This is one of the most common phases of a mother with a child with eczema. However telling someone with an itch not to scratch is a waste of breath. You just can’t help it.

The reasons for not scratching are numerous. The more you scratch the worse the itch will become. This results in more scratching and then more itching and so it goes on.

Chronic scratching results in long term skin damage as the skin produces extra layers in an attempt to protect itself. The result is thickened and often scarred skin.

Most importantly is the risk of infection. Repeated scratching can break the skin allowing an infection to set in on top of the eczema. Antibiotic treatments, either topical or oral are required to control the infection and allow the skin to heal.

It really is important that we try not to scratch – regardless of how difficult that may be.

Acne Rosacea, the skin condition causing a red rash on the face of many adults was until recently thought to be caused by blushing or high blood pressure.

Recent studies however have revealed that Rosacea is in fact caused by a parasite that lives on the skin and around the hair follicles of 98% of adults, but only causes problems in a select few.

A team of physicians in China isolated a microscopic parasite called human demodex, which infects over 90% of sufferers at birth and may cause Acne Rosacea in adult life. The parasite looks like a microscopic worm and feeds off our skin.  If not treated properly the parasite will multiply at an extremely rapid rate.  It takes only 10 days to reach maturity from the egg stage.

Untreated human demodex may lead to Acne Rosacea which causes the skin on the face to become rough, lumpy and reddish. Hair loss, premature aging of the skin and enlarged pores and acne may also result. The nose can also become bulbous.

Studies have shown that babies are not born with the parasite but become infected shortly after birth due to contact with other humans. Whilst evidence is not conclusive it is believed that the infection grows as people grow older and the parasites may get out of control if the immune system is out of balance or if there is too much sugar or yeast in the diet.

The Chinese team of physicians has spent 30 years researching the condition and effective treatments. They have developed a natural treatment with the primary ingredient being sea buckthorn oil, which is designed to kill human demodex and restore the skin.

Bringing home a newborn baby brings with it many emotions – excitement, fear apprehension.  These emotions are natural.  After all your new bundle of joy is totally dependent on you and you want to do everything right so that your baby can have the best.

One aspect that is often not discussed with the new parents is the baby’s skin.  A newborn baby’s skin is very delicate and needs to be treated with care.

During the first week of life a baby will shed a layer of skin.  This does not mean that a baby has dry skin but rather is the skin transitioning from an amniotic fluid environment to drier air.  The skin does not need a moisturizing cream at this time

Dr Jim Mitterando of the South Shore Hospital in Weymouth recommends moisturizing creams not be used in the first month of a baby’s life.  He also suggests avoiding baby wipes as they have a drying effect on the newborn’s skin.

Over bathing your baby will remove the skin’s natural oils which are necessary to maintain healthy soft skin.  A lack of natural oils will result in dry skin and eczema, although it is rare for a baby to develop eczema before the age of two months and a hereditary component is usually required for eczema to develop.

Dr Mitterando says “Babies do not get very dirty and do not require daily baths.  Bathing two or three times per week is sufficient.  You can clean the dirtier areas more frequently…”

When bathing your baby it is a good idea to avoid soaps as they can cause dry skin.  Use a soap substitute if anything at all.  Adding a bath oil to the bath water is also very beneficial as it will prevent the water from drying out the skin by stripping it of its natural oils and help to lock in moisture.

Read and you shall learn.

This is so true when it comes to eczema.  Never fall into the complacent state of thinking that you know it all.  Even the age old treatments that our ancestors used reappear and we find there is more that we did not know.

I have only just heard of an extraordinary plant called Seabuckthorn.

Seabuckthorn has been around for centuries and long been recognized  for its exceptional medicinal and nutritional benefits.  Yet I have never heard of it.

Why?

Because there is always more to learn.  So read on and learn with me.

Seabuckthorn is a berry with a very high natural source of vitamins A, C and E, carotenes and flavonoids.  It is also high in vitmins B1, B2, K and P as well as in more than 2 dozens microelements and essential fatty acids.

These properties combine to create a natural product that has general nourishing, revitalizing, and restorative actions.   It will stimulate tissue regeneration, reduce the damaging effects of the sun, combat wrinkles and dryness and assist in reducing the aging process.

All this and I have never heard of it – Amazing!

Seabuckthorn is used in the treatment of acne, dermatitis, eczema, skin ulcers, postpartum pigmentation, burns, scalds, cuts, sunburn, tissue regeneration, sensitive and irritated skin….the list goes on.

It is also used internally to help prevent gum bleeding, heal peptic and duodenal ulcers, urinary tract erosion, cancer radiation injuries and to recuperate mucous membranes.

If you are having trouble finding a product that helps to control your eczema why not give Seabuckthorn a go – it helped our ancestors why not let it help us as well?

Care for your feet – they are the only ones you have.

Can you imagine life without your feet?

Our feet are the most used part of our body but few of us take proper care of our them as we should.  The feet are prone to many conditions – not the least of these are skin conditions such as athletes foot, corns and eczema.

“Feet are often neglected but are extremely good indicators to what is going on in the rest of the body,” says podiatric surgeon Michael O’Neill.  Ailments such as circulatory problems, diabetes and skin problems can all be determined by just looking at the feet.

Not looking after our feet can cause both short and long-term problems.  Not drying our feet properly after washing, wearing synthetic socks and closed shoes on a hot day and allowing our feet to remain sweaty will all potentially lead to the skin becoming fragile and unhealthy with eczema and dermatitis often the end result.

Psoriasis can also be evident in the feet as the toenails may often become ridged or pitted.   Joint pain or distortion, or collapse of the foot arch may also be an early indication that psoriatic arthritis is developing especially if the person already suffers from psoriasis.

We need to care for our feet especially if we are allergy prone or suffer from a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis.

•    Wear shoes that will allow the skin to breathe.  Open shoes are best.
•    Wear cotton socks in preference to wool or synthetic, as they are less likely to irritate the skin.
•    Wash sweat off as soon as possible and ensure the feet are dried thoroughly.
•    Apply a moisturizer regularly to prevent the skin from drying out and becoming rough.
•    Try alternating shoes each day so that wet or moist shoes do not need to be worn.

Apple Cider Vinegar has a reputation for reducing pain and imflammatory conditions such as arthritis and eczema.  It is said that Apple Cider Vinegar has an alkalising effect in the body which may reduce the redness and itching experienced by eczema sufferers.

You can find out more in a book call “The Healthy Skin Diet” by nutritionist Karen Fischer.

I have just read an article on the net stating that “wine may be an effective eczema treatment.”

Surely, this is too good to be true.  It would appear that some German scientists have produced a seaweed wine using whole brown seaweed which they state will help improve eczema.

Seaweed is fat-free, low in calories and full of vital minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, iodine and sodium.

The article states that seaweed also has other health benefits.  It is able to remove radioactive strontium and other heavy metals from the body by binding with the toxins in the intestines and carrying them out of the body.  This prevents the toxins from being excreted through the skin as is the case in eczema flare ups.

If wine is not your thing seaweed can be found in other foods.  Sushi as we all know is wrapped in seaweed.  The Japanese also add seaweed to soups, broth’s and desserts or eat it as a snack.  Some cultures use forms of seaweed in breads, relishes, soups and fritters.

All sounds good….it is the flavour of seaweed in a wine that worries me.  I wonder if grapes have the same nutritional benefits?

Eczema, asthma and hayfever are atopic conditions related to allergy.  They also have a familial tendency.  The allergy may be caused by anything and is often difficult to pinpoint.  Environmental and emotional factors frequently play a part.  However the development of eczema symptoms may in some cases be due to food allergy.

If there is a family history of atopic conditions the chances of a baby developing eczema is significantly increased.  In an effort to avoid the baby developing eczema due to food allergies it is advisable to avoid giving certain foods to him in his first 6 – 12 months.  The foods most commonly associated with food allergy include eggs, cows milk, wheat, fish, chocolate, peanuts, yeast and oranges.

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Keeping on topic, I wanted to share with you a recent achievement. Here’s a little bit of background for you to set the scene.

I’m 43 years old and have 3 teenage kids…4 if you count my husband! As you can imagine, the house can get very hectic with each child taking part in a different activity each night. My husband and two boys are right into their sports, my daughter is a lot like I was at her age, content when she has her head in a book on the couch! In fact that was me up until about 9 months ago, sport and exercise were never a part of my life.

I decided that perhaps I should do something for myself, so I stated going to a personal trainer once a week and joined a running group twice a week.

I loved it!

I started feeling like I had so much more energy and before long I could do more pushups than my husband…now that’s motivation!

Chris, my personal trainer from Chisel Fitness, suggested I enter the Gold Coast Half Marathon. ‘No way’ I said. ‘I’d never be able to run that far.’ But after a few months of persistent nudging from family and friends I entered the race.

I was so excited

It took me a long time to accept that I was actually going to run 21km. But once I stopped to look back at all the training I had done in the lead up to the race I felt much more confident that I might just be able to do it. Evidently I ran the entire way in 2hr 14min. I was so excited to have achieved my goal…I felt like I’d won a gold medal at the Olympics…now I know why Olympic athletes put in the hard yards.

Mel