by Alison Williams-Smith | May 27, 2022
Eczema symptoms may go away for a while, then flare up again. Here are some tips to prevent your itching from worsening, becoming inflamed and possibly getting infected:
- Fragrance
Keep away from Fragrance!
Fragrance is usually synthetic, unless it specifies that it is natural. One synthetic fragrance can be made up of 30 or more individual synthetic chemicals that cause skin sensitivities. These can all trigger your eczema. It is in in your body wash, facial wash or anything you use or put on your skin that isn’t natural with no added fragrance. For some eczema sufferers, even natural essential oils/fragrances can be a trigger.
- Natural Skincare & Ingredients
Go Natural!
When you choose your skincare products, always look at the labels.
Go for Natural Oils:
- Coconut Oil
- Shea Butter
- Olive Oil
- Hempseed Oil
- Moringa Oil
- Cocoa Butter
- …The list is endless, but some of these oils can cause blockages of pores, so be wary. Remember we are all unique, so what may affect one person positively, may not affect another in the same way.
- Trigger Foods
Is something you are eating triggering your Eczema?
Some of the big food triggers for eczema sufferers, as well as processed junk foods can be natural gluten and milk, eggs, peanuts and oily fish. However, there are many others. The only way to know what you are sensitive to is by doing an temporary exclusion diet for a fortnight, and then reintroducing one trigger food back at a time to see if you react.
- Ultra Processed/Junk Foods
These foods are so far removed from being natural, that I believe they should come with a health warning about how artificial and dangerous they really are! They are massively processed, and that is not good for the body.
They are highly addictive due to the sugars, fats, and salt in them. To achieve eczema free skin, it is better to stay away from these.
- Natural/Man-Made Bedding & Clothing
Avoid natural scratchy material such as wool; and avoid man-made fabrics like polyester. Instead, you can wear bamboo clothing! It is soft against the skin and let’s your skin breath. I would also opt for natural cotton that hasn’t been dyed with any type of colour.
Except for wool, natural products are always a yes.
- Eco Friendly Laundry Liquid
Don’t use harsh soaps, detergents, or solvents. Again, these are massively synthetic which can cause your eczema flare-up. If possible, opt for a fragrance-free brand. As you know by now, anything with added fragrance is a possible trigger for a flare up.
- Air Fresheners
This one is sometimes overlooked. You go around spraying or using plug-in air fresheners around your house, so as well as inhaling it, you are also sitting in and on it, as it lands on your soft furnishings such as your sofa. You’re basically causing your immediate environment around the home to be full of allergens that trigger your eczema, and even asthma.
- Humidifier
Is your house too dry?
It’s a good idea to add some moisture to the air in your home, if you have central heating.
This can help avoid having dry skin and aid a comfortable night’s sleep if you have issues with your sinuses.
- Wash Time
If you’re sweating a lot, it’s important to have a shower or bath, as your sweat can be a trigger.
Take warm baths or showers and keep them short. Long, hot showers can dry out your skin, making it more prone to flare-ups. Don’t forget to slather on a body oil or body butter based moisturiser on your skin before and after you shower.
- Water!
Drink enough water!
It’s important to stay hydrated both on the inside and the outside. Don’t neglect one over the other, as looking after the body and the skin are equally as important for the prevention and care of eczema.
Where necessary, work with your health practitioner to find the right treatments for you.
Alison x
For more information, check out our YouTube video;
10 Tips to Prevent Reoccurring Eczema @ Tigs and Moo Naturals
Also check out our Instagram and Facebook @tigsandmoonaturalskincare
by Alison Williams-Smith | May 27, 2022
What is it? What causes it? How to I know I definitely have it?
If eczema look different on different skin tones, and even appears differently on the skin, depending on its severity or type, then your first port of call is going to be seeing a doctor, or even your local pharmacist or naturopath.
Itching skin is often, but not always the first, symptom followed by dry patches, inflamed skin, rough, thick 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 it also varies in time when it comes to how long it lasts.
In some cases of eczema, the skin can react to tap water, but the most common triggers are detergents, skincare, body soaps, food products, grass, allergens and lack of humidity, stress, or a combination of these elements.
For some sufferers, the main cause of worry is that reaction can occur without any apparent reason, even if a person isn’t exposed to the usual triggers. This is where triggers such as stress or lack of sleep can also be looked at.
THE BEST TIME TO DEAL WITH THE SYMTOM OF ECZEMA IS STRAIGHT AWAY, BEFORE IT SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL AND GETS WORSE. HOWEVER, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO GET STARTED
Check out: How Do I Know If I Have Eczema? on YouTube
SEVERAL TYPES OF ECZEMA YOU WILL HAVE HEARD OF:
Atopic Dermatitis The most common and most painful, frustrating itch. Can leave skin prone to infection, inflammation and can appear anywhere on face & body.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis Happens when your skin comes into contact with a specific substance. The substance can trigger an abnormal reaction in the immune system.
AVOID: Fragrance in skincare, detergents, laundry cleaning products, wool, citrus, grass, vinegar.
Cradle Cap (Infant Seborrheic Eczema) Looks crusty but isn’t itchy. It mostly affects babies up to age of 1 year old.
Adult Seborrheic Eczema: Appears on scalp as mild dandruff but can end up on ears, face, and chest. Normally found in 20-40 year old. It looks flaky and can become inflamed. Normally cause by an increase in yeast, and if it becomes infected it will need anti-fungal treatment.
Dyshidrotic Eczema: More common in women than men. Appears as small fluid blisters on hands and feet. Blisters can itch and hurt and skin can crack and become flaky.
Caused by: Allergies, stress, damp hands & feet, exposure to substance like nickel, cobalt & chromium salt.
Hand Eczema: Dry and itchy, may form blisters or cracks. It is triggered by exposure to irritant causing chemicals. Using antibacterial gels can trigger hand eczema as well.
Nummular Dermatitis: They look like a round coin shaped dots on the skin, it can itch a lot and become scaly. It is triggered by insect bites or an allergy reaction to metal or chemicals. Atopic dermatitis is also a trigger for nummular dermatitis.
Stasis Dermatitis: Triggered by fluid leaking out of weakened veins into the skin. It causes swelling, itching & pain. It mainly effects the lower leg and feels achy and heavy. Possible for people who suffers varicose veins with dry itchy skin over the veins, which may develop open sores.
For all of these, don’t think there is nothing you can do about it if you have been told it is genetic or it keeps reoccurring. As well as treating the symptom itself, you will need to start looking 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 journal to document everything.
- WHAT YOU ATE THAT DAY, WHERE YOU ATE, WHO COOKED
- PRODUCTS YOU USED: SKINCARE, HAIRCARE, SUNSCREEN, PERFUME, MAKEUP
- JEWELLERY WORN THAT DAY
- WHAT YOU DID: SWIM, WALK IN CITY, WALK IN WOODS, CLEAN HOUSE
- LENGTH OF TIME AND TEMPERATURE OF BATH WATER
- STRESSFUL DAY, FUN DAY, GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP, EXERCISE, AIR CONDITIONING, CENTRAL HEATING
- SYMTOMS OTHER THAN ECZEMA EG. STOMACH PAIN, SINUSES, HEADACHE, SINUS PAIN, ARTHRITIS PAIN
If something as simple as sweat can be a trigger for your eczema, then is is definitely worth documenting for 2 weeks before starting your exclusion diet. Removing all known eczema triggers for 2 weeks then reintroducing one at time to see if there’s a reaction.
Check out What Causes Eczema, Exclusion Diet and Creating A Healthy Food Diary on YouTube.
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.
See Eczema, Supplements & Powders Part 1 & Part 2 on YouTube.
Once you deal with the triggers and the possible cause of your eczema, you will start to suffer less and less. It isn’t a one cure fits all condition, as we are all unique and eczema is multi factional. It won’t be cured or healed overnight but the symptoms will start to reduce and calm down.
For more information, check our YouTube channel to help with your skin journey! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE, like, comment & share!
@ Tigs and Moo Naturals
Also check out our Instagram and Facebook @tigsandmoonaturalskincare
by Alison Williams-Smith | May 11, 2022
What is hormonal adult acne?
Hormonal adult acne is acne that occurs after the age of 25. So just when you thought there was a time limit to suffering with a skin condition that is associated with puberty, we now simply have a different label for it in our later years.
When does it start?
So, although teenage acne can sometimes or primarily be triggered by an influx of hormones during puberty, which should then in theory calm down and stabilise after puberty. For adults…and by adults, I mean mainly but not always women, fluctuations in our female hormones can be the cause of our acne returning in our later life.
Your hormones can fluctuate or become imbalanced before and during your period, during pregnancy, when you are pre-menopausal & during your actual menopause. These imbalances can be the cause of your hormonal adult acne.
There is also polycystic ovary syndrome for which some women have a hormonal imbalance, metabolism problem and high levels of insulin.
Periods and the menopause are inevitable as a woman, but how you treat your body can make all the difference as to how much your hormones fluctuate during these times of our lives and pregnancy.
When it comes to men, a disruption in your testosterone levels can be the culprit for your hormonal adult acne.
But don’t despair…you don’t have to suffer!
How can we deal with acne naturally?
To prevent or reduce acne naturally, the food and drink you consume will make a massive difference to your skin. By making simple changes you can help prevent your hormonal/endocrine system from fluctuating during your period, pre-menopause and menopause. You will also help prevent causing changes to other parts of the body that could trigger your acne.
Eating the wrong foods can influence and cause fluctuations or imbalances in your endocrine/hormonal system; can cause low level chronic inflammation in your gut which affects your whole body and skin; can cause sebum/oil production on the skin itself; and can cause a weakened immune system, affecting your overall health and skin WHICH affects whether you get cystic hormonal acne.
So, as you can see by now, those wrong foods cause a whole host of issues to your body and ultimately your skin.
FOOD JOURNAL AND EXCLUSION DIET
Doing a food journal of just monitoring what you eat and drink for 2 weeks, then doing an exclusion diet of removing known acne trigger foods will help to raise some red flags. But remember, exclusion diets should only ever be short term to ensure you are getting a good variety of foods for the vitamins and minerals they supply.
The idea behind a very temporary exclusion diet is to ONLY remove all suspected trigger foods for a few weeks and then add one of your trigger foods back into your diet to see how your health and skin reacts. If no reaction, then enjoy, but if you do react, then the choice is yours as to what you will do next.
Now personally when I gave up certain food groups like milk, I went out and searched online to make sure I was getting my calcium from a plant-based wholefood source and not from processed food. I did this because processed foods for me are also a massive trigger.
When you start to read the labels of some of your favourite packaged foods, you will start to see why you have acne breaks out. All those chemicals that you are unknowingly ingesting are an absolute joke and really don’t belong in our bodies.
FOOD
If your body is getting its sources of energy from ingredients that are unpronounceable, artificial flavourings, artificial colours, artificial sweeteners, and if your food has more than one source of sugar then you’re eating CRAP. The artificial foods are called artificial for a reason…its because they are artificial, and artificial stuff isn’t tolerated well by the body. The same goes for all those different types of sugars that are added to foods. Sugar is added to make it taste nice and to make it more addictive, but ultimately it is ruining our bodies and skin, slowly, so that you won’t notice until the changes are all too obvious.
In fact, if the item of food you have picked up doesn’t look as close to its original natural state as it was picked up from the tree or soil, assume that it is crap.
If the fish you have picked up in the supermarket is from farmed sources and not wild caught, then assume that the fish has been swimming in its own faeces and that antibiotics have been added to the water to prevent disease.
Same goes for our meat, unless you can afford to only eating organic or grass-fed meat, then again assume that the animal will have lived in confined conditions where they will have been given antibiotics and some sort of hormonal treatment for them to grow faster. The same goes for milk and eggs. Washing or cooking the food doesn’t prevent the consumption of all these added chemicals, so they end up in our bodies and cause havoc.
Why am I mentioning all this stuff?
I’m mentioning all these crappy foods, that shouldn’t really be labelled as food, because it doesn’t matter how well you wash your meat and fish, it doesn’t matter how well you cook any of your meat, fish, or heavily processed junk foods. All the bad stuff that is in those foods can’t be gotten rid of from the body anytime soon. Instead, it causes inflammation in your gut, disruption of your endocrine or hormonal system and toxin build up in the different parts of the body.
Although toxins should be eliminated via the liver, kidney, colon, skin and even the lungs they stay in the body way too long and cause chronic issues.
All these points that I have just mentioned then lead to chronic long term health conditions for which our skin conditions are merely the symptoms of the problems within our body.
It doesn’t matter how much the so-called experts tell you how the body is meant to self-clean and remove toxins, because ultimately your body is telling you via your skin issues, that something isn’t right in your body.
When your skin is the symptom of a bigger issue that could potentially be improved of fixed with what you eat or don’t eat, will you do something about it?
My best advice is to first do a food journal, documenting your meals and symptoms daily for 2 weeks and then do your elimination diet. Once you have established what you shouldn’t eat for your body, then do your best to include more plant-based meals.
The main thing is to cut out what you know you react to and get rid of processed crappy foods, as everyone reacts to it on some level, they just don’t realise it.
You will feel and see a change in a matter of weeks!
If you’d like access to a free food journal, simply scroll to the bottom of the home page on the TigsAndMoo website or go to the description on any of our YouTube videos.
Alison x
Check out Natural Ways To Help Acne on our YouTube channel!
For more information, check our YouTube channel to help with your skin journey! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE, like, comment & share!
@ Tigs and Moo Naturals
Also check out our Instagram and Facebook @tigsandmoonaturalskincare
by Alison Williams-Smith | Apr 29, 2022
Magnesium & Omega 3
Do you know that the food you consume, the daily stress you experience, the products you put on your skin, sleepless nights, the environment you are in, and allergens can be some of the triggers for your eczema?
Do you also know that a vitamin deficiency can further trigger your eczema?
Vitamins are substances that your body needs to regularly grow and develop, so it makes sense that a lack of vitamins can also cause a whole host of skin problems, which are merely the body’s way of telling you that something isn’t working the way it should be, within the body itself. After all, eczema, adult acne or many of the other dry skin conditions are often the symptom of another problem.
MAGNESIUM
A magnesium deficiency can lead to dry & cracked skin…and wrinkles, as your skin’s elasticity and moisture are reduced! This is caused by a low level of fatty acids…and your skin loves fatty acids. So it is definitely worth putting in the time to find a good supplement if you don’t believe you are getting enough magnesium from your diet.
Just like some of the previously mentioned vitamins in my other blogs, magnesium helps to protect the body from free radicals, because of its antioxidant properties. It regulates cellular regeneration and helps the recovery of the skin when it has been disturbed by eczema or acne.
Do you know that approximately 70 to 80% of the British population are estimated to have a magnesium deficiency?
Be warned though, you can overdo your consumption of magnesium, which can cause stomach upset, if you take it as a supplement, so always read the directions on the label carefully.
Some food sources include:
- Spinach
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Cashews
As a family, we take our magnesium powdered supplement at night just before bed, as it helps the body relax and can therefore improve sleep. My investigations showed that it helps because it activates the part of the nervous system responsible for calm and relaxation. You could possibly get a deeper sleep, which means you are less inclined to scratch if you suffer with eczema.
FISH OIL (OMEGA 3)
When it comes to fish oil, research has shown that consumption reduces the symptoms of eczema. The belief is that fish oil reduces Leukotriene b4. Leukotriene b4 is an inflammatory substance that is secreted, it can take from 6 weeks to 6 months to see a difference from when you take fish oils to improve your eczema, so you will need to persevere.
As a family if we are taking a fish oil supplement, we prefer to take a krill oil supplement instead of fish oil or cod liver oil. This is because it is less likely to have any pollutants or contaminants because krill is so small and is from the cleaner less polluted Antarctic Ocean. The body also absorbs krill oil easier than fish oils.
The following fatty or oily fish are a good source:
- Alaskan Salmon
- Sardines
- Mackerel
- Herring
- Pilchards
- Anchovy
An actual deficiency in Omega 3 can affect the skin’s ability to regulate oil production. This can then lead to dry skin, which can possibly result in eczema and difficulty in the skin remaining hydrated.
Dandruff/seborrheic dermatitis, can also be another tell-tale sign of an Omega 3 deficiency. Its actually quite amazing, that as you get better at understanding your body and what it requires, the difference it can make to your skin health and indeed your overall health will have a massive impact to your both physically and mentally.
Alison x
For more information, check out our YouTube channel to help with your skin journey!
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE, like, comment & share!
@ Tigs and Moo Naturals
Also check out our Instagram and Facebook @tigsandmoonaturalskincare
by Alison Williams-Smith | Apr 29, 2022
Vitamin B & Zinc
Do you know that the food you consume, the daily stress you experience, the products you put on your skin, sleepless nights, the environment you are in, and allergens can be some of the triggers for your eczema?
Do you also know that a vitamin deficiency can further trigger your eczema?
Vitamins are substances that your body needs to regularly grow and develop, so it makes sense that a lack of vitamins can also cause a whole host of skin problems, which are merely the body’s way of telling you that something isn’t working the way it should be within the body itself. After all, eczema, adult acne or many of the other dry skin conditions are often the symptom of another problem.
B VITAMINS
There are about 8 B Vitamins which all contribute in some way to skin health. As a supplement you can purchase a B-Complex supplement, but the most natural way to get your B Vitamins is through food. My kids and I get ours in liquid form but also do our best to have a diet that is rich in leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, kale, etc.
A deficiency can cause skin rashes, dry flaky skin and transepidermal water loss.
It was a blood test for myself and my kids that revealed we all had a B-12 deficiency and a Vitamin D deficiency. We all suffer with dry skin, which doesn’t sound alarming, but dry skin can contribute toward cracked lips and wrinkles, dry sun damaged skin, hyperpigmentation & skin inflammation.
B vitamins supply antioxidants to the body and skin, which fight free radical damage caused by the sun’s UV ray and pollution.
IT IS FOUND IN:
- SUNFLOWERS
- WHOLEGRAINS
- MUSSELS
- LEGUMES
- NUTS
- SEEDS
- ALMONDS
- SEAWEED
- PEAS
- FISH
- CHICKEN
- EGGS
- ONIONS
- TOMATOES
- BROCCOLI
- AVOCADO
- SWEET POTATO
- ASPARAGUS
- OKRA
ZINC
Zinc is important for fighting infection, producing cells, healing injuries and creating DNA. It therefore makes sense, that when it comes to the skin specifically, an actual zinc deficiency can lead to a rash that resembles atopic dermatitis, open sores on the skin and wounds that won’t heal. Taking a zinc supplement and/or eating foods rich in zinc will help the body produce its anti-inflammatory properties which explains why it is beneficial to eczema inflamed skin.
Zinc can actually help to reduce the secretion of histamine, which contributes to the eczema itch. So, it makes sense why calamine lotion can offer some relief, as zinc oxide is one of the main ingredients in calamine lotion.
The body doesn’t store zinc so you will need to get it from foods such as:
- RED MEAT
- POULTRY
- SHELLFISH (oysters, crab, mussels, prawns & shrimp)
- LEGUMES: CHICKPEAS & LENTILS
- SEEDS (pumpkin, sesame & squash, hemps seeds & flax seeds)
- NUTS (cashew, almond, peanuts, pine)
- DAIRY: MILK & CHEESE (grass fed, pasture raised, free range, unpasteurized)
- EGGS (pasture raised, free range)
- WILD RICE
- WHOLEGRAIN (quinoa, oats, rice, if your ok with gluten = wheat eg spelt)
- DARK CHOCOLATE with 70 – 85% cocoa 100g piece but is also 600 calories
by Alison Williams-Smith | Apr 11, 2022
Did you know that rates of eczema/atopic dermatitis for adults and kids have more than tripled in the past 20 years? Experts believe this massive increase is due to industrialization.
Although eczema is a genetic condition, it is a multi-factional disorder that can be triggered by an overactive immune response to environmental and other factors. As it can be triggered by many different things, then controlling the external factors can help to control and keep eczema at bay.
I’ll explore a handful of reasons of why it appears on the skin of babies, kids and adults.
BABIES
- The foods, drinks, or medications that mother consumes during pregnancy can cause enfant eczema from a very early start.
- Whether a baby is born via birth canal or c-section can make a difference. Babies born via the birth canal pick up the necessary different bacteria from the mother which will help to build the immune system. This isn’t the case for babies born via c-section
- Bottle fed babies can be susceptible to eczema if they have an intolerance to cow milk.
- What the breast-feeding mother is eating or using on her skin can impact her breast milk and therefore trigger eczema on the baby’s skin.
- Antibiotics or any medication given to the baby at a young age can affect the gut or skin.
- Skincare – baby skincare products with fragrance/synthetic chemicals can trigger eczema. One fragrance in a product can have over 30 synthetic chemicals and does not have to be included on the ingredients label.
- Bed linen – synthetic bed linen can cause itching and can cause the skin to become too warm which can trigger eczema
- The flame retardant in/on the mattress and pillow can be a trigger for eczema, as the chemicals are slowly released over the years. You can purchase natural mattresses and pillows.
KIDS
- Food colouring/food dye – These are all known eczema triggers, due to the inflammation they cause in the body and because of their artificial nature.
- Ultra processed /processed foods – these foods are so far removed from their natural food state with added chemicals, that as well as offering very little nutritional value, they cause inflammation in the body, which can lead to eczema
- Inflammatory natural foods – As foods that contain gluten are so far removed from their original traditional origin to what is now just really another highly processed food, more and more people are becoming allergic or intolerant. They are also known triggers for eczema.
- Processed sugar – This is a known trigger for eczema. Unfortunately, more and more of our foods contain sugar to make the processed foods more addictive. Any ingredient that ends in ‘ose’ or is a syrup is also sugar.
- Pollution – This can be both indoor and outdoor pollution. The harsh chemicals in our indoor cleaning products can be a trigger, as well as air fresheners and even our own perfumes. Outdoors, things out of our control such as car fumes and industrial pollution can cause irritation to skin and trigger eczema.
- Skincare and haircare products – You will need to become more label savvy, as the myriad of chemicals that are added to even children’s products nowadays, can trigger eczema and other dry skin conditions.
- Clothing with dyes or synthetic materials – you will never know what chemicals have been added to create the dyes in the clothes you are wearing. If you have already changed your laundry detergent and it has made no difference, then its time to look at organic cotton or other natural materials (not wool though). You should always wash new clothes before wearing them.
- Stress & no sleep – Although we don’t like to believe our kids can become as stressed as adults, they too can have eczema breakouts from stress and lack of sleep. Stress and lack of sleep can trigger the stress hormone cortisol and then can lead to eczema as well as other health conditions.
- Bed linen – Just like clothing the quality of bed linen, natural or synthetic or the dye can make a difference to the comfort of our skin.
ADULTS
- Hair products – As well as affecting the scalp, the shampoo or conditioner can drip onto the neck and body to trigger off eczema on the skin
- Skin products – too many skin irritating chemicals are added to make our products look, feel and smell enticing without doing any actual good to the skin.
- Perfume/ Fragrance in products – As mentioned previously, there can be over 30 separate chemicals in one fragrance.
- Laundry detergent or fabric conditioner comes with a toxic warning on the label for a reason.
- Stress from work – not getting stressed is easier said than done, but it definitely adds to reoccurring eczema.
- Cleaning products – the smell catches on the back of the throat for a reason. And just like many products…if they have toxic warnings, why would you choose to use them? Good old fashioned white vinegar didn’t need that toxic warning when our grandmas cleaned with it. Our grandmas in the 1940’s also didn’t have eczema.
- Bed linen – keep it simple with cotton, bamboo or if you can afford it…silk. Cotton can be drying to eczema but none of these materials cause irritation to eczema unless they are dyed.
Two very important facts with all of these lists is
Don’t be seduced by clever marketing
And
Do your own research.
Alison x
For more information, check our YouTube channel: @ Tigs and Moo Naturals
Eczema: Babies, Kids & Adults
Also check out our Instagram and Facebook @tigsandmoonaturalskincare
