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Dry skin and chapped lips
My 13-year-old daughter suffers from dry skin all over her body, including her face. Her lips are always dry and chapped too, I've tried lots of things with no success. Any advice please?
Dry skin, especially in younger people, is frequently a sign that the body needs more Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs); so-called because the body cannot manufacture them but must get them from the diet. It may also be the case that while your daughter is getting enough of these in her diet, the mechanism whereby the body converts EFAs to highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) may be faulty.
The latter is often the explanation as to why supplementing the diet with more essential fatty acids can help children with hyperactive and other behavioural disorders and we now know that factors that interfere with this conversion process can include (1) eating too much junk food containing saturated, hydrogenated and trans fats, all of which impede the conversion process; (2) an underlying deficiency in both zinc and vitamin B6 and (3) immune problems, which often show up as a history of allergies.
Since zinc supports immune functioning, I would supplement your daughter’s diet with high potency essential fatty acids from the Barlean’s range of organic oils (available in the UK from Healthy and Essential, 08700-53 6000) and give her a children’s zinc supplement too.
Persistently chapped and dry lips, can also be a sign of dehydration, so make sure she is drinking enough fluids each day. Fizzy drinks and pops do not count. She needs to drink more water and organic fruit juices.