We began our journey to heal eczema by removing toxins from our environment and our body care.

Then we took things up a notch by removing the trigger foods that can contribute to eczema.

Both of those are important steps to reclaim our health. I commend you for everything you have done so far, however big or small those steps have been.

Learning a new way to eat (or to clean house or to care for our bodies) can be daunting. But as we stretch and grow we invite a new level of health into our lives. So keep at it! You are making progress on so many levels.

And now it is time to heal our gut.

Oh, yes. Now we’re getting to the core of the issue.

Because our bodies are only as healthy as the bacteria that live in our bellies.

Gut flora, the bacteria and yeast that live in our digestive systems, is vital to good health.

Healthy bacteria begins to populate our gut during and after birth, with bacteria from the mother’s body and from the environment – as well as the abundance found in breastmilk – taking up residence in our bodies. As we grow up we continue to take on healthy gut flora through the foods we eat and the environment in which we live.

However, the health of our gut flora is often compromised. Sometimes from the start.

Both cesarean birth (because the baby does not pass through the bacteria-rich birth canal) and formula feeding (because formula lacks the healthy bacteria found in mother’s milk) can delay a child’s acquisition of healthy gut flora. The same is true for overzealous use of sanitizers, antibacterial cleaners, and antibiotic medications.

Add to that the modern western diet, chlorinated drinking water, antibiotics in our food, and even birth control pills and we have a formula for compromised health at any age.

And when the gut is compromised you often see it in the skin. Eczema is a common sign. 

But don’t despair! There are many ways to cultivate healthy gut flora and it’s simple to begin.

Step 3 is a delicious one, and it’s much easier than step two. (I promise.)

It all begins with taking the first step towards simple changes. Like serving saurkraut at every meal.

Really. Let’s take it slow. I’m talking about easy, small – even pleasant! – changes.

Are you ready? Then let’s get to it!

Please Note: the information provide here is not intended to replace professional medical advice and care. It is simply my perspective for you to consider as you go about making good choices for your family’s health. Seek the support and care of a naturopathic or western physician, and listen to your own wisdom. Be well!

Step 3. Restore gut flora.

To nurture and restore healthy bacteria to our bodies we will take three steps:

1. Stop killing your gut flora,
2. Introduce good bacteria through the environment, and
3. Eat probiotic foods daily.

1. Stop killing your gut flora

Eat real food

Our body contains hundreds of kinds of bacterial life. They are nourished by the foods that we eat, and we in turn are nourished by their work (digestion).

Processed foods, however, feed the undesirable species that live within us. To tip the scales in favor of greater overall health eat whole, real food. Skip the junk – especially processed sweets and carbohydrates -every chance you get.

While the goal of a “perfect diet” is unreasonable, set a goal instead to make one small change per week. For example, replace one soda per day with kombucha, replace a sugared treat with a piece of fruit. And when you do backslide be gentle with yourself.

Be judicious with antibiotics

Antibiotics are important, powerful medicine. But they should be used judiciously. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics for every ear infection or tummy bug, find a new physician. And if you are taking or have taken antibiotics, be tireless in restoring your gut flora, using the methods outlined below.

Ditch the sanitizer

Please. Stop using hand sanitizer. I beg you. It is compromising to your health in so many ways.

Good old fashioned soap is the best way to knock back the bacteria you don’t want without inviting trouble. Keep some natural wet wipes in your purse if you’re worried about dirty hands.

Consider alternatives to birth control pills

While the data regarding the effect of birth control pills on gut flora is spotty, I am repeatedly reading that these medications effect the health of gut flora. I can’t say enough good things about this book if you are looking for a new approach to managing fertility.

Filter your water

Don’t drink chlorinated water. Just don’t. Purchase an inexpensive water filter and get that stuff out before you drink! We were not designed to drink bleach. It’s bad for you and bad for the bugs in your gut. Enough said.

2. Introduce good bacteria through from the environment

Get dirty

When did our lives become so sanitary? Go outside for goodness sake. Get dirty. Dig in the soil. Play in the sandbox. Muck in the creek.

And encourage your kids to do the same. (Or at least get out of their way by removing the words, “Don’t do that – you’ll get dirty!” from your vocabulary.)

While I don’t recommend you seek out contagious disease, dig in the dirt and expose yourself to the natural world. Because there is bacteria out there. And your body needs this in every way.

Don’t wash your veggies

What?! No. She didn’t just say that.

Yes. I did.

Raw, fresh, local, organic veggies (from your garden is great!) are a good source of healthy bacteria. Just rub that carrot off on your pant leg and enjoy.  (* See “Get dirty”, above.)

Bear in mind that conventional produce is often grown in soil that is – in essence – dead. Do make sure you are eating food from healty soil. Don’t eat conventional produce without washing it first as you will end up consuming more chemicals than probiotics. 

Stop sanitizing your house

Good health does not come from a sterile environment. If someone in your home has the flu, by all means wipe the counters and door knobs down with vinegar. But for daily housekeeping, keep it simple. Let’s live in harmony with a little bacteria.

3. Eat probiotic foods daily

The photo above was taken today at my kitchen counter. This week I am making (from left to right) live-fermented pineapple vinegar, mixed veggie ferment, saurkraut, and a green chili kimchi.

These foods are cheap, nourishing, and absolutely bubbling (literally!) with healthy bacteria.

I can share plenty of recipes if you are interested.

Tips for Kids

To encourage my kids to eat their probiotics we serve appropriately sized portions. Once they fall in love with a new flavor they will beg for seconds (or thirds), but until then go slow.

In our home we use “three bites to taste” as our version of requiring a “no thank you bite”. Because it takes three bits to truly taste a new flavor, and dozens of tries until your body falls in love with something new.

I never force my children to eat anything. Instead I remind them that eating healthy, nourishing foods is good medicine for their bodies.

(And those three little bites of kraut at ever meal really adds up.)

Lacto-fermented sauerkraut or other vegetables

Lacto-fermented vegetables are simple to make at home.

Seriously. You can do it with two ingredients: cabbage and salt. How hard could it be?

And they are delicious.

We make a jar or two every couple of weeks. Kimchi, lacto-fermented pickles, sauerkraut, ginger carrots, and the rest are all an affordable and easy way to add good bacteria to your diet.

You can also purchase live-fermented sauerkraut. You will find it in the refrigerator section of your grocery or coop in glass jars – not in the isles in cans.

Get started with this recipe, or pick up a copy of the book Wild Fermentation. You won’t regret it!

Yogurt

If you have determined that dairy is not an eczema trigger for you, probiotic yogurt is a great source of healthy bacteria. (If you can’t do dairy, culture homemade coconut-almond milk).

Making yogurt is cheap and easy. Begin with a purchased culture or with a high-quality active yogurt from the store. My tutorial to make your own is here.

Kefir

Kefir is Russian version of yogurt, though the flavor is more yeasty in my opinion than yogurt. Kefir is made by placing kefir “grains” (a bacterial colony) into fresh milk and allowing it to sit at room temperature for a day.

Soon the milk is thick and tangy and ready to be strained (to remove the grains for the next batch) and enjoyed.  Try with a little liquid stevia if it’s too tangy for your palate.

You can purchase grains through the yogurt culture link above.

Water kefir

Water kefir is a great dairy-free kefir option and is as simple to make as dairy kefir. I’m getting water kefir grains next week, so I’ll report back as to how we like it!

Grains available from the source listed for yogurt cultures, above.

Kombucha

Kombucha is cheap and easy to make. Like many things, you can also buy it but to drink enough might break your budget and fill your recycling bin in a hurry. To make kombucha you’ll need a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), or “Mother”.

Then follow my instructions to make your own.

We’re a little obsessed with it around here.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Even the humble vinegar bottle can be a source of good bacteria! I add a splash of live apple cider vinegar to a tall glass of room temperature water and drink throughout the day. You can add a drop of honey or liquid stevia if you aren’t a fan of sour. I think of it as lemon aid. Sort of.

Just be sure your vinegar is labeled “live” or “with the ‘Mother'” – this is how you know it is probiotic.

Supplements

Yes, you can also supplement with probiotics. Personally I use them when we run out of the foods listed above as a shortcut to supplementing our flora. They work, but don’t let them be your only source of bacteria.

Some high quality, proven brands are Florajen, Bio-Kult, and Three-Lac.

Let’s make these changes one small step at a time. There is no schedule, so move at your own pace.

Set a goal for this weekend or next week that feels reasonable. Like buying an affordable water filter. Or digging in the dirt. Making or buying a single jar or kraut.

And one small change at a time, you will transform your health.

Be well,
Rachel

Find the whole series through the links below.

Step 1 – Remove environmental triggers

Step 2 – Remove trigger foods

Step 3 – Restore gut flora

Step 4 – Soothe your gut

 

On our way home from Milwaukee this week I pulled over – spontaneously – on the hustle-hurry home.

There is a ridge-top wayside on our drive that is lovely, and I thought I might just pull in and we'd peer over the edge from the car. Take in the view, then head for home.

From there home is only ten minutes or so minutes away. So close after almost four hours on the road.

And we took a break half-way though. So we couldn't really stop, right? We'd just peer over there edge through the car windows. Because it's lovely. And I just couldn't drive on by.

But when my tires hit the gravel the kids cheered from the backseat, "Hooray! We can stretch our legs! We love this spot!"

And so I killed the engine. Without another thought.

Okay.

We'll stop.

Right here. Ten minutes from home.

And we piled out of the car into the cold, damp, April air.

It was just above freezing and drizzling, like it has been all spring.

We peered over the edge, at the town far below and the trees between here and there, and then the kids saw a trail winding off into the forest.

They they looked at me with innocent hopeful eyes as one of them squealed, "Oh, mama! A trail! Can we hike it? Can we?"

Pleading eyes.

Innocence.

Joy.

Presence.

And without meaning to I simply smiled a "yes" and off they ran down the trail that teetered precariously on the spine of that ancient mountain.

We walked. We ran. We laughed. There were rocks to throw and litter to pick up and checkpoints to put in place and toy weapons to wield and crystals to discover.

And before long we came to the end of the trail.

A wide sand clearing at the cusp of the ridge. A magical perch high and out of sight from the rest of the world.

"Oh! This is so beauuuuuuutifullllll!", squealed Lupine. "This is the best part of my whole entire day."

And it was.

The best part of our day.

Because I turned my watch around, left my phone in the car, and said yes.

Yes!

To life. To today. To this adventure instead the ticking of time.

They asked.

And I said yes.

Last week we jump-started our health by getting toxins and triggers off of our skin and out of our homes.  

How did you do?

Did you find any surprises in your body care or housekeeping products? Did you dig in and make some changes?

The changes we’ll make throughout this series will help rid your life of toxins and irritants. And that’s good for more than just eczema, so keep at it. 

And if you haven’t started yet, no problem. No one is judging you. Just jump in when you feel ready. The changes you see and feel will inspire you to keep at it for the long haul.

This week’s step is a big one. “Big” because of the positive impact you will experience when you commit to it, and “big” becasue of the mindful choice you must make to change your diet.

It’s worth acknowledging that for most of us changing what we eat is far more challenging than changing what we clean with. I applaud you for even considering this next important step!

Know that if you do embark on Step 2, you can expect results.

The disappearance of my daughters eczema above happened by following the protocol outlined below. (We had already done all of Step 1 and most of Steps 3, 4, and 5.) The photo on the left was taken in fall, the one on the right this spring. (Yes, she is missing a different front tooth in each picture!)  

Just by changing what we eat her visible symptoms of eczema disappeared. Completely.

If you only take on piece of this protocol seriously, let this be the one.

While every step will yield positive results, this – in my opinion – is the one that yields the greatest impact in the short term. And seeing that impact might just inspire you to jump in on the other (important) steps as well.

Are you ready? Let’s get to it.

Please Note: the information provide here is not intended to replace professional medical advice and care. It is simply my perspective for you to consider as you go about making good choices for your family’s health. Seek the support and care of a naturopathic or western physician, and listen to your own wisdom. Be well!

Step 2. Remove eczema triggers from your diet.

Food is one of the biggest triggers of eczema. Often our choice of food is a leading cause of our skin issues. Many of you will be amazed by the results you see from simply removing your trigger foods.

But how do you know what your trigger foods are?

There are three common ways to determine what foods your body is reacting to.

1. Allergy Test

With a visit to an allergist, you could be tested for triggers through allergy skin tests.

Benefits: Usually accurate. Learn what triggers you have in one visit.

Drawbacks: Can occasionally be inaccurate (may miss triggers that you have not been exposed to for several days or weeks). Uncomfortable. Expensive if not covered by insurance.

2. Applied Kinesiology

By visiting a naturopathic physician or other doctor trained in applied kinesiology (also called “muscle testing”) you can also test for triggers. If you are curious about this method you can learn more here.

Benefits: Painless, fast, and usually accurate.

Drawbacks: Can occasionally be inaccurate (may miss triggers that you have not been exposed to for several days or weeks). Expensive if not covered by insurance.

3. Elimination Diet

By avoiding likely trigger foods for 3 – 4 weeks, you can determine if they are causing a reaction in your body. You can read more about the what and why of elimination diets here.

Benefits: Painless. Accurate. Free.

Drawbacks: Requires commitment to avoid trigger foods for one month. Requires you to stop eating foods that you may enjoy until you determine what your trigger is. Might miss a trigger food if you do not eliminate it.

As for what we have done, our family has never been tested by a western allergy doctor. Instead we have chosen both applied kinesiology and elimination diets to determine trigger foods for a variety of struggles ranging from neurological and behavioral issues to childhood tooth decay and eczema.

The results to these two strategies for us have been nothing short of amazing. Plus we love that these techniques are painless, non-invasive, and – in the case of the elimination diet – free.

I am going to focus on the elimination diet here as it is a simple, free way for anyone to determine what foods are causing them trouble. Of course if you prefer you could use the other choices above as well.

Eczema Elimination Diet

What foods should I eliminate?

The most common eczema trigger foods are wheat (gluten), dairy, and eggs.

For the sake of simplicity we’ll start there.

Corn, soy, peanuts, shellfish, and tree nuts are also possible triggers, along with any foods you find yourself craving like crazy, or anything you feel funky after eating. Edited to add: citrus can also be a trigger for some. But for now let’s just focus on the big three.

Note: If you are breastfeeding your baby or child with eczema, you  will do the elimination diet for or with them. What you eat ends up in your breastmilk, so be diligent with your own diet during an elimination diet for your child. 

Elimination Diet How-to:

1. Remove the common trigger foods from your diet for 4 weeks.

You could do as little as two weeks and as many as eight, but I find four is a good place to start.

I suggest you begin with eliminating just wheat/gluten, dairy, and eggs. Don’t cheat. If you do, consider adding more time to your elimination as our goal is to clear the effect of that food completely from your system. If you do cheat, don’t beat yourself up. It happens. You are human.

If you buy any packaged foods you need to read those labels again! Dairy, eggs, and wheat are hiding in all sorts of packaged foods. Including some that you wouldn’t suspect.

When eating out, let your server know that you are dairy-, gluten-, and egg-free. They can probably guide you to appropriate selections.

2. Observe your body for a change in symptoms.

When my daughter had eczema her symptoms began to clear up after less than a week without eggs. For other people it takes longer. Be patient, and let your body reveal what is troubling you.

If your symptoms are reduced or disappear during your elimination diet, you’ll know you found a trigger food. (Some people see a small spike in their symptoms as their body detoxes from their trigger food. A small spike is okay. A massive spike is a good time to reconnect with your naturopath or physician.)

3. After four weeks you can begin reintroducing the foods you have eliminated.

Choose just one food to bring back first. Have a small serving of the foods, and watch for a return in symptoms. Continue to add this food to your diet over the coming days.

If you see no return in symptoms in the first two weeks of reintroducing that food, it is unlikely that that food was an issue.

4. Repeat the process with each eliminated food.

Remember, introduce them one-by-one over a minimum of two weeks per food so that you can monitor how your body responds.

5. At any point of your eczema returns, stop eating the food you were reintroducing.

If when removing the trigger food again your eczema stops, then you have found a trigger. This food should be avoided in your diet.

What about school?

To make this easier with school children, communicate with their teacher or with a school administrator. Tell them you suspect a food sensitivity and need to insure they are not given any snacks that contain dairy, wheat, or eggs.

What if nothing comes up?

If you diligently eliminate eggs, wheat, and dairy from your diet for a month and see no changes, then there is likely another food contributing to your issues. Do another elimination diet cutting soy, corn, peanuts, shellfish, and tree nuts. (Or a smaller collection of these foods.)

And listen to your body.

There are plenty of people in the world who are sensitive to pork or coconut or nightshades or fill-in-the-blank-here. Is there something you or your child really craves? That might be a food to consider eliminating.

If you are trying the elimination diet and are striking out on all counts, consider applied kenisiology or an allergy test.

Take it to the next level for good health.

Before or after your elimination diet, clean up what you eat. Cut the following toxins for all-around better health. (And yes, probably less eczema, among other woes.)

Artificial colors and flavors

Go natural! If you don’t know what an ingredient it, please don’t eat it.

Technicolor treats and foods flavored with synthetics should be replaced with their natural counter-parts. You don’t need a perfect, healthful diet to eliminate artificial flavors and colors.

Read. Every. Label.

Some families find that challenging behaviors lessen when they remove these unnatural ingredients from their child’s diet. Our bodies crave real food – not synthetics.

Processed foods

When you are ready for the next phase of healing, begin to remove processed foods. If it doesn’t look like what grew in the garden, it might be processed. Get as close to the source as you can.

Most meals at our house consist of meat and a few vegetable options. Dinner last night was local chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, mashed cauliflower, and sauteed kale. Yum. And healthy.

And when children are offered real and healthy food at every meal, their tastes will adjust. They will grow to love the healthy food you offer.

As I said last week, this process isn’t going to happen in a day. Take your time and forgive yourself when you slip.

Find Inspiration

Learning a new way to eat can be tricky. I’ve put together a Pinterest board just for you of dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, corn-free, soy-free treats. That page is here. And it’s awesome.

Feel free to leave a comment here if you have a favorite recipe to share. I’ll add it to Pinterest if you link to the source.

You can also search for recipes or cookbooks that are paleo, grain-free, or gluten-free vegan. (You’ll need to choose egg-free recipes from the paleo and grain-free sites, but they are out there.)

Another outstanding resource is Practical Paleo, the cookbook I keep raving about. The 30-day Autoimmune meal plan is a brilliant start for your elimination diet.

Other recipe-heavy favorites on the web include:

Spunky Coconut

Elana’s Pantry

Deliciously Organic

Against all Grain

Nourishing Days

 

Last week I encouraged you to make your changes as slowly or as quickly as you wish. This is your journey. Change doesn’t need to be painful, so relax. You’re going to feel great.

There will be days that you are craving a food that you’ve eliminated, but you’ll get through it.

And when you come out on the other side, feeling fantastic, you’ll be so glad you did.

Be well,
Rachel

Find the whole series through the links below.

Step 1 – Remove environmental triggers

Step 2 – Remove trigger foods

Step 3 – Restore gut flora

Step 4 – Soothe your gut

 

As the owner of an organic body care company, I take the health of our skin pretty seriously. But I value the health of the whole person even more.

Today I want to look at eczema – something we’ve wrestled with here in our own home. Eczema is often treated with a topical cream and little else, but there is much more that can be done!

Eczema care does not start and stop with steroids. Over the next few weeks I’d like to share with you some tips to help you go deeper and achieve true health.

Let’s begin here: Eczema is not a skin condition.

What?

That’s right. Eczema is not about your skin.

Instead it is about the health of your whole body, specifically your digestive system and immune system.

Eczema is our body calling out for us to make some changes. It’s a visible symptom of a deeper issue. And if we only treat the eczema we will miss out on the healing that our body truly needs.

I know. What I’m proposing sounds like a big job. But taking care of our bodies (and helping care for our children’s bodies) is important work. Work that we muster our strength for and step up to. Because our health matters. So very much. You deserve wellness, and so does your little one.

If we have eczema our body is taxed and is asking for care.

And providing that care isn’t always easy. Especially if we feel overwhelmed by making big changes to our lives. Therefore, to keep this journey from becoming a taxing one, we’re going to take this slow and see how much good comes to us.

For years customers have been asking me to sell a balm for eczema. But there is no such thing as a topical solution to an internal problem like eczema. I’m not interested in just handing someone a jar. Sure, I want them to find comfort wherever they can, but more than that I want them to heal. Really and truly heal. And that doesn’t come in a package.

I can make the most wonderful, magical balms in the world but they will never heal the true causes of eczema.

And healing… well, that requires a commitment of time and energy. Which can be hard.

So I decided that the easiest way to tackle this was one step at a time. We’ll work together, week by week, removing triggers and toxins and adding the stuff that our bodies are craving. I think you’ll be amazed by the changes that unfold.

I am breaking the information down into five separate blog posts so that we can take things slowly. Small changes are often easier than big ones, so take your time, and celebrate your successes along the way.

To keep from feeling overwhelmed, choose one item to work on at a time. When you have achieved that goal, move on to the next one.There is no schedule, no one-right-way to do it. Take it at your own pace and be gentle with yourself.

Are you ready to change your life? Well then let’s get to work.

Please Note: the information provide here is not intended to replace professional medical advice and care. It is simply my perspective for you to consider as you go about making good choices for your family’s health. Seek the support and care of a naturopathic or western physician, and listen to your own wisdom. Be well!

Step 1. Remove environmental triggers

Help your body heal by removing common triggers and toxins. These include:

Synthetic cleansers (for home, laundry, dishes, and body)

Instead, purchase natural versions of the same products at a coop, natural foods store, or the “natural products” section of your grocery store.

Better yet, make your own. Baking soda, vinegar, and soap are all you need for cleaning house.

My recipes for simple DIY housecleaning products are here.

Avoid air fresheners, dryer sheets, carpet cleaners, synthetic laundry soap, and other synthetics in your home. Reach for essential oils instead, and experiment with making your own laundry soap.

Synthetic fragrances (in body care and household products)

Choose “fragrance-free” when shopping department store brands. Or better yet, make your own products or buy from small organic body care companies. (Ahem.) You’ll be amazed at how wonderful products can smell and feel without the synthetics ingredients.

When in doubt smell the household cleaner you are buying. Often fragrances are not noted on the label and may be hiding in bathroom wipes, laundry soap, floor cleaners, lotions, dish soap – even disposable diapers.

Petroleum-based body care

Read those labels! Petroleum-based products do not nourish the skin. They create a temporary barrier between skin and environment, but do not actively support healing. Some people also report a long-term drying effect from using petroleum products on their skin. (You may have experienced this effect when using petroleum-based lip balm and feeling “addicted” to it after use.)

Replace petroleum products with simple, natural concoctions. If you would eat it, wear it! For example, extra virgin coconut oil is a wonderful, simple replacement for petroleum jelly. I make lots of body care with oils like avocado oil, shea and cocoa butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, and other nourishing foods oils.

For a topical product made just for eczema you can create your own or buy something premade that is petroleum-free. (I make Da Balm for eczema or look locally for a product with ingredients you can trust.)

Synthetic preservatives in body care

Again, we’re removing irritants and replacing them with more gentle ingredients.

Instead of lotion (which almost always contains preservatives – or alcohol, another irritant) choose a simple, nourishing body oil. Instead of synthetically preserved products, choose simple natural ones.

In short, I’m suggesting that you ditch the toxins and simplify the products you bring home. Regardless of your eczema or lack there of, how could that be a bad idea? It benefits each member of your family.

The labels don’t lie.

Well, not the ingredients lists anyway.

Read and re-read every label. If you can’t pronounce it (or don’t know what it is), don’t use it.

Here is a simple example.

Let’s say you are crazy about lavender. Add chamomile and ylang ylang? Even better. You also have sensitive or eczema-prone skin, so you’re looking for something natural and gentle.

Hey! This product seems to fit the bill. Let’s take a closer look.

The label states that this product “calms and relaxes,” “moisturizes skin,” contains “soothing oatmeal,” and is “dermatologist recommended.” “Naturals” is right in the name. So far that sounds like just what we’re looking for!

You flip the bottle over in your hand and you read the ingredients:

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Lauroampho PG-Acetate Phosphate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate, Propylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Fragrance, Quaternium-15. May Also Contain Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid.

Hm. What do you think now?

Can you pronounce every ingredient? Would you eat those ingredients? Does it contain fragrances, petroleum, or synthetic ingredients?

Oh. Maybe it’s not quite as natural as it seemed.

Okay. Let’s try again.

As an alternative, you pick up a bar of natural lavender soap (This is from my own organic body care line.)

And looks at that! This one is the same scent – lavender, chamomile, and ylang ylang. So will it have the same ingredients?

You flip this one over and again read the ingredients list:

Saponified oils of *coconut, *cocoa butter, *olive, and *sunflower; essential oils of lavender, ylang ylang, and chamomile; and ultramarine oxide (mineral pigment). *organic ingredient

And now we ask ourselves the same questions. Can you pronounce every ingredient? Would you eat those ingredients? Does it contain fragrances, petroleum, or synthetic ingredients?

The difference is dramatic.

By simply choosing a different product you can avoid all kinds of ingredients that you can’t pronounce. Go to your bathroom right now and grab your shampoo, lotion, baby wash, or deodorant. Does it pass the test? You can also check your body care safety ratings here. (Here is the rating from the Aveeno product above and here is the rating for the LuSa Lullaby Soap.)

I’m not proposing that you only buy my products. Truly, buy whatever speaks to you. But commit to reading the labels on every product you buy and making good choices based on what you read there.

You are in control.

You can filter out undesirable chemicals from your life, one product at a time.

Are you in? Does someone in your home struggle with eczema and are you ready to tackle it head-on?

Next week I’ll bring you Step 2 – removing our trigger foods.

Happy healing, friends.

Rachel

Find the whole series through the links below.

Step 1 – Remove environmental triggers

Step 2 – Remove trigger foods

Step 3 – Restore gut flora

Step 4 – Soothe your gut

 

 

 

Good morning, friends!

I'm over on Simple Homeschool this morning, talking about the power of a parenting mission statement. Drop on by to help find your own parenting groove – homeschooling or not.

It might just change everything.

My post is here. Enjoy!

Love,

Rachel

P.S. If you're new here or are just looking for a bit more parenting inspiration, I have archived peaceful parenting posts over here and words about mothering in general here. I think you'll find some resonant posts there to inspire your parenting.

Healing days are slow days. When we clear the calender, snuggle in under blankets and let the phone ring.

Healing is big work for small bodies. (And even bigger work for those pushing forty. Ahem.)

I think we're better, really I do. But last night was still rough, and in the morning after a sleepless night it can be hard to tell just how you feel. (I'm still evaluating and I've been up for three hours.)

So we'll let the dishes pile up for one more day. And email can wait until tonight.

Our medicine will be a card game, a puzzle, and some hot tea.

 

Come to think of it, healing days aren't so bad after all, are they?

 

Love,
Rachel

 

Today we ate without plates, played without toys, and learned without school.

A hike in the woods, a picnic in the snow, wading in the creek, butt-sledding in the hills, then back inside to make terrariums with the moss we found in the forest.

Our snowpants and boots are soaked and caked with mud and my belly hurts from so much laughing.

Now the kids are back outside making a fort and hanging a rope swing, and I'm cleaning up from this wonderful day. (Mud. Everywhere, mud!)

So much laughter and so much love. I am counting blessings today.

Oh, yes. Life is sweet.

Will you grab your family and head outside? This weekend. Drink up this life. Who's in?

Well now.

That was just what we needed.

 

 

Sometimes I can't fall asleep at night because Pete has the light on so that he can knit. Until almost midnight.

Sometimes the kids crawl into bed with us at 2 AM and bicker about who's elbow is jammed into who's ribs; or who is hogging the blankets.

Sometimes the heater gets inadvertently turned up and by 4 AM it's way too warm to fall back to sleep.

Sometimes at 5:30 the dog and the cat are alternatly licking my face or pawing my feet or otherwise doing their best to love me awake.

Sometimes I roll out of bed in the morning grumpy and tired – only to discover that no one washed the dishes last night and the coffee pot is still dirty from the day before.

Sometimes I wonder what today is going to bring with all of this tired and crabby going on.

And then I remember.

I remember that I have a kind, thoughtful, funny, loving husband. (Who knits!)

I remember that I have two amazing kids to keep me awake all night.

I remember that I have a house and a heater and a big bed to be jammed into with all of these wonderful people.

I remember that we had dinner last night and the promise of breakfast and coffee today (and a faucet of clean, hot water to wash it all up with).

Sometimes I remember to find gratitude in the act of simply waking up.

Love,

Rachel