Is that a blush on Bill Clinton's face
or is it rosacea? Here's another piece of info I heard about him (as if we
need another one). In addition to his current problems, he has also had a
battle with rosacea. No, that is not the name of another woman, it is a
skin condition.
Don't ask me!!! I have no inside
information about Clinton's medical history or his sex life :-)
ROSY CHEEKS
"Rosacea is often mistaken for acne
because it is very similar and, like acne, it is associated with excessive
oiliness" says Dr. Valerie Ann Worwood in her book entitled The Complete
Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy. I would add that a pH
imbalance could also be suspect in rosacea conditions.
Dr. Worwood goes on to state that
this condition seldom affects anyone under thirty and... "Usually, the nose
and cheeks are the worst affected areas, and these become flushed red in
appearance as spots (pustules) and lumps cover the skin." She recommends
essential oil treatments in two stages which she outlines in her book
(see above).
HOME REMEDIES
Apple cider vinegar has produced
impressive results clearing rosacea. This easy solution can be applied
straight or diluted with water and is effective for balancing the pH of
the skin. You could improve on this remedy by adding onion juice and/or
garlic juice to the apple cider vinegar. You could further improve it by
infusing the apple cider vinegar with witch hazel (Hamamelis
virginiana).
Start by using a diluted solution,
two parts apple cider vinegar to one part water (distilled or filtered).
If needed, go on to use it undiluted. And if needed, use two parts apple
cider vinegar to one part onion and/or garlic juice. To infuse the vinegar
with witch hazel, put fresh or dried herb leaves in a glass bottle, pour
in the apple cider vinegar, seal with a cork, shake the bottle, and place
it in a sunny window for two weeks. Give the bottle a gentle shake every
day or two. Onion and garlic juice can then be added to this infusion
or it can be used as is.
WHAT ABOUT FOODS?
That's a touchy subject, but there is
a good basic place to start when considering foods. On a scale from "best
for you" to "sinful," I'll start at the top with "best for you."
Whole grains -- This includes brown
rice (if you make no other changes, at least switch to brown rice), whole
wheat, and other unmilled grains like oats and millet.
Fresh vegetables -- Picked fresh
from your own garden is optimal and organically grown is best. Next best
is fresh from a good produce market. Frozen is next and canned is at the
bottom of the scale in this category. Ooops! Almost forgot to mention
sea vegetation. Very good for you if you can master it.
Fresh herbs -- Again, picked fresh
from your own garden is optimal and organically grown is best. Next best
is fresh or dried from a reliable source.
Pure water -- Choose a source as
close to pure as possible.
We could stop here and we would all
be healthier, but realistically very few of us will limit ourselves to
whole grains, vegetables, herbs, and water so we will continue...
Dried legumes -- Beans, peas, and
nuts of all kinds round out the protein for lacto-ovo vegans (vegetarians
who eat no dairy products or eggs). What? Did you mistakenly think there
was no protein content in the foods mentioned before now? Grains and
vegetables do contain protein and adding legumes rounds out the amino
acids (protein).
Fresh fruits -- Again, picked
fresh from your own garden is optimal and organically grown is best.
And again, next best is fresh from a good produce market. Next is frozen
and canned is at the bottom of the scale. Why didn't I mention this
category earlier? It is usually mentioned like this... "fruits and
vegetables." I put it at this level on this scale because the sugar
content in most fruit is fairly high and excessive sugars should be
avoided especially in conditions like rosacea and acne.
This would be another good
stopping place, but I bet most of us are not willing to stop here
either, so we continue...
Oils & vinegars -- Yes, these fit
on the scale at about this point if they are processed properly.
Fresh seafood -- Fresh fish caught
in unpolluted waters is best. Next best is fresh shellfish. Then comes
frozen, and canned is ... you guessed it ... at the bottom of the scale.
I once was told that being vegetarian included eating fish, to which I
responded, "where might I find fish growing out of the ground?"
Teehee!
Dairy -- Milk, butter, cheese,
and any product made with these items falls in this category. Dairy
products come exclusively from the mammary glands of mammals like cows
and goats. Eggs are not a dairy item.
Poultry -- This includes chicken,
turkey, duck, etc. (and their eggs). By now you can guess what the optimal
would be. One of my dreams is to be able to raise yard chickens again
someday.
Meats -- Beef, pork, and other
animals usually referred to as "red meat."
Processed foods are near the
bottom of the scale. Sugar falls into this category as does honey.
Of course, honey is a much better choice and a healthy food when not
used in excess. White flour and junk foods are in this category, too.
From here we slide into the "sinful" stuff.
DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO
OK! I confess! I do not eat like this
all the time. I had some birthday cake with my family yesterday and two
donuts for breakfast one day last week. So shoot me!
Life can not be full of vinegar
only (no pun intended). Everything in moderation. The soul must be fed,
too! What I mean by that is, beating up on ourselves because we occasionally
indulge is self-abusive. That food scale is intended to give us an idea where
to start when planning meals. It is not intended to imprison us.
CLEANING FROM THE INSIDE OUT
When trying to clear up a skin
condition, we may not be successful with the Band-Aid approach alone.
Sometimes we need to think about correcting the malady from the inside
out. That is why we may see better, longer-lasting results when we correct
our eating habits.
With rosacea, acne, eczema, psoriasis,
and other skin conditions, diet could be a key factor. Other substances
that merit a mention are alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, sodas, and stimulants
of any kind. If we pay close attention, we will see that flare-ups usually
follow the consumption of what's known as a "trigger" substance.
OFF THE SUBJECT
Please accept my apology for veering
off of herbs while discussing rosacea, but I need to add one more dietary
suggestion. Supplement your diet with extra vitamin A (beta-carotene is
preferred) and vitamin C (rosehips are preferred) and garlic when battling
rosacea, acne, or other skin problems.
ON THE SUBJECT
Any herbs that are recommended as
having diuretic, liver cleansing, or blood cleansing properties can be
included as an internal remedy for skin conditions of all types. Try
using our new web site search engine to locate herbs with these
properties.
A simple infusion or decoction of
the following herbs can be used as a wash on affected skin. These are
also called "herb waters." I like to fill a spray bottle with the
appropriate herb water and spray my skin throughout the day. Keep
in mind that these herb waters will deteriorate in time and need to
be stored in the refrigerator if you are not using them up fast enough.
Make smaller amounts in that case and use 'em up.
For oily skin (Rosacea & Acne)
use one of these herb waters: Anise, caraway, dandelion, fennel, lavender,
lemongrass, rose, or witch hazel. Drink dandelion, fennel, and lemongrass
tea.
For dry skin (Eczema & Psoriasis)
use one of these herb waters: Chamomile, comfrey, cowslip, elder, mint,
parsley, primrose, violet, or yarrow. Drink elder, violet, and yarrow
tea.
CLEAR DAYS AHEAD
Be patient and maintain a calm
attitude while waiting for results. You've heard me say this before,
herbs are not like harsh drugs, they sometimes take a little longer
to work. Being anxious or upset about your skin will only aggravate
the problem. Your clear days ARE coming.
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