Skin Deep Journey

There are a whole host of factors that can cause eczema to become itchy and flareup.  Some of them can be the food we ingest, the environment around us, or even the things that we touch.  The latter is called contact dermatitis and eczema breakouts can happen when your skin touches a certain item...for example, clothing.  When I was growing up, we knew that anything made out of wool will automatically make me start itching.  Sometimes, other materials like polyester and nylon, will also make me itch...so we tended to stick with something more comfortable and airy, like cotton.  I learned quite young to check for the material that clothes were made out of, making sure that they were 100% cotton.  My bedsheets all had to be 100% cotton as well. Lately, I have been looking into bedsheets and clothing made from bamboo and Tencel (which is Lyocell and is made from wood pulp).  I heard that both bamboo and Tencel are cooling and gentle for eczema prone skin.  Have you tried bamboo or Tenc

Sugar is everywhere and like a lot of people, I can't resist a sweet treat!  I’ve written about finding unsweetened sauces in one of my previous blog posts , and I’m always on the lookout for no/low sugar options.  The ingredient label is my best friend!  Refined sugar is a major cause of inflammation in the body because it causes a huge spike in insulin levels.  I know that it is definitely a trigger for my skin, so I try to limit my sugar intake.  An exception that I do give myself is fruit, since it is more natural and also contains a lot of vitamins and nutrients.  However, due to my oral allergy syndrome, I can’t do a lot of raw fruits anyways.  When I am craving something sweet, I’ll usually turn to dark chocolate or dried fruit!  However, dried fruit actually contains a lot of sugar, so I have to watch how much I eat because they cause my skin to become itchy if I eat too much.  (Also, if they contain sulphites, they also make my skin more itchy - so I’ve been buying sulphi

Cold sores, or the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1), are a pain in the butt!  And unfortunately for me, I am quite prone to them, especially if I am stressed out or exposed to too much sunlight.  Basically, HSV-1 is with you for life.  Yes, for life. UGHHH! 😪   An outbreak usually consists of a bunch of tiny blisters near your mouth (or nose as well for me) that are really painful.  The tiny blisters will eventually pop and dry out, leaving a yellow crust.  After, it scabs and the skin usually heals up with no signs of a cold sore ever being there.  One thing to note is that cold sores are HIGHLY contagious...and sometimes, they are even contagious BEFORE the appearance of those blisters!  They only stop being contagious AFTER the scabs fall off.  You have to be very vigilant not to touch it and then other parts on yourself.  Also, don’t share food and NO KISSING (hehe sorry hubby 🤪).  The virus then  lays dormant in nerve cells until your next episode, which is usually caused by

I first heard about Truth Treatments on the Eczema podcast (which is awesome BTW, if you haven't listened to it before, go have a listen!) and the owner Ben Fuchs seemed to know his stuff.  Although the price tag was quite hefty (it's based in the states so it was in USD AND I had to pay for shipping and duty), I really wanted to see if they worked.  So I bit the bullet and bought the Omega 6 Healing Cream and the sample kit so that I can try all of the products.  I was so excited to try the healing cream because this was during the time where I had the open wounds on my neck.  When it came, I couldn't wait and tried it that night.  I would like to say that it healed my wounds, but it did the opposite and stung me sooooo badly!  The next day when I tried it again, it stung more AND my entire neck was super itchy!  Funny enough, I thought maybe that it was a sign of it working?  So I sat myself in front of a fan and tried to cool down.  Nope, didn't work.  It

I have never done a fast in my life.  I didn't think I would be able to do one, nor would I ever want to...but when desperation hits, it's amazing what you are determined to do.  My skin had been flaring up and there were a lot of open wounds on my neck that just would not heal.  It had been a week and it was still oozing and hurting me, so enough was enough.  Initially I was going to do a 1 day water fast, but my body surprised me by doing great, so I decided to extend it to 3 days .  I also read a lot of research that said that 3 days is the minimum amount to feel some sort of change..you can read more about that HERE .  Below are some BEFORE and AFTER pictures...I'm so so grateful for the healing that took place! Here is a recap of what went down each day: Day 1: I started the day off all gung ho about the fast.  For someone who loves to eat, I could not believe that was how I felt.  I guess my skin was the driving force for me so that was all I could focu

Massage is a great way to de-stress your body and get your circulation and lymphatic systems going.  This is why I love going to get massages.  However, when my skin is flaring up, I don’t really want someone else touching my skin, not to mention rubbing at it.  Recently, I bought a facial roller to do my own facial massages at home.  I have been using this roller on my face and neck for the past week in the morning and at night and am LOVING it.   The benefits of a facial roller is that it helps with circulation, making your face look brighter and firming up your skin.  It’s also supposed to decrease puffiness and wrinkles, as well as maximize the absorption of your moisturizer into the skin.  Here is a video that I liked because she explains how to use the facial roller and its benefits. I use my facial roller after applying my moisturizer to a clean face and sometimes, I put it in the fridge for a nice cooling effect.  It really helped calm down my neck when it was so i

Sometimes, during an eczema flare-up, it is hard to stay positive.  You are constantly itchy, your skin is inflamed and oozing, and you are tired from the lack of sleep.  However, you must persevere and have a positive mindset.  I know it is much easier said than done...trust me, I've had days where I really struggled.  You need to remember to say positive things to yourself because your brain believes what you tell it.  In order to do this, I spread positive messages around my house and recently, have gone back to journaling.  When I was small, my parents got me a diary so that I can practice my writing.  Little did I know that it was a habit that adults should adopt as well.  I have already started doing daily gratefuls, where I think about 3 things that I am grateful for that day.  Now, with my journal, I am able to jot down my thoughts and feelings.  Along with this blog, it is a good outlet for me to channel my energy.

My skin has not been very good lately and although I can somewhat manage it throughout the day, every night seems like a battle.  From the minute I turn off the lights and lie in bed, I can feel myself wanting to scratch at my skin.  I usually am able to fall asleep without doing too much damage.  However, I've been finding myself waking up multiple times a night scratching and by the time I am fully conscious, I have to deal with the bloody, wet aftermath.  I've tried many things, including wearing gloves and wrapping my hands in my sleep.  It is uncomfortable and I usually end up tearing them all off by the time morning hits.  You think I'd get better at it than when I was a kid...but I guess I need more self-control?  I can't seem to think of a way to keep my hands from scratching at my skin during the night...some days, I feel like I should just drug myself so that I will sleep through the night!  Joking, not joking? 😜 if you have any ideas feel free to messa

Refined sugar can be pretty inflammatory to the body, more so to people with eczema.  I find that if I eat too much sweets with refined sugar, my eczema will get more red and itchy.  Therefore, I was so excited to see companies such as Primal Kitchen offer unsweetened versions of popular sauces!  Did you know that just one tablespoon of Heinz ketchup contains 4g of sugar??  That's why it tastes so good!  I tried the Primary Kitchen ketchup on some steak and the Golden BBQ sauce on ribs and they are pretty good for unsweetened options!  I get to use sauces and keep my sugar intake in check as well!  Win win!

Gelatin and gelatin-rich foods are great for eczema.  It helps soothe our gut and contains collagen, which is great for our hair, nails, and skin.  In the winter, I love making bone broths and drink the gelatin and collagen rich goodness it provides.  I recently started looking into gelatin powders, giving me faster access to gelatin than bone broths.  I’ve already incorporated collagen powder in my smoothies, so adding gelatin too will give me an extra boost!  Also, I realized that you can add gelatin to virtually any liquid and it will gel in the fridge, making it like jello!  I tried making some gummies out of Young Living's popular Ning Xia Red, and got some delicious antioxidant rich gummies.  I also made some chrysanthemum flower and goji berry jelly and loved the coolness it provided in these hotter months.  I can't wait to experiment more with this and create more jellies to eat, while reaping the benefits that gelatin provides!  

Gluten has been getting a bad rap lately...but what IS it?  Gluten is the protein found in many grains and are said to cause inflammation in the body.  There has been many debates on the legitimacy of that claim and whether or not it is something that we should avoid.  After reading up on it and watching countless documentaries on YouTube, it seems that unless you have celiac disease, where your body attacks your small intestine upon eating gluten, you should be ok to eat it.  However, there are many people who say that they have a gluten intolerance and many naturopaths recommend avoiding it.  Personally, I don’t notice any adverse reaction when I eat gluten.  However, since eczema stems from inflammation in the body and gluten is supposed to cause inflammation, I am experimenting with gluten-free alternatives.  Although I'm not 100% gluten-free, I try to limit it when I have alternatives.  I recently organized my flour stash and have been trying new recipes that I find onlin

I was first introduced to Young Living's essential oils through a soap/cream making workshop.  Before that, I've only heard about them at holistic wellness presentations.  There are many benefits of essential oils, and each one has special healing properties.  I was most interested in learning more about the ones that help eczema.  I got the basic starter kit and started using the lavender and frankincense oils in my skincare, as they help lower inflammation and redness on the skin.  Other than using them topically, I also started diffusing some oils to help with relaxation and purify the air.  I use the lemon and peppermint oils for a boost of energy and my favourite oil blend is one called 'Thieves'.  This blend is a mixture of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary and makes my house feel clean and warm.  Essential oils can also be used in the laundry!  All of my laundry detergents are for sensitive skin and have no scent.  I tried adding a few dro

Since we are all stuck at home during this unprecedented time, I gave myself the goal of trying to incorporate some movement in my day.  It’ll be good for my body, as well as getting my mind off the itch.   Getting in a good workout is crucial for me as I can feel my body start to ache from sitting around all day.  I feel like I’m not sweating as much as before, so I’m looking to vary the type of workout I do so that I don’t get too accustomed to one thing.  Movement also helps the lymph nodes and promote circulation in the body...getting rid of some of the toxins that are built up inside us.  It's also a great way to de-stress as those endorphins kick in! I started doing 10 minutes of yoga every morning to stretch out my body.  I even created a designated space for it so it will encourage me to go back. Other than doing the yoga in the morning, there are days where I follow YouTube workouts from Blogilates and lately, Chloe Ting .  I also do some LesMills Body Combat classes

Throughout my life, I have tried too many skincare products to count! Whenever there was a recommendation on a new skincare product, my mom would buy it for me to try.  Although I am so grateful for that, I still have not yet found the holy grail for my skin.  Many conventional creams, such as Aveeno, Ceravae, and Galaxal Base are all water-based that are marketed towards protecting the moisture barrier to the skin.  I’ve tried them all and while some did help, over time, my skin still had its bad days.  As I grew older, I realized that some of those creams had preservatives and other ingredients in them that may not be so great for our bodies (you can check out the EWG's rating for your skincare products HERE ).  Therefore, I went the more natural route.  I tried shea butter, castor oil, and other oil-based moisturizers that were good for the skin.  Again, nothing really solved my itchy and red skin.  Lately, I read about the benefits of rose hip oil, so I decided to give it a

Hi there!  Welcome to my blog where I share my personal perspective and thoughts on skin, allergies, and health and wellness.  I've had eczema all my life, as well as allergies and autoimmune markers.  I'm allergic to peanuts and certain nuts (like walnuts) and have Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) where I can't eat a lot of  raw  fruits and veggies.  I'm also pretty sensitive to environmental allergens such as dust and pollen.   My skin can be pretty unpredictable and I am constantly adapting to its changing state.  I can be doing the same skincare routine, but a flareup will suddenly happen.  Sometimes, something may bother my skin one day, but not the next.  It is definitely a wild ride.   I've done elimination diets before (3 to be exact) and haven't found a significant association to certain foods.  Therefore, I don't follow any specific diet.  I just try to eat anti-inflammatory foods that are nourishing for the body.  I believe in eating whole foods a