Winter is here and it is not relenting. With it comes icy weather, whipping winds and dry, flaky skin on your cheeks. There is something to be said for apple cheeks in the autumn, but it's not so cute in the winter when your skin feels chapped and the air feels raw. You might want to hide under a blanket, but you can't always do that through the winter months, especially if you have work to get to and responsibilities to maintain.

The good news is that with some care and attention, your skin is going to be easy to take care of in the winter, just like it is every other month of the year. You can keep your skin healthy and make it glow all winter long, so all you need to do is make sure that you are sitting comfortably and reading this article and you'll have the skin care tips that you need for that glowing healthy skin.

Image source: Pexels

• Don't forget your SPF. You might have packed your spray sunscreen the last time you went on vacation, but it's just as handy in the winter when you are on the way to work as it is on the beach in Portugal. Making sure that you are using sunscreen is important even through the winter, because you're still going to have to deal with the UV rays of the sun. The sun protection factor is going to be higher even in some of the winter days, so keeping your skin protected should be your concern.

• Moisturize, moisturize and keep on moisturizing. The air is crisp and cold in the winter months and it's not so great for your skin, especially on your face that is exposed to the elements all the time. The dry air can compensate for the loss of moisture with your skin and steal it away and make sure that it's less hydrated before you go back to bed. In the evening, make sure that you are moisturizing your skin to keep it looking soft and supple and hydrated. You will seal moisture in better with an oil based moisturizer than a water based one.

• Keep a humidifier going. The dry air in the house can be just as damaging to your face and your skin as the cold winter air outside. Humidifiers work to add moisture back into the air, and that keeps your skin hydrated. It can also help you with those cold and flu symptoms so if you've got something going round in your neighborhood, you can avoid it.

• Those long, hot showers. Shorter, cooler showers should be something that you take throughout the winter months as well as summer months. Those hot showers are great for warming up, but they can leave your skin to dry very quickly. This leaves you feeling tight and uncomfortable even when you use moisturizer. Next, limit your showers to around 15 minutes and use lukewarm water instead of hot water to preserve the natural oils of your skin.

You’ve probably heard the word “probiotics” thrown around quite a lot, particularly when it comes to looking after your health. In the simplest terms possible, probiotics are friendly bacteria that live in your gut. They help your digestive system function properly, making it easier for you to digest food - and less likely that you’ll feel bloated or have an upset tummy. 

If you suffer from IBS or just always feel quite inflated after meals, it’s probably down to a lack of probiotics. Particularly if you follow a vegan diet as a lot of the main probiotics sources come from non-plant-based products! 

The easy solution is to take a probiotics supplement, but what if you wanted more natural ways of increasing the good bacteria in your gut? We’ve listed three popular sources below, all of which will help improve your gut health.

Image Credit - CC0 License

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented drink that was popularised in Asia but has spread all over the world. It’s made by fermenting different types of tea - usually green or black - creating a fizzy drink with flavours added. 

One of the many health benefits of kombucha is its high probiotics content. When this drink is made, the fermentation process uses bacteria and yeast. As a result, good bacteria forms, which gives it a nice sour taste. It’ll feel like you’re drinking a normal fizzy drink, but you’re ingesting some good bacteria to help your gut! 

Image Credit - CC0 License

Yoghurt

When you think about probiotics, you probably think about yoghurt. It’s the ultimate food for friendly bacteria as it’s literally made by fermenting milk with lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria. Both of these are common probiotics, meaning a small serving of yoghurt every day can help your tummy. 

Be sure to look for yoghurt that has “live” cultures in it. It’ll usually be advertised this way and it basically means the probiotics are still alive and working. Some yoghurt will destroy the live bacteria as they’re processed, so this is something to keep an eye on. 

Image Credit - CC0 License

Sauerkraut & Kimchi 

We’ve grouped sauerkraut and kimchi together as they’re effectively the same thing but made in slightly different ways. Both are types of fermented cabbage dishes, with sauerkraut originating in Germany and Kimchi in Korea. 

As a result, they have completely different tastes. Sauerkraut is more tangy and mild while kimchi is a lot spicier and more flavoursome. Either way, they are both made using a fermentation process which creates live culture and means the cabbage is full of good bacteria. This makes them excellent side dish options if you want to get more veggies on your plate while also ingesting extra probiotics. It also means they are two of the best ways for vegans to get more probiotics in their diets without taking supplements. 

If you want to get your health under control, you need to look after your gut. A bad digestive system can lead to all sorts of problems that aren’t fun to deal with. Up your probiotics intake and you should see some changes within a few days or weeks. If the problems persist, be sure to see your doctor to get proper medical assistance.