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Dealing with eczema? These are the foods you should be eating—and the ones to avoid
Well+Good In Fischer's experience, the key to healing an inflammatory skin condition like eczema lies in the liver. “Your liver is supposed to deactivate chemicals in your body, so if your liver's not working at 100 percent, that's when things like eczema can … |
Tag Archives: Dealing
10 tips for dealing with rage, fear and anxiety about your allergies
First of all, you are not alone. The first thing you need to do, if you have a diagnosis for a serious life threatening allergy is to arm yourself with all the information you can. Get the best help, get tests done, see a specialist. Easier said than done I know, but don’t give up, if you are not happy with the advice you’ve been given keep on searching.
Find out exactly what you need to know to stay safe. Understand it’s OK to feel like this. It’s alright to feel fear, anxiety and anger. Helplessness, hopelessness and a total lost of control. But you get one chance at this life. Don’t let the fear consume you. Right now I’m not the best advert for that myself but I’m working my through the emotional assault. Don’t suffer in silence.
Here are my tips, the things that have helped me.
- Speak to people – Tell your friends and family. Do you know anyone with a similar medical condition? I have found recent allergy focused events, including The Anaphylaxis Campaign Conference and Food Matters Live encouraged me to share and talk to my fellow bloggers, parents of allergic kids and people in the allergy community. It was tough at times and I didn’t hold it together as much as I’d hoped but I came away from both events knowing that it had helps, I was making progress just by sharing.
- Contact professional organisations – I have also spoken to Allergy UK and The Anaphylaxis Campaign who both have free helplines which you can phone and also loads of advice and resources. They also have local support groups so you may find one local to you which will help you to attend. The Anaphylaxis Campaign also offer one free referral to a counsellor but do be aware, she is busy. I wasn’t able to get an appointment until 2018 but it’s worth considering as it could help you.
- Writing about it – this might not work for everyone, but as a writer and blogger, writing about my recent experience, how it makes me feel and how I plan to use these emotions positively is really helping me. I appreciate that it might not work for others but don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. So basically guys, you are my therapy. Whether you like it or not, this blog will be following my journey dealing with this. It’s already helping. And it’s already tough. Bottling it up, my earlier preferred coping mechanism wasn’t working and ultimately you have to deal with emotions and move forward.
- Update your Action Plan – One thing I realised after my recent allergic reaction was that my Allergy Action Plan needs updating. It has literally disintegrated with overuse. Having a strict plan and protocol in place can really help you and those who may need to care for you if you have a reaction know what to do. If you don’t have one, write one!
- Anger management – Feeling angry isn’t an emotion I’m used to dealing with. I’m far less tolerant and quick to rise, where before I rarely felt anger. It’s almost like a rage building in me Taming a Powerful Emotion by Gary Chapman
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)– If you think counselling might help you to deal with fear and anxiety then CBT is probably the most useful kind of treatment available. There are loads of organisations who can help, from the NHS, Mind and private counsellors. Research what’s available and find a solution that works for you.
- Health Minds referral scheme – you can self refer yourself for counselling using the NHS Healthy Minds Self Referral scheme. I have already had the initial assessment and have my first session scheduled for next week. I already feel calmer after just having organised this. The first assessment was gruelling enough and I know this will be tough, but I really think it will help me to talk about how I feel with a neutral person, someone who does not know me and is qualified to help me work through this and find ways of coping with how I’m feeling. This is the most convenient solution for me at the moment because they arrange a phone call with you on a weekly basis at a time convenient to you, which is easier to fit into my life at the moment.
- I am, I am, I am by Maggie O’Farrell – this book is beautifully written and covers Maggie’s memoirs; seventeen brushes with death. This may sound macabre and something you definitely shouldn’t be reading when faced with your own near death experiences, but I challenge you. You will finish reading this feeling newly conscious, and determined to make every heart beat count. The final chapter recounts an experience when Maggie’s own daughter has an anaphylactic attack and has to be rushed to hospital. Read this book, if you have allergies or are a mother of allergic kids – I am, I am, I am, by Maggie O’Farrell – it will help you.
- Run, Run, Run – Again this might not be for everyone but the sentiment is the same. Find something that you can do that completely takes you out of how you’re feeling. Something that clears your mind. This is running for me. I’m running my brain back to normal. Well maybe not normal, but back to stable. This could be something creative, fundraising, volunteer for a local charity. Anything that gives you new perspective. The latter being something I may look into when I can find more time. Giving something back can really help you feel your worth in society, because you are worth so much.
- Wear your Medicalert bracelet – This is really important. In my recent allergic reaction I was unconscious and couldn’t tell anyone what had happened. I had been wearing my Medicalert bracelet but when the reaction took place, that morning I had slipped it into my purse because it was irritating the eczema on my wrist. No one knew this and I was told that the paramedics were searching or one. It has made my realise I need to have more than one option of how to wear mine. I have a necklace too but need to find something softer for when my skin is sensitive. Writing this I realise I have not resolved this one yet!
I hope this helps. It’s not an exhaustive list and I may add to it as I think of other things. But as you can see, there are so many practical steps you take to help you cope.
One thing I am doing a lot of is sleeping. Emotions are exhausting. Be kind to yourself. Let your mind and body heal. Stay safe allergy warriors. Be prepared, never take risks and always, always carry your adrenaline injectors #takethekit
I will leave you with this video. If you know someone with anaphylaxis who does not carry their adrenaline, or even worse, has not been prescribed any, ask them to watch this short but very moving video
Word cloud courtesy of Worditout
nb>If you feel really depressed or have any thoughts that make you really scared, don’t know what to do and just need to speak to someone any time of day, call the Samaritans 116 123 from any phone any time of day or night. Someone will speak to you and just the act of talking could help.
Ncaa Football “?” Dealing With Holding The No. 1 Spot In The Rankings
Holding on the No. 1 spot has been a very difficult task among the few teams that have managed to make it atop the BCS ranking. This week, the turn belongs to the Auburn Tigers to hold on to the top spot. They will be playing Mississippi this weekend, and may they be able to find a way to make it pass Ole Miss, the Tigers would probably stay atop of the rankings. Particularly because there is still some space in the coaches poll to keep on climbing and because they still have to play a fairly rigorous schedule which includes a couple of home games against Chattanooga and Georgia. To close the season they will go on to face none other then the rival Alabama. Thats one heck of a game you wouldnt want to miss.
Last week Oklahoma was the No.1 team. Lets take a look at this for a second. The Sooners had managed to defeat their long-time rivals the Texas Longhorns by a 28-20 margin before taking on the guys from Iowa State. Again the Sooners went on to defeat Iowa State by 52-0. That week, the Sooners came up on top of the BCS rankings and then, after a perfect 6-0 record, and they had to go on and face the No. 11 ranked Missouri. And then Missouri stomped over the Sooners and defeated them 36-27. Landry Jones, the Sooners quarterback, threw three touchdowns in that game but was intercepted twice, and that was a fatal move for the Sooners.
The week before that, it was the Ohio State Buckeyes who were leading the AP top 25 Poll and the Coaches Poll, as the BCS rankings had yet to be formerly announced. But that was not too much of a great spot for the Buckeyes either. At 6-0, the Buckeyes had already defeated Miami Florida, Illinois and Indiana before they made it to the top of the Polls. And then came Wisconsin. And boy oh boy to the Buckeyes remember John Clay who came with Wisconsin for 104 rushing yards and a two great touchdowns on their come-from behind 31-18 win over Ohio State. The No. 18 Wisconsin had finally defeated a No.1 team for the first time since 1981.
And it was No. 1 and done, for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Now, the week before that, it was Alabama, yes, the Crimson Tide, the defending Champion who was ranked as the No. 1 team. This was the first Numero Uno team to go down. And boy was that some bad timing for the Tide. Up to that point Alabama was 5-0, having defeated both Arkansa and their long-time rival the Florida Gators by a 31-6, showing off that they had one of the finest offensive lines in the country. And then came South Carolina. At 35-21, USC win over the Crimson Tide was one of the finest upsets in the later history. Stephen Garcia was a brilliant player against the Crimson Tide, with a career best 17 of 20 for 201 yards and 3 touchdown passes. Yes, there was an interception, but if we look at the play, it was evident that his receiver just couldnt hold on to the ball.
The big question now is: can Auburn survive. Can the tigers make it to the No.1 spot and stay there? Dont miss on the NCAA football action and keep an eye out on the best college football betting lines available out there.
Stephen Lars is a prominent sports blogger and currently covers NCAA Football, previews and handicaps for the BetIAS’ Sports Betting Blog . You may reprint this article in its full content, please note no modifications to it are accepted.
Dealing With Your Child Who Has Eczema
You don’t need me to tell you how awful it is to see your child suffering with eczema. It’s not only a hard time for your child, but it can be real hard on the parents too. They often don’t know where to turn or who to go to for assistance. I have assembled some simple tips here, so that if you find yourself in this situation you might be able to help your child.
Just like an adult dermatitis sufferer, the wrong fabrics in any circumstance can really make things worse. Imagine how it might feel if you were a child wrapped in an itchy fabric for most of the day and wasn’t able to tell people how bad it made you feel. To prevent your baby from going through this, there are some things you can do. First, make sure all the bedding is 100% soft cotton and clean it regularly. If it’s not cleaned frequently, microscopic bacteria will build up, and it’s the bacteria that cause the itching in baby’s skin. Also, make sure you use perfume free detergents. The perfumes can be hazardous to your skin, so it’s best to avoid them.
Regular bathing is helpful for dermatitis in babies. It is recommended that you bathe baby at least once a day. Bathing will help prevent the amount of germs and bacteria attacking the child’s skin, which should in turn reduce the symptoms.
Many adult dermatitis sufferers will tell you that keeping their skin moisturized comforts their skin. The problem with dermatitis for babies is that it becomes worse when the sufferer is stressed. Since your baby doesn’t realize what the itch is or why it’s happening it is a truly stressful moment. This in turn makes the itch worse and increases the stress, and so on. It’s a terrible cycle for your poor child.
You can reduce a lot of stress by moisturizing baby immediately after bathing. Supple skin is less likely to itch the more moisture there is in the skin, the suppler it is. Apply a suitable moisturizer directly on your child’s damp skin. This will help lock the moisture from the bath into the skin, increasing the result.
Learn more about common Skin Rashes including Eczema Photos .