Winter is hard on your skin… That’s a simple fact!
You can use all sorts of hand creams, lotions, and body butters if you want. And they’ll probably help a little bit. Or, you could try using a pincer attack to finish off the problem – seek help from both the inside and outside.
It Can Soften Your Skin
Sulfur is the 4th most abundant mineral in our bodies. Mostly, it’s found in your skin, hair, and nails. You can accurately call it the beauty nutrient.
Sulfur can help you detoxify (the regular transportation of toxins out of your body), lower your blood sugar, and, more importantly, it can help eliminate dead skin and bacteria. So that kind of helps soften your skin (less dead skin cells = less itchy, less flaky, dry skin). But what really helps is sulfur’s ability to stimulate collagen production.
Collagen can help fill in fine lines and wrinkles. It plumps up your skin and keeps it looking and feeling young and elastic.
Sulfur Can Soothe Your Joint Pain & Arthritis
Cold weather makes a lot of things worse. Driving. Your skin. Joint pain. Methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) can’t help keep bad drivers off of the road, but it can help support your joint health. It’s essential in creating cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. It also helps dull pain by slowing nerve impulses that transmit pain.
There’s another type of sulfur that works for muscle pain. It’s called DMSO and is a relatively common supplement. It’s transdermal, so it’s generally put into creams so you can rub on the areas you need it most. You can also take it orally to help reduce pain, but the best way to get it (especially in the winter) is a hot spring. Unfortunately, hot springs with sulfur are somewhat location dependent. If you’ve got one close to you, I encourage you to use it!
Where to Get Sulfur
Two of the best places to find sulfur are in cruciferous and allium vegetables. You probably already know your cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage). So you’re good on those. Hopefully, you’re already including them in your diet. They’re nutrient dense and can help prevent a few different types of cancer.
All too many people actively avoid allium vegetables though. And it’s a shame. They’re terrific sources of vitamins, antioxidants, and sulfur. They include garlic, onions, leeks, and chives. You don’t need to eat any of these vegetables like you’d eat an apple. Just add them to just about any dish.
But my all-time favorite way to get sulfur in the winter is bone broth. What’s better than a hot bowl of soup on a cold day? It’s easy enough to make, is incredibly delicious, and serves as a perfect base for soup. Or just eat it with a spoon.
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