Heading away for a much-deserved winter break? Perhaps you are making for colder climes and a spot of skiing or jetting off to a tropical island in search of warmth. Here are a few suggestions regarding winter body care whether at home or abroad.
The skin is our largest organ; it forms a vital barrier between our inner organs and our environment. Related directly to the immune system, the skin is a reflection of our health.
Some of you may be suffering at the moment with Chilblains, a common winter ailment, they occur on the hands and feet or very occasionally on the ears. They can become terribly painful when the affected area gets cold. Miranda Castro best selling author of “The Complete Homeopathic Handbook” gives some helpful dos and don’ts.
DO:
keep affected limbs warm and dry.
take regular exercise to improve circulation.
DON’T:
subject your feet/hands to extreme changes in temperature, for example putting icy feet into hot water.
expose the hands or feet to unnecessary cold.
Agaricus Muscarius (Agar.) is the number 1 homeopathic remedy for chilblains where the symptoms are worse for cold and chilblains are burning, itching and red. Symptoms for Petroleum (Petr.) are chilblains on feet, hands and toes that become inflamed. Feet become cold and ‘fall asleep’ easily, and the hands become cold and chapped. These chilblains are painful and itching and occur in winter during cold weather. Pulsatilla (Puls.) is another remedy that may also be indicated where chilblains on feet, hands and toes are inflamed and itching.
Cold sores are another common blight at this time of year. They generally pop up when you are under stress or have been overdoing things, so think of them as a little red warning light reminding you to slow down and take more care of yourself.
Natrum Muriaticum (Nat. Mur.) is the major cold sore remedy. A Nat Mur person will often produce cold sores after a disappointment or a grief that they weren’t able to express, or even after over-exposure to sun (skiers are particularly prone to this). The sores are usually sited around the mouth on the lips and will often be found at the corners of the mouth.
Rhus Tox and Sepia are also recommended where sores appear on the lips. As a general rule a homeopathic medicine is more likely to be effective if it matches other aspects of the person. For example, those needing Rhus tox, may also be prone to joint pains and stiffness, whilst Sepia types often feel worn out, dragged down and very prone to hormonal mood swings.
If chilblains or cold sores persist, it is always worth having a full consultation with a Homeopath. Constitutional treatment strengthens your overall well being, making unpleasant symptoms like these much less likely to occur.
Every individual is unique and responds differently to his or her environment and so does their skin. Even though you may be sallow skinned, don’t be fooled, your skin still needs protection from the sun and other elements. While most of us are pretty good for taking care of the skin on our faces, when it comes to our bodies most of us don’t think about skincare until the warmer weather and our summer wardrobes come round again. So even though it may seem early to be discussing this, it is important to be aware that whether you’re in Austria, Allicante or Adrigole your skin needs some form of protection and nourishment all year round.
We all of course need sunlight, without its rays there would be no life on earth. The sun lifts our spirits and activates the vital production of vitamin D in the body, so heading away on a sun holiday is a great idea at this time of year.
On the other hand, the sun’s ultra violet rays are what cause our skin to burn. Young skin, in particular, is especially delicate and develops sun damage very easily. Experts believe that having sunburn during childhood can significantly increase your risk of malignant melanoma and research shows that 80% of all skin damage has already occurred by the time we are 18 years old. It is difficult to over-state the importance of protecting yourself and your little ones when on a sun holiday.
After sun exposure the skin requires special care, while sunburn is always better prevented than treated Mary Aspinwall, Registered Homeopath advises the following for those of you who haven’t been careful enough.
When sunburned try to keep the skin cool by applying tepid compresses or taking a tepid shower, do not have the water very cold though as this can cause shock to the skin.
Drink a glass of water with half a teaspoon of salt added to reduce the risks related to dehydration and keep out of sun until healed.
Use one of the following remedies to treat the condition, the correct homeopathic remedy can eliminate the pain within minutes and erase the redness within just 24 hours.
Cantharis is the No.1 remedy for the intense pain of burns. Use this when the pain is cutting and burning, where the patient has a burning intense thirst, but are worse after drinking (especially cold drinks). Better: cold applications; Worse: touch.
Arsenicum is another good remedy to choose for sunburn when: Better for warm applications; there is blistering. Repeat remedies if there is an improvement followed by a relapse.
Belladonna is indicated for sunburn with sunstroke, where the skin is red, hot, throbbing and may be accompanied by a throbbing headache. Sunstroke can be fatal, so begin rehydration and seek professional medical help immediately.
For those of you wishing to take the necessary precautions I’d recommend the Dr Hauschka Holistic Sun Care range, which is free from synthetic sunscreens, fragrances and preservatives. They have chosen a mineral pigment found in nature, titanium dioxide, which acts as protection against the sun’s harmful rays by reflecting them away from the skin. Unlike synthetic sunscreens, mineral sunscreens begin protecting immediately upon application to the skin and are ideal for children because there are no irritating, synthetic chemicals to disturb a child’s delicate skin. The range contains a children’s sun spray with an SPF of 22, suncreams with SPF’s of 20, 15 or 8 are also available as is an excellent SPF 30 suncare stick ideal for sensitive ears, lips, cheeks and noses when skiing. Applying a good quality lotion after sunbathing, such as Dr Hauschka’s After-Sun Lotion, is also very important, to stop the skin from drying out.
If you’re staying in Ireland, you probably won’t be needing sunscreen just yet, but your skin will reward you later if you give just a little TLC now. Using body oil regularly is a good start; plain oils such as almond or wheat-germ will nourish the skin. Massaging while you apply, can improve the circulation and texture of the skin.
You may like to treat yourself to an oil that has that little “something extra”. A good winter oil is Dr Hauschka’s Rosemary oil, with its intensive warming properties and refreshing aroma; it enlivens the senses, helps reduce the appearance of cellulite and invigorates the body. Another oil beneficial for this time of year is Dr Hauschka’s Blackthorn body oil, like the rosemary oil this too is very warming, but the blackthorn also has extracts of St John’s Worth and birch, so that it envelopes the body with a protective feeling during what can seem a bleak time of year. The toning properties of the blackthorn oil make it good for refining stretch marks as well as smoothing and toning mature skin.
In the last issue I mentioned dry skin brushing and that suggestion still applies. Get a routine of skin brushing going, showering then massaging your chosen oil into the body. It may seem like an effort, but once you start it really takes very little extra time and you’ll feel so much the better for it.
© Mary Aspinwall