Health Advice for Women

Halloween is always the harbinger of the winter weather and sure enough this past week the weather turned cold (finally) in Colorado. If you have eczema or just really dry skin, this change of season always seems to cause flair-ups. My hands look like they just emerged from the Sahara Desert. The best thing you can do is NOT use lotions made with petrochemicals. The hardest part is finding lotions that don’t have petrochemicals. You want to look at the ingredients and your safest bet is to go to a Whole Foods or health food store that usually only carries “healthy products”.

What is life balance? Everyone wants life balance, but finding a life where you balance between giving to your family, working, cooking, cleaning, caring for the kids, grocery shopping, laundry, exercise and the list goes on, is not always easy.

One of my favorite quotes is “people do what they want to do”. Tom Saunders said this to me twenty-some years ago and it’s so true. If you really want to have life balance you will find a way to make it happen.

*Drop the unnecessary or unimportant activities in your life, only do what you love and need to do.

*Make time for people and events that give you joy and ask for help when you need it, it’s amazing how people will jump in and help.

*Spoil yourself from time to time and the life balance starts coming back in view.

I used to spoil myself with jewelry every once in a while and lately it’s been shoes The nice thing about shoes is that once you know your size and the brands you like, you can order them on-line…any time of the day! Try Zappos.com or www.shoes.com, I’m sure you’ll find that perfect shoe.

Stress can cause many problems in the human body. But it can also cause problems on the human body. A common cause of eczema is elevated stress levels. Stress lowers the bodies ability to fight disease, viruses, colds and many other common ailments. Eczema is generally a hereditary condition. Parents who suffer from eczema, asthma or hay fever have an 80% chance of their offspring having eczema.

Common symptoms of eczema include flaky, thickened, dry skin. Other forms of eczema include tiny red bumps that will ooze or appear infected if scratched. Most forms of eczema tend to itch before the rash appears. The itch can be so bad as to cause loss of sleep, fatigue, irritability and stress.

So not only can stress cause eczema, but eczema can cause someone more stress. The cycle can be vicious and an eczema sufferer should combat their eczema as soon as possible whenever a flare-up is identified.

To relieve stress physical exercise can’t be beat, get out for a run on your favorite path, hike where the air is fresh and away from car exhaust, take a yoga or pilates class or whatever gets your heat beating faster and more oxygen pumping through your lungs. If you aren’t up for exercising the next best thing is shopping! www.shoes.com is my place to buy shoes online. They have all my favorite brands and the prices are wonderful. But get yourself outfitted for exercising, Gaiam has everything from yoga mats, water bottles, relaxation dvd’s to exercise equipment. Free Shipping on $25 or more at Gaiam.com. Use code AFSUM

People used to ask me why I wore so much blush on my cheeks. It is frustrating to have to explain over and over again to people that the blush they see comes from a rash. The rash came from face cleaning products that irritated my skin. I tried just about everything I could get at the local store including all the “natural” products you can find easily. Did you know that the word “natural” is not regulated? So any company can put the word “natural” on their product packaging and we believe them! That’s horrible!

At one point I stumbled upon Jojoba Oil and began using it as my facial cleanser. The skin rash immediately disappeared. This was my first entry into natural facial cleansers and this opened up a new world for me. I used Jojoba Oil for many years as a facial cleanser. I still use it often as a post-shower full-body moisturizer. A small little bit, rubbed between my palms and rubbed into the skin.

A couple of year’s ago, I was introduced to another natural facial cleansing product line, Dr. Hauschka, that I now exclusively use. Dr. Hauschka products are made with sustainable, ecologically sound agricultural practices by obtaining as many of their ingredients as possible from certified Biodynamic and organic sources.

Their holistic skin care products are made from organic ingredients and natural oils. With these products, a little goes a long way, so do not be deterred by the price. I purchase this only a couple of times a year and it lasts a long, long time!

Does your baby have scaly red patched? Odds are, your baby could have eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. This condition regularly appears in children from two months old on up. Eczema, an itchy skin rash, can appear on their forehead, cheeks, and scalp. Eczema can also spread to baby’s arms, chest, legs or other body parts. Eczema varies in appearance depending on the type of eczema.

Most common symptoms include dry, scaly skin or it might be tiny red bumps that blister, ooze or appear infected if they are scratched. Babies are prone to scratching due to eczema’s extremely itchy nature so great care must be taken to prevent this. “Cradle cap” is another form of eczema or dermatitis that appears as white flaky skin on the scalp and possibly the ears of a baby.

Eczema is often inherited from parents. Parents who have had eczema, asthma or hay fever should monitor children closely for any signs of an eczema outbreak as there is an 80% chance their offspring will have eczema.

Eczema is not an allergic reaction but allergens can cause a flare-up. If a mother is breastfeeding, she must also monitor her own food consumption so as not to pass on allergens to a child suffering from eczema. Wool, soaps, shampoos, lotions and heat can also cause flare-ups of eczema in children.

The best eczema treatments I found for my daughter were the following:

1. Limit the number of baths each week. Yes, even water has chemicals that can aggravate her skin.
2. Throw out your old soaps, Dial and even Dove are made with petrochemicals that aggravate eczema. Instead use soaps that are unscented and made with natural ingredients. It’s easier to find these soaps online. I like Jason’s Natural Body Wash it’s fragrance free and keeps your skin most. I find the prices are really good at MotherNature.com for thousands of all-natural Health & Wellness products.
   
3. New clothes are loaded with chemicals, so make sure you wash your child’s clothes a few times before she wears them. Now here’s an important tip, most major brand laundry detergents like Tide and Cheer are made with petrochemicals. You want a natural unscented detergent that is easier on the skin like Bi-O-Kleen Laundry Liquid - Free & Clear.
   
4. Lastly, the best practice for eczema is to avoid putting things on their skin unless it’s a natural cream to stop the itching. But it’s hard to avoid using sunscreen at times. I really like the Alba Botanica brand, they make a great sunscreen that’s unscented and kind to the skin. It’s hard to find in local stores, but here’s a link to buy it online Alba Botanica Sunscreen SPF 18 - Fragrance Free, 4 oz
   

Eczema outbreak after working out at the gym? You didn’t catch it from the equipment. Eczema is not a communicable disease and is more often caused by heredity than anything else. So why did you get eczema after working out? When you work out, you sweat. At least you do if you are exercising correctly.

Sweat can irritate the skin and cause an eczema flare-up. Tips to avoid the flare-up if you exercise avidly are simple. Drink lots of water before, during and after a workout. This helps to hydrate the skin. Always shower immediately after a work out using a mild soap. Sweat left on the skin can cause an eczema flare-up.

The eczema can also be caused by soap irritating your skin so try using a different soap and see if the eczema goes away. A person tends to shower more if they are working out which can also stress the skin by drying it out. Find a good moisturizer and liberally apply.

Don’t stop exercising just because of an eczema outbreak. Try doing another exercise such as yoga or tai chi that keep you fit without as much sweating during flare-ups. Remember, you control your eczema. Don’t let it control you. To help my daughter control her eczema flare-ups, we switched to unscented and natural soaps and body products. With the price of gas going through the roof, I shop online at MotherNature.com