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Page 27
| Eczema and Psoriasis |
| As these two conditions tend to move around, change and spread, they are often considered "wind invasion" in Oriental medicine. Psoriasis involves rapidly growing cells that come to the skin's surface before they are fully mature. People who suffer from psoriasis tend to always be on the run, moving rapidly, like their skin growth. Foods to avoid include dairy products, citrus, tomatoes, peanut butter, fried foods and hydrogenated oils. Is stress making you want to claw out of your skin? Then look at what can be done to mellow your lifestyle. Exposure to chemicals can also affect the skin in a negative way. |
| Psoriasis manifests as skin patches that may be red, thickened and covered with silvery scales. It is considered more stubborn than eczema. New skin grows about five times faster than old skin can be shed. It usually doesn't itch. Eczema is characterized by dry rashy areas that do itch. In both cases it is helpful to cool the blood and skin. |
| A tea or extract of burdock root, raw dandelion root, Oregon grape root and yellow dock root taken three times daily would be excellent for both conditions. |
| Other approaches include taking 1 to 3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily or 3 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseeds. An alternative is 6 capsules daily of evening primrose oil. Avoid skin contact with chemicals. Dry cleaning fluid, bubble baths and cleaning products can all contribute to skin problems. Avoid wearing nylon, suede, wool or synthetic fibers. It may be helpful to put 1 cup apple cider vinegar in the final rinse of a wash load to neutralize possible irritants. |
| Add 1 pound of baking soda, 1 cup of apple cider vinegar or 2 handfuls of oatmeal tied into a cloth into the bathtub. |
| A folk remedy for either condition is to apply raw potato juice (made from a juicer) to the affected area. |
| If more infants were breast-fed, there would probably |
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