Spa Girl says protect your lips with this ubiquitous vegetable that hydrates, cools, and heals!

 Winter showed its chilly disposition this week plunging temperatures into the minuses.   This time of year everyone needs to be proactive and prevent chapped lips.  One of the best ways of soothing this tender tissue is to reach for a slice of cucumber!

This ubiquitous vegetable hydrates, cools and sooths when applied to your lips and eyes or grated for an exquisite mask and tonic for the entire face.

Belonging to the same family as pumpkin, zucchini, watermelon and squash, cucumbers are rich in  natural salts, enzymes, vitamins and minerals which are essential for the repair and development of cells.  They are also powerful antioxidants and because of their high water content, great for helping to flush the system;  the alkalinity of cucumbers make them a top choice as a diuretic.

Found in most spas (in addition to teas) cucumber water is one of my favourite beverages in-between treatments.

So when the thermometer dips and your lips need some tender loving care, slice up some cucumber, and hold it to your lips for several minutes and it will help with the irritation and dryness that comes with this seasonal change.  I also love to apply (after I use the cucumbers) organic coconut oil which has rich emollient properties, it helps retain the moisture generated from the cucumber.

Spa Girl also advocates drinking at least two to three litres of water a day to avoid dehydration, this is especially important in the winter!

The George Mateljan Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests or advertising, is a new force for change to help make a healthier you and a healthier world.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=42

The Health Benefits of Cucumbers

http://www.gardeningchannel.com/the-health-benefits-of-cucumbers/