barriers, as in the cases of eczema and acne. Niacinamide, a B vitamin, is another ingredient to look for, as it supports the body’s natural production of ceramides. Dryness is a factor we will all likely deal with at some point in our lives, many on a daily basis. But by getting in front of the issue by focusing on hydration, omega-3 fish oils, and vitamin E supplements with topical vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides, you can establish a strong defense against dryness, inside and out. This integrated approach will help your skin stay hydrated, healthy, and radiant year-round.

Natural Grocers ® | 35

For references, please visit naturalgrocers.com/issue-98