To the people who love you, you are beautiful already. This is not because they are blind to your shortcomings but because they so clearly see your soul. Your shortcomings then dim by comparison. The people who care about you are willing to let you be imperfect and beautiful, too. — Victoria Moran

Welcome to week three of my Uninsured series. As a nation, we face dire consequences with the new healthcare bill that is being pushed through Congress. It promises to strip insurance from at least 22 million of us and make the cost out of reach for many more. I’ve chosen to write about some health concerns that aromatherapy, holistic life coaching and other complementary therapies are ideal to address.

Last week, I talked about an alternative product – Headache Ease –  to address headaches and migraines.

Today, I’d like to delve deeper into eczema and psoriasis – what these conditions are and how you can help yourself daily and during flare-ups.

WebMD.com has been around for a long time and generally has the most trustworthy information about health concerns. When I searched for information about eczema and psoriasis, this site was at the top of the list. According to WebMD.com, there’s a way to tell the difference between eczema and psoriasis, but your doctor needs to confirm this.

Eczema makes your skin red and inflamed. It may be scaly, oozing, or crusty. You may see rough, leathery patches that are sometimes dark. It can also cause swelling.

There are some things that are similar in the way psoriasis appears. You may have red patches. They may be silvery and scaly — and raised up high. But if you look closely, the skin is thicker and more inflamed than eczema.

Most often, eczema appears on the parts of your body that bend such as your inner elbows and knees; but also shows up on your neck, wrists and ankles. Psoriasis most often shows up on your knees and elbows, soles of your feet, palms of your hands, scalp, face and lower back.

Usually with eczema, you experience a very intense itching and when you scratch it, you make it worse. Additionally with psoriasis, you may have burning and stinging sensations and your skin tends to be more inflamed.

In both cases, the disorders are inside jobs meaning that they begin on the inside. Some things that bring on an eczema flare up are:

• • Soap and detergents
  • Disinfectants
  • Pets
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Infections
  • Stress

Some of these things cause a psoriasis flare up such as infections or stress, but sunburn, scratches and other skin damage are triggers as well. One of the ways to help your skin is to keep it hydrated. Not only should you drink LOTS of water but also use a good non-steroidal cream to hydrate the outer layers of your skin.

The product that helps all your symptoms during flare up is PsoMaxx. I researched and created PsoMaxx during a case study in aromatherapy school. It directly addresses the inflammation, scaled skin, the rough dry patches as well as the itching and burning sensation.

PsoMaxx does NOT heal, cure or fix your skin condition, but it certainly allows you more ease and elegance to deal with a flare up. You can read more about PsoMaxx in this post.

I handcraft chemical-free body butters specifically for everyday skin hydration. There are five different body butters including one that is unscented – except for ONE drop of peppermint to make the body butter smell fresh instead of earthy.

For bathing, you’ll find Unscented Soap perfect for daily use. There are no harsh chemicals to strip your skin of its’ natural oils – very important for daily skin hydration.

The Emotional Cost of Eczema and Psoriasis

So many clients have confided that both eczema and psoriasis cause untold embarrassment, heartache and pain – it saps the joy out of life when you are so concerned with either avoiding a flare up or soothing a flare up. It doesn’t leave much energy for the whimsy and magic of everyday life.

My heart hurts for you and yet, I cannot heal you. You must do that – you just need the right tools. That’s why aromatherapy and holistic life coaching are ideal for addressing the root cause.

The first question I ask is about eczema and psoriasis triggers. Since eczema and psoriasis are both chronic conditions, I see that as something ongoing in your life.

• When did the disorder first start?
• Are there any traumatic factors?
• Is there some area that needs healing or at least resolving?
• Do you know what your particular triggers are?
• Are you uncomfortable in your own skin?
• What behavior or habits are you ashamed of?
• Is there something just beneath the surface that irritates you?
• What is causing so much stress for you?

Don Colbert, MD wrote a fascinating book titled Deadly Emotions: Understand the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection That Can Heal or Destroy You. In it, he writes about psoriasis in particular, but it can also be applied to eczema and other skin conditions as well:

“Psoriasis is like a volcano erupting from the pressure of unseen forces just below the surface of a person’s life. The body is releasing fear, frustration, anger and other toxic emotions. The painful, itchy psoriasis flare-up is a strong signal of rebellion against the level of stress the person is experiencing.”

Your body, mind and spirit are connected. It’s safe to say that most occurrences of dis-ease begin with your emotions such as stress which then manifest in physical symptoms.

There are two other products from Scented Balance that can help you with stress as well as anxiety and depression that can accompany a flare-up. Stress Support Aromatherapy Rollerball helps support your overall system. Peaceful Ease Aromatherapy Rollerball works with the anxiety and depression.

Are you ready to take charge of your overall wellbeing? As a certified aromatherapist and holistic life coach, I offer simple and effective tools for you to take charge today.

Call or fill out the contact form today – let’s get started.

Blessings,

Melissa

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should always seek the advice of a qualified medical professional for any health issue.