Do you sometimes get very itchy skin? Do you have unexplained spots or a rash on your body? Do you have dry skin? Is your skin inflamed. What can it be?
Atopic Dermatitis, generally known as Eczema is commonly found in children and adults, and it is on the increase. It is a skin condition where irritation and inflammation occur; and tends to occur more so on those with allergies hence the term “Atopic”. It is also more prevalent amongst those with asthma and hay fever.
Eczema comes in a few other forms and each type has its own symptoms. It isn’t contagious but can be caused by different triggers.
What can trigger my Eczema?
In some cases of eczema, common triggers are rough fabrics, detergents, fragrance, perfume, skincare, body soaps, sweat, food products, grass, allergens, cold air and a lack of humidity caused by central heating, and even stress or a combination of these elements.
For some sufferers, the main cause of worry is that the reaction can occur without any apparent reason, even if a person isn’t exposed to the usual triggers. This is where triggers such as the lack of sleep and stress as mentioned previously, can also be considered.
What are the symptoms?
It can look different for everyone, and depending on your skin tone it won’t necessarily look red. Nevertheless, frustratingly itchy skin is often a common symptom, followed by dry patches, inflamed skin, possibly discoloured skin, rough thick patches of skin and if itched, broken and also infected skin. Eczema can vary in intensity when it comes to how irritating the itch can be, and there is no knowing how long it will last.
Straight away…Is the best time to deal with the symptoms of eczema before it spirals and gets worse. Also consider consulting with your doctor, dermatologist or a naturopath regarding your symptoms.
Types of Eczema:
Atopic Dermatitis, the most common with a frustrating itch. It can leave skin prone to infection and inflamed skin. It can appear anywhere on the body and face.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis, happens when your skin comes into contact with a substance. The substance triggers a reaction in the immune system. Therefore, try to avoid fragrance in skincare, detergents, laundry cleaning products and wool.
Cradle cap or also known as Infant seborrheic Eczema, it can look crusty but it isn’t itchy. Mostly affects babies up to the age of 1 year old.
Adult Seborrheic Eczema, this can appear on the scalp as a mild dandruff but can end up on ears, face, and chest. Normally found in 20 to 40-year-olds. This can look flaky and can become inflamed. It is normally caused by an increase in yeast and if it becomes infected it will need an anti-fungal treatment.
Dyshidrotic eczema. It is more common in women than men and appears as small fluid filled blisters on hands and feet. Those blisters can itch and hurt and the skin can crack and flake. This can be caused by allergies, stress, damp hands and feet, and exposure to substances like nickel, cobalt, and chromium salt.
Hand eczema, it is dry & itchy and can also form blisters or cracks. This type of eczema can be triggered by exposure to irritant causing chemicals from various industries like hairdressing, cleaning, healthcare, laundry or dry cleaning.
Nummular dermatitis, this looks like a round coin shaped dot on the skin, can itch a lot and become scaly. It is triggered by insect bites, an allergic reaction to metal or chemicals, dry skin and atopic dermatitis can also be a trigger for nummular dermatitis.
Stasis dermatitis. This type of eczema is triggered by fluid leaking out of weakened veins, and into the skin. It causes swelling, itching and pain and mainly affects the lower leg. The affected leg can feel achy and heavy and may develop open sores. This tends to happen to those who have blood flow issues in their lower legs.
Don’t think there is nothing you can do about it, even if you have been told it is genetic or it keeps reoccurring.
If your plan is to treat it naturally and more long term, you will need to look at what is causing your eczema. We are all unique, so what triggers one person’s eczema, may not be the same for another person. It is definitely useful to keep a food and lifestyle diary. It can even be a simple spreadsheet which includes
What food and drink you had that day, when and where you consumed it.
Products you used like skincare, haircare, sunscreen, perfume, or makeup.
What you wore that day, like what kind of jewellery or clothing.
What activities took place that day: whether you went for a swim, to the gym, walked in the city or the woods, sat on grass or cleaned the house, etc.
What you put in your bath.
Stressful day, fun day, good night’s sleep, exercise, air conditioning, or central heating.
Symptoms other than eczema such as; stomach pain, sinuses, or headache.
Even if you think that your sweat could be a possible trigger for eczema, it is definitely worth documenting everything for 2 weeks before starting your short-term exclusion diet of removing all known eczema triggers for 2 weeks and then reintroducing one at a time to see if there is a reaction. Some of the usual suspects are:
Gluten (wheat, rye, barley)
Animal milk
Sugar
Eggs
Peanuts
Soya
Alcohol
Oily fish
You will eventually start seeing patterns and be able to pinpoint. Once food, skincare and your environment have been addressed you can also look at gut health and possible supplementation to help your gut, skin and overall body health.
You can seek the help of practitioners such as:
Naturopaths
Homeopaths
Dermatologists
Treatments like:
Acupuncture
Massage
Light therapy
Once you deal with the triggers and the possible root cause of your eczema it will reoccur less and less.
Remember, it isn’t a one cure fits all condition. You may, like myself or my son have several eczema triggers.
Your eczema is unique to you. It won’t be cured or healed overnight but there is light at the end of the tunnel, as you understand more about what triggers it and what helps to prevent your eczema.
Once you have a better understanding, you will keep adapting and making changes to further improve your skin and health.
If you are one of our regular Tigs & Moo Naturals YouTube viewers and were able to watch any of our informational YouTube vlogs in the past few months, you would have heard me rave on about how fantastic the herb moringa is for the skin and overall body health.
But first, what is Moringa?
For countless years, Moringa Oleifera has also been known as the drumstick tree, miracle tree, ben oil tree, or the horseradish tree. It is a plant that has been used and regarded for its health benefits and its medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties for hundreds if not thousands of years. Not to mention, it is also an antidepressant. It is also good to know that this information is supported by scientific research.
What does Moringa contain?
I mentioned on a previous YouTube video that Moringa isn’t just a superfood for the skin, but for the overall health of the body. This is because it includes;
92 nutrients
46 antioxidants
36 anti-inflammatory properties
18 amino acids
And, 9 essential amino acids
As someone who has suffered from hormonal acne for over 10 years, it is easy to give into temptation and become complacent when my skin is in its problem free looking stage. But inevitably, it doesn’t take much to swing the scales the other way! It’s like a rude awakening when you feel that cyst slowly making an appearance on your face, knowing that once it has gone in a few weeks, you’ll be left with the hyperpigmented scarring. I then ask myself, was the sugar, gluten, milk and/or processed food worth it? A Big Fat Nope!
Well, thank God for Moringa! And here’s why!
It contains healthful compounds such as;
Vitamin A (from beta-carotene)
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C and Folate
Protein
Magnesium
Iron
Calcium
Zinc
Potassium
Phosphorus
And if that doesn’t impress you then here are some nutritional reminders:
It has 7 times more Vitamin C than oranges
10 times more Vitamin A than carrots
17 times more Calcium than milk
9 times more Protein than yoghurt
15 times more Potassium than bananas
25 times more Iron than spinach
When it comes to major illness or disease it helps with:
Epilepsy
Rheumatism
Heart disease…the list is endless!
However, I did find during my research that you shouldn’t consume more than 11 teaspoons a day…but goodness knows why you would want that much. Remember practicing moderation is a good thing!!!!!!!!!
Those on thyroid, blood pressure and diabetic medications should consult their doctors first. I know that it can lower your blood pressure, which is why my husband takes it, so it may interact with your current medication. Other than that there aren’t any other known side effects.
Can it help with my Acne?
Moringa has strong anti-inflammatory properties, thus it can help to reduce your inflamed acne when applied directly/topically on the skin. With continued oral consumption it will also help both the inflamed acne and any possible hyperpigmentation.
Meanwhile, the Moringa Oil has plant hormones called Cytokinesis which helps promote cellular growth & prevent the destruction of skin tissue. It is also worth noting that the natural Vitamin C in moringa helps to boost the production of collagen and help prevent sagging of the skin, reduce fine lines & wrinkles.
Moringa is also known to be a great detoxifier for the liver. If your liver is struggling to do its job of cleaning or detoxing the body, this could be a reason for your adult acne. Remember that acne is often a symptom or sign that something is going on inside your body that needs to be put right. That something could be all or some of the following:
Inflammation in the body
Inflammation in the gut
Your liver has too many toxins
Your hormones are fluctuating or have become imbalanced
Your body has nutritional deficiencies.
Moringa can help with all of these!
Link below to the website of this information above:
Whenever you feel thirsty, is a fizzy drink one that comes to mind? It may satisfy you temporarily but, do you know how much it can actually affect your body and skin?
Fizzy drinks are also known as carbonated drinks, soda or soft drinks, but ultimately all they are is a liquid containing dissolved carbon dioxide…and lots of other junk to get you addicted to the taste and the elevated feeling!
Can A Fizzy Drink Affect My Skin?
Although, in positive news there has been a decline with the consumption of fizzy drinks in most countries, there are still some risks especially to your health which can then influence your skin.
One drink can contain 10 teaspoons of sugar, plus high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners including sucralose, acesulfame k, potassium and aspartame and artificial flavouring. They can also include food colouring, caffeine and preservatives.
If your intake is not moderate to none, there can be an increased danger of several medical problems such as diabetes, tooth decay, obesity, attention deficit disorder, mood swings, the list is endless…and that list didn’t even include the skin conditions that are on the increase such as teenage & adult hormonal acne, eczema and psoriasis.
I have mentioned in my YouTube video titled Do Fizzy Drinks Cause Acne? The simple fact that overconsumption of sugar has been linked to developing hormonal issues in our body.
Insulin, for instance, is a hormone affected by sugar. High levels of insulin can then have an effect on the other hormones in your body, such as oestrogen and testosterone. Thus, this hormone imbalance can then cause an acne breakout.
So, when your blood sugar increases significantly, it increases the risk of inflammation in your body. This inflammation plays a role in the development of acne. Hence, when you consume a lot of sugar which can be found in fizzy drinks, your hormones are constantly elevated and can then increase the oil gland/sebum activity on the skin, which also leads to acne.
If you have an acne problem, I suggest switching to a low glycaemic index drink. This can result in lower inflammation levels and fewer acne occurrences. If I really feel like having a sweet drink I dilute freshly squeezed fruit juices with fizzy water.
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