eczema

Found a great eczema product at Bodexalife.com

Beat Eczema / By

Well, it has been years since I’ve posted about eczema, and it’s been quite a journey.  I have had to do less massage with oils and focus more on my Bowen therapy work which is performed with the client being fully clothed.  I find it much more effective anyway.  

However, having said that, my hands do still get eczema breakouts on a rare occasion.  So, I have found a product that is very effective for me when I use it right away.  I thought I’d share it with you.  It can only be purchased online at bodexalife.com.  The topical salve is what I’m referring to, but I also take their Hemp Seed Oil gelcaps which gives me the perfect ratio of Omega 3’s and 6’s for my skin, as well as their CBD Extract, which boosts my immune system so that it can fight whatever offending allergy I come in contact with.

Having tried so many products over the years, I feel that I am qualified to recommend these three products.  I hope you will try them and please do give my name, Brenda Briscoe, as the referral at checkout if you do make a purchase.  Then if you recommend it to others, you will get credit when they place your name in the referral box.

I Finally Found the Culprit

Beat Eczema / By

Well, after months of evaluating everything I was eating, touching, using on my body, etc., I have discovered the source of my breakouts with eczema.  It is the BioTone massage cream I’d been using.  The extreme diet change made a huge difference, but it seemed the rash would come back just when I thought I had it beat.  I decided to test out the BioTone.  Each time I refrained from using it for 3 to 5 days, the eczema would just about go away.  When I tried using it again, boom!  It returned with a vengeance.

I am now using a different kind of massage cream and am much better.  I believe that if I stick with the “Beat Eczema” eating plan and continue to not use the BioTone, I will be eczema-free in a week or two.

It’s nice to finally have narrowed it down and found the culprit.  Since talking about it with other therapists, I have discovered that an overwhelming amount of therapists react to the cream in this way as well.  Some have commented that BioTone is the most toxic cream in our industry.  Not sure if that’s true, but I only know that my body can’t tolerate it.  Wish I knew why I and others get this extremely itchy rash and some do not.

2 Responses to “I Finally Found the Culprit”

  1. James says:

    Within 24 hours of receiving a massage with Biotone Dual Purpose Massage Cream I was covered with a rash that is super itchy. After 3 days the rash is still itchy. Although the key ingredients are listed on Biotone’s web site, I have no idea which one causes the rash. It might be an ingredient that is not listed.
    If i ever get another massage, I’m going to bring a lubricant that is pretested on my skin.

  2. bbriscoe says:

    Great idea, James. Now that I am not using BioTone anymore, my rash is going away. The hardened skin is now softening. I have had to resort to cortisone cream to keep me from itching, and at night sleep with cotton gloves on my hands after applying an Elizabeth Arden product called 8-Hour Skin Protectant Cream, which was developed for burn victims. After going to a dermatologist yesterday, I’ve discovered that there is a similar but less expensive product called Aquafor Healing Ointment that you can get anywhere. I got mine at WalMart. It feels greasy but then soaks in and makes the skin softer.

    Thanks for your reply.

Getting Used to This New Diet/Lifestyle

Beat Eczema / By

You know, sometimes it takes being desperate to make a big change in life.  For me, it took the misery of suffering with an irritating and embarrassing condition called ezcema.  I was definitely desperate enough to make some changes.  After 11 days of an extreme change in diet, I can honestly say it has worked!

The skin on my affected fingers and hands actually is soft now, rather than feeling like hard plastic or tree bark.  I am lovin’ it!  But, some of the nice side effects that I wasn’t expecting are:  weight loss, incredible energy, clear thinking, and best of all — hardly any more hot flashes!!!  I can barely believe it.

For the 11 days I was pretty much a die-hard with the prescribed diet in the Beat Eczema plan (except for a few mistakes), but I have had a couple of events that I’ve gone to in the last few days where I couldn’t eat the right kind of food for my diet.  So, being hungry, I went ahead and ate what was offered, even the desserts.  I wanted to see what happened.  I will say, “So far, so good.”   I think one must be very strict until getting the desired results, then a day off the diet won’t set you back so badly.

But, I will not continue to test this on purpose.  I like the way I feel with this diet plan.  I even went to a European market and bought some Polish fermented food — some sauerkraut, red bell peppers and pickles.  They all taste so good.  I wasn’t expecting to like it all so much, but I was pleasantly surprised.  These do not have any vinegar but are fermented with brine water.

My sprouted buckwheat groats turned out to be really tasty.  Who knew?!  After becoming sprouts and drying out on a cup towel on my kitchen counter, now they will last me about 6 weeks in my refrigerator.  That is good, because as they expanded each day I ended up with a whole jar of them.  It will take me that long to eat them all!

Still can’t believe I have soft skin on my fingers!  If you have eczema, it is worth the effort.  I hope you’ll try it.  To get the entire diet and plan, you can download it from the website:  www.beateczema.com.  If you have any questions about my experience in this fight against eczema, just comment on this blog and I will be happy to share.

5 Responses to “Getting Used to This New Diet/Lifestyle”

  1. Stephanie says:

    Is sprouting really difficult? I bought a special glass jar with a stainless steel mesh lid but haven’t had time to sit down and learn how to actually do something with it yet.

  2. Valerie says:

    What do sprouted buckwheat groats taste like and how do they help the skin?
    Is fermented food better for you because of the high level of enzymes?

  3. bbriscoe says:

    Stephanie, sprouting is not hard at all, but you must be at home to rinse the sprouts every so often. It is a different time frame with each kind of sprout. With the buckwheat groats, I needed to rinse them every 8 hours, and they were ready in about a day and a half (instructions said 1 to 2 days). You can see a sprouting chart at http://www.veggiewave.com/soaking_chart.

  4. bbriscoe says:

    Thanks for asking about buckwheat groats, Valerie. They don’t have a strong taste, but the taste they do have is a delightful, almost nutty taste. They are a strongly inflammatory food, which is the goal of the “beat eczema” diet. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals, especially magnesium and manganese. They provide some fiber and some protein as well.

    Yes, the reason for the fermented food for digestion is because of its high value of enzymes and probiotics.

  5. bbriscoe says:

    Forgot to mention, Valerie, that a good source of info on the buckwheat groats is http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5682/2.

This is so exciting!

Beat Eczema / By

Upon starting this Beat Eczema program, I really doubted it could work in 10 days, but I’m here to tell ya that I’m 90% there.  My fingers feel like skin now instead of plastic.  There are still a few little places that are rough, but not the entire fingers.  No more itching.  No more hot, swollen fingers.  No more skin cracks that are painful.

It has been exciting to watch this transformation, although it was slow in coming (I’m not too patient).  I will keep up this way of eating strictly until I get 100% recovery of this condition.  Then, I may let myself have some breaks from it and see what happens.  I intend to never veer far away from this lifestyle of eating enzyme-rich, nutrient dense food.  But I won’t be a prisoner of it either.  Breaking away from it will be an occasional exception, however, rather than a habit.

I have felt so light and alive!  My thoughts are clearer, my skin brighter, and I’ve lost some weight as well.  My energy is up and I’m sleeping so deeply.  If it were for only these benefits, I would choose to eat this way.  But, the best result is the relief from eczema, which was my original goal.

Since the 10 days are over and I’ve gotten about 90% improvement, I may not blog about it every night but perhaps a few times a week.  I will probably do little tests going off the diet to see what happens.  When I do, I’ll write about it so you’ll know.  But for now, if you have eczema I hope you will repeat what I have done and get the same fantastic results!  To get the entire program, you can download like I did from www.beateczema.com.  I would love to have you report your own results right here on my blog as an encouragement to others.  Let’s cheer each other on.

2 Responses to “This is so exciting!”

  1. Stephanie says:

    I am glad to hear you are on the path to recovery!

    I’ve been on a kombucha kick lately. It is fermented and maybe that would be an additional source of nutrients for helping you kick eczema…

  2. bbriscoe says:

    I absolutely LOVE kombucha and have tasted probably almost all the flavors. You know, it was hard to remember every single thing that went into my mouth, although I tried to write much of it down. But, during those 10 days of the trial, I did drink probably two Kombucha. I don’t drink an entire bottle at one time. It takes me usually three days to finish a bottle. Kombucha is filled with wonderful protiotics and enzymes. Glad you mentioned this, Stephanie. You go, girl!

My hopes were dashed

Beat Eczema / By

After almost a week with no cooked food, I set my hopes on eating a meal with organic Basmati brown rice — the rice with that buttery, yummy flavor (actually in the “Beat Eczema” meal plan) – while watching the Cowboys play Minnesota today.  Not only did the Cowboys lose miserably, but my rice, after two hours of cooking, using the method described on the Beat Eczema website, was still swimming in water.  So I ditched that effort until later and changed my plan.

I knowingly ate something inflammatory but quick!  A little pasta never hurt anyone, right?  Especially since it was whole wheat pasta.  And all I put on it was olive oil and some crushed garlic and kelp for flavor.  I also sauteed some fresh spinach with olive oil and garlic.  Now that was good.  Then, finally my biogenic food for this meal was some live sauerkraut.  Yuk!  I will have to learn to like this stuff.

Now, the whole point of this discussion is to learn what to do right to beat eczema, and this may mean learning from my mistakes.  So, let me tell you that this pasta substitution was a definite mistake.  After this meal, the eczema patches on my hands got red and itchy again.  It took awhile for this to calm down.

Perhaps I should back up and talk about breakfast.  I had a blueberry/blackberry smoothie mixed with some raw local honey, flaxseed meal, organic plain yogurt, pineapple juice and some ice cubes.  And, oh yes, remember that I was going to apply the honey to my fingers and wrap them with Saran Wrap overnight?  The results were okay but not as great as the Golden Salve (from NSP) I’ve been using.  I’ll just stick with that.  It has been amazing for preventing infection and healing split skin overnight.

While waiting on the failed rice attempt, I made a snack to munch on:  an open-faced avocado sandwich (recipe found in the Beat Eczema diet).  I really liked this.  You should try it.

I also began my first soaking and sprouting experience with seeds today.  I tried some buckwheat groats –soaked 6 hours, then put in a sprouting jar — will have to rinse them before bedtime.  There was a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on, since rinsing is required every few hours.  Quite a time investment this is.  After today, I think I’ll just buy my sprouts.

Okay, for dinner there was more sauerkraut, this time mixed in with my long-awaited buttery-flavored Basmati rice and a salad of field greens and sprouts.  My beverage was carrot juice.  Not bad.

What is amazing to me, a die-hard chocoholic, is that now when I pass by the good chocolate in health food stores, I am not even tempted.  This food I’m eating is so full of nutrients that I am satisfied with very little of it, and I am not craving carbs or chocolate the way I used to.

Can’t wait for my hands to tell the story of how good I’m eating.  I guess it takes awhile.  I’m not so good at patience, but I’m learning.  No change in the hands today, except that short reactive episode in response to the inflammatory food.

5 Responses to “My hopes were dashed”

  1. Valer says:

    Brenda-
    I love your food prep diary, glad your cravings are gone!

  2. bbriscoe says:

    Yes, they are still gone on this the 8th day, and it feels great. My mind is so clear and I feel lighter.

  3. You hit the nail on the head with that one, awesome read! Keep up the good work.

  4. These are very nice tips that I will try out, I am glad I ran into it. Thanks.

  5. You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren?¯t afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.

How I plan to beat eczema

Beat Eczema / By

Today, I am starting a new blog about beating eczema.  This condition has plagued me now for almost a year. It started out small with just one spot on my right index finger.  But over the last year has spread to the middle finger next to it, as well as in the webbing between my pinky and ring fingers on both hands. I have just this week noticed a small patch on my left middle finger and on the knuckle of the hand of that same finger.  A rather large patch (about an inch and a half in diameter) graces the inside of my left wrist.

These eczema breakouts begin with tiny bumps that itch intensely. The scratching for relief then causes the skin to be red, swollen and cracked in places, and causes new eruptions. After that, the skin can get leathery and scaly. This really is no fun for a massage therapist like me.  Fortunately, it is not contagious.  The work I do then irritates my skin further and exacerbates the situation.

Until now, what I had done was a few topical remedies that I made for myself using shea butter and a few essential oils (tea tree, peppermint and clove). This brings some relief, but it does not stop the outbreaks. Moisturizing my skin helps, but most lotions burn because of the open skin splits. I have found (from Ulta) an “organic virgin coconut nourishing body cream” by the brand name 100% Pure that moisturizes well and does not burn.

Because I am also a Certified Natural Health Professional, I have been asked by others what they can do for their eczema.  Embarrassed because of failing to control my own, I decided to embark on a journey of researching and implementing what I found – not only for myself but also for all of you who suffer with it as well.  Supposedly, 24% of America’s population suffer from one kind or another of this irritating and embarrassing skin condition.

Apparently, as with most other conditions, diet plays a major role. In my research, I found a specific diet for eczema at http://www.beateczema.com that I have just begun today.  To do this, I purchased all the items needed  before beginning (mostly from Whole Foods).  This way I won’t set myself up to fail by not having what I need at the different stages of this very strict eating plan.

My plan is to journal this self-project, so that I can remember what I did that worked and didn’t work.   My mission is to help others who want to beat eczema.  So, I will try to give a daily report of what I am doing and how it is working. If it works, you may want to try it too.

8 Responses to “How I plan to beat eczema”

  1. Beth Barghini says:

    Great site Brenda.. you will help alot of people!

  2. This is a great start, Brenda! I really wish you luck on your journey as you battle this condition.

  3. bbriscoe says:

    Thanks, guys. My goal really is to help other people. Appreciate your comments.

  4. I saw many websites but yours is awsome, bookmarked for future referrence.

  5. Ian Marter says:

    Terrific site, where did you come up with the information in this write-up? Im pleased I found it though, ill be checking back soon to see what other articles you have.

  6. I don’t agree with everything in this article, but you do make some very good points. I’m very interested in this topic and I myself do alot of research as well. Either way it was a well thoughtout and nice read so I figured I would leave you a comment. Feel free to check out my website sometime and let me know what you think.

  7. Thank you for this article. I just started breaking out in eczema last year for the first time and havent found out my trigger yet. I already dont consume gluten/wheat (or other grains), sugars, soy or dairy. I might have to do a total elimination diet plan…

  8. bbriscoe says:

    I feel your frustration. Try eliminating or substituting some of your household items, like soaps, shampoos, household cleaners, etc. for those with less or no chemicals added.

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