Natural Body Odor Remedies: 4 Ways To Eliminate Body Odor For Good Hygiene

          Whether it’s strong or offensive, body odor is a sensitive issue that is commonly addressed by health and fragrance companies to temporarily quench the stench. Dousing in these chemicals and artificial-scent sprays only shield body odor for a short duration, but they fail to treat the underlying cause of these nose-pinching smells. Luckily, there are natural, fresher, and cleaner approaches to tackle undesirable body odor to treat this embarrassing problem.
In order to practice good hygiene, it’s important to know how body odor often occurs. Insufficient bathing or poor hygiene can lead to an unpleasant odor secreted by the apocrine glands, located in the underarms, genitals, and around the nipples, and the eccrine glands, found in the underarms, hands, and feet, when they interact with skin bacteria. The sebaceous glands, located in the scalp, face, and chest, produce oil, which has a light odor with or without bacteria. “If people have poor hygiene bacteria can build up on the skin and create more than just bad body odor,” Dr. Jennifer Burns, physician at The Bienetre Center in Phoenix, Ariz., told Medical Daily in an email.

        To prevent excessive sweating and body odor, add these four home remedies to your bathroom cabinet to keep your skin clean and dry.

1. Shave Underarms

           A lot of hair under your arms can create a swampy environment for bacteria. Hair is porous, meaning it easily absorbs odors and can even slow the evaporation of sweat. Hair traps odorants, especially when it’s located in your armpits. Burns recommends shaving your underarms to stop body odor so the “bacteria doesn’t get trapped in the hair thus decreasing odor.”

2.  Change Shoes

               A common misconception is body odor comes from the armpits, but one of the foulest odors actually come from your feet. Changing your shoes will allow them to air and prevent the odors from staying concentrated in one area. This cuts down the bacteria that is in the shoe. Burns’ rule of thumb: “Everyone should be switching up their shoes every 500 miles anyway.”

3. Apply Vinegar

                    Vinegar, whether it’s apple cider or white, can help lower the pH level of the skin for an anti-bacteria environment. Dr. Mehmet Oz of The Dr. Oz Show recommends this home remedy because the bacteria cannot thrive in acidity, and the smell will dissipate. It’s best to splash the vinegar under the arms when you get out of the shower, but not immediately after you have shaved your underarms. This is safe for the skin as long as it’s unbroken. It’s best to do a test on a small patch of skin to make sure you do not react badly.

4. Apply Witch Hazel

                  Witch hazel and tea tree oil are natural sterilizers that can be applied on your armpits, since they are natural antiseptics. They lower the skin’s pH, which makes it impossible for bacteria to survive. Directly applying witch hazel on your skin can serve as a regular deodorant. For those who are prone to sweating, Burns suggests “wiping [underarms] down at least 4 times a day.”
These four home remedies for body odor will help eliminate foul smells and leave you feeling healthy, clean, and fresh.

8 Ways to Naturally Shorten Period Length and Relieve Menstrual Pain

A woman's menstrual cycle is a regular part of her life, and depending on the person, a woman's period could last anywhere from three to seven days. Most women hate their periods because of the unpleasantness that come with menstruation such as cramping, back discomfort and headaches.

Because menstruation doesn't always come at a convenient time, it may be necessary to shorten your period for various reasons, like if you're going on vacation or planning a romantic weekend getaway. Luckily, there are several ways to decrease both the length and painful effects of menstruation and PMS.
Regardless of your reasons, if you are looking for ways on how to stop your period early, here are some methods you can use based on your individual need.

Healthy Eating To Shorten Periods

Eat healthy balanced meals everyday, and do not forget to incorporate a lot of fruits and vegetables in your meals. Healthy eating has been known to ease menstrual complications and also help in shortening the days of your period.

Get Plenty of Water

Drinking a lot of water everyday will help shorten your period. Large amounts of water will also reduce bloating and cramps during menstruation. How much to drink daily can be a bit confusing. Here's a little weight based formula to help you to figure out how much water you should be drinking daily.

• Take your current weight and divide by two.
• Take that number and drink that many ounces of water a day.
• So if you weigh 130 pounds you should drink 65 ounces of water a day.

If you exercise for under an hour an extra glass or two of water should do the trick of replenishing fluids lost though sweating, but if you are exercising for over 60 minutes you will need more.
In addition to proper hydration, you should also avoid carbonated drinks and too much caffeine because they can increase cramps during menstruation.

Raspberry Tea

Some women swear by a daily dose of dark raspberry tea as a delightful way to shorten their menstrual period, combat heavy menstrual bleeding, and relieve painful menstrual cramps. Red raspberry leaves are most often consumed in the form of a tea. This tea is an amazing uterine toner due to the presence of an alkaloid that allows the uterus to contract more powerfully and effectively during labor. Less contractions, less straining, and less effort from the muscles, so there’s less cramping. The alkaloids also aid in toning the uterus after birth as it returns back to its usual size.

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Not only is this tea a good uterine tonic, it’s also high in zinc which is known for shortening labor, strengthening connective tissue, preventing nipple cracks, bonding, avoiding post partum depression and preventing inconsolable crying in babies.
Red raspberry leaves also contain an easily assimilated form of calcium which is necessary in controlling nerve response to pain. Women need at least 1,200 mg of calcium every day. Some good sources of calcium include kale, collard greens, broccoli and Greek yogurt.

Chasteberry

Chasteberry, also known as Vitex agnus-castus or “the women’s herb," is a native of the Mediterranean region. This fruit and seed are used as medicine, and it controls a woman's levels of prolactin, one of the hormones that triggers menstruation. Since the time of Hippocrates, it has been used for many period and fertility-related issues including controlling, menstrual cycle irregularities, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and bleeding. Chasteberry can be found in tea form and should be taken 3 times a day for best results.

Other herbs such as chasteberry, that affect your menstrual cycle are yarrow and ginger that can reduce the duration of your period to three days.
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Indulge in Dark Chocolate

If you're craving chocolate it's OK -- give in! Having a piece of dark chocolate (with 60% or higher cacao bean) every day during your period will help soothe cravings. Plus, dark chocolate has helpful antioxidants and is linked to boosting serotonin, which can help improve your mood.

Foods That Are Natural Blood Thinners

Blood thinners usually do not affect how often you get your period, but they can increase the flow of blood and slightly increase the chance of passing clots during your period. Check out all the foods that are amazing natural blood thinners HERE.

Don't Eat Too Much Salt

Though salt is crucial to good health, bloating and water retention can occur if you overdo it. Nutritionists recommend a diet with 2,300 milligrams/day, or roughly one teaspoon. The best way to control salt intake is to avoid processed and fast foods, many of which contain three to four times the salt you should have in one meal.

Masturbation & Sex

Getting an orgasm through masturbation or engaging in sex is an effective way in getting through your periods early. The main reason for this is that the extra contraction that take place in the uterus when a woman orgasms, results in faster shedding of menstrual flow.

Exercise

Women who are physically fit tend to experience shorter and lighter periods. Women who are quite sporty with less body fat may receive shorter periods. Overweight women may experience longer and heavier periods, because menstrual cycle length and the amount of liquid that comes out are partly determined by your weight.

Women who are overweight and have a higher amount of fat in their body that can often cause more difficult and painful, longer and heavier periods.
For this reason, it is important to perform a regular exercise routine, even during menstruation, as it will help increase blood circulation in the body to help reduce menstrual cramps and shorten your

Piles (haemorrhoids) – basics, symptoms and treatment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are the symptoms of piles?

The symptoms of haemorrhoids include:

• Bright red bleeding from the anus. Blood may streak the bowel movement or the toilet paper.
• Tenderness or pain during bowel movements.
• Painful swelling or a lump near the anus.
• Anal itching.
• A mucus anal discharge.

Seek medical advice if:

• You have rectal bleeding for the first time, even if you believe you have haemorrhoids. Colon polyps, colitis, Crohn's disease, and colorectal cancer can also cause rectal bleeding. An accurate diagnosis is essential.
• You have been diagnosed with haemorrhoids, and you have rectal bleeding that is chronic (daily or weekly) or more profuse than just streaking. Though rare, excessive haemorrhoidal bleeding can cause anaemia.

How do I know if I have piles?

First, your doctor will look at the anal area. He or she will likely also insert a lubricated gloved finger and may insert an anoscope (a hollow, lighted tube for viewing the lower few inches of the rectum) or a proctoscope (which works like an anoscope, but provides a more thorough rectal examination) into the back passage.

More procedures may be needed to identify internal haemorrhoids or rule out other conditions that may cause anal bleeding, such as anal fissure, colitis, Crohn's disease, and colorectal cancer.
To see further into the anal canal (into the lower, or sigmoid, colon), sigmoidoscopy may be used, or the entire colon may be viewed with colonoscopy. For both procedures, a lighted, flexible viewing tube is inserted into the rectum. A barium X-ray can show the entire colon's interior. First a barium enema is given and then X-rays are taken of the lower gastrointestinal tract.

What are the treatments for piles?

There are treatments for piles available from pharmacies or through a GP.

Creams, ointments and suppositories can help relieve swelling and inflammation symptoms in the short-term. A GP may recommend corticosteroid cream for severe inflammation.

Warm (but not hot) sitz baths are a traditional therapy for piles: sit in about 8 cm of warm water for 15 minutes, several times a day, especially after a bowel movement.

Painkillers, such as paracetamol, can help relieve pain caused by piles. Products with local anaesthetic may be prescribed to treat painful haemorrhoids.

If you are constipated, a GP may recommend using a laxative.

However, these treatments do not get rid of the haemorrhoids themselves.

If you are pregnant, discuss any treatment, including dietary changes, with your doctor before proceeding.

If symptoms persist, your doctor may suggest one of the following procedures. Many can be performed as a day-case:

Injection or sclerotherapy. An internal haemorrhoid can be injected with a solution that creates a scar and closes off the haemorrhoid. The injection will only hurt a little.

Banding. Prolapsed haemorrhoids are often removed using rubber-band ligation. A special tool secures a tiny rubber band around the haemorrhoid, shutting off its blood supply almost instantly. Within a week, the haemorrhoid shrivels and falls off.

Coagulation or cauterisation. Using either an electric probe, a laser beam, or an infrared light, a tiny burn painlessly seals the end of the haemorrhoid, causing it to close off and shrink. This is most useful for prolapsed haemorrhoids.

Surgery. For large internal haemorrhoids or extremely uncomfortable external haemorrhoids (such as thrombosed haemorrhoids that are too painful to live with), your doctor may choose traditional surgery, called haemorrhoidectomy.
The success rate for haemorrhoid removal approaches 95%, but unless dietary and lifestyle changes are made, haemorrhoids may recur.

Piles (haemorrhoids) – basics, symptoms and treatment

What are haemorrhoids?

Haemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels in or around the anus and rectum. The haemorrhoidal veins are located in the lowest part of the rectum and the anus. Sometimes they swell so that the vein walls become stretched, thin, and irritated by passing bowel movements. Haemorrhoids are classified into two general categories: internal and external.
 

Internal haemorrhoids lie far enough inside the rectum that you can't see or feel them. They don't usually hurt because there are few pain-sensing nerves in the rectum. Bleeding may be the only sign that they are there. Sometimes internal haemorrhoids prolapse, or enlarge and protrude outside the anal sphincter. If so, you may be able to see or feel them as moist, pink pads of skin that are pinker than the surrounding area. Prolapsed haemorrhoids may hurt because they become irritated by rubbing from clothing and sitting. They usually recede into the rectum on their own; if they don't, they can be gently pushed back into place.

External haemorrhoids lie within the anus and are often uncomfortable. If an external haemorrhoid prolapses to the outside (usually in the course of passing a stool), you can see and feel it. Blood clots sometimes form within prolapsed external haemorrhoids, causing an extremely painful condition called a thrombosis. If an external haemorrhoid becomes thrombosed, it can look rather frightening, turning purple or blue, and could possibly bleed. Despite their appearance, thrombosed haemorrhoids are usually not serious and will resolve themselves in about a week. If the pain is unbearable, the thrombosed haemorrhoid can be removed with surgery, which stops the pain.
Anal bleeding and pain of any sort is alarming and should be evaluated; it can indicate a life-threatening condition, such as colorectal cancer. Haemorrhoids are the main cause of anal bleeding and are rarely dangerous, but a definite diagnosis from your doctor is essential.

What causes haemorrhoids?

Anyone at any age can be affected by haemorrhoids. They are very common, with about 50% of people experiencing them at some time in their life. However, they are usually more common in elderly people and during pregnancy. Researchers are not certain what causes haemorrhoids. "Weak" veins - leading to haemorrhoids and other varicose veins - may be inherited.
It's likely that extreme abdominal pressure causes the veins to swell and become susceptible to irritation. The pressure can be caused by obesity, pregnancy, standing or sitting for long periods, straining on the toilet, coughing, sneezing, vomiting, and holding your breath while straining to do physical labour.
Diet has a pivotal role in causing - and preventing - haemorrhoids. People who consistently eat a high- fibre diet are less likely to get haemorrhoids, but those who prefer a diet high in processed foods are at greater risk of haemorrhoids. A low-fibre diet or inadequate fluid intake can cause constipation, which can contribute to haemorrhoids in two ways: it promotes straining on the toilet and it also aggravates the haemorrhoids by producing hard stools that further irritate the swollen veins.

10 Key Questions About Migraines

What Is a
Migraine?

Migraine is a type of headache that is often localized in a certain area of the head and is sometimes accompanied by a pronounced sensitivity to light and sound. Other common migraine symptoms include nausea and vomiting. Migraines are usually gradual in onset, progressively more painful and then undergo a gradual resolution. When migraines are mild to moderate, they are usually described as being dull, deep and steady. When severe, migraines are throbbing or pulsating.

Some migraines are worsened by head motion, sneezing, straining or physical exertion. Since many patients also become sensitive to light and sound, some migraine sufferers will lie down in a darkened and quiet room to relieve symptoms.

More common in women than in men, migraine is a chronic condition, and migraine headaches may occur infrequently or as often as several times a week. Although migraines can begin at any time, the most common time is in the early morning. While migraines can begin during sleep, this is uncommon and must be evaluated to rule out other conditions.

The onset of migraine usually occurs between the ages of 5 and 35. It is treatable but not curable, and it is not considered a life-threatening condition, though rarely a severe migraine may cause a stroke. However, if the headaches are severe and frequent, migraine can have a debilitating impact on a person’s life.

What Are the Symptoms and Types of Migraine?
Depending on the symptoms, most migraine headaches are categorized as “migraine with aura” (previously called classic migraine) or “migraine without aura” (previously called common migraine).

Migraine with aura begins with certain neurologic symptoms, the most common of which are visual disturbances. The typical visual aura presents as a flickering jagged (or zigzag) line, usually at the side of the visual field. The next symptom in frequency is numbness and tingling of the lips, lower face and fingers of one hand. Some patients experience temporary paralysis on one side of the body. Auras rarely last longer than an hour and are followed by a headache 93 percent of the time.

Migraine without aura has been called common migraine because it has a greater incidence in the population (accounting for 80 percent of cases) and is not preceded by an aura. It may be preceded by mood changes, fatigue, mental fuzziness and fluid retention. In common migraine, the patient also may have diarrhea, increased urination, nausea and vomiting. The common migraine can persist three or four days, depending on treatment.

Either type of migraine may also be accompanied by nasal congestion, runny nose, tearing, and/or sinus pain or pressure. This has sometimes led to the mistaken diagnosis of “sinus headache.” True sinus headache is typically associated with an acute sinus infection, and symptoms often also include fever and thick mucous discharge.

Are There Different Forms of Migraine?
Besides the categories of migraine with or without aura, migraines also occur in other forms, such as:

• Hemiplegic migraine: Marked by temporary paralysis on one side of the body (hemiplegia), impaired vision and vertigo
• Ophthalmologic migraine: The pain of this rare type of headache is localized around the eye; the headache may be accompanied by a droopy eyelid and vision problems. It is now thought that this may not actually be migraine, but another neurologic condition entirely
• Basilar artery migraine: Occurs mostly in adolescent and young women. It results from a spasm to the basilar artery, a major blood vessel at the base of the brain. Symptoms can include vertigo, impaired vision, poor motor coordination, difficulty speaking or hearing, and altered consciousness.
• Benign exertional headache: A type of vascular headache triggered by physical exertion, such as running, bending and lifting, or even coughing or sneezing. This headache rarely lasts more than several minutes.
• Status migrainosus: A rare, sustained and extremely severe type of migraine with pain and nausea so intense that the person may have to be hospitalized.
• Headache-free migraine: A condition characterized by migraine symptoms, such as visual impairment, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, but no headache.

How Do Other Types of Headaches Differ from Migraine?
Although other types of headaches share some symptoms with migraines, they also come with distinctive symptoms of their own. Other common headache types include:

Tension headache: Chronic headache that is associated with stress or fatigue; physical ailments such as arthritis; or psychological distress or depression. Tension headaches may be precipitated by poor posture, eyestrain, abnormalities of muscles or bones in the neck, misaligned teeth or jawbones, or unusual noise or light conditions.

A pattern of chronic tension headaches may set in between the ages of 20 and 40; women have a greater incidence of tension headache than men. Symptoms include muscle tightness in the head and neck, especially in the temple and forehead areas; pressure sometimes described as feeling like a band or vise around the head; and continuous but not throbbing pain.

Cluster headache: A type of vascular headache that sometimes occurs in a cluster of up to four separate attacks a day and has been associated with an increased level of histamine in the blood. Cluster headaches, which usually come on quite suddenly on one side of the head, are thought be the most severe and intense headaches. Patients describe excruciating, stabbing pain, often around one eye, as well as tearing from that eye and a runny nose on the affected side. These headaches can last less than an hour or for several hours or more, and they often stop as quickly as they started. The onset of cluster headaches is usually between the ages of 20 and 45 and may be linked to smoking and alcohol use; more men than women suffer from cluster headache.

What Are the Risk Factors for Migraine?
The propensity to get migraine headaches may be genetic. Research is underway to identify the genes involved in migraine headaches that run in families. Essentially, if members of your immediate family (mother, father and siblings) suffer from migraine, you are at risk too.
Migraine headaches may be precipitated by a variety of factors called “triggers”:

• Hunger (missed meals)
• Drinking alcohol (especially red wine)
• Eating foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), or that are high in caffeine (coffee, tea, colas) or nitrates and nitrites (preserved meats), or contain tyramine (aged cheeses)
• Menstruation or oral contraception use
• Getting too little or too much sleep
• Stress in your work and personal life
• Factors in the environment, such as glaring lights, strong smells, weather changes or high altitude

Do Other Medical Conditions Increase Your Migraine Risk?
Though many people who have migraines also have co-existing health issues, it has not been established that having other conditions causes migraines. Nor has it been established that having migraines leads to other medical problems.
Two conditions found to exist in a high proportion of people who have migraines are depression and anxiety, though the reason for this is unclear. Doctors have also observed that in people who have cardiovascular disease, there is a slightly increased incidence of migraine. Also, many people who have conditions with nasal and sinus inflammation appear to have migraines as well.

Certain medical events may also put a person at risk for migraine, among them are trauma to the brain from head or neck injury, and infections or hemorrhages in the brain. In addition, certain medications can begin a headache pattern that can become migraine-like in nature.

How Is Migraine Diagnosed?
Migraine can generally be diagnosed from its clear-cut symptoms, which usually fall into a recognizable pattern. A patient with suspected migraine will be asked how often the headaches occur, where the pain is localized, how long the headaches last and related questions. The physician also will take a full medical history, including information about any past head injury, eye strain, sinus condition, and dental or jaw problems.

The physician may order exams and blood work to exclude other possible causes for the headache pain. It is usually not necessary to do X-ray or other scans of the brain. This would be recommended in certain situations such as unexplained onset at a later age, an unexplained finding on neurologic exam or features that are atypical for migraine. Patients with sudden onset of extremely severe headache must be immediately scanned to rule out the possibility of an aneurysm. Other signals for scanning are rapidly increasing frequency of headache or persistent headache unresponsive to treatment.

What Medications Are Used to Treat Migraine?
Migraine drugs fall generally into two categories. Those for acute migraine headaches are considered abortive treatments because they interrupt an attack or episode of migraine headache and are given once the symptoms of a migraine have appeared. The second category is preventive medications, which are taken regularly to keep headaches from occurring.
Abortive medications:

• OTC medications: These include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen. Some of these products are combined with aspirin and caffeine.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and other analgesics including narcotics and non-narcotics.
• Serotonin agonists: (sumatriptan [Imitrex], zolmitriptan [Zomig], naratriptan [Amerge], rizatriptan [Maxalt]), almotriptan [Axert], eletriptan [Relpex] and frovatriptan [Frova]). Treximet is a combination pill containing both sumatriptan and naproxen. The '”triptan” medications cause vasoconstriction and are therefore contraindicated in people who have uncontrolled high blood pressure, angina pectoris (chest pain due to clogged arteries), heart attack, stroke or basilar migraine.
• Vasoconstrictors: (ergotamine [Migranal], Cafergot [ergotamine/caffeine]): Useful in the painful dilation stage of a migraine.

Preventive medications:
The daily preventive medications prescribed for migraine headache include:

• Tricyclic antidepressants (such as amitriptyline)
• Beta blockers (propranolol or timolol)
• Calcium channel blockers (verapamil)
• Anti-convulsants (Depakote, also known as divalproex sodium; Topamax, or topiramate; Neurontin, or gabapentin)
• Alternative treatments (vitamin B2, magnesium)
• Vasodilators (methysergide maleate, or Sansert)
• Hormone therapy (for women with menstrual migraine)

Are There Non-Drug Treatments for Migraine?
Doctors recommend behavioral measures both to prevent and treat migraines: one is to stay away from avoidable triggers, such as alcohol or certain foods.
Behavioral treatments can also help prevent stress-related migraine. These treatments include:

• Relaxation training: including thermal and electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback techniques that help patients develop a degree of voluntary control over their blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, muscle tension, brain waves and body temperature
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (stress management)
• Regular exercise: such as swimming or walking, which can reduce stress and the frequency and severity of migraines.

5 natural cures for eczema

There are all sorts of eczema treatments, some people are told simply not to scratch and many have been given steroid creams. But have you found that after you finish the course of medication, it just keeps coming back? Rather than dampen the symptoms, this article discusses 5 simple steps you can take to get to the root of the problem and beat eczema forever.

I've had eczema since I was a child and have tried everything including homeopathy and herbal medicine as well as more conventional treatments. I was told that I would probably grow out of it but unfortunately I was still itching into my 20s. None of the treatments I was given worked, they either gave temporary relief or made it worse. After years of trying, I decided to take a little look at what was in the emollient given to me by my doctor and I found some surprising results. It mostly consisted of parabens (which can be an irritant in some people) but the wost ingredient was sodium laurel sulphate, an ester of sulphuric acid that dries up the natural oils on your skin and can cause skin corrosion and severe irritation. The thing they were prescribing me was creating the problem and it is in most soaps and moisturisers. Crazy right? So why do cosmetic companies use it? Well, It started off as an efficient detergent for garage floors and it's incredibly cheap. It does so much more but one of its finest qualities is mimicking estrogen (EEK!) to read more about SLS click here. 
This article will discuss tackling the causes of eczema as well as how to treat it.

1. Change your shampoo and soaps: Look at the ingredients labels

Get rid of anything that has SLS in it, you are not a garage floor! This means you need to look at your shampoos, conditioners, hand soaps, shower gels, moisturisers. Anything and everything that comes into contact with your skin should come under scrutiny. My motto is, "Don't put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth." Try to avoid parabens and other synthetic substances that could be irritants as well, the Ecologist have a great list of beauty baddies on their website.
Go for the products that pride themselves on being organic but keep looking at the ingredients labels as they are not always 100% natural. The rule to go by is if you don't recognise what's in it, don't buy it. A personal favourite of mine is a company called Raw Gaia, the world's first range of living organic skin care products and raw organic beauty products . When you use their delicious smelling creams it really feels like you are nourishing your skin.

2. Moisturise naturally as much as possible: Aloe vera, cocoa butter, almond oil benefits

This is the piece of advice I really agree with the doctors on. Every time you think of it, like right now, get the moisturiser out. Eczema is usually caused by dry skin (but you should check with your doctor in case it is an infection) so it makes sense to give it tonnes of moisture but just make sure it's the right kind. I find that using 100% pure products was the only thing that didn't irritate or block my pores.
Cocoa butter is great for your skin because Vitamins E among others is naturally found within it. If it is cold pressed, the vitamins will be more prevalent. It also makes your skin beautifully soft and smells like a dream! It's best to buy it in its most pure form as this guarantees there will be no parabens mixed in but it's also so much cheaper than shop bought brands. It keeps forever so there is never any need to put artifical preservatives in it anyway.
Sweet almond carrier oil is also vitamin rich. It contains contains the plant-derived compounds ursolic acid and oleic acid which are known to have anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects. Try massaging it all over your body an hour before having a bath to prevent dryness.
Aloe vera is used for treating burns and has even shown to be effective at healing wounds. It has been amazing at treating my eczema with overnight results but when I told a friend this she said it always gave her a rash. It turned out she had been using a cream with all sorts of other ingredients in it because harvested aloe juice needs preservatives. The best way to get around this is to just buy a plant from your local garden centre and cut off a leaf and keep it in your fridge to use as and when you need it. This is a really cheap way of moisturising but it also means you can get the full benefits of the aloe plant by drinking it as a juice too.

3. Dietary supplements that might help eczema

You should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a balanced diet but it's sometimes useful to have an extra boost. It is always best to consult a nutritionist before taking supplements. In some cases, eczema can be caused by a fatty acid defficiency. Fatty acids can reduce inflammation and relieve dryness, and can also help to heal eczema, therefore, it is worth taking a fatty acid supplement that contains Omega 3, 6 and 9.  Antioxidant vitamins C, E and D might also be good for treating eczema. This is because antioxidants can improve the skin's texture, collagen production, protect from free radicals and help with essential fatty acid metabolism. 

4. Look at what you eat to beat eczema: Cows milk alternatives

Cows milk is the most common dietary trigger for eczema. Drinking cows milk may not be the thing causing your eczema but it is worth cutting it out for a couple of weeks just to see if it makes a difference to you. When you cut out a certain type of food it is important that you replace it with something. In terms of alternatives to cows milk, it really depends on your preference, almond and hazelnut milks are my favourites but others in my family love oat and rice milk. Goats, sheeps and buffalo milk are delicious creamy alternatives and also create amazing cheeses but if you are particularly sensitive, after the two weeks, it might be worth cutting these out too.
It is also possible that you could be sensitive to other foods like soya, gluten, citrus fruits or nuts so if you've tried all of the steps and they still aren't working it might be good to consult a dietician or allergy specialist.

5. Change your washing detergent and wear natural fibres 

It sounds so simple but we often forget that clothes are the thing that come into contact with our skin the most. I often found that my eczema got a lot worse as I started wearing more clothes when the cold weather set in. If you think about it, even though most of the detergent gets washed out every time you wash your clothes, they always come out the machine with a fresh clean smell so it must be leaving some sort of residue. There have been many eczema arguments against biological washing powder because the enzymes used to eat the dirt could also eat your skin but nothing has been proved. I would just say that natural is best because even after I got rid of the biological washing powder, there were still some that chafed no end! My favourite is the Simply pure range because it doesn't use harmful substances (to you or the fishes in the sea) and it leaves your clothes smelling delightful, it is also recommended by the national eczema society.
In terms of wearing more natural fibres, rather than getting a whole new wardrobe just change what you buy in future. It's a case of exchanging scratchy fibers for softer ones like bamboo, cotton or silk (look out for top quality pieces second hand at jumble sales or charity shops). If you decide to start buying organic fibres, it benefits not just your skin but the environment and the farmers too.

The Perfect Hair Care Routine for Every Hair Type

The Perfect Hair Care Routine for Every Hair Type

Healthy Hair

Whether it’s winter, fall, spring or summer, a consistent daily hair care routine for your hair type is always a must. Your hair is an extension of you, and your hair care routine should be specific to your hair type. Is your hair straight, wavy, curly, or coily? Madison Reed has the right regimen for you.

Hair type: Straight


Straight hair falls smoothly, and has a glossy consistency since the natural oils from the scalp easily work their way to the bottom. Straight hair doesn’t need much conditioning since it’s typically soft and smooth. But that doesn’t mean you can’t suffer from common problems like flatness at the top (since volume isn’t typically there), and your hair getting greasy more quickly.

Clean: Comb your hair with a small-tooth comb daily to distribute the sebum to the ends of the shafts. Wash your hair every other day to ensure that

Care: Deep condition your hair once a month to keep your hair soft and supple.

Style: When your hair gets flat, try teasing your hair at the crown and adding in hair spray. Use a blow dryer to dry it, and then repeat steps until you get ultimate volume. Also try blow drying your hair upside-down with a round brush.

Hair type: Wavy

Wavy hair has s-shaped curls down its length, it’s the perfect blend between straight and curly. Sometimes the hair can appear straight with slight bends towards the ends of the hair, or it can have consistent waves throughout the shaft. This hair has ultimate flexibility, and is easy to straighten, keep wavy, and curl. However, sometimes it can get greasy on the top and dry at the bottom, and is much more prone to frizz than other types.

Clean: Wash your hair two to three times a week, and use dry shampoo for in-between days.

Care: Use a deep conditioner twice a month to keep your hair soft. You can also use a dime-sized amount of leave-in conditioner or a couple of drops of argan oil to keep your hair from frizzing during the day.

Style: Since wavy hair has many choices, you can choose whether you want to straighten it, leave it wavy or curl your hair more. We suggest keeping it natural and spritzing some texturizing or salt spray to give you a beachy look.

Hair type: Curly


Curly hair is bouncy, playful, and full of volume. The strand thickness can range from fine to coarse but is most often fine. The greatest challenges for curly hair types are frizz, lack of curl definition, shrinkage, and dryness.

Clean: Wash your hair just once or twice a week. Shampoo can strip the moisture out of curly hair more quickly, so make sure to apply some leave-in conditioner or argan oil.

Care: Use a deep conditioning treatment once a week (before the day you wash your hair) to keep your hair silky and smooth, and your curls bouncy.

Style: Use a heat protection spray before you run your hair through a diffuser, and spend some time styling the individual curls. If your hair gets frizzy, take a spray bottle and spray your strands again to give the curl a chance to re-form.

Hair type: Coily

Coily hair has the tightest curls ranging from fine to coarse, with s-shaped and z-shaped curls. It is the most fragile of hair types. This type of hair is filled with texture, so you won’t have to worry about your hair slipping out of a braid or style. A common problem with coily hair is that it is dry and fragile, but that doesn’t mean it can’t look beautiful.

Clean: Wash your hair just once a week with a cleansing conditioner.

Care: Seal your hair with heavy oils and coating butters (like shea butter), right after the shower, and put it through a pre-treatment with a hot oil treatment to make it easy to wash.

Style: You can wear it natural, braid it, or put it up in a bun. You decide. If you want to give yourself a voluminous fro, use a diffuser to dry it 50% of the way, then let it naturally air dry. The less heat you use on coily hair, the better.
And there you have it! Four hair types and four hair care routines to go with them. Add these extra universal rules of thumb to help your hair stay its most healthy and beautiful:

• Always use heat protectant before styling.
• Investing in a silk pillow to prevent breakage.
• Eat healthy foods and drink water to help new hair grow beautifully.

What’s your hair care routine? Let us know in the comments below.
Get personalized recommendations by building your Hair Profile or calling the Color Crew, our team of certified colorists and professional stylists. They love listening to your hair history and tailoring suggestions to suit your hair and style. At Madison Reed, we love to help people look and feel their very best!