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Eczema and Stress: Are They Related? Learn to Calm Your Mind and Skin

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As you read this, more than 32 million Americans are scratching their skin due to eczema.  According to the National Eczema Association, eczema affects at least 10% of people in the United States. Eczema is a skin disorder that is triggered by allergens and other irritants, infections, extreme weather temperatures, and the one that we can control – stress.

If you want to escape the onset of eczema, you have to protect yourself from what triggers it. In fact, this skin condition is called a psychodermatologic disorder because eczema and stress almost always go hand-in-hand. This is just a scientific way of saying that it is a physical disorder that is tied to your mental and emotional health.

There’s no denying it – stress is the root of most of our health problems.  It has even been linked to heart disease, for one, and many others. So, can stress cause eczema? Yes! And it makes perfect sense. The correlation between psychological wellbeing and skin health is so strong that there’s even a subspecialty in dermatology called psychodermatology.

Stress Induced Eczema – It’s a Thing!  

The connection between eczema and stress has long been established.  The scientific explanation behind this is that stress releases hormones that affect our immune system.  People with eczema actually have weak immune systems, which in turn causes inflammation of the skin, and can manifest into itchy rashes or worse, painful blisters.  Stress can also exacerbate the condition and cause your skin to flare up.

We all have our ways of coping with stress.  Some people are able to take life’s challenges (and changes) lightly while some have difficulty digesting it.

I know, I know.  Avoiding eczema from stress is easier said than done.  Sometimes it’s just easier applying a cream and avoiding the stress altogether. There is certainly nothing wrong with a little natural eczema cream to get some immediate relief, but the key to getting a handle on your eczema permanently is determining how you can avoid the onset of symptoms altogether.

Here are some tried and tested tips to calm your body and say goodbye to stress induced eczema:

Meditation / Prayer Time

Set aside some quiet time (like 15 minutes) every day to take stock of your life.  Lifting all your worries to a Higher Power will give you the serenity to cope with life’s challenges.

Try the Headspace app – it’s a great intro to meditation that will ease you in and get you hooked.

Spend Time with Others

Spend time with family, friends, and other support groups.  The conversations will surely distract you from scratching. And it is not only your skin that will be improved but your relationships too! For additional help, check out the National Eczema Association’s online support group here.

Read More: 8 Ways to Relieve Stress In Children With Eczema  

Self-Love

On the other hand, if there is anyone (or anything) in your life that is causing you stress, trying breaking away from that negative energy. Don’t feel guilty about it! It’s important to have some self-love too.

Prioritize and Delegate

If your list of to-do’s is getting too long and causing you much stress, learn to prioritize and delegate tasks.  You don’t have to do everything all at once, or by yourself for that matter.

Relax

Breathe deeply and find time to relax. You can even do this while taking your morning or afternoon walk.

Exercise

Exercise is very important in improving your mood and it will help you sweat your toxins away.

Your choice of exercise doesn’t have to high impact – like Zumba (Although that’s fun too!). For something calm, try yoga, which improves your mindfulness and concentration. A double win!

A Gentle Bath

Have a good, but not necessarily long, lukewarm bath.  It will relax you and soothe your itchy skin (if you use an oatmeal bath for eczema).  Just don’t forget to use a gentle natural soap and moisturize afterwards. Learn how to find the best eczema soap here.

Also, avoid rubbing your skin dry with a towel.  It will irritate your skin. Just pat it dry instead.

Sleep   

Often overlooked, but a great sleep can have a real effect on both your happiness and wellbeing.  Also, the right pajamas (made for eczema prone skin) can make all the difference in the world. Look for soft, comfortable eczema sleepwear for a good night’s sleep.

Alternative Medicine

Try alternative medicine such as acupuncture to relieve you from eczema caused by stress.  But, if you’re not feeling brave enough to go under the needles of acupuncture, then go for its hand counterpart, which is acupressure for eczema or reflexology.

A simple massage can also help relax your tense muscles.  Dim the lights and play some nature sounds while you’re at it for the ultimate spa experience.

Take a Vacation

A quick urban escape or brief weekend getaway will do and the change of scenery will do a lot of good for your senses. Just make sure your prep time and travel is stress free!

Start a Journal

If you have a knack for writing, then start a journal and write away.  This will help eliminate the negative thoughts that are causing you stress.

A gratitude journal or self exploration journal are great tools for those who need guidance to break into the world of journaling.

See a Professional

If the stress seems too much to handle and you cannot find solace in your immediate circle, try seeking professional advice.  The intervention could be what you need to heal your mind and your skin.

Whichever method you choose to relieve your stress, you need to find something you enjoy doing.  Do you enjoy getting immersed in a film or book? Do you prefer spending time with friends? It’s really up to you to discover what will make you mentally strong.  The bottomline – stress management is an integral part of treating eczema.  Manage your stress and you’ll be able to manage your eczema as well.

Planning to have a baby?

If you are planning to get pregnant, or already are, you should avoid stress, as a recent study [1] showed that stress prior and during pregnancy leads to eczema in infants.  So it’s not just YOUR skin that’s affected – your unborn child’s skin is affected too!

One Last Story…

To part, let me share with you this story of Bronya Humphreys [2], a 20-year old mom from England.  She transformed her eczema into works of art with the use of make-up. She fought depression by not wallowing in self-pity and instead decided to accept her eczema. Accepting, embracing, and even celebrating her skin disease has enabled her to convert it into something that gives inspiration.

Learn more about the Power of Trust & Acceptance and the Impact on Eczema.

It’s true – you are not your skin condition.  Accepting your eczema will not only make it easier to treat, but in time you will be able to live comfortably in your own skin.

Do you suffer from stress induced eczema? Let us know in the comments below!

Resources:

  1. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/040317/pre-pregnancy-stress-level-may-lead-to-eczema-in-future-child.html
  2. https://food.ndtv.com/health/pre-pregnancy-stress-may-lead-to-eczema-in-infants-1666091
  3. https://www.oddnaari.in/life/story/this-woman-transforms-her-eczema-into-pieces-of-art-using-make-up-127156-2018-02-05

About the Author

Saif is a Wellness Writer and Digital Marketing Expert at Healthy-Finds.com, a company committed to imparting the knowledge and access that people need for a long and healthy life.  He usually loves to hangouts with rankings and work but when he is not working, he travels most of the time.

The post Eczema and Stress: Are They Related? Learn to Calm Your Mind and Skin appeared first on itchylittleworld.com.

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Natural Eczema Treatments: Yes, They Work

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With so many toxic additives in the foods we eat and pollutants in the environment, it’s no wonder there’s an increasing number of people who want to know how to cure skin conditions like eczema.

According to the e-book, “Quick Eczema Cure,” things as innocuous-seeming as sweat, wool, dust and even cheap gold in jewelry can all be allergens that trigger a dermatitis reaction. The list of potential triggers in the book is long and shocking.

Did you know these five startling facts about eczema?
Roughly 24% of the population either is suffering with eczema, or had in the past. This is eight times more than in 1960.
Eczema sufferers may have one or many triggers including heredity, food, stress, or a variety of external allergens or irritants.
Food additives such as sulfites and MSG may be aggravating your eczema. It might not be the food itself, but how manufacturers make, season, or preserve it.
The two most commonly prescribed topical creams for eczema are linked to cancer. Also, and the oral corticosteroids that doctors dole out are associated with high blood pressure, weight gain and other serious side-effects that compromise your adrenal function.
The main cause of eczema is borne in your immune system, which can be improved through natural, inexpensive means such as dietary change, herbal remedies, and homeopathic therapies.

These telling factoids are excerpted from Quick Eczema Cure, which is well worth getting a copy of it you (or your child) are among the millions who’re dealing with this increasingly common skin disorder.

The author, Matthew Rose, knows firsthand what it’s like to suffer from painful itching and unsightly scaling. He’s also become an expert on how to get rid of it, without all the toxic drugs.

To eradicate the internal causes of his skin disorder, Matt took an inside-out approach — and it worked! He takes readers through the steps of how to use common pantry items, health store goods, whole foods to unleash the body’s natural healing ability.

Quick Eczema Cure is extremely well researched. It reads well and very easily, too. Matt simplifies even the most complex concepts, like how your immune system works (or not) in relation to dermatitis.

The one heads-up I’ll give you about this ebook is this: It isn’t cheap. It’s well worth every penny, mind you, but you will have to shell out a few shekels to get rid of your skin condition using Matt’s natural remedies system.

But even that is relative, I suppose. If you’ve been paying doctors hundred of dollars per visit, and then fattening the pharmaceutical industry buying creams that yield only temporary, disappointing results, then you’ll probably consider Quick Eczema Cure a serious bargain.

Just depends on how badly you want to heal your troubled skin.

The good news is that Matt’s so confident in his program, he’s offering a 60-day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee!

If you’re interested in learning how Matt cured his eczema, and how he’s gained a loyal following by helping others do away with it too,Click Here to Visit the Quick Eczema Cure
Guide Now!

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Eczema Flare-Ups – What They Are and How to Avoid Them

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Eczema is a chronic skin condition, also commonly known as atopic dermatitis. Sufferers often feel the constant need to itch the skin. This itching can lead to red rashes, blister-like sores that ooze, and scaly, rough patches of skin. The phrase “eczema flare-ups,” is used to describe outbreaks or episodes where the condition gets worse.

Those who suffer from eczema are often plagued with the skin condition for life, but there are ways to seek relief. Unfortunately, this relief can be short-term. Some individuals can go months without an eczema rash and wakeup one morning to have a significant outbreak. Although there is no way to cure eczema, there are steps you can take to avoid regular flare-ups.

Avoid Eczema Flare-Ups #1 – Find Your Trigger Factor

The phrase “trigger factor,” is often used to describe the onset of an eczema outbreak. Something triggers the skin. It is irritated and produces a reaction. There are different causes for flare-ups and outbreaks, but medical professional have developed a list of common factors. They include dairy products, chemical irritants, allergies, the weather, and stress.

Avoid Eczema Flare-Ups #2 – Eliminate Your Trigger Factors

Once you believe you found the cause of your flare-ups, eliminate these as an issue. Keep a daily log to monitor what you eat, what you are doing, and what you come into contact with. Compare your outbreaks to this log to determine possible culprits. Then, work to avoid them. You should automatically notice a reduction in outbreaks.

Avoid Eczema Flare-Ups #3 – Avoid Too Much Direct Sunlight

While sunlight is good for the body and skin, too much of it can cause dry skin. Dry skin is another common cause of eczema educed breakouts. Don’t hide inside and avoid the sun forever, but display caution. Apply sun screen, wear covering clothes, and seek sunlight in moderation.

Avoid Eczema Flare-Ups #4 – Keep the Skin Well Moisturized

As previously stated, dry skin can lead to an eczema outbreak. Avoid dry skin by keeping your body hydrated and well-moisturized. After a shower or bath, immediately dab the skin slightly dry and apply moisturize. Continue applying lotions and creams throughout the day.

These are just a few ways that you can avoid eczema flare-ups, but they are successful and easy to implement.

More Info on how to Cure Eczema easily, naturally and forever can be found by Clicking Here

My Winter Rosacea Skin Care Routine to Stop Flare-Ups Before They Happen

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When I stepped out the door to walk the dogs this morning, the sun was shining brightly despite the fact that it was -9ºC with a wind chill factor of -16ºC. At this time last year, the weather in my little part of Canada didn’t even require a winter coat. This year, winter arrived early and with a vengeance. To prevent spending the rest of the season with burning, bright red cheeks, I’ve had to get my act together and put my winter rosacea skin care routine together.

winter rosacea symtoms - rosy cheeksWinter’s cold and windy weather is a disaster for those of us whose cheeks are rosy at the best of times. Even if you live in a part of the world that doesn’t experience extremes of cold that are quite as intense as mine, the odds are that your winters are far cooler, rainier or snowier than your summers. If your skin’s anything like mine, that means you’re going to need to switch up your skin care products and the way you use them.

Transitioning from Summer to Winter Skin Care for Rosacea

I usually start my winter rosacea skin care transition in the autumn. That gives my skin enough time to get used to the products by the time the cold weather has truly arrived. This year, I didn’t have as much of a chance to do that as is usually the case. Before I knew it, winter had simply arrived.

Winter Skin Care for RosaceaWhile there are lots of overall changes I make to protect my skin from the cold – sitting away from fireplaces/heating vents, wearing a scarf over my face to protect it from the wind, using a humidifier in my room at night, and so on – today I’m going to focus on the actual skin care products I use and the way I use them.

I take a lot of care in designing my winter skin care routine. Every year it’s a little bit different because I’m continually tweaking and updating it. I learn more about my rosacea symptoms and triggers all the time, which helps me to gradually perfect my skin care routine from one season to the next.

My Basic Winter Rosacea Skin Care Routine

This year, my winter rosacea skin care routine consists of the following. I adhere to it extremely strictly because consistency is one of the most important parts of my flare-up avoidance efforts.

  • Cleanser – This is one part of my skin care routine that can stay the same throughout the year. I use a creamy, non-foaming, exceptionally gentle cleanser throughout the year. I feel that consistency with this product helps to make the transition to some of the other products a little easier. I wash my face twice per day – once in the morning after I walk the dogs and once last thing at night – with water on the cooler side of warm and my fingertips, not a facecloth or sponge.
  • Tonic – Although many toners are too harsh for rosacea-prone skin, I’ve had a lot of luck with a tonic that helps to restore my skin’s pH balance after cleansing. I give my face a light spray with the product immediately after I wash my face, while it’s still damp.
  • Moisturizer – While a lotion is often enough for my skin in the summer, the wintertime requires a heavier cream if I’m going to avoid lizard-like scaly skin, particularly around the outer part of my cheeks and my chin. I apply my gentle face cream before the tonic has fully dried. Once I’ve spread it evenly over my face, I tap my face very lightly with my fingertips. Recently I learned that gently tapping a moisturizer into your skin is considerably more effective at encouraging its absorption than rubbing your face. I also find that my skin doesn’t turn as pink when I apply my moisturizer by drumming my fingertips all over my face instead of trying to rub it in. Yes, I might look like I’m attempting to play the piano on my cheeks but I feel that I’m getting more out of my moisturizer this way, so it’s worth it!

Other Rosacea Skin Care Products I Love in Wintertime

Winter Rosacea Skin Care

Those products make up the very core of my rosacea skin care routine for the winter.

However, I also use certain other products for specific purposes that I feel are worth discussing.

  • Rosacea salve – As I mentioned earlier, I walk dogs every morning. They’re a neighbour’s dogs and I love them to bits. As long as it’s above -17ºC you’ll see me, a Yorkshire Terrier and a Boston Terrier all bundled up and headed down the street, trudging through the snow. At that temperature, a scarf isn’t enough to cover my face. I spread a rosacea salve rich with seabuckthorn seed and fruit oils, chamomile oil and several other fantastic ingredients over my cheeks to keep the bite of the cold and wind from affecting my symptoms. I wash it off as soon as I get home.
  • Sunscreen (sun cream) – The cold doesn’t stop UV rays from reaching my skin. Since the sun is one of the top rosacea triggers, I feel that it’s just as important to use sunscreen throughout the winter months as it is to use it in the summertime. The only difference is that I need it only on my face as that’s the one part of my skin that still experiences direct sun exposure. Since I have yet to find a chemical sun cream that doesn’t cause my skin to flare up, I use an all-natural product based on zinc oxide. I apply it directly to my face or, on very cold days, I apply it on top of the rosacea salve. I wash it all off once I get home again.
  • Exfoliator – I gently exfoliate my face with an all natural product that uses jojoba beads (not plastic microbeads!) to encourage the loosening of dead skin cells or any product buildup so they can be washed away. In the summer, I do this twice per week (as long as I’m not having a flare-up at the time), but in the winter, I drop this practice back to once per week. Exfoliating is still important, but as my skin needs more gentle care in the winter, I don’t do it as often.
  • Hydrating mask – To help to inject some life back into my skin after it is continually dried out in heated buildings and the frigid windy weather outside, I use a deep hydrating moisture mask. It is an all-natural product that I spread over my face at night. It gradually sinks in throughout the night and helps to replace more of the lost moisture. This product is one that I use once per week in the summer but that I use twice per week in the winter.

With these winter rosacea skin care products and a careful effort to drink lots of water and avoid triggers, I can typically manage to keep my symptoms under control and the number of flare-ups I experience to a minimum. In that effort, I have also included a daily home LED light therapy treatment into my routine, as well. I’ll be sure to tell you more about that in my next blog post in January 2017!

Do you have favourite products for winter skin care for rosacea? Please share them in the comments. I’d love to hear about them!

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Juice detoxes and cleansing: are they good for eczema?

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Juice detox for eczema

Today I popped in to see Sonia and David at Today Extra at the Nine Network studios to chat about juice cleansing. I was surprised to find out David sufferers from eczema (it’s very mild, just on his hand).

Here are my top tips for juicing for good health and clear skin.

David Campbell, Karen Fischer and Sonia Kruger

WHAT IS A JUICE CLEANSE?

A juice cleanse or fast is a period of time where you omit foods and only consume freshly made juices and filtered water. People often use ingredients such as watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, kale, lettuce, carrots, ginger and apples in their juices and it can cause a range of detox reactions and side-effects. However, fans of juice fasting claim it’s great for weight loss, appetite reduction, rehydration and it “rests” the stomach, liver and gut allowing time for repair. It can also be alkalising and help to restore acid alkaline balance to the body. So what are the facts?

Juice cleansing for healthy skin, weight loss and detoxification… does it live up to the hype and are some juices actually good for conditions such as eczema? Here are the top 5 dos and don’ts for juicing.

THE TOP 5 DON’TS FOR JUICE CLEANSING:

1. Don’t juice too many fruits. Juice fasting can be beneficial if you choose the right ingredients. However, fruit juice is high in acid and fructose so avoid fruits such as oranges, kiwi fruit, strawberries, apples and most other fruits. Fruit juice can worsen conditions such as eczema and chronic fatigue syndrome, and it can trigger migraines, insomnia, hypoglacemia and hyperactivity. That is because most fruits are acid-promoting, rich in salicylates and sugars (fructose).

2. Don’t use grapefruit. Grapefruit contains naringin which is a flavonoid that inhibits liver detoxification. In fact, it can block the normal metabolism and breakdown of prescribed medications and alcohol as it blocks cytochome P450 (read the research here). So if you are taking medication, grapefruit could cause accidental overdose or drug medicines or alcohol. Favour other ingredients in your juicing (and once you have finished your health cleanse, don’t mix grapefruit with alcohol).

3. Don’t juice everything. If you have eczema, your skin will flare up on a juice cleanse if you choose the wrong ingredients. The worst juice ingredients for eczema include spinach, kale, tomato, oranges, grapes, kiwi fruit and pineapple, because they are very rich in salicylates, a natural pesticide made by many fruits and vegetables which can worsen eczema and trigger migraines, hyperactivity, insomnia, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders according to research (read the research here). See the juice recipe, below for a low-salicylate juice that is beneficial for the skin.

4. Don’t do a juice cleanse if you are frail, underweight or on medications as it could be counter-productive. If you are unwell and really want to do a juice fast you could alternatively do a medically supervised one or follow our tips, below.

5. You don’t have to go “food-free”. Juice cleansing should be a gentle, everyday practice. For example, drink one juice daily, added to a healthy diet.

In The Eczema Diet I recommend doing a 3-day cleanse that includes juicing, salads and soups so your metabolism is boosted not suppressed.

Buy The Eczema Diet book

TOP 5 DOS FOR JUICE CLEANSING:

1. Juice more vegetables and less fruits. Purists can omit fruit all together. It will be more alkalising and less acidic, which is one of the main benefits of a well-designed juice cleanse.

2. Choose low-salicylate fruits and vegetables, especially if you suffer from eczema, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines, anxiety, depression (and other mood problems), sleep problems or hyperactivity. See the Healthy Skin Juice recipe, below.

You can also instantly download, for free, the Complete Salicylate Food Charts when you sign up to my website (sign up here). You can use the charts to see which foods and drinks are best for your skin.

3. Do a short juice cleanse – three days is long enough. Then slowly add healthy foods back into your diet.

4. Add soups to your detox cleansing regime. Try this Detox Soup recipe >>

5. Get plenty of rest. You may feel tired and irritable as your body cleanses itself of toxins and chemicals that may have been stored in your tissues. During a detox these chemicals are released into the bloodstream for deactivation by the liver, so they can be safely removal via the kidneys and bile.

So rest, relax and avoid vigorous exercise while doing a juice cleanse, and you’ll reap the benefits of clearer, healthier skin.

 

HEALTHY SKIN JUICE RECIPE

This recipe is ideal for people with skin disorders such as eczema, topical steroid withdrawal, red skin syndrome, psoriasis, dermatitis and hives. It’s a low-salicylate juice so it won’t trigger itchy skin, rashes, migraines or sleep disturbances like normal juices can.

The sprouts are highly alkalising – ensure they are fresh and washed thoroughly. Only use fresh ones, preferably home grown – omit them if you are unsure. Only use these ingredients, not other types of sprouts.

Ingredients

  • 1 large, ripe peeled pear (the peel contains salicylates)
  • 4 stalks celery
  • 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce
  • Optional: 1 cup mung bean sprouts or lentil sprouts
  • Optional: 1/2 cup of parsley (not too much)
  • 1-2 scoops of Skin Friend AM

Method: Juice all fruit and vegetable ingredients in a juicer. Stir in Skin Friend AM. Then drink your way to healthy skin!

 

DO I NEED SKIN FRIEND AM IN MY ECZEMA JUICING PROGRAM?

For people with eczema we recommend Skin Friend AM and Calcium Matrix PM which are available in a kit. For the complete skin health program, see our information on The Eczema Diet and Skin Friend.

 

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Buy The Eczema Diet >>

Buy The Eczema Diet

Buy Skin Friend AM >>

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Skin Friend AM

 

 

The Eczema Diet

“It’s the inside that counts,” says MAC, as they cover a plus size model in slap and feathers

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MAC has just released its latest ad campaign on the world, showing women that they have the ability to ’empower’ themselves regardless of their shape or size. The campaign, dubbed ‘MACnificent Me,’ takes these real girls, transforms them with MAC make-up and, from what I can see, gets them to stick two fingers up at the …
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Natural Remedies For Eczema – Are They Better?

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Natural remedies for eczema do have the best results. They don’t just mask the problem like the steroid creams do. You will know if you have eczema and have been using steroid creams that the minute you stop using the steroid cream the eczema actually comes back much worse than it was before. Additionally if you are using steroid cream to treat eczema then the eczema is not going it is still present.

There are many natural remedies for eczema available – many of these I have had first hand experience with. My son, Sam’s eczema started when he was around 6 months old. When I took Sam to see the doctor (not knowing what his red, aggravated patches were) I was given steroid cream. It was Christmas time and it started around his neck – it was bright red and he kept putting his hands up to it and scratching. The way the doctor spoke to me when he gave me the steroid cream led me to believe that after 7 days of use it would all be over! I know that this sounds crazy but this is what I was led to believe. Obviously this did not happen, I used the steroid cream on Sam throughout Christmas until the around the 3rd day of January. Then I went back to the doctors because as well as his neck the eczema had started to appear on his forehead and on the backs of his knees.

I must say that the day before I had been doing some research into steroid cream online and had learnt the drawbacks. Generally most doctors out there are one viewed – steroid is what you use to treat eczema. Its only really when you come upon a doctor who has had first hand experience with eczema that you will be able to talk to him / her about natural remedies for eczema.

For more information on natural remedies for eczema and to see how our eczema nightmare came to an end for us visit my eczema natural remedies blog or my eczema squidoo lens

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