Here’s something I don’t talk about very often.
Skin, what is it, for most people you don’t really think about it, it’s just something that’s there holding your organs and muscles in place.
I, however, have had a lifelong love hate relationship with my skin. I was born with eczema. For as long as I can remember I’ve been itchy.
Until you know what being truly itchy is like, you will never understand. It’s defined certain parts of my life.
It’s intense and it’s irresistible. Once you start to scratch you cannot stop, it feels so good, such a relief.
You know you shouldn’t be doing it, you can’t help it…no amount of willpower can stop it. It’s like some part of your brain has switched on, like it does when you really ‘need’ that delicious slice of chocolate cake. But then you’re left with the damage – skin shredded and bleeding, swollen and often bruised. You look at the state of it and you feel sad, often embarrassed. It’s like you disconnected from your body totally, and couldn’t feel what you were inflicting upon yourself.
It’s just bloody awful.
The itchyness affects you emotionally too, you get tetchy and irritable. Everytime you move it hurts, or reminds you that it’s still there – red, raw and swollen….and still bloody itchy.
Heat make it worse, cold makes it worse…. you have to be careful what you put on your skin. You spend an absolute fortune on cosmetics and skin creams, all claiming to be the ‘miracle cure’ that you’ve been searching for.
You don’t want to wear short sleeves because it looks awful, but long sleeves irritate it. I’ve had it everywhere, from the soles of my feet to my scalp.
Doctors will give you steroids – which will fix it, for a short time. But once you stop using them…it’ll come sneeking back, like a zombie apocalypse of the skin. At first there’s just one or two patches, and you think you can cope with it…then the next morning it’s taken over your body and you can’t move without being in pain.
Doctors told me it’d get better with age, well it really hasn’t, but I’ve learned to control it a lot more. It’s not gone, I don’t think it will ever properly leave me, it’s part of me and I accept that. It’s always waiting in the wings to come and come and bite me on the arse if I ever slip off my wagon.
Let me tell you…there are no miracle cures. Everyone and their wife knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone who ‘cured’ their itchy skin. Don’t fall for it.
Over the ‘ahem’ 40 odd years I’ve had this condition, believe me, I’ve tried EVERYTHING. From Chinese medicine that looked like sheep droppings (and smelt like them too), to ancient Indian potions (apparently the maharaja used them) to the latest cutting edge creams with names like ‘Bio edge’ or something modern. None of them worked…..
This is what worked for me, and I believe that it can work for you;
1. Go organic – organic products on the skin, organic washing powder, wear organic cotton. Eat organic foods wherever possible.
2. Drink lots of good quality water (not tap water). ‘The solution to pollution is dilution’. The skin is closely connected to the liver. The livers job is to remove toxins from your body, if it can’t do that properly it will show up in your skin first.
3. No alcohol. When I drink it totally shows in my skin.
4. Get plenty of sleep – aim for 7-8 hours per night.
5. Reduce stress, my skin health totally reflects my inner health. I once had a job in a call centre, working shifts which I hated. My skin was horrendous during that time, so much so, I had to change jobs.
Guess what my skin cleared within a week.
6. Stop eating crap! Get good quality foods, no rubbish. Honestly, if you want to improve your skin, sort out your diet.
7. Get out in the fresh air, and let the sun get to the affected parts (ok, hard if it’s on your bum, but try your best to get sunlight to it). For me, sun is great, combine that with salty sea water – fabulous. I can feel the joy just thinking about it.
8. Stop using hideous chemical ridden sun creams! Just bloody awful, for you and for the environment.
9. Move more, getting your body moving and certain ‘pumping’ action moves, get your systems fired up and helps move toxins through your body.
10. Look after your skin with high quality, chemical free moisturisers. If you look at the label on your regular moisturiser and it’s got more chemicals in than enough then chuck it in the bin.
My general rule is, if you wouldn’t put it in your body then don’t put it on your body.
It takes 25 seconds for something that is put on the skin to enter your blood stream.
The photo is my arms and wrists during a particular bad bout a couple of years ago.
Do you have a skin condition, what ways have you learned that makes it better?
If you’ve got bad skin and want to learn my techniques for making it better, then you can book some 1-2-1 sessions with me. I’ll look at your nutrition, lifestyle and give you a plan to help.
It really does work! ????
https://organicpilates.co.uk/holisticcoaching/
Jill x
PS
My recommended skincare products are;
Neals Yard – I use Rose Body Cream (smells lush), Rose Hand Cream, anything in their Frankincense Range, and the ‘Seaweed and Arnica Foaming Bath’. All of Neals Yard products are organic and use natural ingredients.
I’m a ‘Neals Yard’ Consultant, so drop me a line if you need any advice or you can order at my online shop below.
https://uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/jillrobinson
Dr Hauskcha – again another great organic company – I use the ‘Rose Face Cream’ and their toner is lovely.