Light Up Your Life. Sunlight does more than warm you up — it also improves your mood. There is an actual diagnosis for the depression brought on by inadequate exposure to sunlight during the wintertime: seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and it is treated by sitting in front of a “light box” that imitates natural sunlight. Even if you don’t get full-blown depression, many people experience the winter blues. The best therapy is to spend some time in the sun every day.

Increase Vitamin D . Sunlight striking the skin is the catalyst for the producing vitamin D. Deficiencies of this fat-soluble vitamin are common in winter among people living in the northern latitudes, especially those who are over 65 and housebound. Associated with vitamin D deficiencies are higher rates of multiple sclerosis, hypertension, mood disorders, osteoporosis, impaired immunity, and cancer of the breast, ovary, prostate, colon and rectum. Make sure your blood level of vitamin D is in the 50-80 ng/mL range. For most people, this requires taking 2,000-5,000 IU per day.

Keep Up Your Exercise Program. You skiers out there have likely been anticipating winter for some time. For the rest of you, this is a good time to take advantage of a health club that offers an indoor pool, racquet sports, aerobics classes, and/or weight-lifting equipment — and starting now will help your waistline weather the holidays. Be careful not to overdo it, especially outdoors. Strenuous exercise in the cold is more dangerous than in warm weather because cold air makes the blood vessels constrict, raising blood pressure and increasing the risk of heart attack.

Take Care of Your Skin. The air during the winter months is bone dry, and it takes a toll on your skin. Avoid harsh soaps that further dry the skin, and slather on a high-quality moisturizer morning and night. Also, don’t forget the importance of nurturing your skin from the inside out. Drink plenty of water (a minimum of 8 glasses a day) and add essential fatty acids to your daily regimen, such as flaxseed (1/4 cup freshly ground), salmon and other fatty fish — plus fish oil (2-4 capsules per day).

Follow these tips and you will avoid the common winter pitfalls of this time of year.

This study provides proof that beta-carotene and vitamin E protect from the inside out. These nutrients scavenge free radicals in the skin caused by UV exposure and quench their harmful effects in the skin. Animal studies suggest that these antioxidants also offer protection against skin cancer and premature aging of the skin. I recommend taking therapeutic doses of these nutrients throughout the year, particularly during the summertime.

Though 20-30 minutes of sun exposure a day is beneficial and necessary for vitamin D production, if you’re going to be outside for longer periods, wear protective clothing and use a sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB rays as well.

Skin health is obviously about more than appearance. But it’s never too early—or late—to tend to your skin.

Trained dermatologists evaluated the skin of more than 4,000 middle-aged women and rated it in terms of wrinkling, dryness, and thinning. These scores were then compared to the women’s nutrient intake. Several nutrient-skin relationships stood out, independent of age, smoking, sun exposure, and other factors typically linked with skin aging.

Higher intake of vitamin C and linoleic acid, and lower consumption of fats and carbohydrates were strongly associated with younger-looking skin. Vitamin A and protein intake were also linked with fewer wrinkles, although these ties were less significant.

Go ahead and use good, nutrient-rich skin care products, but don’t overlook the importance of diet. Furthermore, the benefits of laying off excessive fats and carbs and eating foods abundant in vitamin C ( vegetables and fruits), linoleic acid (nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils), vitamin A (leafy greens and orange/yellow produce), and protein (fish, poultry, and lean meat) are more than skin deep.

Let’s face it, some health concerns are a little embarrassing to discuss—even with your doctor. If you dread  bringing up gastrointestinal issues, body odor, or bad breath, fear no more! Here are a handful of practical suggestions and solutions to several common and “unmentionable” conditions.

Gas/Constipation

*To promote healthy digestion, eat smaller, more frequent meals and chew food thoroughly.

*Be sure to drink at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water daily, and minimize your intake of gastric irritants such as caffeine, alcohol, and especially aspirin and NSAIDs.

*To keep things “moving”, get regular exercise, eat more fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, and legumes, and add 1/4 cup of freshly ground flaxseed to your daily diet.

*For general intestinal support and to prevent symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort, chew 2 tablets of deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) before meals.

*If bloating, gas, or poor digestion is a problem, take digestive enzymes with meals.

Toenail Fungus

*Wear sensible shoes. Make sure your shoes give your feet room to move and breathe, and avoid pointed toes that squeeze your feet. Wear cotton socks, and if your feet sweat a lot, change your socks when they are damp.

*Keep your nails manicured. Cut or clip your nails short, file down thickened areas, and carefully scrape fungal debris from under the nails. (To avoid spreading fungus to healthy nails, use different scissors, clippers, and files on your infected nails.)

*Practice scrupulous hygiene. Wash your feet and scrub your nails with a nail brush during your daily shower. Dry them well, and spray the soles and areas between the toes with an antiperspirant foot spray (look for one that does not contain aluminum).

*Use natural antifungal agents. Apply an antifungal agent to the nails and surrounding skin twice daily, in the morning and again at bedtime. One of the most effective natural antifungal is tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). Tea tree oil penetrates the skin and inhibits the growth of various bacteria, fungi, and other organisms, yet causes no irritation. Potassium iodide (SSKI), mixed with a little DMSO to improve penetration, is also a powerful antifungal.

Cold Sores

*For cold sore prevention, take the amino acid lysine, 1,500-3,000 mg per day in divided doses with meals as soon as symptoms start.

*Eat foods that are high in lysine such as vegetables, legumes, fish, turkey, and chicken.

*Avoid supplements and foods containing arginine. The herpes virus thrives on this amino acid. Arginine-rich foods include chocolate, nuts, and seeds.

*Aloe vera or zinc creams can help heal cold sores that have already come to the surface. Apply every two hours.

*Always wash your hands thoroughly after touching a cold sore—you can actually re-infect yourself in different areas if you’re not careful.

Body Odor

*Tea tree oil, which has demonstrated antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, does a good job of killing off odiferous bacteria, resolving unpleasant odors.

*Try natural, crystal deodorants made from potassium or ammonium alum.

*I received a tip from a subscriber a while back who couldn’t tolerate deodorants of any kind. He swears that coconut oil did the trick for him.

Bad Breath

*Brush and floss your teeth regularly. Consider purchasing a battery-operated toothbrush. (One good brand is Sonicare.) These brushes vibrate at about 500 strokes per second, which not only cleans the teeth but transmits acoustic energy that cleans beneath the gum line, the area normally reached only by flossing

*Your tongue harbors many bad-breath causing bacteria. Try scraping your tongue once a day. Curved thin metal strips designed for this purpose not only remove plaque-forming bacteria, but are also one of the most effective breath fresheners around.

*Eating probiotic-rich yogurt improves bad breath and may fight tooth decay and gum disease.

*Drinking tea and chewing Big Red cinnamon gum can help combat bad breath.

*The most common cause of bad breath is a dry mouth so drink plenty of water and do your best to stay hydrated.

Though these health issues may be a little embarrassing to talk about, they do crop up from time to time. Try these recommendations and let me know how they work for you.

1. Feed Your Skin the Nutrients It Needs
Optimal skin health is dependent upon optimal nutrition. Antioxidants are key, especially zinc and vitamins A and E because they protect your skin from the onslaught of environmental free radicals. Equally important are essential fatty acids (EFAs), which contribute to the formation of healthy cell membranes. To ensure that your skin is getting all the nutrients it needs, take a high-dose, antioxidant-rich multivitamin and high-quality fish oil supplement daily.

2. Drink Plenty of Water
Seventy percent of the dermis, the inner layer of the skin, is water. One of the main reasons our skin sags and wrinkles as we age is that the dermis loses about 30 percent of its water content. Don’t overlook the importance of hydrating your skin from the inside out by drinking 10 to 12 glasses of filtered water every day. This is vital for overall health and imperative for supple, moist skin.

3. Shield Against UV Radiation
The majority of skin damage is caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight. After you’ve gotten your daily dose of vitamin D by spending 15 minutes or so in the sun, use a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide sunscreen. These natural minerals stay on the surface of the skin and reflect and scatter light as opposed to chemical sunscreens that are absorbed into the skin.

4. Stimulate New Skin With Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) stimulate the growth of new epidermal cells—the most superficial layer of skin—by  encouraging older cells to shed more rapidly. AHAs also increase the number of glycoaminoglycans, complex sugar molecules that help skin retain moisture. The result? A fresher appearance and reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.

5. Make Your Skin Glow With Vitamin C
Collagen is the supporting structure of the skin. Along with water, it makes up the bulk of the dermis. As we age, collagen production plummets, and this causes the skin to droop, pucker, and wrinkle. To stimulate collagen formation, apply a topical vitamin C serum or cream every morning. Topical vitamin C will also protect your skin from UV damage.
 
6. Smooth Away Fine Lines With Retinol
To help your skin retain moisture and to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and age-associated skin discoloration, use a retinol cream. Retinol is a nonprescription, weaker relative of Retin-A, the vitamin A compound long touted as a wrinkle remover. Like Retin-A, retinol increases cell turnover, helps new cells retain moisture, and improves the appearance of the skin—without the irritation often associated with Retin-A.

7. Use a Good Moisturizer
Another way to keep your skin hydrated is to use a moisturizer several times a day. The best moisturizers contain hyaluronic acid and/or essential fatty acids. Hyaluronic acid binds with water to prevent evaporation, while essential fatty acids seal moisture into the skin.