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SKIN PROBLEMS.
Problems with the skin come in the forms of ACNE,DERMATITIS,ECZEMA
and PSORIASIS but it is worth noting that the general advice on dealing
with all of these problems is very similar. Your skin is one of your
largest organs and deserves careful care since it performs three vital
functions:
1) It regulates body temperature by use of the sweat glands.
2) It secretes oil to prevent the surface becoming too dry.
3) It protects the body from the harmful effects of UV rays.
It is worth remembering that your skin also absorbs 60% of all the
chemicals that you lavish on it in the form of creams and lotions
and these toxins can quickly build so carefully check the ingredients
on your toiletries and realise that what you put on your
skin enters your blood supply and organs. try to avoid any toiletries
with petrochemicals (mineral oil, petroleum) as these are especially
toxic and block your pores. To read more about the hazards in your
toiletries please see our "DID YOU KNOW SECTION"!
It is worth noting that all skin problems are very
often a message that something is wrong with your body chemistry,
diet and /or skin care routine. Proper diet, nutritional supplements
and avoidance of chemicals in toiletries may be all that is needed
to
help the problem.
ACNE is an inflammatory skin disease characterised by pimples, blackheads
and whiteheads. Ofcourse it causes the sufferer extreme emotional
stress, which in turn
worsens the condition. Although acne most often arises at puberty
when the body dramatically ncreases its production of androgens (male
sex hormones which stimulate the production of keratin and sebum which
block the pores along with bacteria), it can also occurr in adults,
usually women and most often on the chin (in Chinese medicine the
chin is linked to the ovaries). Adult acne is most commonly caused
by the release of
progesterone after ovulation and when taking oral contraceptives.
CANDIDASIS can also cause hormonal changes as can ALLERGIES and STRESS,
some DRUGS, NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES and exposure to MINERAL OILS
and CHEMICALS. A body that is either too ACIDIC or too ALKALINE can
also lead to skin problems, this is easily
checked out with a litmus test.
TOXIN OVERLOAD is often at the heart of skin problems
as one of the skins main functions is to eliminate toxins through
sweating,if the body contains more toxins than the kidneys and liver
can cope with then the skin takes over and the result is often skin
problems like acne or eczema. Recommendations for ACNE include ACIDOPHILUS
to
replenish essential bacteria and reduce outbreaks. CHROMIUM to reduce
skin inflammation, COLLOIDAL SILVER which acts as a Nutrial antibiotic
both internally and
externally, ESSENTIASL FATTY ACIDS to supply essential Gamma Linoleic
Acid to keep skin soft and repair tissues and aid healing. Vitamind
A and E are essential for healthy skin, ZINC will help top prevent
scarring and is antibacterial, GARLIC helps to destroy bacteria as
will ECHINACEA and GOLDENSEAL and B VITAMINS especially B6, lack of
these have been linked with acne as has a low potassium level. CHLOROPHYLL,
ENZYMES, SULPHUR and SELENIUM have also shown to be useful in obtaining
optimum skin health. MILK THISTLE and OLIVE LEAF will help to cleanse
the blood and liver.
MANUKA HONEY used in place of regular honey is also a Nutrial antibacterial
agent and this can also be applied topically if needed. Try steaming
your face once a week with essential oils of MANUKA, TEA TREE and
LAVENDER oils and eat more RAW
foods and essentially drink 8 glasses of pure WATER every day to help
flush out toxins. It may be useful to purge your body of parasites
and cleanse the intestine and also remember to AVOID SUGAR as some
scientists have recently called acne "skin
diabetes" after finding that many sufferers also have a glucose
intolerance and cutting out sugar laden products has helped the acne.
Also SUGAR promotes CANDIDA which is also often found in acne sufferers.
Avoid wearing creams and lotions containg pore
blocking mineral oils. Avoid foods contianing large amounts of IODINE
(or kelp) as it is known to worsen acne. Mild amounts of sunshine
(10-20 minutes a day) often helps the condition
PSORIASIS is characterisec by patches of silvery scales
an the skin and also ridges and pits on the nails. This is often hereditary
and is linked to a raProductID growth of cells in the skins outer
layer (skin normally renews itself every 28 days but in psoriasis
this occurs roughly every 8 days). The condition is NOT CONTAIGOUS!
Psoriasis often flares up followed by a remission and can be triggered
by STRESS, ILLNESS, INFECTION, SUNBURN, and overuse of certain DRUGS.
Interestingly psoriasis is very rare in
countries where the dist is very low in fat and current research has
also pointed to a lowered immune system being responsible(peope with
HIV and AIDS often suffer from psoriasis). As a a result it is well
worth trying to detox your body as much as possible by following a
well balanced highly nutririous diet which is low in saturated fats
but high in essential fats (omega 3s like FLAX SEED and EVENING PRIMROSE
OIL) and cut out all SUGAR and YEAST if CANDIDA is present. Like ACNE
recommended advice is Vitamins A,C and E, ZINC, MSM, ENZYMES, MILK
THISTLE, SELENIUM and B COMPLEX VITAMINS. To reduce the redness and
swelling lightly brush off the scales with a loofah and apply some
ALCOHOL FREE GOLDENSEAL EXTRACT in a base oil like EVENING PRIMROSE
or BORAGE. Use LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL in the bath as it fights
inflammation and soothes itchy skin as does CALENDULA and DEAD SEA
SALTS and remember to avoid products with petrochemicals in at all
costs. Avoid RED MEAT and DAIRY during flare ups as they contain ARACHIDONIC
ACID a substance which promotes an inflammatory response and worsens
psoriasis. It is well worth noting that OMEGA 3 OILS in FLAX SEED
and EVENING PRIMROSE oils actually interfere with the
production of arachidonic acid. Recent research has also led some
to believe that
raProductID growth of psoriatic cells is associated with PROSTAGLANDIN
regulation and a deficiency of SULPHUR and OMEGA 3s, whilst the research
is ongoing it is
recommended that you add omega 3s to your diet every day and check
for results yourself as ofcourse everybody is different and what works
for one person may not for another.
ECZEMA and DERMATITIS can be itching,scaling and sometimes
weeping if the problem is caused by inflammation. Several underlying
problems have been related to
eczema: HYPOCHLORHYDRIA (low levels os stomach acid) otherwise known
as leaky gut syndrome in which the intestine allows undigested food
to enter the bloodstream and produce allergic reactions, CANDIDASIS(an
overgrowth of yeast),food allergies and contact with CHEMICALS in
creams,perfumes, tolietries and cleaning products. It is essential
then to avoid contact with chemicals and as with all skin problems
cleanse the body from the inside and build up the immune system. German
Research has shown that CHAMMOMILE, NEEM, CALENDLA and ALOE VERA can
help to reduce inflammation as effectively as corticosteroid creams
so try adding one or more of them to your skin
creams.Excellent skin healing oils to use as a base are EVENING PRIMROSE,
ROSE HIP, NEEM, BORAGE and HEMP. We at YORK HOLISTICS have designed
a combination of all
of the above plus more in our ECZEMA AND PSORIASIS TREATMENT OIL and
have had very good feedback on the product. Homoeopathic remedies
often used(but see a qualified homoeopath first!) are ARSENICUM ALBUM
for dry, flaky patches, GRAPHITE for weepy, crusty skin and NAT MUR
for very dry, cracked skin.
You may find the folowing links useful for further reading,research and help.
NATIONAL ECZEMA SOCIETY. http://www.eczema.org
PSORIASIS FOUNDATION: http://www.psoriasis.org
PSORIASIS SUPPORT: http://www.psoriasissupport.com
ACNE SUPPORT GROUP: TEL 0208 8414747
