Stress is like an iceberg. We see the tip—clenched teeth or fists maybe—but it’s what lies below that can sink us.

And while a little stress helps us stay focused and alert, some days it comes at us in the SuperGulp size. Severe or unrelenting stress can damage the heart.

Your Heart on Stress

Acute stress happens suddenly, if you’re in an accident, for example, while chronic stress is ongoing. Stress hormones, including epinephrine (aka adrenaline), don’t distinguish between the two, however, and these catecholamines, as they are known, can damage hearts exposed to them over long periods.

Unmanaged stress, especially linked to anger and hostility, causes an increased oxygen demand by the body; it also makes coronary blood vessels spasm and may cause electrical instability in the heart’s conduction system. Chronic stress increases blood pressure and heart rate, forcing the heart to work harder. In turn, high blood pressure can result in abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, and stroke.

Making matters worse, some people smoke, overeat, or use alcohol or drugs to try to cope with stress—all contributors to heart disease and stroke. You don’t need to have a family history of heart disease to be at increased risk; feeling stressed most of the time puts you in that category.

Managing Stress

It’s an inevitable part of life, so strategies to handle stress should be key components of a healthy lifestyle. Yoga, t’ai chi, massage, Reiki, or meditation can restore a sense of calm, but if your heart beats faster just thinking about these, don’t stress—there are other ways to promote the relaxation response that slows respiration, reduces pulse rate, lowers blood pressure, and releases tension. Try simple breathing and relaxation exercises; they’re easy to learn and can be used anywhere to defuse stress.

Calming herbs

Several herbs have proven to enhance the body’s ability to cope with stress’s effects. Studies show that the smell of lavender produces a feeling of calmness and relaxation, reducing stress. Valerian’s sedative properties reduce stress and its physical effects.

Holy basil is an adaptogenic herb, one of a number that have a normalizing influence on the body. Several compounds in holy basil leaves appear to mitigate stress’s physiological and psychological effects. Another adaptogen, schisandra, calms and relieves anxiety. Ashwagandha is useful for anxiety and stress-linked insomnia. Asian ginseng is a restorative adaptogen that tamps down anxiety and stress. Eleuthero also helps the body cope with the effects of stress. A recent review of scientific studies indicates that Asian ginseng, schisandra, and the herb rosemary all have constituents that interact with the human gut microbiome in a way that can result in beneficial impacts on depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Other calming herbs include lemon balm, St. John’s wort—which helps maintain healthy serotonin levels in the brain—and German chamomile. If you’re sensitive to ragweed, though, avoid chamomile.

Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, acts as an anti-inflammatory, with positive effects on anxiety and depression. Be sure to look for a formula with enhanced bioavailability for best results.

Supplement Support

Both physical and emotional stresses drain the body of vitamin C, which can leave the immune system vulnerable to infection, creating another stressor. So supplementing with sustained-release vitamin C makes sense. The B-complex vitamins play a role in how well our bodies react to stress, as most of them are involved in a well-functioning nervous system. Since many Americans don’t get enough B vitamins, a balanced B-complex supplement can fill the nutritional gap and address the physiological effects of stress. Vitamin D has been shown to be helpful with mood and depression as well. 

Consider magnesium too. Stress hormones deplete this mineral, in turn activating the stress response and creating a spiral that spells trouble over time. Research shows that taking magnesium and vitamin B6 together positively impacts the anxiety and stress associated with both PMS and menopause.

Fish oil may also reduce stress. Research shows that people under stress who take omega-3 fatty acids experience a reduction in anxiety as well as inflammation. Omega 3s reduce levels of cytokines, which promote inflammation, and psychological stress is known to increase cytokine production.

Any herb or supplement can affect some medicines you may be taking as well as previously existing health problems, so be sure to discuss them with your healthcare provider before adding them to your regimen.

Your hands have a rough go of it. With dehydration caused by chilling winds and frigid outdoor air combined with artificially warmed indoor air, it’s no wonder they can get dry and cracked, and look like they’ve aged 10 years as soon as winter rolls around. Here are some tips to turn back the hands of time.

Winter Skin Care for Hands

• Care For Your Skin

  • Wear Gloves

    As soon as the thermometer drops to 40 degrees outside, it’s time to wear your favorite gloves or mittens to help retain moisture in your skin. Inside, be sure to wear protective gloves when doing chores.

  • Clean and Moisturize

    Frequent exposure to warm water and soap dries the skin on your hands. Use a gentle soap; look for a product without irritating sodium laurel sulfate. Opt instead for olive oil soap, or a cleanser containing calendula.

    Keep a bottle of hand moisturizer at every sink and in your purse to nourish hands after washing. Look for skin-loving ingredients such as sea buckthorn, soothing allantoin and chamomile, strengthening collagen, and moisturizing shea butter.

  • Exfoliate Regularly

    To remove dull, dry skin, be sure to exfoliate the backs of your hands regularly. Look for mildly abrasive products containing oatmeal or sea salt. You can also use a loofah or wash cloth as a gentle means of removing dead skin. Safe and natural chemical exfoliants include lactic, glycolic, or malic acids.

  • Indulge with Oils

    At least once a week before bed, rub rich coconut oil on your hands, pull on a pair of cotton gloves, and treat your hands to some healing TLC as you get your beauty sleep.

• Care for Your Nails

  • Natural Manicure

    Give your fingernails a well-deserved 10-minute soak. Weak nails will benefit from soaking in warm water with horsetail or rosemary essential oil. Soak in evening primrose or calendula if you need to soften nails, and myrrh will help to prevent breakage. Gently push back cuticles with an orange stick: Do not cut cuticles, as this can lead to infection. Dry nails with cotton cloth.

    File your nails in one direction to the shape you prefer. If your cuticle is oval shaped, go with an oval-shaped nail tip. Squared cuticles look best with squared tips. Nails start to break easily when they are longer than a quarter-inch past the fingertip. Use a buffer to shine the tops of nails on your fingers and toes. You'll be amazed at the glow you can achieve without polish!

  • Hangnails

    Dehydrated cuticles cause tiny pieces of skin to break near the side of your nail and, because they’re attached to living skin, can be painful if they catch on fabric. For prevention, keep cuticles properly moisturized by massaging them nightly with jojoba or vitamin E oil. Avoid biting or picking hangnails, as this can lead to tearing and infection. Instead, use nail scissors to snip off dead skin, being careful not to cut too close.

  • Nail infections

    If your hands are frequently immersed in water, you are susceptible to a fungal infection called paronychia. Aggressive nail biters are also at risk. Often a warm-water soak with tea tree oil will help; otherwise, see your healthcare provider. An untreated infection can lead to loss of your nail.

We get so bombarded with advertising—especially when it comes to beauty products—that it’s challenging to decipher which ingredients our skin really needs to look and stay healthy.

The following guide covers key ingredients in moisturizers to treat the outside of your skin plus foods and supplements to take care of dry skin from within.

What to Look for in Moisturizers

Wind and sun exposure, indoor heating, the aging process, and diet all affect skin’s moisture level. A moisturizer keeps skin hydrated either by adding water or by trapping water that’s already there. Humectants are substances that retain moisture.

Choose natural humectants such as aloe vera, calendula (an herb that promotes skin cell formation and softens skin), and hyaluronic acid.

“Hyaluronic acid, also referred to as ‘nature’s moisture magnet,’ can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water,” says Linda Miles, LAc, DOM, vice president of derma e Natural Bodycare. This natural humectant “has the amazing ability to bind moisture to tissue to soften, smooth, tone, and rehydrate your skin,” she adds. 

While our bodies produce hyaluronic acid, its production decreases as we age. By 50, we make less than half the hyaluronic acid we did as babies. There are no food sources for hyaluronic acid, so it must be applied topically. With use, fine lines flatten and deeper wrinkles become less noticeable.

Other key ingredients to moisturize dry skin are vitamin C, vitamin E, and CoQ10 (an enzyme necessary for proper cell functioning)—all potent antioxidants that fight damaging free radicals, a cause of premature skin aging.

• Vitamin C can help stimulate older skin cells to produce collagen (a protein found in young skin tissue) at the same rate as younger cells, which improves skin’s firmness.
• Or break open a capsule of 400 IU of vitamin E and use it on the delicate area around your eyes.
• “CoQ10 is a naturally occurring enzyme found in every living cell of the body and plays a particularly important role in skin rejuvenation,” says Daniel Wiser, brand manager of Avalon Organics. “As we age, CoQ10 levels diminish, accelerating the aging process of the skin. By bolstering levels of this important enzyme within our skin, topical applications of CoQ10 have been shown to reduce the signs of aging.”

Moisturizing Foods & Supplements

Strengthen your beauty from the inside out by eating right and supplementing your diet.

• Magnesium is one of the most important hydrating nutrients for skin. Food sources include meat, seafood, dairy products, bananas, and tofu, or take 400 to 800 mg per day.
• “Vitamin A is the number-one wrinkle fighter,” says Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, author of The Living Beauty Detox Program. Obtain this vitamin by supplementing with fish oils or by eating cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy green veggies, peaches, papaya, mango, and apricots.
• A daily dose of 500 to 3,000 mg of vitamin C helps skin to build and maintain collagen. Food sources include berries and citrus.
• CoQ10 neutralizes free radicals while providing energy for new cells; take 50 to 60 mg with food.
• Try 400 IU daily of vitamin E to prevent free-radical damage to cell membranes. Grains, legumes, and nuts are natural sources of this vitamin.
• Make sure you’re drinking enough water—preferably eight glasses daily. When you stay hydrated, your skin does as well. This allows your body to flush away toxins, which discourages the formation of wrinkles.

Skin Care Routine

1. First wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Avoid products with harsh synthetics or detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, which can strip skin of its natural oils. “An unscented moisturizer with vitamin E provides antioxidant benefits, protecting skin from free-radical damage that can lead to premature aging, fine lines, and wrinkles,” says Catherine Blackwell, brand manager for JASON. Avoid washing your face with hot water.
2. Apply moisturizer while skin is still damp. An exception to this rule is when you are also using concentrated antiaging or antiacne treatments; apply those to skin when your face is dry. Wait 10 minutes and dot on a pea-sized amount of facial cream. Apply moisturizer morning and night for best results.