Leviticus 13 vs. 38-39 (NIV)
When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin, the priest is to examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; they are clean.
Eczema affects more than 30 million Americans a year, while Doctors do not know the actual cause of this skin ailment, most believe that the immune system is over-reacting to a stimulant or trigger.
In most cases of eczema, dry skin presents when the skin is overly sensitive and inflamed. At times you may have areas of swelling with patches of skin that are red, or dark in color, rough, and leathery, these areas can be very itchy, thus causing the lesions to drain at times. While there is no cure, you can manage your symptoms if you are aware of your triggers than reduce the amount of contact you may have with these intrusive agents.
- Stress: When you are under a certain amount of pressure, there is a chemical released into your bloodstream called cortisol. This chemical affects your heart rate and can cause an imbalance in your hormones which can create issues with your skin.
- Dry Skin: Many people notice that their eczema gets worse in the winter, this is because the skin requires more hydration due to the cold, thus causing the skin to become itchy, which than exacerbates your already existing skin condition.
- Skin irritants: If you have eczema you already know that there are certain things that as soon as you apply them, your skin begins to itch. Some of these things include soaps, fragrances, wool, polyester, adhesives, cigarette smoke, and ointments that have sulfur in them. Even some vaccines and tattoo dyes can irritate your skin.
- Sweat: The sodium in your sweat can irritate your skin and cause an eczema breakout.
A few natural remedies worth mentioning
- Witch Hazel: This ointment is packed with antioxidants and is an anti-inflammatory which makes it very useful during flare-ups.
- Avoiding sugar and fried foods: These two things increase inflammation in the body which in turn exacerbates eczema.
- Coconut Oil: This oil has a cooling and soothing effect on the skin.
While eczema can be very inconvenient, it does not have to keep you down, once you know your triggers you can begin to control the number of outbreaks you have by staying away from those things that you know worsen your condition. You have skin in this game, why not play to win and not just to run the clock out.
