ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK DAY FOUR! Top Tips for Dealing with Eczema

1)      Moisturise

There is no other way to say it! If you have eczema, your skin has to remain moisturised in order to combat the dryness that can be the cause. Make sure to use the right moisturiser for the time of year and conditions you are facing. For example; if your skin is susceptible to the cold, make sure to use a thicker moisturiser during winter or when it is windy.

2)      Use the right products for your skin

There are so many products out there for people with eczema and allergies, but they might not all work for you! Each brand creates their product differently, with different ingredients or amounts of ingredients. So your skin might love Cetaphil but hate QV, whilst your friend with Eczema is the complete opposite! If a product isn’t working for your skin, it is important to stop using it and find something that will work for your skin!

3)      Avoid your personal triggers

Eczema flare ups can be triggered by all sorts of different things: Animal Dander, citrus, pollen, dust and sugar just to name a few. If you can work out what causes your eczema flare ups, then it can be a bit easier to control your eczema and how often it flares! Sometimes it may not be easy to avoid the triggers but it can help you and your eczema!

4)      Stay calm

Stress is the enemy for any disease (I hate calling it that!) that centres around the immune system. Stress can exacibate the symptoms of eczema and cause you to be itchier or for a flare up to be worse! In certain situations it can be hard to avoid or minimise stress such as exams, busy work life or stressful personal situations. However it is important to try and minimise the amount of stress or the impact it has. Relaxation is key!

5)      Support J

Having support in your life is super important. Support from friends, family, workmates and more is important to maintaining a positive environment around you! If they all understand what you are living with and how they can help make it a bit easier on you then life can be a lot easier! For example: My friends know that when we go out for dinner I might not be able to eat just anywhere, so they always check with me before deciding! And my boss was cleaning out my work and there was dust everywhere, so I was deliberately not put on to work, as she knew that dust made me flare! Make sure you have a team around you that can support you and that you trust.

6)      Be Happy

So you have eczema or allergies, it is not the end of the world and you have plenty to be happy about! Laughing and being happy makes your life so much better! Being sad and upset about what you are dealing with doesn’t make it easier for you or for those around you. Try and focus on the positives in your life and the rest will be easier to deal with! Make sure you have an activity that you enjoy that can relax you and keep you happy! It could be dancing, yoga, walking the dog or a multitude of things!

7)      When you do flare have a plan in place

Ensure you have a plan in place for if/when your eczema flares. For example: Get steroid cream, flare up baths, oat baths, special creams, wet wraps etc. If you have a plan in place then it will be easier to manage a flare when one occurs and it may also reduce the amount of time or severity of the flare!

8)      Live your life!

Eczema and Allergies do not define your life! Sure you might have to be a bit more careful on where you go and what environments you expose yourself too, but that does not mean you have to bubble wrap yourself! You have to live your life to the fullest, because flares will happen, you can only try to minimise them. Go out and have a lovely weekend everyone!

ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK DAY THREE! Top Ten Products for People with Allergies and Eczema

Good Morning All! Welcome to Wednesday of Allergy Awareness Week. Today I would love to share my top ten products. Please know that these are ones that I have found to be really good for me and they may not work for everyone (see disclaimer). 

1) Thermal Spring Water - Avene & La Roche Posay

This product changed the way I handle my eczema! Summer is really bad for me, as my eczema reacts quite badly to heat and humidity, however I found this product which cools and moisturizes the skin. It comes in aerosol spray bottles which you buy from any chemist. The water contains certain minerals from the thermal springs in France, which reduce redness and itching. Prices range depending on what size bottle you buy, but they start at around $9.99-$11.99 for a small size. 

2) QV - Moisturiser, Gentle Wash

I used to use QV products when I was younger and they were great. Super moisturising, gentle on the skin and perfect for summer and winter. However when I started my first job I had the responsibility of purchasing my own products. As I only earnt a small amount, I decided the best place to compromise was my skincare! So I purchased cheaper moisturisers which resulted in my skin not getting enough moisture! Now I'm back to QV and my skin is so much better! I use the Gentle Wash and the Cream, which is a nice thick moisturiser. Chemist Warehouse has some great deals on QV most of the time. 

3) Kinnerton - Chocolate

I have only found Kinnerton recently, but I am completely in love with their chocolate! They started out as a completely nut free chocolate factory, but then realised that people were after a dairy, egg, nut and gluten free chocolate. So that's what they have delivered! When I first tried it, I thought "this must be what normal chocolate tastes like! And according to other taste testers, it is quite similar. Unlike Sweet William, Kinnerton is not as sweet and tastes more like a dark chocolate. It's yummy! :D

4) A Bit Hippy - Shampoo, Conditioner, Eczema and Psoriasis Cream

I am a big fan of the Shampoo and Conditioner from A Bit Hippy. They are made from all natural ingredients that are meant for those with sensitive scalps. I have eczema on mine, and I find that there formula is the only one that keeps me under control. The Eczema and Psoriasis Cream is great too! I find it good to use on those areas that get a bit drier or itchier than others. 

5) Cicalfate - Avene

Avene makes some great products. They are based on the thermal spring water that I spoke about above. The Cicalfate is a restorative skin cream which restores the natural barrier of the skin and calms irritation. I find this great to use where my skin has split or if my face is super dry. It's also great to calm the skin down during a flare. It varies in price but can be picked up for about $13. I have seen it on special for around $10. 

6) DreamWash - Lush

Shaving is hard when you have eczema. As someone with severe eczema, shaving my legs can sometimes be a bit disastrous and lead to a flare up or an angry rash all over my legs. I never really knew how to combat this until I tried the Dreamwash from Lush. It contains calming ingredients such as Calamine to soothe and calm the skin. I shave my legs with a soap free wash and then lather on the Dreamwash. I leave it on for a few minutes then wash off and moisturise my legs. Lush also has a Dreamcream which is the moisturiser version of the wash. I find that I like to follow the Wash with the Cream. They are not the cheapest product but I find them worth it. The dreamwash you can pick up from Lush for around $25 a tub, which lasted me approximately six months, but it depends on how often you shave. The Dreamcream comes in small tubs for $5.95, which is what I use, as I find I only use it when my skin needs some serious after shaving help!

7) Thick Cream - Dermeze

I am allergic to the pollen that emerges around September/October which makes it extremely difficult for me to live normally during pollen season. One product that I found created a really good barrier was the Dermeze Thick Cream. It is a really rich moisturiser that has parrafin as an ingredient so it creates a nice barrier to any irritants. It is moisturising without leaving a greasy residue on sheets and clothes. Perfect for winter when skin is drier!

8) Leda - Cookies :)

Buying ready made baked goods was always a dream of mine! To be able to walk into the supermarket and buy a muffin or cookies! Whilst the muffin dream remains a fantasy, thanks to Leda, allergy friendly cookies off the shelf are a reality! Gingernut, Arrowroot, Golden Crunch (tastes like an ANZAC biscuit but with coconut and no oats) even Choc Chip! They vary but are generally Dairy, Egg, Gluten Free, Vegan Friendly. Some of them do have may contain traces of nuts, so it depends on if you consume traces or may contain traces. I find them super delicious and perfect with hot chocolate, tea, coffee or in the lunchbox!

9) Freedom Foods - Snack foods/ Cereal etc

Freedom Foods has a range of Breakfast cereals, lunchbox snacks, fruit bars and other products that are allergy friendly. They are mostly nut free and some of them I have found contain dairy, but most of them are safe. Their cereals are delicious for breakfast and I found that they are quite filling. The school snacks are great as they are safe and delicious to eat whilst at school, work or uni. Prices vary but are generally affordable. 

10) Lipid Replenishing Balm - Avene

This product has actually changed my life! Avene recently expanded their range including a new Cicalfate product that focuses on drying the wound before repairing it (perfect for weeping eczema sores). The lipid replenishing balm has a airlock system which prevents bacteria from entering the cream. It also means that the cream contains NO PRESERVATIVES! None whatsoever! The lipid replenishing part of the cream is great as it is super moisturising without being heavy on the skin. I use this cream on my face and since using it, I have not had a flare up on my face! It is great! The cream itself is not cheap and retails for around $40, but I am willing to pay it for such great results!

That is my list! I hope you enjoyed it and learnt about some products that may help you or someone you know! I am not endorsed by any of the companies mentioned, I just really love their products! Have a lovely day and I will see you all tomorrow for another Allergy Awareness Week Post! :D

ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK DAY TWO! Things we all wish everyone understood about allergies and eczema.

When we are out in the world with our allergies and eczema there are a lot of people that don’t understand or do not know what we all have to deal with on a daily basis. So here are a few things that I think we all wish the general public would understand about allergies and eczema.

We are not “making it up” I have heard it a lot that I am making my allergies or eczema up, that I can eat dairy and my other allergens, I just want to be difficult. Or that my eczema is ‘not a real disease’. The fact is that allergies and eczema are real! And we all know this because we deal with it all the time!

Eating what we are allergic to is not going to cure us! Desensitization is a valid and real way that some people can treat their allergies, but it doesn’t work for everyone and it has to be monitored carefully by doctors in terms of amounts. So we can’t just eat a nut and be magically cured from our nut allergy!

Yes we really do need to check the ingredients for EVERYTHING! Even simple things like bread can contain dairy and egg. For example: my sister is lactose intolerant and I am allergic to dairy. We had some bread in the freezer which luckily I checked before popping in the toaster because it contained milk! Allergens can hide in so many things that you wouldn’t expect and when I have been out sometimes I have heard “Do you really need to check that?” Yes, yes I do.

The 10 minute conversation we have with the waiter/waitress/chef is important. When eating out, it is super important for allergy sufferers to talk about what is in a dish, preventing cross contamination and ensuring a safe and fun meal out. I have had people say before: You held up the waiter and chef because you are selfish! No, I spoke to them because I need them to understand how serious my allergy is.

Whilst we really appreciate the effort you take to try and understand, sometimes we don’t want to hear about every new ‘cure’ you have heard about. Eating cabbage, painting your room red, walking in dirt, not using steroids, using a particular cream, eating a particular food etc. I’m sure we have heard it all! I totally love hearing about new things, but sometimes they just baffle me! Not every treatment is for everyone and the underlying cause can be different for everyone as well.

Is there anything I missed on this list? What other things do you want everyone to know/understand about allergies and eczema? Look out for ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK DAY THREE tomorrow! Have a lovely day J

ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK! Day One: 5 Things Allergy Kids wish their parents knew

Kids with allergies can be a lot to handle! Looking back on my childhood, I definitely wasn’t an easy child for my parents to deal with. So here are a few things that allergy kids might want their parents to know. 

1) We don’t want to be difficult. To you it might seem as though we are being frustrating on purpose by not taking care of our eczema properly or not eating certain foods that you know we can eat. We aren’t intentionally being painful or annoying. It could be that we don’t understand how to keep our skin the way you can, or that we don’t like trying new foods because we are scared of having a reaction.

 

2) Sometimes we detest going to restaurants. Even if there is a dish we can eat at the restaurant, the threat of cross contamination, and general fear can be hard to get over. Sometimes we just want a meal at home and not have to go through the whole explanation of allergies and speaking to waiters and chefs. 

3) When allergy kids have to start doing things on their own, they can be a little wary if they can’t read the labels on what they are eating. For example, even though the parents might have read the label on a sauce jar and seen that its perfectly safe, an allergy child may want to read it to be safe (I have done this!) It's not that they don't trust you to create a safe meal, it becomes habit to check every ingredient label, and they may feel uncomfortable if they do not check one. 

4) Sometimes we are just as scared as you are. As kids grow up they want to go out and socialise more. But that means letting them go into the world where others aren't as careful (more on this later in the week). Trust me when I say I understand a parent’s hesitation, but its not just parents! I know that when my parents starting letting me go out with friends, it scared me to think what could happen. However it’s important to learn to overcome the fear, as amazing experiences can follow from getting out of the house!

5) We seriously appreciate everything you do for us. I was thinking about it the other week: how many appointments, medications, specialists, food alternatives and everything else have my parents had to pay for? Drive me to? How many emotional times, sleepless nights and stress have they been through? I’m sure the answer would baffle me, but I know they do it all for love. Honestly? Through all the hard times, allergy kids truly appreciate everything parents do for them. From spending time making a separate dinner, to buying all the new creams ‘guaranteed’ to cure your eczema and everything in between! Allergy parents do so much, and kids appreciate it. Even if we don’t show it all the time. 

I hope everyone had a great Monday! Look out for tomorrow’s post: ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK DAY TWO!