NOVEMBER 2012 - Skin Diseases by Lesley Parker

The skin is the body’s largest organ.  It consists of three layers:

1) epidermis (outer layer) 

2) dermis (middle layer) 

3) subcutaneous layer (inner layer). 

The skin acts as a shield between the body and the millions of foreign substances that exist in our environment.  It also functions as a means of excreting toxins and other substances from  the body, as do the kidneys and bowels.  As a result, the skin is subject to the development of various bumps and blisters, as well as to changes in colour, cracking, dryness, flaking, itching, redness, roughness, scaling, thickening and a host of other problems. 

There are many reasons for skin reactions.  Some of the most common include allergies to moulds, chemicals and cosmetics as well as insect bites, exposure to plants, fungi, sun and wind, detergents, jewellery and fragrances.  Food and other ingested matter plus nervous tension can cause a skin reaction from the inside as do medical drugs, alcohol, and any substance that your body cannot breakdown efficiently and dispose of via the bowel or urine.  A common one is the white wheaten flour that contains the gluten protein and the many chemicals used in manufacture.  The intolerance to this food will often be represented as red itchy rash somewhere on the body.

A rash should not be taken lightly. It can be an indication of an underlying illness and may be valuable as an early warning sign.  Skin eruptions may be diagnosed as any of the following: acne, age spots, athlete’s foot, bedsores, boil, bruising, burns, canker sores, chicken pox, cold sores, corns, calluses, dandruff, dermatitis, dry skin, eczema, fungal infection (Candida), hives, herpes, insect bite, leg ulcers, Lyme disease, mononucleosis,  oily skin, psoriasis, ringworm, Rosacea, scabies, sebaceous cyst, seborrhoea, shingles, skin cancer, skin rash, sunburn, Vitiligo.  Some of these diagnoses may be easily corrected with diet and/or supplements providing concentrated nutrition.

For example, dry skin is usually an indication of a lack of essential fatty acids (omega 3.6.9) in the diet and supplements containing fish oil, evening primrose oil and flax seed oils will provide the nutrition to restore health to the skin.  This nutrition is also essential for the healthy turnover of cells in every part of the body and so to the health of the whole body.

Topical treatments. If the irritant is from outside the body, the treatment for skin disorders is to eliminate the irritation.  Maybe you will need to wear gloves while washing up, or to stop the makeup or skin lotion that is creating the problem and use chemical free products. Scalp problems such as dandruff may be eliminated by changing to a fragrance free, hypo allergenic product. Aloe Vera, colloidal silver gel, and tea tree oil products all have a place in skin treatments.  Rose hip oil, calendula, golden seal, lavender oil, jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil, vitamin E oil are all used in Mario’s Natural treatments for skin diseases.

Mario’s Eczema 7 Psoriasis Oil: Lavender in Jojoba oil base.

Apply to areas of irritation, especially good for psoriasis around hair line and in hair.

Mario’s Natural Skin Support Oil: Jojoba, rosehip, apricot kernel and vitamin E oil.

Excellent for scar tissue, all dry skin and especially scaly areas that may be skin cancers.  This recipe will subdue itch also.  Also a great skin rejuvenating oil for wrinkles on face, back of hands and elbows. 

Mario’s Heal All Herbal Cream: Burdock, Calendula, Chamomile, Nettle Hypericum and vitamin E in an aqueous cream base.  Use for all sores, burns, rashes, bites and also for eczema and nappy rash.  Hypericum (St John’s Wort) will subdue nerve itch.

Mario’s Calendula Herbal Cream: Calendula herb in an aqueous cream base.

Soothes and protects against contact dermatitis, bites &s tings, and for wound care. Calendula has antibacterial and anti-viral properties.

Mario’s Golden Seal Herbal Cream:  Golden Seal herb in an aqueous cream base.

Excellent for all areas where bacterial infection may be such as acne, athletes food, canker sores and ringworm.

To address skin irritation from an internal cause, Calanna Natural Medicine Clinics Naturopath's are able to do the investigative process that may identify the cause and allergy testing is advised particularly for persistent rashes.   The “Food Detective” food intolerance test is available through the clinics at Townsville, North Cairns and Woree.  This identifies proteins in up to 46 different foods as possible cause for skin problems as well as gut and other health issues.

Ref:  Prescription for Nutritional Healing  Phyllis A Balch cnc Skin Rashes  P705 

Mario’s Materia Medica. 

Submitted by Lesley Parker ND ANPA

Naturopath/Nutritionist

Calanna Natural Medicine Clinic

600 Bruce Highway,  Woree.  Qld  4868

www.calannapharmacy.com.au