Oily Fish for Supple Hands

Is your skin dry and tending to split around the fingertips during cold snaps? A diet change may be in order. A British alternative medicine specialist says the problem could be a lack of essential fatty acids.

Dr. John Briffa recommends adding servings of oily fish such as salmon, trout, herring and mackerel to your dinner menus -- a demand that shouldn't be too onerous for most people.

You can also help alleviate the problem by liberal use of items such as extra virgin oil and sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. These, plus the oily fish, are rich in those essential fatty acids, says Briffa, but you might want to add a tablespoonful of linseed oil each day.

The doctor says 400 to 800 units of vitamin E to supplement the daily diet also could help keep the essential acids in good shape to do their job in the body. Other recommended supplements include 30 milligrams of zinc twice a day for a month.

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