“Autumn Blues” of the Body: How to Protect Skin, Nails and Hair

Surely you have noticed that in autumn the skin also experiences some “melancholy”: it becomes dry, reactive, irritable. All because of external and internal changes: the climate changes, the sun’s rays are replaced by cold wind, heating is turned on at home, and there are now fewer greens and berries in the diet. All this leads to an imbalance in the whole body: hence rashes and clogged pores, brittle hair and nails.

What Do We Lack?

Autumn is a transitional and most difficult period for the skin: temperature discomfort and absence of sunlight, on the one hand, and a deficiency of vitamins and such microelements as iron, for instance, on the other hand. Thus, there is an opinion that much can depend on the change of the seasons, and vitamins may run out. In fact, this statement holds some truth. It is hardly possible to be there at any time of the year, but clothes stores still offer vegetables, fruits, berries, greens, and so on. Deficiency of some vitamins can be both seasonal and connected with stress, a violation of the ration, or a diet provoked by menstruation. It is also connected with the receipt of heat-processed products, such as canned food.

But what exactly do we lack? As a rule, we are talking about a lack of a group of useful substances. For example, if your diet contains few plant foods, your body may experience a deficiency of vitamins B and C. If you give up animal products, you may experience a deficiency in vitamins A, D, and E. A lack of omega-3 can manifest itself in a whole range of sensations: dry and irritated skin, a feeling of sand in the eyes, increased fatigue, absent-mindedness, anxiety, and a general decrease in immunity. At the same time, it is possible to notice that the body lacks something at the very beginning.

How to Identify a Deficiency and Compensate It

There is one important condition for this – you need to be attentive to yourself and your well-being. For example, we often attribute increased fatigue and weakness to an abundance of things to do, we do not notice a decrease in appetite, we ignore sleep disorders, we associate dry and reactive skin with the beginning of the heating season (not without reason), and we do not immediately pay attention to brittle nails and hair – suddenly everything will recover on its own. In the meantime, unpleasant processes can occur in the body, which will later lead to more serious problems. Of course, it is possible to accurately determine deficiencies in the body only with the help of tests and a specialist consultation. But there are “hints”, shared by SOLGAR expert Valentina Khramova:

Dry skin, brittle hair, and the appearance of transverse stripes on the nails can indicate a lack of vitamin A. It is necessary to choose dry vitamin A in encapsulated form.

A lack of vitamin E (tocopherol) manifests itself in the form of increased permeability and fragility of capillaries – muscle weakness occurs. It is necessary to choose natural vitamin E, obtained on the basis of a mixture of tocopherols d-alpha, d-beta, d-delta, and d-gamma, increasing the bioavailability of the product.

A lack of vitamin D (calciferol) can be felt in convulsions, impaired psychomotor reactions. Its level also affects the condition of the skin and hair.

If you have general weakness, fatigue, you may have a deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and zinc. To eliminate their deficiencies, it is necessary to choose bioavailable forms: for vitamin C – Ester-C, which is better absorbed by the body and does not harm the gastrointestinal tract, and for zinc – a chelate or picolinate form.

A feeling of fatigue, lack of strength, paleness and dryness of the skin, hair loss can indicate an iron deficiency – for better absorption, it is necessary to choose an easily accessible form – bisglycinate.

Getting Your Skin Out of the Blues

If we are talking about the skin experiencing “blues” in autumn, it is important to remember what generally helps to get out of such states. First of all, care and minimization (of course, complete absence is better, but let’s be realistic) of stress. Therefore, to help the skin, you need to create the most comfortable conditions for it. Here is what the expert recommends:

Regularly use moisturizers and softeners both independently and after water procedures to prevent dehydration.

Monitor your drinking regime and quality of sleep, as well as a complete and varied diet.

Make sure that the skin is not exposed to mechanical and chemical influences: choose natural clothing and use protective equipment when in contact with household chemicals.

Monitor the temperature regime: do not overcool, do not allow the body to overheat, and do not take a shower that is too hot.

Use humidifiers in rooms where you spend most of your time, especially during sleep.

Help from the Inside

It is also possible and needed to “feed” the skin from inside – including vitamins and minerals. Vitamin D, A and E and the water-soluble vitamins B, C and zinc must be paid special attention as a lack of their increases cellular reactions disturbing the skin and thus invades at its protectional work.

While you’re caring for your body, why not treat your mind too? Platforms like Hellspin offer a unique way to unwind and recharge during the autumn blues. Whether it’s spinning the reels or trying out live games, a little entertainment can work wonders for stress relief, helping you maintain a balanced lifestyle.

A standout amongst the most special classes of nutrients in the world of superfoods is omega-3. A source of polyunsaturated fatty acids crucial for the body’s overall functioning is contained herein. They are not produced in the human body, so the only way that we can acquire them is through our diets and or supplements. Of course, it is desirable to select a vehicle with high productivity, that is, a high-quality product. How to do this?

Focus on the vitamin complexes, including EPA and DHA of polyunsaturated fatty acid.