Baths can have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits and can be super helpful for managing your kiddo’s skin symptoms, like the itch.
Here are some of my favs:
👉🏻Apple cider vinegar can balance skin pH levels and manage infection and inflammation. Dilute 1/4 to 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar in warm bath water. Soak for 10-20 minutes.
👉🏻Epsom salt may help decrease itching, inflammation, and redness and assist with detoxification. Use 2 cups for a full bath, 1 cup for a half bath, and 1/8 cup for a baby bath. Dissolve in warm bath water. Soak for 10-20 minutes.
👉🏻Baking soda may help prevent eczema flare-ups, reduce symptoms, draw impurities and toxins out of the skin, and boost immunity. However, it’s also alkaline, so it may strip the skin of its protective natural oils and disrupt the skin flora, especially if overused. 1/8 to 1/4 cup of baking soda. Dissolve in warm bath water. Soak for 10-20 minutes.
👉🏻Colloidal oatmeal can have potent anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, and antioxidant benefits for the skin. Grind 1 cup gluten-free oats for a full bath and 1/3 cup for a baby bath (use a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder). When the oatmeal dissolves by putting a small amount in a glass of warm water, you’re ready to add the oats to a bath. Add oats until the water is milky in color. Soak for 10-15 minutes.
👉🏻Rice starch has antioxidant properties and may reduce skin irritation, improve and repair the skin barrier, promote healing, and balance sebum production. Add 2 heaping Tbsp of rice starch to a baby bath, 4 heaping Tbsp to a medium bath, or 7 heaping Tbsp to a normal-sized bath. The water should look milky in color. Soak for 10-15 minutes.
👉🏻Dead sea salt. Dissolve Dead Sea Salts into warm bath water: 2 cups for a full bath, 1 cup for 1/2 a bath, and 1/8 cup for a baby bath. Soak for 20 minutes.
👉🏻Plain water versus bleach baths. A safe dilution of bleach in bathwater isn’t potent enough to kill S. aureus on the skin. If bleach baths have helped your child, it might actually be due to the water and not the bleach. Do not increase a bleach bath dilution; it can damage the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs and even cause permanent damage to these delicate tissues.
*Always read labels to make sure it’s safe for your child. Using food-based ingredients on the skin can increase the risk of developing food allergies. If your child is already eating the foods and tolerates them, there’s less of a concern. If your child hasn’t eaten those foods yet or has allergies to them, avoid use on the skin.
What baths help your kid get some relief? LMK👇🏼
Olive oil for dry, rashy skin? Hard pass.
Have you used olive oil on your skin?
Hi, I'm Jennifer and I USED to use olive oil on my skin.
It's a healthy fat, right? Yep!
It's in a ton of products we use on our skin, right? Yep!
So, olive oil is made up mostly of oleic acid, which is a fatty acid. And, topical use of olive oil does have some beneficial effects on wound healing.
But long-term use of oleic acid has negative effects on the integrity of the skin’s outermost layer (the stratum corneum), and on skin barrier function.
It also increased moisture loss from the skin in people with and without eczema.
If you’re struggling with rashes, you may want to steer clear of olive oil and products that contain it.
PS. this is not the same as eating it, it’s a healthy fat and absolutely can be included in a whole, real foods diet for people with rashes.
And now you know!
This was mindblowing for me when I learned it.
What do you think?
Resources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22995032/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12113324/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796020/
What it's like working with me
Wondering what it's like teaming up with me on this journey to help your kiddo? 🌈
❤️ You've got backup: We totally get the struggle of seeing your little one dealing with their chronic skin rashes. It's like a constant battle, right? We know the drill – the frustration, the worry, and the endless cycle of trying everything under the sun. It's a maze, and you're not alone in feeling overwhelmed. But here, you've got support. No more guessing games with your kid's skin – we're here to guide you through.
❤️ Keep the hope alive: After what feels like forever in the trenches, it's kind of hard to believe relief is on the horizon. We'll dig deep, find the root causes, and set you on a path to real healing. A day when your family isn't all about your kiddo's skin is just around the corner.
❤️ This is your safe space: Watching your kiddo go through chronic skin struggles is tough. It's an emotional rollercoaster, and sometimes you might feel like you've lost control. But guess what? You've stumbled upon a safe haven right here. Ask away and share your worries – we're here to genuinely listen.
❤️ You're not flying solo: We're a bunch of parents, caregivers, and families all on similar healing journeys with our little ones. We get it. We're committed to helping your kiddo not just get by but thrive. You're not alone – we've got your back, and we're holding your hand every step of the way.
Ready to kickstart this journey?
For private support and guidance, BOOK NOW! Let’s talk about the best next steps for your child to heal their skin!
If you’re more of a DIY enthusiast, join Conquer Your Child’s Rashesᵀᴹ (CYCRᵀᴹ) Online:
👉Ongoing access to my full step-by-step process to heal your child’s skin
👉The option to access a private community membership for ongoing support and to take advantage of Live Monthly Q&A coaching events
👉The ability to get a personalized plan for your child based on their comprehensive digestive stool test results and unique health history, and a private session to walk you through it all!
With CYCRᵀᴹ Online, you can start your child’s journey to healthy skin literally right now!
Colic
Does your baby have colic?
Colic is often associated with eczema.
Colic is an indication of gut inflammation and dysbiosis (imbalanced gut bacteria and other gut problems).
Colicky little ones may have fewer Bifidobacilli (a strain of good gut bugs) in their guts.
This isn't a coincidence if your little one is colicky and has skin rashes. Gut health is intimately tied to skin health. If your little one is colicky and doesn't have skin rashes, they may be at greater risk for developing them.
Colic is also a sign of possible food allergies and sensitivities.
Colic can be associated with reflux.
Here's what you need to know about reflux:
Reflux (and colic) can be a sign of pre-existing gut problems.
Reflux medications (acid reducers and acid blockers) aren’t an ideal solution.
They are associated with nutrient depletion and the development of osteoporosis, depression, and deficiencies of vitamin B12, and a variety of minerals.
Acid suppressors can cause SIBO, IBS, an increased risk of gut pathogens, and other gut problems.
Reflux can be due to low stomach, not high. Lowering acid levels further with meds makes the problem worse.
These medications do not resolve the root cause of the problem.
Step #1 to addressing colic or reflux in your baby shouldn't be meds. While I do not recommend elimination diets, if there is reflux, it makes sense to explore commonly triggering foods and try removing them from baby's diet, and yours if breastfeeding to see if it helps:
Gluten
Dairy
Caffeine
Alcohol
Chocolate
Garlic
Onions
Mint
Spicy foods
Fried foods
Fatty foods
Citrus
Tomato-based products
Highly processed foods
Junk food
Carbonated beverages, including fizzy water
A diet of whole, real foods, rich in plant foods and high in fiber, often can resolve the problem.
Stop the eliminations if you’ve removed foods for 2-3 weeks and there’s no real improvement. Food isn’t the problem.
If that’s the case… Step #2 is exploring what's happening INSIDE the gut (GI Map comprehensive digestive stool testing is my go-to for this) and resolving those microbiome imbalances!
References
https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/84/4/349.full.pdf
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/1175207
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30177353
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30177353
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377897/