My role as a Functional Medicine certified Health Coach

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Many of you would have read my post where I had written about how my daughter’s eczema has healed now. Well, it has been a year now that she has gone off all her medications and her eczema has healed. I have set up the first Functional Medicine Health Coaching practice in Mumbai last year.

You can learn more about my practice on my website

aninditarungta.com

New logo with name

Nourish Heal Connect

Lodha Supremus,

804, 8th floor, 2, Senapati Bapat Marg

Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013

But what is Health Coaching?

Health Coaching is a process by which a person is empowered to make better choices and change habits that can improve health outcomes. As the world struggles with a rising number of chronic, complex diseases, a different healthcare system is needed which can provide the much needed support to people as they embark on their journey back towards good health. The sheer number of people who have type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, autoimmune conditions, cancer and other chronic conditions outnumber the number of health professionals and doctors required to treat them. Fortunately, nutrition professionals and health coaches can fill that gap.

Functional Medicine Health Coaching

Functional Medicine Health Coaching is a particular type of Health Coaching which incorporates the principles of Functional Medicine along with Health Coaching. Functional Medicine is a way of treating chronic conditions by getting to the root cause of the disease. The management of patients using this approach involves a personalised programme in the areas of nutrition, stress, movement and activity. Thus Functional Medicine is by nature personalised, preventive and participatory and engages both the client and health coach in a therapeutic relationship.

This is a field that is growing rapidly across the world and the healthcare industry is now incorporating health coaches into various settings including but not limited to hospitals, clinics, corporate wellness programmes, spas and private practices.

Functional Medicine Health Coaching blends the principles of Functional Medicine along with that of Health Coaching and focuses on food as medicine, the concept of mind body medicine and positive psychology. Functional Medicine Coaching Academy or FMCA was formed in collaboration with the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) which is the global leader in Functional Medicine education.

A Functional Medicine Health Coach collaborates with a client and helps to set his or her health goals through an inquiry process using the motivational interviewing technique. Using a client centered approach, the coach helps the client brainstorm and arrive at their own conclusion and embark on their health journey with the coach acting as a guide. This empowers the client to take charge of their health and work towards their health goals by making the necessary changes in their life. This discovery of the client’s own power to make changes is a key part of the coaching process and is made using the tools of positive psychology.

A Functional Medicine certified Health Coach is trained in the science based principles of Functional Medicine as well as health coaching

Using this approach, the coach focuses on what is going right with the client and helps the client discover their signature strengths and use them to change behaviours and help them to thrive again. Health Coaches can help people build a bridge between where they are currently and where they want to be in terms. This is done by providing the much needed support and accountability required to achieve their health goals.

As they start believing in themselves once again, they can once again regain their “spark”.

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How I healed my daughter’s eczema (and leaky gut)

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In my last post on my daughter’s eczema treatment, I had mentioned once again the Functional Medicine treatment that is helping her heal her eczema from within. In this post, I am really happy to say that she is better than before and her eczema is under control.

She is finally off her immunosuppressive medication after 5 long years of depending on systemic drugs to keep her eczema under control. She has been on prednisone (oral steroid), cyclosporine, azathioprine and methotrexate (at various points in time) to manage her very severe eczema for the past 5 years. For those of you who have been following my blog know that it has been a very long journey filled with a lot of ups and downs. When I started Functional Medicine treatment in 2015 I was convinced that it works but I knew that it would not be easy to implement the changes needed and the discipline that would be required. Countless others have been healed by this treatment for various chronic conditions including the seemingly “incurable” ones like Multiple Sclerosis (read Dr Terry Wahls recovery from a crippling MS here), Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hashimoto (read Dr Isablella Wentz’s story here), Alzheimers (read up on Dr Dale Bredesen’s amazing work here).

The struggle is part of the story

 

It has been worth every second, minute and hour that I have spent on healing her gut from within when I see her soft and radiant skin today

It has been worth every second, minute and hour that I have spent on healing her gut from within when I see her soft and radiant skin today. It has been worth every tear that I have shed when times were difficult and I questioned myself on the path that I had chosen to follow. It has been worth the effort that I had to put in to make the changes in our diet and lifestyle as product availability was poor initially and I struggled with finding the recipes for a different way of eating (gluten and dairy free). It has been worth it when I hear in her voice the delight of sharing her lunch with her friends in school, where her friends look forward to having the very same (gluten and dairy free, unprocessed foods) foods that she used to once eat alone.

Healing a leaky gut

leaky gut symptoms

It was a precious day for me last Thursday as her Functional Medicine pointed out in my daughter’s latest test reports of how her gut has healed slowly from being “leaky” and how this has resulted in her eczema coming under control. Her stool (GI Map) analysis showed that her gut lining had healed to the extent that the protein called Zonulin was no longer present in high quantities as previously tested over the last couple of years. In other words, the tight junction of the gut lining had healed to the extent that it no longer any undigested foods, toxins, bacteria or yeast into the bloodstream and activate the immune system. This had helped calm down her immune system which had helped bring her eczema under control and allowed her to be pulled off her immunosuppressive medication. There were a few things that still needed to be taken care of as had shown up in her urine metabolite ONE test but every single marker had nonetheless shown improvement.

What had worked for us was a combination of lifestyle change and the right nutrition for her. Healing the gut from within also forms a part of the ancient healing traditions of Ayurveda as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Some of the key things that we did that helped us to heal her eczema-

  • Remove trigger foods (like gluten, eggs and dairy), refined, processed and sugar laden foods (baked products, beverages etc) yeast, nightshades to name a few
  • Remove and reduce toxin exposure by switching to safe and eco friendly laundry and dishwashing detergents, personal care products (shampoo, lotion, cream etc)
  • Use therapeutic grade essential oils to manage and prevent infections and skin conditions; I later started using these for a variety of other ailments as a safe and effective preventive measure including minor burns, cuts, headaches etc
  • Add probiotics and fermented foods like kefir/sauerkraut to help increase the ratio of favourable bacteria in the gut against the harmful ones
  • Increase vegetable intake (through soups, juices and meals) as well as fruits (all colours)
  • Add supplements like Glutamine, licorice amongst others to help heal the gut lining
  • Add supplements like cucurmin, NAC, omega 3, phytonutrients etc to boost her antioxidant levels and lower overall inflammation in the body
  • Address the chronic stress of living with eczema with the help of books, emotional support and mindfulness
  • The whole family supported in making these changes without which we would not have been able to make this kind of difference

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations

 

cross road on hillside meadow in mountain at sunset

Eczema remains a part of our life today in spite of what we have achieved. However, as I have mentioned in my earlier posts, it is only a part of who my daughter is and does not define her

Eczema remains a part of our life today in spite of what we have achieved. However, as I have mentioned in my earlier posts, it is only a part of who my daughter is and does not define her. And it is even truer today than ever before. It may remain a part her life but it is not something that she needs to be scared of. She will most likely need to be much more careful of her diet and lifestyle than many others but I believe this will give her a better insight and control over her own health which will actually help her in the years to come. While she has matured over the last few years due to her struggles, she has retained her innocence which gives her a freshness that children naturally possess. I can only hope that these years of learning and accepting the various changes in her young life will shape her into a compassionate, strong and beautiful young woman in the years to come.

As her mother, caregiver and a human being even I have come a long way since I started writing this blog about four years back. Today I would like to share some of the things that I have learned along the way.

  • Remember to always trust your own intuition and instinct where your child is concerned; there is no better advocate for your child than her mother (and father)
  • Try and work with doctors (and other healthcare practitioners) as partners so that you can work efficiently as a team; this is true for chronic conditions where treatment may take years to show any results
  • Food is medicine; nutrition plays a HUGE role in our health whether we realise it or not
  • I have learned not to compromise on the quality and safety of anything that we put in or on our body; buy the best quality and non toxic (if possible organic) produce and consumer care products
  • Taking care of your child’s emotional health is equally important and has a huge impact on their self esteem and confidence; we can unknowingly end up neglecting this aspect of our child’s health while focussing on their medical treatment
  • Self care should be a regular part of the daily routine for the primary caregiver (usually the mother) of a child; without taking adequate care of yourself you simply cannot give the best of yourself to your child over a long period of time
  • It is important to include forgiveness as a part of your approach in taking care of your child; this is true both for your child as they may fail at times to adhere to the treatment plan and for yourself as you may make mistakes even if it is unintentional
  • And last but not the least remember to enjoy all the good that is there in your life and treasure each moment with your child; their childhood can disappear in a flash if we are consumed only by trying to tide over the ‘bad times” till “good times” take over

I am thankful for my struggle because without it I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strength

There is so much that has happened in the past few years, so much that as a family that we have covered together and much that we have learnt along the way. While I wish my daughter did not have to go through what she did, it was something we had no control over at all. It took us a while to accept this fact and at the same time be thankful for all that we have. As this year comes to an end, I am grateful to have to come to this point in my life where I have so much to share and an opportunity to make a difference.

As this year comes to an end, I am grateful to have to come to this point in my life where I have so much to share and an opportunity to make a difference

I discovered my passion for helping others in need in the domain of healthcare and have set up my Health Coaching practice. This was done after completing my one-year online course from the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy. I also discovered my passion for writing and creating awareness for various health related topics like the ones mentioned below (links are given below)

 

Nourish. Heal. Connect

I set up India’s first Functional Medicine Health Coaching practice in Mumbai where I work with adults and children who are dealing with various chronic health conditions. In my sessions, I help my clients connect the dots between how they are feeling to their lifestyle and diet.

By helping YOU find out the root cause of your chronic condition, I can help YOU address these root causes and achieve the objectives mentioned below.

With my guidance and support, YOU can 

 

lift your mood and boost your energy

learn ways to transform your relationship to stress so that you feel less stressed and anxious

rediscover ways to tune into your body and feel good about yourself

end the confusion about which “diet” to follow and enjoy food which is good for YOU

embrace and love your new healthy lifestyle and start to enjoy activities you would never have done before

be an example to your family of healthy, balanced living

be able to continue with the customised lifestyle interventions

Incase you are interested in knowing more about my practice, please get in touch with me at

Email: anindita@aninditarungta.com

Contact : +918879340920

Fb: @nourishhealconnect

Twitter: @aninditarungta

Heal

How to manage your child’s eczema this summer

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Summer is a fun time for most children, it is a time for leisure and for play. It is supposed to be a time to indulge in activities that most children enjoy like swimming, cycling and of course playing with their friends outdoors. But for those children who suffer from eczema, the changing of the season can be a difficult time. Whether it is the change from summer to winter or a transition to the summer season, eczema flare ups can occur if proper care is not taken. In any case, managing eczema is challenging at any time of the year. For many people with eczema though, summer can be especially hard.

I speak from personal experience in this case as a result of managing our daughter’s severe eczema since she was 1 year old. Seeing our daughter suffering even more due to the heat in the summer months was hard for our family and obviously much harder for her. Over the years of managing her eczema, there were some lessons learned and knowledge gained. Today I share some ways that you can help alleviate your child’s suffering and make summertime fun again!  

Whether, its an adult or a child, measures taken proactively can minimise or even prevent major eczema flare ups during the summer season or at the very least reduce the frequency of their recurrence. This is of even more importance in a tropical country like ours where both heat and humidity is quite high in the summer months and peaks in the monsoon thereafter.

These are some of the ways that you can take care of your child’s eczema during summer

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  • Stay cool

 

Sweat is a big trigger for eczema. Our human body produces sweat which naturally contains minerals and any build up can irritate the skin. This is especially true for those areas where they accumulate like the back of the knee, inside of the elbows and the back of the neck. Make sure that your child is wearing 100% cotton clothes at all times and ensure that the sweat is wiped off as soon as possible. Making sure that the body is kept cool with the help of fan and air conditioning really helps. Also, sweating which is inevitable due to outdoor play or even while travelling can be managed by using wet towels and rinsing off the sweat which helps prevent/reduce the itching.

 

  • Hydrate well

 

The other thing that you need to ensure is that your child is drinking enough water and juices (fresh ones and not sugar laden artificial beverages) so that the loss of water due to perspiration is taken care of and the body is properly hydrated. Proper hydration is important at all times and is even more important during the hot summer months.

 

  • Spend time in the sun

 

This is a bit contradictory to what most people think, but there is enough research to show that vitamin D that the body produces naturally due to good old sunshine is helpful in lowering skin inflammation associated with eczema and other skin conditions. But be careful, too much of sun exposure can have the opposite effect. By limiting the exposure in blocks of 15 to 20 minutes each of outdoor play/activity and getting in the shade thereafter can help avoid overexposure and at the same time be beneficial for eczema. A cold shower or bath afterwards can help prevent any itching associated with sweat formation.

 

  • Activities

 

Most type of physical activities which our child enjoys can be beneficial both for physical as well as mental health. This is especially true during the summer as we pack our bags and head to the beach or the mountains or even if we stay put for that matter. By using the tips mentioned earlier, itching and flare ups may be prevented.

Swimming is a favourite activity for most children during the summer break and they should be able enjoy it. But if your child is in the middle of a bad flare up and have open wounds, then this is not the right activity at this time. Other than that, if you are at a beach, sea water is good for eczema since the combination of sunlight and sea waters works really well for most people. Sea water has antiseptic properties and also other minerals which are beneficial for the skin. Again, too much of exposure at one go can make the skin too dry, so once again exposure should be in short bursts of 15- 30 minutes depending on the skin condition.

But whether it is the exposure to the chlorinated swimming pool or the sea water, the skin tends to get dry so a shower followed by proper moisturisation is a must post the activity. In any case, the chlorine from the pool and the salt from the sea water respectively needs to be rinsed off as well.

 

  • Moisturise

 

Moisturisation is key to managing eczema. Depending on the dryness of the skin, your child’s skin will need to be kept properly moisturised at all times. This is especially true after swimming activities whether it is in the pool or the sea. You can opt to use a skin friendly, non toxic, non fragranced lotion or plain old coconut oil (this works really well). I prefer to use organic, cold pressed coconut oil for my daughter and it works best on moist skin before patting dry with a towel. This helps seal in the moisture for a longer time period.

 

  • Relaxation

 

Any chronic condition can get aggravated by stress and eczema is no different. So by making sure that your child is enjoying himself or herself in the summer and has a lot of down time can go a long way. Playing with friends, indulging in activities that they love and spending quality time with you can go a long way in bringing down their stress levels and managing flare ups.

 

  • Diet

 

Last  but not the least, your child’s diet will play an extremely important role in managing eczema. Your child should be having plenty of water, coconut water and fresh juices so that the skin stays nourished and well hydrated. Focus on fresh and wholesome foods like fruits, vegetables preferably the ones which are seasonal and thus have the maximum nutrient content. Foods rich in omega 3 like nuts (incase there are no allergies), seeds (flax pumpkin and sunflower seeds), fish (for non vegetarians) play a big role in managing eczema from within.

Enjoy this moment, this moment is your life

little boy playing at the beach in straw hat

As a mother of a daughter who used to suffer from extremely severe eczema, life has taught me many lessons. One of the most important lesson that I have learned over the years was that it was really necessary to notice and enjoy the little moments of joy that come our way. It becomes even more important when we are dealing with a difficult situation like a health crisis. And if you are a parent of child who has health issues, it is really easy to get overwhelmed with all the things that need to be done. There are medications to be given, steps to be taken to keep your child comfortable, doctor’s visits and countless others which can in a way take over your life.

In the midst of all this, it is necessary to remind yourself that childhood comes only once and we get but one chance to enjoy it with our children.

We need to pause from time to time, take a breath and look for moments to connect with our child. They need us to see them as a person, which is much more than the label “eczema” that they may be end up wearing on their sleeves.

We need to find joy in our child’s laughter and giggle; to find joy when they point out that rainbow or that insect that they found in the garden; to find joy by tickling them and making them laugh and then laughing along with them and we need to feel the love and pleasure that comes in the warmth of the hug that your child gives you or you give your child at the end of a long, hard day.

Summer time (and any other season for that matter) can then truly become a precious memory that your child treasures from their childhood and eczema remains just one small part of it.

(This article had originally appeared on the parenting website Kidskintha.com as “9 simple summer care tips for children with eczema“)

Creating health and not just treating a chronic condition (like eczema)

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adult and child hands holiding red heart, health care love and family concept

My last post on our own journey was quite a while back. A LOT has happened since then.

This has been a really eventful year but in a much better sense than it has been over the past few years. This is the year when we saw a glimpse of how eczema can simply fade away when the root cause is treated and the body heals. This is the year when I completed my nutrition and dietetics course but more importantly I also completed my Functional Medicine Health Coach certification from the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy.

All those who have been following my blog know that it has not been an easy road that has led me here. It has been a struggle to say the least not knowing for sure that the treatment and the offbeat path I was following for my  daughter’s eczema would even work or not. This was a treatment which would work from inside out by strengthening her immune and digestive systems by providing the right conditions for her body to heal. That our body has an innate power to heal itself given the right conditions is something that we probably have witnessed to some extent or other but rarely give much importance to.

The path that I chose takes a much longer time, effort and involvement. Because of this reason and also due to a lack of awareness is why we usually seek out conventional medicine as a “quick fix”. I had the same approach to our health till our daughter’s health got affected really badly. 

Don’t get me wrong, antibiotics and steroids and other drugs have saved millions of lives and they will continue to do so. But this same approach does not work well for chronic health conditions. The other problem is that we take our bodies and our health for granted at times due to our busy schedules. And then when things go wrong we usually end up looking for a quick and painless solution.

But I am digressing here.

Eczema and our lives now

First I would like to give an update about the treatment and our daughter’s eczema today. The Functional Medicine treatment that I had started exactly 2 years ago has now started showing some results. It has been a slow and gradual healing journey (which is not yet over) but then I guess it works only when it actually becomes a way of life. I have written various posts on what this treatment is all about earlier and you can check them out.

5 R framework

Functional Medicine treatment in our daughter’s case focussed on healing her gut and the issue of intestinal permeability primarily through dietary changes but also with the help of various supplements. We followed a 5 R framework- remove, replace, reinoculate, repair and rebalance. Over time this has helped her digestive and immune system to recover and become more strong and also balanced. Her skin has showed the results on the outside by becoming smooth and soft. For the first time in many years, we have been sleeping well as a family and through the night. As any parent with a child suffering from eczema will tell you, that is a luxury!

Of course, this does not mean that we can stop doing our work and that her skin condition can never become worse again. Her skin is her weak point in the immune system and may flare up when there is a trigger (in terms of food, toxins, stress etc) and she will always have to be careful. She is still on her immunosuppressive medication, Methotrexate but it is at half the dosage as earlier at 5 mg. Also I need to tell you that we have had a minor setback since coming back from our US trip this month. We spent about 2 months there during the kids’ summer break and even with lapses in her dietary restrictions (excluding gluten which does not suit her at all), her skin condition was at its best in a long time inspite of the sun exposure and other uncontrollable factors during traveling. But ever since after we came back her skin condition became a bit rough and itchy overall. What had changed for her was the environment and everyday stress and her body is taking some time to acclimatise and settle down.

This was a real eye opener for me. This incident showed that even when her diet had improved since being at home, changes in the external environment (read water and air pollution) had a big impact on her skin condition. I immediately ramped up her antioxidant levels to combat the external stressors through a combination of diet (cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other leafy greens like spinach) as well as supplements like vitamin C and cucurmin and Hist D Jr. The last one has ingredients like quercetin ( a natural antioxidant), NAC (an amino acid which is a precursor to one of the most important antioxidant in our body called glutathione) and vitamin C ( a natural immune booster, anti oxidant and histamine lowering vitamin). Her skin has subsequently improved quite a bit and is settling down. I am keeping a close watch on how she is over the next few weeks or so.

On a more personal note 

Over the past few years of dealing with my daughter’s health related problems I realised a couple of things. One, initially I learned all about eczema so that I could help my daughter but after a while I realised that I had a genuine interest in knowing how to create health and apply it to our lives. The other realisation was that I wanted to bring this information to help and guide others in moving towards their own health and life goals. One thing led to another and my quest for knowledge led me to the Functional Medicine Health Coaching course which has turned out to be the perfect fit for me.

I enrolled with Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA) which is a US based organisation. FMCA is offering this course in collaboration with the main body for Functional Medicine, Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM). I  completed the course last month and I am proud to say that I am India’s first certified FM Health Coach!

Health-Coach-Certificate-Badge_web

“A Health Coach is someone who really listens to you, focusses on what is right with you, supports and guides you”.

As a Health Coach I will thus be providing customised guidance and support for various chronic health conditions on

– nutrition and hydration

-exercise and movement

-sleep and relaxation

-social relationships and connections

-mindfulness and stress management

Functional Medicine Health coaching – a new beginning

I am in the process of setting up a clinic with Dr Amrita Talwar (my daughter’s dermatologist) in Mumbai. I will also be having my own practice at the address mentioned below-

Nourish. Heal. Connect

Lodha Supremus

Unit 804, 8th floor,

2 Senapati Bapat Marg, Opp Kamala Mills

Mumbai 400013

The setup for dealing with chronic conditions is quite different from that of dealing with conventional medicine due to the time and commitment required both from me and the person involved. I am in the process of setting up my practice with the help of latest technological platforms relevant to coaching which are suited to dealing with chronic conditions. I am also in the process of customising relevant dietary guidelines for Indian conditions and sensitivities. In case you are interested in reaching out to me for health coaching for any chronic health conditions, please feel free to write to me at

anindita@aninditarungta.com 

You can also reach out to me at

Twitter: @aninditarungta

Fb: @healthcoachinindia

As someone wise had said, “You have got a new story to write. And it looks nothing like your past”. 

This is definitely true for me and it is equally true for you! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A primer on immunosuppressive medications for eczema from a parent’s point of view-cyclosporine, azathioprine and methotrexate

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I am really sorry for not having written anything for a really long time now. I have been busy with my Functional Medicine Health Coaching Course (from the US based Functional Medicine Coaching Academy) and my Dietetics and Nutrition course. The Health Coaching course has been an immensely enjoyable and fulfilling experience and I become a Certified Health Coach next month! I will write more on that next time. This post is about something else.

I have written quite a while back on a comparison between 2 immunosuppressive medications that my daughter has been on earlier on. In this post, I want to write about one more immunosuppressive medication that my daughter has been on since the past couple of years and it is called methotrexate.

Before I go any further though, I would like to out some things in perspective. Since these medications are very powerful and potent drugs, these medications are the last line of treatment for Atopic Dermatitis. They do not “cure” eczema, they are given to manage severe eczema which are not being managed by other lines of treatment. These are usually given for many months or years depending upon the patient’s condition. These medications are not given to any patient, child or adult, unless all other forms of treatment (moisturisers, topical steroids, narrow band UVB, wet wrapping, oral steroids) have failed to reduce suffering due to severe eczema or even bring it under control.

Also, I would like to mention that while we certainly had no choice in giving our daughter these medications, initially I did not know that there was anything other way that we could bring her very severe eczema under control. However, I am really happy to say that this is no longer the case and if you have been following my blog posts you will know what I am talking about her Functional Medicine treatment. I would also like to mention here that my daughter’s condition is much better now. We have lowered her dosage and are looking at hopefully gradually continue to lower and finally discontinuing her medication in the near future. But I will cover that in my next post.

A few things which are common to all these types of medication are as given below-

  • they need to given and monitored regularly by health professionals to monitor for adverse side effects
  • dosages and frequency are different for each drug and must be followed meticulously
  • since these medications work by suppressing the immune system, precautions must be taken to limit exposure to infections
  • usually live vaccinations are not given to patients (children) who are on these medications

Cyclosporine and our experience

Cyclosporine was our first introduction to immunosuppressive medications in 2012. Aiyana was already on oral steroids at that time to manage her very severe eczema which had escalated beyond control and she initially needed an a fast acting intervention like oral steroids. The doctors prescribed cyclosporine as the systemic drug to help manage her severe eczema.

Cyclosporine works by blocking the body’s inflammatory process which can reduce itching and rashes. After about 6 months of being on this medication in 2012, we switched to azathioprine in 2013 as recommended by another dermatologist. However, we had to come back to this medication once again in mid 2013 since azathioprine had a disastrous effect on her health. She was on cyclosporine for another year till we switched over to the third immunosuppressive medication methotrexate in late 2104.

A word of caution

However like any other such drug, the side effects of cyclosporine are many and in particular it can affect the kidney and blood pressure adversely. Hence, regular blood tests need to be carried out to determine kidney function in particular and to monitor other health parameters.

Research

Cyclosporin in the treatment of severe atopic dermatitis: a retrospective study- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15175770

Azathioprine and our experience

Azathioprine was the second medication that we used to manage our daughter’s eczema. She had already been on cyclosporine for a year and a half and the doctors wanted to get her off cyclosporine since it clearly had not been very effective in managing her eczema very well.

Azathioprine is another type of immunosuppressive medication which is used for many autoimmune conditions including atopic dermatitis. It was originally developed to prevent infections due to transplanted organs like the kidneys. It takes longer than cyclosporine to take effect and is not used for acute cases of eczema due to the time taken. Since one of the main side effects of azathioprine is bone marrow suppression, a blood test measuring an enzyme called TPMT (anthiopurine methyltransferase). Those with low levels of TPMT are unable to break down azathioprine in the normal way and are at high risk of dangerous bone marrow suppression. Hence, those with very low levels of TPMT are not given this medication.

A word of caution 

However, as we realised to our dismay, just getting the TPMT levels tested and taking a decision of giving azathioprine to someone may not work out as planned at all. And we also learned a HUGE lesson in terms of how things can go terribly wrong even when all known rules and protocol are followed. Our daughter was one of the outliers who suffered from the disastrous side effects of azathioprine inspite of having completely normal and within range TPMT levels. Infact, it was this experience that led me to search extensively another form of intervention for her. I have written about this in details in my earlier blog posts- https://eczema-anindianperspective.com/2013/10/27/the-tough-get-going-part-2/. 

Azathioprine can have a host of side effects apart from the bone marrow and can also affect the liver adversely.  Tests are done regularly to ensure liver, bone marrow and other organs are working properly.  Any symptoms like hair loss, flu like symptoms and any others should be looked into immediately.

Research-

A retrospective evaluation of azathioprine in severe childhood atopic eczema- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12174104

Methotrexate and our experience

Methotrexate was the third immunosuppressive medication that our daughter was prescribed in 2014 and she is still on this medication as of now. This drug has worked for her pretty well and she is now on a reduced dosage. With a very good response to the Functional Medicine treatment which is now finally showing its impact after being on this treatment for almost 2 years.

Methotrexate is actually a drug used mainly for treating psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Methotrexate belongs to a class of drugs known as antimetabolites and also works by suppressing the immune system.

A word of warning

Methotrexate can also cause some serious side effects by affecting the bone marrow, liver or lungs and once again regular blood tests are a must to monitor the effects of this medication.

Research

http://www.mdedge.com/edermatologynews/article/100861/atopic-dermatitis/wcd-methotrexate-found-safer-less-effective

The other side of the story

While I have given above an account of our experiences with the various drugs, I would also like to point out the other side of the story- these drugs help save many lives. The primary objective of these medicines is to suppress the immune system. They improve the chances of a patient to successfully undergo an organ transplant by preventing the organ getting rejected by the immune system. These medications are also used in other conditions like severe eczema, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions as well where the immune system is involved. No matter what the reason for taking these medications, these medications should be taken only if prescribed by a qualified medical professional and should be monitored regularly under his care.  

 

Just show up…

Show up

As someone once said, “sometimes the bravest and the most important thing you can do is just show up“. This is especially true when we really do not like the turn our life has taken. It is true when we want to find a better way of dealing with our problems but we do not have a choice right at that moment and so we go along with it. This is what it feels like for us when we give our daughter these medications. But I know that I am doing the right thing for her at this moment and at the same time I also know that I am doing whatever it takes to hopefully enable her to lead a healthy life without depending on any medications.

But whether I succeed in this or not, I will always know that I never shied away for showing up for whatever life has to offer us. This is what enables us to deal with eczema and its effect in our lives. This is also what makes life seem so enjoyable and memorable for all of us and is so much more than any difficult circumstances, illness and medication.

 

 

Thank you for your part in our journey

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New Year's resolutions

Another year comes to an end and yet another one begins

I wish you and your family a year filled with good health and happiness. I completed 3 years of writing this blog in October last year and it has been an amazing experience for me. As always, I am reminded once again about how fortunate we are as a family in all that we have and how grateful I am for the love and support of my family and friends. We also remain grateful to the wonderful support shown by our doctors in being there for us every step of the way. So thank you all for simply being a part of our lives!

I feel honoured to be able to share with you our experiences in dealing with eczema and most importantly to be able to share with you our experiences of dealing with eczema with the help of Functional Medicine protocol. I  want to emphasize upon this last bit since most of you may not be aware that such an option/treatment exists. I have written about this in my earlier post- https://eczema-anindianperspective.com/2015/09/10/the-functional-medicine-and-gut-health-approach-to-managing-chronic-conditions-including-eczema/

We are now mostly familiar with the conventional medical treatments but have lost touch with many others some of which used to be a part of our own culture like ayurveda. In fact, Functional Medicine is similar to our ancient Ayurvedic tradition in many ways since it approaches the individual as a whole and does not just treat the symptoms. However, it differs in many ways since it incorporates the latest science and research, diagnostic testing, use of nutraceuticals amongst others.

Life is full of ups and downs; the trick is to enjoy the ups and have courage during the downs

Road to Eldorado

It has been a while since I have given an update on my daughter’s skin condition and treatment. Since I last wrote about the essential oils, there has been a lot of upheaval with regards to my daughter’s condition. Staph infection, caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is very common among those suffering from eczema. It is a very common bacteria residing on our skin and is invisible for all intents and purposes most of the times. But for those with eczema/sensitive skin it tends to create problems by causing infections. My daughter had recurring bouts of this infection starting in August last year. It notoriously difficult to get rid of once it gets entrenched. This led to a couple of rounds of antibiotics and oral steroids to control her skin condition which had deteriorated rapidly. These medications were  added on top of her immunosuppressive medication, Methotrexate, which also had to be increased to manager her eczema.

Thus, till about mid November last year, it was again a very trying time for us as a family. We had to deal with her eczema flare up which had actually became a constant feature since August and  it had also somewhat as a shock for us. This was because her eczema had been fairly under control for the past 10 months or so under the Functional Medicine treatment and her medication had been brought down gradually. As part of the treatment we got her Functional Medicine tests like Comprehensive Stool Analysis and Optimal Nutritional Evaluation done to determine her gut/microbiome health and her levels of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and other metabolic markers from the European Genova Diagnostics laboratories.

While the stool test did show some improvement from the earlier test done in January last year, the urine test was a bit of a disappointment but at the same time shed some light on her flare up. The urine metabolite test showed a huge amount of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is akin to the process of combustion in our cells which use oxygen that we breathe in and food as fuel to provide our body with energy. However, in the process of creating energy, some byproducts in the form of extremely volatile free radicals are created which are usually neutralized by our body’s natural antioxidants. But when our body becomes overwhelmed by oxidative stress and/or there are not enough antioxidants to combat oxidative stress, problems occur. Infact this is the process of ageing that we all face over the course of our lives.

However, once we figured this out and boosted her supply of antioxidants with foods and supplements, her skin condition improved gradually. I increased her intake of natural antioxidants like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, spinach, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, beetroot and other colourful fruits and vegetables in various forms such as soups, smoothies, side and main dishes. Under the guidance of our Functional Medicine practitioner her intake of antioxidants like Vitamin A, C and D as supplements were also increased.

Other natural and traditional interventions

herbal medicine in capsules.

For the past year or so, I have been dabbling in and increasing my knowledge of traditional and natural interventions using local herbs and spices to manage eczema and other minor health issues. Over the past 6 months or so I had introduced a Curcumin supplement in a highly bio absorbable form. It is the main active ingredient in our local spice called turmeric used regularly in most of the Indian dishes, but for therapeutic needs one needs to consume much more than we can usually do from food alone. Curcumin is a super antioxidant and is highly anti-inflammatory at the same time. I use the Indian brand Cure Garden Daily Defense  and I increased the dosage to combat her oxidative stress.

The other supplement that I had added at the same time is a popular herb called Tulsi (or holy basil) from the brand Organic India Tulsi. Tulsi is a very important herb available locally and is used extensively in our Ayurvedic treatments. It is an adaptogenic herb and is thus very good for stress management, has antibacterial properties and increases the activity of antioxidant enzymes amongst a host of other benefits.

The other 2 local herbs that I introduced were neem from Himalaya Herbals (or Margosa) and Guduchi. Neem is again a common and popular local herb which is extremely beneficial for improving skin health and boosts immune and liver function. Guduchi is an adaptogenic herb, boosts the immune system and improves liver function amongst other things and is again beneficial for the skin. Then there are a few other herbs like berberine and burdock root that I use internally as well according to traditional Chinese medicine to enhance liver detoxification amongst other things. I intend to write about such herbal and natural interventions in a separate post later this year. I also intend to pursue a course in herbal treatments to take advantage of the vast natural resources that our country has in creating health and which we seem to have lost touch with.

Therapeutic grade essential oils continue to be the mainstay of our fight against staph infection. Lavender, tea tree, geranium and other essential oils from the brand Eden Garden are the ones that I use diluted with coconut oil as a carrier oil for applying locally. I have already written about this in greater details in my last blog post a while back – https://eczema-anindianperspective.com/2016/05/27/essential-oils-for-managing-eczema/.

Hopefully, once again over a period of time I will be able to phase out her medications with the help of her doctors. We have a long way to go yet and the road ahead may yet be a winding one but I know that we are pretty much prepared for our journey.

Reclaiming optimal health 

optimal wellness in wood type

You may be aware from my earlier posts that I am a certified Health Coach from the US based Dr Sears Wellness Institute. However, I have not mentioned earlier that I am currently pursuing a one year course with the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA) which is offering this course in collaboration with the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM). My daughter’s ongoing treatment is with the help of a UK based IFM certified practitioner, Pete Williams. My course is an exhaustive one and encompasses diverse topics like positive psychology, coaching process, motivational interviewing and functional nutrition, Functional Medicine structure and operating system like the GOTOIT, Timeline and Matrix; mind body techniques and various relevant systems and technologies.

fmca-coaching-center-ifm

As a part of my curriculum practicum I have already started counselling a few clients with various health issues on diet, lifestyle changes amongst others. I am really looking forward to completing this course and setting up a clinic in Mumbai. This clinic will be in conjunction with my daughter’s dermatologist and the coauthor of my book “ I have eczema…so what?”, Dr Amrita Talwar later this year. I hope to bring my personal experience of dealing with my daughter’s autoimmune condition with dietary, lifestyle and other changes to the table apart from all the knowledge that I would have gathered in my course as a certified Health Coach.

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much

I always knew that it is difficult to tackle problems including health related alone, but I realised how critical a support system really is during our darkest days. Our support system of family, friends and health professionals acted as a kind of a well knit community and enabled us to pull through. It is time for me to give something back now using my experience and knowledge. I look forward to doing my bit in building a community focussed on creating optimal health at a time when chronic conditions are rising exponentially and conventional treatments are falling short . As Dr Mark Hyman (Chairman, IFM Board of Directors and Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine) has said “The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital”. I am excited and look forward to this new chapter in my life.

As a wise person had once said ” Optimal health is a journey taken one step, one habit, and one day at a time“.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eczema and its connection with books, music and meditation

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It has now been almost three years that I have been writing about our family’s experiences of dealing with eczema. These are experiences that have shaped our life and changed it irrevocably as most chronic conditions inevitably do. Most of the times we do not have a choice about these changes and we can only let events unfold themselves as they occur. But we do have a choice as far as our responses are concerned. We can choose to accept these changes and deal with them or we can choose to rail at them and complain about them. While it is far easier to do the latter we chose the former path and we are only now seeing the positive outcomes associated with them. But dealing with any kind of lifestyle change is not easy, especially ones which are associated with health conditions.

Stress, anxiety and self confidence

nio pensativo mirando el mar

Since I am my daughter’s primary caregiver, I spend a lot of time focusing on her bathing and moisturizing routines, two crucial aspects of managing eczema. But I also spend an equal amount of time or even more on something that we don’t get to see. The emotional scars that are left behind in a child struggling to cope with a severe health condition day after day, month after month with no end in sight. The emotional pain of living with eczema, the erosion in self confidence linked to the constant scratching and physical rashes on the body, the frustrations which can build up due to the restrictions in terms of activities and diet to name just a few. The stress and and anxiety that a child experiences if not managed properly with due care and attention, can lead to many more complex issues once the child becomes an adult. And even though we do not realise it always, a child has his or her own share of stressors which may seem trivial to us but are actually very real and important to them. This is not something we can take lightly or ignore, this is something akin to a garden where the flowers and the trees have to be tended to and given a great deal of attention while they are still growing.

I had written a post earlier about how you can help your child cope with eczema and you can read about it at https://eczema-anindianperspective.com/2013/11/19/beauty-is-not-just-skin-deep-helping-your-child-cope-with-eczema/

This post takes that topic even further based on our own experiences since then and expands on that topic.  For us this aspect of managing eczema became even more important after our daughter’s catastrophic reaction to her medication’s side effect in 2013. She battled a life threatening infection and was hospitalized for a month. I have written about it in my post https://eczema-anindianperspective.com/2013/10/27/the-tough-get-going-part-2/

She also lost all her hair in a few days and had a tough time in school once she resumed a couple of months later. Her school discussed with and sensitised her classmates about her condition and sudden change in appearance including lack of hair.  But there were a few children who would tease her about her lack of hair and her appearance. Even outside school she became the subject of many stares and comments due to her physical appearance. It became painfully obvious that there would always be some people who were not sensitive enough to other’s sufferings and I would not be able to protect my daughter from such people the way I would have liked to. I decided then and there that I would ensure that I would teach my daughter to find the strength that was already within her and teach her ways to cope with such people. I would try and make sure that she would not lose her self confidence and self respect and that she would know that she had a choice. A choice as to how she would react to such people, a choice as to how to deal with difficult situations and a choice to be happy.

please help

It is really empowering to learn that while we cannot control what other people think and say we have a choice as far as our response is concerned. The stress associated with living with any chronic condition like eczema is usually very high and very real and I knew I had to figure out ways to manage it. Books, music and meditation became my tools to achieve this. Of course, all this did not happen overnight. It has taken a lot of research, time and effort to figure out what worked for us and we are still a work in progress. But what pleases me the most is that I can see the difference all this effort has made in our lives. In this post I would like to share in some details all that has helped us.

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers.

Boy, standing on a pile of book reaching for a star

First I would like to mention some of the books that have provided not only my daughter but all of us with a lot of inspiration and encouragement. These are books which have simple story lines covering various topics like gratitude, happiness, strength, acceptance, compassion to name a few. I have been researching and buying such books for the past few years but a few have won a big place in our hearts. These are books I read to both my children again and again and they love to hear it every time. They are available on Amazon India (amongst others) and are easiest and most convenient to just order online. There are of course many many such books available if only one looks for them. The ones mentioned below are some of our family favourites.

  • Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore- it is about a 7 year old red haired girl who has a face filled with freckles. She has to put up with all her friends calling her Freckleface Strawberry. It is a beautiful story about a girl who finds the strength to accept something that really makes her life difficult but ultimately she accepts it and then goes on to lead a happy life inspite of it. This book is the one that really helped my daughter accept her skin condition since it dealt with a similar problem.
  • Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell- this is another book about a very short and feisty girl who has buck teeth, has a voice like a bull frog. She is worried about moving to a new school but her grandmother encourages her to be brave by just being herself, smile and sing loud and clear. She does just that and stands up to a bully in her school and wins a lot of friends eventually. It is a beautiful book about being yourself and real courage.
  • What Does It Mean To Be Present? (What Does It Mean To Be…?) by Rana Do Orio- this book is about the meaning of being present, paying attention to each and every moment. In a simple but profound way it teaches the importance of enjoying each and every moment as it comes and some key values like compassion, kindness
  • How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Maurie J Manning- This book is about a boy and a fictitious bucket which hovers above his head just as he was told by his grandfather. He feels happy when the bucket is full and feels sad and miserable when it is empty. He soon realizes that everyone around him has a bucket just like his and that during the day either the bucket is fills up or it is becomes empty. He also learns that by helping to fill another person’s bucket he also fills up his own. This book teaches us in a very simple way the importance of self esteem, helping others and taking responsibility for one’s happiness.
  • Zen Shorts (Caldecott Honor Book) by Jon J Muth- This is a gem of a book which has three short and simple stories each teaching us a different life lesson. One story teaches us about happiness by living in the present moment, another is about letting go of the past and the third one is about accepting change and uncertainty as being an intrinsic part of life. These are supported by beautiful illustrations and is a superb addition to one’s list of books to read to children

“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us”

wellbeing and healthy lifestyle concept, yoga background

Meditation, being a very ancient art is also one which is synonymous to our culture. Sadly, many of us seem to have lost touch with it and all that it has to offer us. The good thing is that it is once again gaining prominence not only in our country but around the world. There are different types of meditation practices that one can follow but the one that I will be discussing here is called “mindfulness meditation”. I find this type of practice to be very child friendly and flexible both of which were major requirements for me. Mindfulness is that art of paying attention to the present moment in a non judgmental and friendly manner. Over time the practice of mindfulness can help us look within to find the strength in times of trouble, lower our stress levels, tap into our inherent compassion and also show us how being grateful is the key to real happiness.

I use a mix of simple formal meditation practices and informal practices which I try and weave into our daily routine. Of course, when one slips up, you have to simply start off from where you left off without judging yourself or any one else for the same. This is one of the key things that meditation teaches us over a period of time, the practice of paying attention which by nature should be non judgemental. It enables us to accept ourselves as we are warts and all and is the first step towards self awareness.

I use some music CDs with guided meditation practices and a few books to incorporate some elements of mindfulness into our daily lives.

  • The CDs that I use are
    Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents) by Eline Snel – it is a book and CD combination which works very well for us. The book is for the parents/adults to get a sense of the meditation practices and serves as a guide to the guided mediation. The guided meditations are simple and easy to follow and should ideally be done together as a family. There are meditation practices for different moods and problems and are very easy to follow by children on their own as well. You can also buy the one that is available for teens.
  • Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children by Thich Naht Hanh- This is from the practice run by one of the most well known Minfulness teachers in the world called Thich Naht Hanh. It has a combination of music and guided meditations along with a book to support it. This book discusses in details the impact of mindfulness in different aspects of life and how to bring more compassion and peace to the world. The practices that we love the most are Pebble Meditation and the Deep relaxation.
  • Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children by Amy Saltzman- these are a set of guided meditations through short stories which will appeal to all children. Again, these deal with various feelings and emotions with the help of simple breathing exercises. This is available in book form and on streaming apps like Spotify (not available in India at the moment).
  • CALM for kids- this is one of my favourite mobile phone (and desktop) apps for meditation. They have now launched a section for kids where they have guided meditation practices through lovely stories.
  • Insight timer for kids–  a new app that I have started using recently has a huge variety of guided meditations by different people and is quite useful in its variety.

A couple of books that I must mention here are on mindful parenting. They have been a valuable tool in giving me practical advice and ideas about incorporating mindfulness into our daily lives in simple ways. It has a tremendous impact on our lives both in terms of health and happiness and this has been confirmed in various scientific studies. The two books that have struck a chord with me are

There are many more such books on parenting and mindfulness, these are two that have really made a difference to our lives. These books not only cover the basic concept of mindfulness, they also offer practical ideas about how to incorporate into our own lives including our parenting practices. There are beautiful formal and informal practices in the books which are very child friendly and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Music is the rhythm; art is the passion and life is the subject

Piano keyboard background with selective focus. Warm color toned image

Music can play a therapeutic role in addressing various physical, social, emotional needs of a person. It can play an important role in managing chronic eczema as well by lowering stress levels and providing solace in times of emotional turmoil due to this condition. Any kind which can help one relax will do. Music is used by many as a form of therapy but we do not need to be trained as one to use is in our daily lives. The right kind of music can inspire us, lower stress and generally contribute to our overall wellbeing whether it is listening to music, playing it in some form or singing songs. The music CDs for meditation that have been mentioned earlier work very well in this aspect.

Girl paints a coloring book for adults with crayons

Art is another form of therapy which is widely used to deal with stress and anxiety. And it is one of the best suited for children as it can enhance creativity at the same time. Research also shows that certain shapes and patterns like mandalas are more helpful in reducing stress than others. There are now a lot of Mindful colouring books available which are meant for this purpose. You can use them to spend some quality time with your child and at the same time switch off from daily stresses and focus on a simple but pleasurable activity.

A conversation is so much more than words: a conversation is eyes, smiles and the silence between the words

Close-up of family discussing on sofa

The simple art of conversation and dialogue is an amazing way of helping your child cope with the stresses of living with eczema. Conversation was something which was pretty mainstream in our earlier generations but is now being overshadowed at times with our hectic, busy schedules and digital domination. Switching off from the digital world from time to time for the family as a whole is one of best ways to enable this. I am yet to implement a digital curfew but I intend to from time to time starting with a few hours on weekends.

I struggle myself to find a balance at times and make sure that we have regular chats from time to time as a completely family or even one on one when required. Many a times during our heart to heart chats before bedtimes my daughter and my son have shared their worries, problems and even their triumphant moments. We have come to know each other’s way of thinking, shared some of our worries and our conversations have often helped my children calm down with the simple act of listening.

Yoga  and others

There are many more such ways in which you can help your child and yoga is the one which comes foremost to my mind. This is something that I have not really been able to explore much till date with my children but I wanted to mention anyway. I plan to integrate this practice as a part of the bedtime routine in the near future. You can find out about some child friendly yoga classes in your neighbourhood plus there are a lot of online options as well nowadays. These include websites like gaia.com with streaming videos as well as those offering digital downloads for those unable to join a class for any reason.

There are also some lovely books which offer simple exercises which can be done anytime or before bedtime to promote restorative sleep. There are of course many other books that are available for children.

When the mind, body and spirit work as one, anything is possible

mind, body, spirit, soul and you

You may have been wondering why I have chosen to write so much about mindfulness, meditation, yoga, emotional counselling with regards to eczema when most of us are used to dealing with the medications and the treatments. Medications and treatments of course play a large role in dealing with eczema and we are familiar with most of them.

What I have learned over the past few years of dealing with my daughter’s eczema is that true healing is a combination of treating the body along with mind and spirit. My daughter would not be where she is today in terms of her positive attitude towards life and a cheery disposition inspite of struggling with severe eczema had I not placed equal importance on all three aspects. I have learned and I am still learning from many others who have done just that and much more and inspire me to carry on.

As you would have also realized after reading my post, I am very passionate about books and they have been of immense support for us. They play a very important role in our lives in managing eczema and I wanted to share it with you. I have also had the privilege of writing a book with my daughter’s dermatologist Dr Amrita Talwar this year called I Have Eczema… So What? – Inspirational story book for children. I have mentioned it earlier as well but wanted to mention it in this context. The book is a beautifully illustrated children’s book about a 9 year old girl with eczema, who faces all kinds of emotional and physical problems. She eventually learns to manage her eczema and cope with it in a very positive manner with the help of her family’s love and support.

IMG-20160418-WA0007

The book is available at some Crossword Stores and online at amazon (physical and ebook format) and flipkart (physical format). You can buy it at

 

 

I hope that some of the things that I have mentioned in this post will be useful for you and your family in managing your child’s eczema.

May we all find the “strength to endure the pain, the wisdom to think things through and the courage to face our fears” …

Essential oils for managing eczema

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Eczema has been a great teacher. Over the past 8 or 9 years of dealing with my daughter’s eczema, I have learned many lessons though often reluctantly. Infact my whole family has. My daughter has learned what it means to be strong during very tough times and also how to deal with the many challenges she has faced in her young life. As a family we have learned the importance of showing our love for our daughter and being supportive; being there for her no matter what. Personally, eczema has taught me what patience is all about and that often there is a silver lining behind the grey cloud on the horizon. Of course, we have learned many other lessons as well, but these to my mind are the most important ones.

In the quest to learn more about this chronic condition which has been our constant companion for almost a decade now, I have learned a lot. I have been writing about it in my blog for almost three years now. I have written about the Functional Medicine treatment that my daughter is on currently. She is in fact responding very well to the treatment and we are in the process of lowering her immunossupressive medications.  But that topic is for my next blog post, today I am writing about another aspect of treating eczema.

Our experience with essential oils

I first came across essential oils in a meaningful and relevant manner in October last year. Before that mostly what I knew about essential oils were from my visits to the spa or salon and/or from fragranced beauty and other bath products. But even then I came to know much later that the fragrances in the usual beauty and bath products are actually artificial chemicals which try to imitate the natural fragrances of plants.

Last October, my daughter’s doctors were struggling to control her widespread staph infection due to the skin wounds from her constant scratching. Staph infection is a bacterial infection caused due to the presence of the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus (or staph in short) which gets in through the cracks in the cuts and wounds on eczema prone skin. It is commonly present in those with healthy skins as well but is usually not able to create as many issues. The doctors had to give her two back to back week long dosages of antibiotics when the infection came back within 2 weeks of completing the first round of antibiotics. And even after that the infection was not completely under control and she was very itchy, inflamed and uncomfortable.

I was desperate enough to try bleach bath for her where I diluted household bleach with bath water and forced her to take a bath in it in an effort to get rid of the infection. It is a practice used to control severe staph infections in those with eczema. It was a a very painful time for her since the bleach bath used to sting her whole body. I felt like a really horrible person and mother for inflicting this kind of suffering on my daughter but my desperation forced me to try it out. Those were very trying times filled with pain and tears for all of us but thankfully they are behind us now. Now my daughter is able to enjoy both her bath and swimming lessons after many years. Essential oils came to our rescue and brought the infection under control and we have not looked back since.

 

(Further reading

https://nationaleczema.org/eczema/related-conditions/infections/staph/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131030142414.htm)

Essential oils and Aromatherapy 

Aromatherapy

Unfortunately, in our zeal to embrace modern versions of medicine, quite a few of us have lost touch with other forms of treatment which can be equally effective. Luckily, I was thrust in the midst of the wonderful aromatic world of plant based therapy which have actually been used by man for millennia. But keep in mind that I am referring to the class of essential oils that are of therapeutic grade due to their 100% purity and which can be used for healing purposes. There are no bases, fillers or additives added. Most of the essential oils which are available in the market are not of therapeutic grade but are diluted and are good only for cosmetological needs and consumer products. I will be writing more about the brands and the companies that I use for managing eczema later in this post.

Essential oils are volatile liquids and are made mostly by a distillation process by extracting these from the leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and resins. The process of distillation separates the water and oil based compounds of the plant and makes the oil highly concentrated.  Infact it takes about 30 kgs of rose petals to make just about 15 ml of rose essential oil! This makes essential oils highly potent and effective for healing purposes. Essential oils have antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory and highly therapeutic properties.  But like any other treatment, essential oils need to be treated with respect and with due knowledge of how to use them. Also, just like other treatments, aromatherapy works best in  combination with conventional treatments (if required for an existing condition), a good balanced and healthy diet, a daily stress management routine and regular excercise. 

(You can read more about them at

https://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/about-aromatherapy/what-are-essential-oils

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115001033)

All oils are not created equal

bunch of lavander

As I have mentioned earlier, there are different grades of essential oils. The ones I am referring to for managing eczema and other medical conditions are specifically therapeutic ones. The other ones might be much cheaper but will not have the healing properties that you need. In any case, since these oils are highly concentrated and very potent, only a few drops are needed at a time. They also have to be diluted at all times for topical applications even though there are a few exceptions.

The essential oils I use for managing staph infections and at the same time healing eczema prone skin are lavender, tea tree, geranium, clary sage, clove and oregano. I make a blend of oils by mixing 2 to 3 oils with a carrier oil (coconut oil) and use it to moisturise my daughter daily. Lavender and tea tree essential oils are the most important ones that I use every time while I add a third oil from the remaining list. Also keep in mind that clove and oregano are warming and highly potent oils and I use it mostly for fighting infections and not daily use. I do not use more than 5 to 6 drops of each in the blend and make up the rest with the remaining oils that I am using for that blend.

The dosage for the oils for a 3% topical (recommended) application is 30 drops of the essential oils (10 drops of each oil if using 3 essential oils) mixed with 30 ml of the carrier oil (coconut oil). In case of very young children and babies, you can start with a 1% 0r 2 % dilution which means about 5 to 6 drops of each oil ( or around 15 drops in all) mixed with 30 ml of the carrier oil. You also can use this concentration for maintenance  purposes once the skin infection has come under control.

A note of caution:  Avoid using essential oils on very young children (less than 2 years) and babies. If it is necessary to use for stubborn infection, use ones which are gentle on their delicate skin like lavender, tea tree and geranium and with maximum dilution. You can also buy a blend called Eczema Helper from the brand Plant Therapy made especially for children from 2 to 10 years of age. So far I have not been able to find any shopping site which ships this product to India apart from the Plant Therapy website itself and the link is given below-   

http://www.planttherapy.com/eczema-helper

The amounts of the essential oils should be increased or decreased in proportion to the carrier oil used. The blend should be kept in a glass bottle in a dark area well away from sunlight or any other source of light and heat. This blend can be applied whenever and wherever on the body moisturisation is required.

There are a few companies based in the US like Edens Garden, Plant Therapy, Young Living and Do Terra from where you can buy therapeutic grade essential oils . However, only Edens Garden Essential Oils and Plant Therapy Essential Oils are available as of now on Ebay India.  Sometimes, some of the other brands are available on Amazon India and Rediff shopping but are more expensive.  You can use the following link on Ebay India to buy the Edens Garden and Plant Therapy brand of essential oils–

Natural coconut oil
Also, equally important is the carrier oil used to dilute the essential oils. I have now been using cold pressed coconut oil to moisturise my daughter’s skin through all seasons successfully for more than a year now. Infact coconut oil itself has antimicrobial properties. I use the organic cold pressed coconut oil from Conscious Foods that is available at various retail stores including Godrej Nature’s basket, Foodhall (Mumbai) and online stores like Amazon India, naturalmantra.com, Foodesto.com and allthingsorganic.com amongst others. But you can use any cold pressed, unfragranced (preferably organic) coconut oil that is readily available in your area.

Stop and smell the roses

Essential oils have played a major role in managing my daughter’s skin infections and I am really happy to share it with you. I hope you find this article useful in incorporating essential oils into your eczema treatment routine.
A couple of other thoughts to leave you with.

Very often when we are pressed with stressful times in life, we forget that life is not just about tiding through tough times or “managing  situations”. It is also about enjoying time spent with family and friends, having fun, being creative and simply “doing nothing”. Infact in today’s world where we are hard pressed for time, “doing nothing” seems a sacrilege for most of us. The fact is, it is one of the most important gifts we can give ourselves. I have also had times when I felt that if I took some time out from managing my daughter’s eczema in some way or the other, I would not be a good parent. I did not feel “constructive” if I took out some time to take care of myself. But now I know that is simply not true! We all need a break from time to time to keep our sanity and remain productive.

I now use essential oils frequently for this purpose. Essential oils have an amazing array of benefits and uses. Diffusing a few drops of lavender (calming and sleep inducing) essential oils or other oils like ylang ylang, sandalwood, jasmine (to name a few) can calm you down.

As one wise person said, as you walk down the fairway of life, you must stop to smell the roses, for you get to play only one round. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A magical and memorable evening at the launch of my book “I have eczema…so what?”

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A few glimpses of the book launch at Crossword, Kemps Corner, Mumbai on 21st of April, Thursday

It was a magical, memorable evening on so many levels. An evening with friends, family and well wishers who made the book launch so special. This book is the culmination of our family’s journey, with eczema as our travelling companion. I am blessed to have my family supporting and encouraging me in writing this book with my daughter as my inspiration.

We have received numerous congratulatory messages and wishes since yesterday from friends, family , acquaintances and other well wishers. Our hearts have swelled with pride and joy at all the love that you have shown us and this book so far and this is only the beginning!

The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday

My family and I have learned that in order to move ahead it is sometimes essential and wise to let go of things we tend to cling to. We often cling to painful experiences, grudges, mistakes and other negative emotions which tend to hold us back. They hold us back from new experiences, new memories and a peaceful and content life. This realisation has helped us to put our painful experiences behind us, learn from them and look ahead.

I am happy to say that this is a new chapter in our lives especially in mine as I embark on my second profession in the health and wellness industry as a certified Health Coach in the next few months. I would have certainly not foreseen the changes that I have had to make and and the path that these changes have led me to. All I can say is that by keeping an open mind and embracing all that life has to offer has helped us more than we would have ever thought.

My book is available on amazon at http://www.amazon.in/dp/8192006492 and on flipkart at http://www.flipkart.com/have-eczema-so-what-english/p/itmeg26ntvykxzbu?pid=9788192006499. 

 Thank you for being a part of this change! Thank you for your support!

 

 

 

It’s finally here! My first book “I have eczema….so what?”

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Invitation - eczema Book launch

I had mentioned in my last post that I was writing a book for children suffering from eczema. This is in conjunction with my daughter’s dermatologist, Dr Amrita Talwar who is a coauthor of  this book. Both Dr Talwar and I realised the need for a book which is meant for children who have eczema since there are hardly any resources for them even though there are many for adults.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to Maya, the 9 year old protagonist of my book “I have eczema…so what?”

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9 year old Maya from “I have eczema…so what?”

The book  is written through the eyes of a 9 year old girl called Maya who suffers from eczema. She has to deal with various issues like the physical discomfort and pain of living with eczema, social and schooling problems like isolation and teasing, emotional upheavals and even stress. This book would first and foremost help children to understand and learn about eczema in a child appropriate manner. Maya’s family rallies around her and ultimately as a team they manage to help her cope with eczema. Maya and her family are thus able to make eczema a part of their lives so that it does not completely overshadow everything else. It is a book for families as much as it is for children suffering from eczema.

“I have eczema…so what?” is ultimately a story of courage, love, teamwork and the strength that comes from within by being a part of a loving and supportive family. It is based on our experiences of dealing with our daughter’s severe eczema, her trials and tribulations and the strategies that we developed over the years to deal with it.

Book launch details

Date: 21st of April, Thursday

Venue: Crosswords, Kemp Corner in South Mumbai

Time: 6 pm onwards

Individually we are one drop, but together we are an ocean 

For those of you who have been following my blog will know how far we have come since I first started writing. It all started right here, with this very blog. This is where I honed my skills and which has now culminated into my first book. However, the book is a result of teamwork as is usually the case.

I am blessed to have Dr Amrita Talwar as my coauthor and mentor for this book, Ms Preeti Vyas (Fun Ok Please) as my publisher and Ms Shraddha (Happy Fish) as my illustrator. Amrita has also played a key role as the person who encouraged me to write about our experiences in the first place starting with this blog. Thank you Amrita for always encouraging and believing in me! 

Family, a group experience of love and support

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My inspiration is of course my 9 year old daughter who faces her situation every day with a smile on her face, manages to get up every time she falls and shows us the what true courage and grit is all about. My husband, my 5 year old son, my mother and our immediate family have all played their critical and immensely supportive roles in enabling us to deal with eczema as a team. This book is a result of this support as I have drawn my own strength from my family and friends. In fact, I have not only been able to act as a primary caregiver to my daughter but I have also found the courage to share our experiences through my blog posts, articles and now this book. Words are really not enough to express my gratitude…but I need to say them anyway, so a big THANK YOU!    

Incase you are interested in this book and/or joining us for the book launch, please get in touch with me via-

email at eczemaanindianperspective@gmail.com,

twitter at @eczemainindia 

facebook at https://www.facebook.com/eczemaanindianperspective/.