The rose collection. As a medical herbalist I tend to see many children with dry, itchy and red skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. These conditions tend to be far worse during the winter months than the summer. There are various reasons for this but the main one being central heating which, tends to further dry out the skin. There is a lot that can be done to help these conditions through diet and by using herbal medicines and herbal creams. Firstly and most importantly is the childs diet. We tend to eat far to much sugar and processed foods these days which can create an acid environment in the body. This in turn creates inflammation and makes skin conditions far worse. Home made nutritious meals are a must. Another issue is the ratio of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. We eat far to much omega 6 which is found in vegetable oils such as sunflower, vegetable oils, rapeseed, and corn oil. Omega 6 fatty acids promote inflammation and can make these skin conditions worse. Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, seafoods, linseeds, hemp seed oil, nuts, eggs, butter and organic milk reduce inflammation and aid with the recovery of these skin conditions. Helping to lubricate the skin from the inside out. Herbal medicines can be of great benefit for these skin complaints. I regularly make creams and ointments for treating these conditions in my herbal practice. One of the most widely used herbs for this condition is called chickweed (Stelaria media) this herb grows extensively all over the UK. It is a low lying creeper with tiny white star shaped flowers. It favours damp and shaded areas. Chickweed is cooling in action and also helps to stop or reduce itching. It can be made into creams and ointments for this purpose. Or simply made into a herbal infusion, allowed to cool and dabbed onto the affected areas. This method is especially useful in very small babies. The herbal infusion may also be added to the childs bath water to reduce redness and itching. Another herb that I use a lot for these conditions is rose. Rose water, and rose extracts are also cooling on the skin, helping to reduce redness and itching. I tend to add rose water to my creams and some times add it to the childs internal medicine to. Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) is another native herb that I also use extensively for the treatment of these conditions. Both internally and externally. Children seem to like the idea of marshmallow until they realise it is not the fluffy white and pink sweets you toast on a camp fire! Marshmallow root powder contains plant substances called long chain polysaccharides these compounds are deemed to be pre-biotics. This means that they feed the friendly bacteria in the small intestines and bowle, thus helping to repopulate the gut with friendly bacteria. This is essential for the health of the body in general, in my opinion seems to be of huge benefit for the treatment of various skin complains including eczema. I often add the herbal tincture to my creams as marshmallow root is very emollient/softening to the skin. It helps with very dry scaly skin. Chamomile is another favourite for the treatment of red itching skin conditions the tea drunk internally helps to reduce stress and anxiety which makes the condition worse. Chamomile is also anti inflammatory helping to reduce inflammation and redness. You can use the herbal infusion of chamomile in the childs bath to sooth, reduce redness, itching and inflammation. For further information you can call Wendy Budd on 07878306621 or pop into Budds herbal apothecary 78 Albert Rd, Southsea. Wendy is a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, she qualified with a BSC(Hons) in herbal medicine in 2006 from the university of central Lancashire. Wendy has been in constant practice ever since, seeing hundreds of patients during that time.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Feb 2014 15:20:11 +0000
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