Why Environment Matters, Plus 6 Ways to Moisturize from the Inside Out in Dry Weather
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I recently came back from a trip with my family in Hawaii.
Here I am about to get my surf on (I'm a total beginner—don't let the shaka fool you).
My body loves the climate in Hawaii. It's similar to when I lived in Thailand, though much less hot.
When I'm in Hawaii, my hair curls perfectly, my skin always feels moist and supple, and my nails even take on an extra sheen.
It's almost like having a pregnant glow.
Where we are matters
Our environment impacts us much more than we'd like to admit at times, and certain climates can be medicine for some and poison (or at least not-so-nice) for others.
For instance, my son thought Hawaii was waaay too hot and wet.
He prefers cold Washington to the warm, humid bliss (in my mind) that Hawaii offers. That's because his natural constitution is made up of lots of fire, water, and earth.
On the other hand, when I returned from Hawaii to Washington, my body felt the shift. That's because I'm made up of lots of fire, wind, and space!
My nostrils were so dry they bled. My skin was scaly and ashy. I felt dehydrated, stressed, and fatigued.
All that excess wind and space energy (also known as vata in Ayurveda) hit me like a ton of bricks.
I immediately went into self-care triage mode.
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Bath time detox + hydrate
I started with warm baths:
magnesium flakes and baking soda helped purge any radiation from flying
almond oil gave my body the moisture it was so desperately craving
essential oils calmed my nerves and invigorated my senses
the warm water enveloped and contained me (water that’s too hot is actually drying!)
Sinus cleansing and soothing
Next, I grabbed my neti pot (nasal rinses work too!).
I went about hydrating my sinus passages, clearing them, and then applying nasya oil to lubricate them even further. I use this version from Banyan Botanicals.
This cleared up my dry, bloody nose within two days.
I've also been running the humidifier in my room at night with sleep-promoting essential oils as a bonus to help my skin and sinuses stay hydrated.
This is a great tip for anyone with a drying heater or furnace in the home.
Sips and stews
Next, I've been drinking teas containing demulcent herbs like:
licorice
shatavari
marshmallow root
comfrey
couch grass
coltsfoot
oatstraw
milk thistle
burdock
Demulcents soothe dry and irritated mucous membranes, boost water retention, protect gut lining, increase hydration, and support immune function.
I like Hydrate Blend Tea from Paavani Ayurveda and Persephone's Tea from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Finally, I made myself some nourishing bone broth. It contains nutrients and collagen to help repair the myelin sheath that protect the nerves.
It's one of my all-around favorite ways to nourish my nervous system from the inside out, plus it helps protect the gut lining as well.
These 6 self care techniques are the closest I can come to creating a Hawaiian climate in my Washington home.
Let me know if you try any of them and how they work for you! Just shoot me an email at hello@simplewildfree.com.
