Eczema Free Forever™ Eczema Free Forever™

Tag Archives: Remember

The Skincare Changes you Need to Remember in the Winter

Posted on by

While many of us spend our winter dreaming of a white Christmas we often forget the impact the harsh weather can have on our skin is overlooked! The main culprits to blame for this are cold, dry air, low humidity and central heating, which, although it keeps us cosy and warm, wreak havoc with our delicate skin and hair. But cold weather also hits you harder as you get older, as the production of the skin’s natural moisturisers already dips with age alone. The result: your soft, glowing summer skin becomes dry, rough and flaking, while your hair feels parched and loses its shine.

But, never fear, we are here to help! These simple cold weather beauty tricks and tips will help keep you looking and feeling your best, no matter the type of weather you have to deal with in the coming months.

Get sipping!

Just because you’re not feeling as warm, doesn’t mean you should be easing up on the amount of water you should drink per day. Consuming enough water is important all year round, including in the winter. When your internal system is operating well, it’s going to show on the outside with glowing skin. Keep up with your daily quota by drinking a glass of water with every meal and keeping a reusable bottle on your desk at work, to ensure that your skin stays clear and moisturised.

Love your lips!

Dry, sore and cracked lips are no-ones favourite winter affliction. They can leave you dreading eating or even yawning, and they look pretty unattractive too! Keep your lips moisturised regularly throughout the day by looking for a formula containing shea butter. If you’re wearing colour on your lips, moisturise your lips overnight and wear a formulation that has a built-in moisturiser.

Time to clean up!

Your usual shower gel and shampoo aren’t going to cut it in the winter, we’re afraid. In the winter, our skin and hair generally need more protection, largely in the form of hydration. Choose moisturising shower gel and a hydrating shampoo to suit your individual skin and hair type. This goes for facial cleanser and moisturiser too! You may find that a creamy, hydrating cleanser with alpha hydroxy acids, which are gentle enough to remove dead skin cells on your face without causing skin irritation, is the way forward. Your regular light moisturiser may need to be switched up for a heavier formula too; your skin will be extra thirsty. Look for preparations including beeswax, petrolatum, or squalene, and warm them up in the heat of the shower as you wash for an extra moisturising treat!

Double up on hydration

Moisturising twice a day might sound like overkill, but may be necessary in the winter! Ideally, you should moisturise in the morning and before bed for the best results. The reason: there’s a slight elevation in the temperature of your body while you sleep, so products seep in better! Why not ask for some free samples at your local beauty counter to find the perfect body moisturiser for you?

Indulge those digits!

Don’t forget about your feet and hands – they do most of the work after all, but often we find ourselves washing our hands over and over again without ever replacing that lost moisture. And our feet? Well, for many of us they don’t get a look-in when we moisturise our legs! How about dampening your hands and feet, slathering on a luxurious cream, and then putting on a pair of comfy and light gloves and socks to wear overnight? Your feet and hands will look and feel great the following morning!

 

Dr Seth Rankin is Founder of London Doctor Clinic

talkhealth Blog

Remember, remember the fifth of November – Low fodmap parkin.

Posted on by

Parkin is a rich spiced cake from Yorkshire or Lancashire that is consumed during bonfire night. Are you unsure of what Bonfire night is? It is a festival in the UK marking the failure of a plot to blow up parliament by Guy Fawkes. This is celebrated by lighting bonfires and fireworks and making a Guy to collect pennies. If you want to know more then this short version of a video by the excellent Horrible Histories series is a great way to find out – tongue in cheek of course!

 

Ingredients

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp mixed spice

100g dark muscovado sugar

175g golden syrup

175g black treacle

125g Margarine

100ml Lactose free milk

225g Doves Farm Gluten Free self-raising flour

200g Oats (contamination free if you have coeliac disease)

 

Method

Sieve all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Add the egg to the milk and mix

Melt the butter and sugars in a pan until dissolved – cool a little

Mix the ingredients together

You are looking for quite a wet mix, add more lactose free milk if required

Place some baking parchment into a round tin 9 inch baking tin and grease the tin if needed. Or if you wish this can be used as a tray bake. Cook at gas mark 4.5 until a skewer placed in the cake centre comes out clean. Top with icing sugar and star shaped sprinkles to represent fireworks.

 




talkhealth Blog

Eczema – Remember to Keep Your Eczema Diary

Posted on by

So here you are and your doctor has told you that you have eczema. Initially, you may find that it’s quite difficult to come to terms with it but don’t give up; so many have had eczema in the past that there is lots of help out there and the treatment these days is very effective.

When your doctor tells you that you have eczema he’ll probably also let you know what sort of eczema you have – there are different forms. He’ll probably also give you an idea of the level of severity of eczema you have and will prescribe appropriate medications and tell you how things will develop. Normally, your doctor will want to understand your medical history to date so as to avoid prescribing anything that might set off an adverse reaction.

The main features of eczema are itchiness, inflammation, possible infection, and scaly lesions and the medication will be aimed at, at least, reducing the impact and frequency of these. It is unlikley that one type of medication alone will sort out your problem and it is quite normal for the doctor to prescribe more that one medication to deal with the different features.

Don’t be concerned if your eczema isn’t dealt with within a short period, there are no wonder cures; just let the medication do its job – the more severe the symptoms the longer it’s likely to take.

Another well known aspect of eczema is that it may be caused by something(s) in your life style that’s causing your body to have allergic reactions. You may have to keep a diary of when things get really bad and try to identify if there is something that repeatedly brings on bouts of inflammation. At one level it might be that a particular soap or other cosmetic is causing the problem or perhaps an item of clothing or even someone’s pet; it can even be something in the workplace that’s causing it. Your eczema diary will be very helpful in identifying the triggers for you to avoid.

The form of treatment you’ll require will depend upon several matters. This naturally may include the form of eczema, your medical background and what you prefer. There are three basic types of treatment; topical medications such as lotions and creams, oral/systemic medications and phototherapy light therapy.

Of late the handling of eczema has moved a long way ahead of where it was and there is now much greater choice for the individual and doctor alike. There seems to be a growing range of over-the-counter, useful treatments for most forms of eczema and generally the disorder can be controlled very well. All the same, it’s worth restating that eczema is a disorder that takes its time to be dealt with effectively. The treatment of eczema may sometimes be lengthy and if you don’t feel that you’re making progress, you should refer to your doctor to make certain that you’re using what is right for you . It is also worth remembering that stress has been proven to be a factor in eczema and so you should be careful to avoid such situations.

Your eczema diary will give you and your doctor great help in finding out what’s causing the problem with diet, clean surroundings and a stress free life style being the things that you should aim for – your eczema can be cured with care and attention and usually with only a small course of treatment – you’ll soon be living an inflammation free life with just some simple precautions.

Ken Lewis, a former CEO of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, has practised as an alternative therapist since 1991 during which time he has helped many with a wide range of problems. He particularly focuses on the endorsement of methods proven to be effective in alleviating both physical and psychological issues. For further effective help in curing your eczema, go to http://eczema-matters.com/

Find More How To Help Eczema Articles