Family Health Beauty Info

Eczema and dry, itchy skin  

Erica asks, ‘I have really dry hands and I have eczema as well. What shall I do?’

As eczema is an inflammatory reaction, it’s important to find out the cause. You could talk to an accredited naturopath, or doctor.

I had bad eczema and asthma, and I used a strong cortisol (steroid) cream. My naturopath and doctor did tests and found I have strong allergy to horses, which was the cause of my trouble.

They both said, ‘Don’t go near your horses, and you’ll be healthy and not have to spend your time and money on treatments.‘ They were right.  Once I was away from all animals my wellbeing improved – even though I did miss my animals.

Can you see how important it is to find the cause?

It may be something you eat, something in your environment, or sometimes it’s emotional.

My naturopath also quickly found out the foods that were creating itchiness and respiratory trouble, and listed those that would not.

Each person is different, so you need individual guidelines for your diet. Here are some of the foods that cause skin and breathing problems for me:

• Refined carbohydrates (cakes, biscuits, chocolates and pastries generally.
• 100% wheat products (wholemeal/wholegrain bread, white bread, wholemeal/white pasta)
• Fruits and juices (coconut, kiwi, grapefruit, oranges, tomato concentrates such as tomato sauce, paste, puree
• Vegetables (eggplant, English spinach)
• Dairy products in large quantities – butter, cheese, cream, full cream milk, ice cream
• Soft drinks (a preservative used in sports and soft drinks called sodium benzoate)
• Artificial food colourings
• Sodium 5’Ribonucleotide (instant soups, flavoured snack foods, etc.)

 Foods my naturopath recommended (all preferably organic):

• Bread rye, soy, linseed
• Rey biscuits
• Porridge
• Fruits (apricot, green apples, mango, peach, pear, blackcurrant, guava
• Soy milk, yogurt
• Tofu
• Dairy-free ice cream
• Cheese (any 93% fat reduced)
• Fish (fresh tuna, snapper, whiting)
• Meat (lean lamb, beef, pork, chicken)
• Organic eggs.

 I hope this will inspire you to find out ‘your cause’.

In the meantime, try a warm oil mask for dry skin. Watch the video ‘Thermo coconut oil mask’

See related article ‘Cleansing diet for body and skin’ or watch the video

What did you think of this article? I welcome your feedback

Have a lovely day

Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

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Boost Your Health

The immune system is probably one of the least understood systems of the body and one that is a key health indicator for a healthy body and to aid in slowing down the ageing process.

For instance, whilst many people know the thymus, spleen, lymph system and white blood cells are major components of the internal immune – system; many people do not realize that there are also external components, such as the skin, eyes, nose and mouth that do a lot of the work.

Tears and mucus also play a role in keeping us well-they contain an enzyme (lysozyme) that breaks down the cell wall of many bacteria.

The three main functions of the immune system

• prevent new bacteria and viruses from entering the body
• eliminate viruses when they become active
• identify problems (even cancer in its early stages).

Any disturbance or weakening of the body’s immune system will make you vulnerable to illness and disease.

 How to boost your health and protect from disease and ageing

• Drink plenty of water and herbal teas, or even a slice of ginger in hot water
• Vitamins C, A and zinc activate the immune system. Foods that are high in Vitamin C include red peppers, kiwi fruit, broccoli, brussel sprouts, red cabbage, strawberries, oranges and blackcurrants. Foods high in Vitamin A include parsley, carrots, sweet potato, spinach and squash. Foods high in zinc include ginger root, pecans, split peas, almonds buckwheat and walnuts
• Increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables as they are high in vitamins, nutrients, fiber.

Watch the video ‘Boost your health’

See related article ‘7 ways to boost your health and protect from disease and ageing’ or watch video

What did you think of this article? I welcome your feedback

Have a lovely day

Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

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How you can prevent accelerated ageing

Beautiful skin health embodies the focused belief that a skin care regimen should treat the skin from both the inside and the outside:

You can prevent accelerated ageing by supporting and protecting the body from toxic and harmful ingredients such as tannins in wine preservatives in food products,  keeping destructive free radicals under control and providing the skin with all the nourishment it requires. This includes a small amount of fat to maintain skin elasticity and nutrition and enough hydration to prevent early aging of the skin.

Ohh great news we can eat fat 

Fatty acids improve the skin by decreasing the occurrence of clogged pores, reducing the body’s production of inflammatory agents that can lead to skin damage, reducing skin dryness and related problems such as eczema, and improving the skin’s elasticity.

These fatty acids are responsible for healthy cell membranes. They prevent harmful substances from entering the cells, but allow essential nutrients in. Because these substances strengthen the cell membrane, they help to keep water in and keep the cells hydrated. This helps the skin maintain its proper moisture level resulting in skin that is plump and younger looking.

By combining organic skin care with a nutrient dense diet supplemented with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients which includes, we can replace nutrients, strengthen the cell membranes and restore health and beauty to the skin.

Watch the video ‘How you can prevent accelerated ageing’

See related blog ‘Nutritional Foundations for Beautiful Skin’ or watch the video

See related article ‘Cleansing diet for body & skin’ or watch the video

What did you think of this article? I welcome your feedback

Have a lovely day

Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

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Nutritional Foundations for Beautiful Skin

Don’t you think that it makes complete sense that organic skin care and anti-aging products can do very little for someone unless the whole person is making a shift towards a healthier, non-toxic lifestyle?

Recognizing the importance on skin of following a cleansing and anti-inflammatory diet will not only allow the skin to age slowly and gracefully but also provide a smooth, soft and glowing complexion.

An anti inflammatory diet is rich in foods that are gentle on the stomach and easily digested such as raw vegetables, cleansing soups. These can include homemade vegetable soups with ingredients such as carrot, parsley, celery, asparagus and ginger which have detoxifying and cleansing properties (I never tried ginger in soup and you?). Unrefined carbohydrates such as brown rice, bread and pasta are also easily digested and provide consistent energy levels throughout the day.

Free radical offenders such as smoking, hormonal imbalance and a poor diet combined with damage caused by factors such as food sensitivities, additives and prescription drugs overload our immune system and fuel inflammation.

Watch the video ‘Nutritional foundations for beautiful skin’

See related article ‘Cleansing diet for body and skin’ or watch the video

What did you think of this article? I welcome your feedback

Have a lovely day

Lucie

www.familyhealthbeautyinfo.com

 Forward to a friend