Hello every one and Happy Holidays! It looks like Spring is officially here and the Sun is beaming its pleasant rays on everyone. Today I want to get a little personal and talk about how to deal with Eczema. If you don’t know what it is click here to find out.
Basically its a rash that appears on parts or all over your body. Its frustrating, embarrassing and annoying. I have had it since I was a child and it comes and goes when it likes. Or so I thought. There was a time from the late 90’s to 2011 when it was non-existent. Then in the Fall of 2011 it came back with a vengeance. So bad I was out of work for almost a month and one trip to the Emergency Room at the VA (Veterans Affairs Hospital).
I went to a Dermatologist and all they wanted to do was treat it. I am not a conspiracy theorist but it seemed like they wanted to just medicate me and not really solve the problem. Why? Maybe to keep me coming and them employed? Keep the Pharmaceutical industry flowing? Who knows? The bottom line is I wanted to find the source of the problem.
Let me back track to the first flare up I had in the Fall of 2011. My doctor gave me a drug called Prednisone. It works by suppressing your immune system which lowers the effects of Eczema. Sounds like a good idea right? No! It worked at first but when it came back I end up at the Emergency Room at the VA. That’s what Prednisone does it leaves your system weaker; then more susceptible to your aliment. I can’t really blame my Doctor because he was stumped himself. He drew blood and checked it everything was ok.
After some careful meditation and thinking I went to an Allergist and explained to her the condition and what I WANTEDÂ to do about it. My plan was clear, analyze my blood and see what is causing my skin to break out. This time my Allergist put me on a metered Prednisone regimen. Which included large then small doses while I waited for the results.Come to find I was allergic to a lot of things. Here is a small list if you know me you know I LOVE to eat and can bust down 2 or 3 plates of food and have room for Ice Cream and Apple Pie.
Here is the short list:
- Wheat
- Soy
- Milk
- Sesame
- Egg
- Pollen
I know you are thinking Damn Dean! What do you eat?!?! The answer is carefully! If you read food ingredients you will find out a lot of foods contain the first three items on that list. Sucks right? No more Ribs slathered in sauce, Hamburgers, Vanilla Ice Cream and Cake. All gone and no more. I live with it and found foods that contain NONE of my allergens.
So there are many morals to this story. One, don’t just get treated; find out the source of what making you sick. Two, Doctors sometimes don’t know everything. Finally, this one is for Parents especially sometimes you think that kids will “grow out” of certain things, that’s not the case. If you can get them looked at before it becomes something that gets out of control. I am leaving you with a list of some things that can cause Eczema and some ways to treat it.
COMMON “TRIGGERS”
- White Sugar/Refined Sugar
- Milk
- ALL SODAS
- Shrimp/Lobster
- CANDY
- DRINKS as Opposed to Juice (There is a difference)
- Citrus Fruits
- Polyester Materials
- Dust Mites and their Waste
- Pets
- Down Comforters
- Perfumes/Colognes
- Certain Soaps and Deodorants
Tips for Dealing and Healing
- Warm Showers
- Cetaphil Soap and Lotion
- Auqaphor Ointment
- ALL COTTON BEDDING!
- Washing Bedding in HOT Water.
- Cotton Clothing
- Wash Dishes with Neoprene Gloves
It’s a process of give and take some things may work some won’t. Also get a skin test and that will also determine what is making you ill.
That’s it for now!
Later,
Dean
Dean Joseph 