Eczema is not something we need to fight, because it is a fight that will ultimately be lost. Instead we need to understand eczema for what it is, a message from our body that it is struggling to cope with its workload.
We need to stop fighting to control the symptoms and start to support the body conducting its daily tasks. As soon as we make this shift this is where the path to true control becomes visible and our journey to long term health is opened up.
The longer we suppress the more work there is to do to get back to that state of equilibrium where our body functions correctly without dis-ease. I now see my eczema as a gift, my poor internal health is visible on my exterior. For many they don’t get this warning until it’s too late and major irreparable health issues have set in.
For parents of children with eczema, I urge you to see their eczema as a visible sign that something is not working optimally internally. The world today is a different one from the one I was born into in the 80’s and even more different from the one my parents were born into. We have more pollution, food has changed completely and our lives are lived in front of screens and not outside.
All these changes, and more, contribute to extra toxicity that the body has to process, and for many children they will grow out of eczema. It’s like their body is just getting used to the “new world” it has been born into. For some however the body needs some help and so will keep sending its messages for help until we acknowledge and support it.
Many of us have tried the conventional treatment and realise that this is just managing the symptoms and not dealing with the underlying issues. At some point those underlying issues will need to be dealt with, so if you choose to silence the body now, understand that you are just delaying the inevitable. At some point you or your child will need to deal with a more complex health issue.
Fundamentally I believe that once we get the body back in balance we should be able to maintain our health using foods. I also don’t believe that supplements, herbs, or other pills are required for life, however they can be indispensable for getting us back to balance. They should be seen as a short term intervention.
I work with clients using small changes to their current lifestyle, small changes over time become habit and this is what we want. I also share how diet, herbs, essential oils, tissue salts, Bach Flower remedies and occationally supplements can all be used to restore balance. Health should be our natural state and maintaining it should be an easy habit.
My philosophy is borne from experience. After years of suppression my poor health came to a head where I knew I had to work with it rather than against it. This change of focus was a real turning point for my eczema and my health and so now I spend my time educating parents to ensure that their children are brought up understanding just how amazing their body is.
Afterall a body with eczema is one that is looking out for us and giving us a heads up that it needs help.
My view of eczema hasn’t always been this way. As a young child I always felt it wasn’t fair that I had this condition and had to sit by and watch others having fun. I was born with eczema, from Day One it was clear there was something not right with my skin. I don’t recall the pain as a child, but I do remember the feeling of being different and missing out on things.
However, I was brought up with a positive outlook and so once I started to gain a bit of control I spent many years raising awareness of the pain of living with eczema.
I was in one of the first series of Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies when I was a teenager, talking about how this condition can affect us mentally and physically. I have represented the UK abroad at EFA (European Federation of Asthma and Allergy) Youth Conferences, looking to make a difference to those dealing with allergies and allergic conditions. I have spoken to GPs at NHS training days to give them the patients perspective of living with this condition. I was also a trustee with the National Eczema Society in the UK for 12 years.
After experiencing numerous health complications growing up and finding answers via many different natural therapies I want to share this information to stop others experiencing the same issues as they grow up. You can read about this in my first blog post.
I'm passionate about teaching people how to listen to their own body, as so many of us take our bodies for granted until something goes wrong. We then try to intervene without the knowledge or understanding of why it is behaving that way. As the healthcare system moves ever closer to crisis point, I want to be part of the movement helping people to take back control of their health.
My Mum has spoken of the desperation of just wanting to do what was best for me, to stop the pain I was going through and the difficulty of seeing me in agony when using the treatments which were supposed to help. This mirrors the parents I speak to on a daily basis. It seems despite being 30+ years on nothing has changed!
Many parents have also spoken to me about the horror and trauma of seeing their child in such pain
and discomfort when they are trying out different creams and treatment options which are supposed to help. When I was a kid I felt that no one understood my feelings with regards to all the treatments. It was just one cream after another and there was no way to know how painful it was going to be. I know this experience has shaped my thoughts as an adult and now as a Naturopath I want to take people on a transformational journey, so that both parents and kids can see how things can be better.
I want to ensure that parents feel empowered which is why I now specialise in helping parents get to the root of their child's eczema (and any adults who truly want to take action!), thus allowing them to take control of their eczema and break free from the shackles of the cream routines! Everyone is unique and we are all on our own path to find what works for us health wise, my aim is to get you to that destination quicker!
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