Mini Victories!

click to zoom in!

Random Question… Who else hasn’t shaved their legs in forever because of healing eczema?? 😂😂😂 It’s literally been YEARS for me! At one point my legs stopped growing hair all together because of terrible flares, as it’s healed the hair has grown in more and more. I found no reason to bother shaving because A. I didn’t want to irritate the skin more even if it was healing nicely & B. I wasn’t showing off my legs like that anyways, just too self conscious at times. I was noticing just yesterday how smooth my legs are becoming, barely any flaking, even the thickened “elephant skin” is smoothing out…and I said to myself, “wow I might actually be able to shave soon!” 😂 Gotta love the little victories in this healing process! I think I’ll actually be looking forward to shaving once I’m comfortable enough. I pray you all are well today, staying strong and keeping the faith in your body’s natural ability to heal 🙏 I know how aggravating and lengthy this process is (I’m 5 years TS free! So BELIEVE me I know!) but hang in there…each day is a step closer to healing and a day more that you’re free from the bondage of topical steroids! Celebrate the mini victories and give gratitude for each day, good or bad. Trust in your body, it is your temple, it knows exactly what it’s doing! My sayings are “this time set for healing is truly only a fraction of your life” and “it didn’t take overnight for the toxicity to accumulate, so it won’t take overnight to heal…but it WILL heal!” Keep those things in mind and always have patience.

Peace & Love to you all 💜✌️

Get moving! 

Hydrating after a workout with a bowl of sweet, crisp, electrolyte packed watermelon! 🍉🍉🍉

It’s SOOOOOO important to get your body moving to heal from eczema. I know it can be hard and uncomfortable when we sweat, it can bring on some itchiness but that’s a good thing! The sweat is the toxins releasing! Today I did some yoga with some sun salutations then some abdominal work with a kettle bell (which is very important to strengthen the gut muscles for internal and external toning and better digestion), some squats and lunges with a kettle bell and then around 13 min of rebounding just until I worked up a good sweat! 💪

So what’s rebounding??? Just jumping up and down on a mini trampoline! Sounds fun right?! Here’s just some of the awesome health benefits: 🔹Boost lymphatic drainage and immune function 🔹Helps improve digestion 🔹Helps circulate oxygen throughout the body to increase energy🔹Improves muscle tone throughout the body🔹Annnnd some sources claim that the unique motion of rebounding can also help support the thyroid and adrenals! So get your bounce on and help cleanse your body of eczema! Remember to move every single day, your lymph system will thank you 🙏

*this pic was from a post on my Instagram: eczema.holistic.healing #eczemaholistichealing *feel free to subscribe!

Recipe! – Turmeric Paste

Let’s talk about Turmeric! I love this wonderful spice and have been using it all of my life and for the most part didn’t even know it! I grew up in a Caribbean household and we had vibrant yellow curry dishes for dinner many times. The distinctive golden hue would be in our yellow split pea dahl with rice, or our curried green beans and as the sauce to the chickpea and potato fillings for rotis. It wasn’t until later in life did I realize how medicinal this spice is and how it can be used for more than just cooking!

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Summer 2016 healing! 

Can’t take cred for this adorable pic lol

Here it is finally, my summer 2016 healing update! I guess being that today is the first day of fall, it’s better that I get it in today, better now than never! It’s been a little while since I’ve given an update with pictures and such, so here it is!

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Testimony – Arizona Star’s Healing Story!

Arizona Star, happy as can be with happy skin! :) - May 28. 2016
Arizona Star, happy as can be with happy skin! – May 28. 2016

I would love to share with you a healing testimony of this beautiful little girl named Arizona Star! I’m so glad that her mother Lindsey contacted me for advice on healing her eczema. I’m also so thankful that she didn’t have to experience the rough journey of an intense Topical Steroid Withdrawal. Her healing time happened pretty rapidly, by following the protocol that I recommend. Check out the interview I did with her mother Lindsey, as well as progress pictures below!

Continue reading “Testimony – Arizona Star’s Healing Story!”

Tips for Optimal Gut Health!

The accumulation of bacteria. Vector illustration. Isolated on white background

In his article, “Skin Health, Eczema, and Preventative Strategies”, James Barker, N.D. sums up the importance of protecting the GI integrity for eczema patients by saying: “If the eyes and the skin are the portal through which we may observe the body’s internal health, the gut then is the door through which a majority of disease initiates its entrance into the body… It goes without saying that… the first area of treatment then for the patient displaying eczema should be the gastrointestinal lining, without a doubt” (p. 58).

Having an optimally functioning gut is key to healing one’s eczema as well as countless other diseases. We must heal from the inside out, and the integrity of the gut is the first line of defense in repairing the skin of eczema. The gut holds 80% of the body’s immunity! When the detoxification systems aren’t eliminating properly (gut, kidneys, liver) then the toxic waste needs to go somewhere, and the skin is the organ it decides to eliminate on. Putting the focus on healing internally with diet, and probiotic rich foods and supplements will put the body back in balance and add good bacteria into the body.

The best foods to put into the body to repopulate the good gut bacteria are plant based foods. These foods are highly alkaline, fiber rich and come with an array of various vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Drinking celery juice first thing in the morning is another great gut healing remedy one can do. Check out this very informative video on why its best to fill up on all kinds of plant based foods in order to heal the gut which will in turn heal your skin as well as other health issues.

Seven signs you should be taking a probiotic

  1. Antibiotics – If you’ve taken antibiotics in the past year or even five years and you haven’t re-cultured your good bacteria you should look into taking a probiotic. Birth control and anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAID’s (over the counter pain meds like Tylenol, Ibuprofen etc) will also destroy the gut.
  2. Food Poisoning – This is a shift in the equilibrium of the gut, meaning that you have more bad bacteria than good. When this happens you will definitely want to re-populate the gut with good bacteria.
  3. Digestive Disturbances – Such as bloating, excessive gas, constipation, diarrhea etc. If this is occurring, you will want to look into supplementing with a probiotic.
  4. Skin Conditions – Once you start to fix what’s going on in the inside of the body, the outside will reflect more harmony and balance of your health.
  5. Mood Disorders – If you are having mood issues, such as depression, there’s a good chance that a good probiotic will help bounce up the seratonin levels. 95% of the seratonin is in the body is actually made in the gut and it’s the “happy molecule” in the brain. Once you start fixing your gut, you will notice that your mood will start to enhance!
  6. Weak Immunity – If you’re the type of person that gets sick two to three times a year and you’re wondering why, there’s a good chance that over populated bad bacteria is holding you back and you should look into considering a probiotic.
  7. Yeast Overgrowth – If you’re dealing with any type of yeast infection or yeast overgrowth on the inside, rebalancing the good gut bacteria will definitely help you.

For more info on the whole food based probiotics I use, check out this link HERE and shoot me an email for more information and how to order at eczema.holistic.healing@gmail.com! I also do health coaching with eczema sufferers where I send them a health questionnaire to get to know them better and offer tips, diet advice and natural remedies. ☺️

4 Years Topical Steroid Free!

blossoms
Spring Blossoms ❤

Yup, you read that title right… March 2016 marks four whole years that I’ve been topical steroid free! It’s pretty amazing when I look back at all that I’ve endured, physically, mentally & emotionally. This post is kind of bittersweet because on one hand I have nothing but gratitude in my heart that I’ve come this far but on the other hand I wish I could be writing this saying that I’m completely healed and back to my normal life. Now this isn’t to discourage anyone…healing DOES happen. In my case it’s taking awhile. If you’re new to my blog I think it’s best for me to give some background of my history. I used topical steroids from 10 months old to 26 years old. I also had injections of (I believe) triamcinolone into my hands and feet multiple times. I was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2008, which I underwent 6 months of chemo twice a month (it’s said chemo has a half life in the body up to 10-12 years!). So needless to say I’ve had A LOT of toxic build up in my body, hence my lengthy withdrawal. Buuuut I’m apparently right around the time as far as healing times go. Supposedly for every 7 years you’ve used TS you will go through a year of withdrawal. So although actually 28 years of usage would equal 4 years of withdrawal, I’m not too far off, plus I have the “added bonus” of injections and chemo 😦 . Everyone is different and depending on your usage and potency you may have a shorter or longer healing time than myself, so don’t be alarmed by my lengthy healing time… you may restore faster than me, it just all depends.

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The Journey…

inspiration

So many times I will think about this “journey” that I’m on of healing. It’s been a loooong rough road and I still can’t believe that next month I will be 4 years topical steroid free! There have been many ups and downs. Many depressing times where I thought I had zero strength left in me to continue, then I realized I truly had no choice… it was either go back on the poisonous medication or keep on pushing, and I kept on pushing. I wiped my tears, calmed myself down, prayed and kept on going. My faith, and strength has been tested so many times I can’t even begin to count. Through all of the emotional and physical pain that I’ve endured, I would honestly not take it back. This journey that I’m on has changed me for the better. Just as the message says, I’ve felt that I’ve now become the person that I was always supposed to be in the first place. I have felt that this experience has broken me down so much that I’ve only had to understand myself in this broken state, the true person that I am. I feel that I’m now more empathetic to others pain and suffering, I feel so deeply now than I ever have before. I feel that I’ve found a purpose in all of this pain, and it’s to help others in any way that I can. To be of service is truly our only jobs on this planet and I feel that using my experience; the good the bad and the ugly, to inspire, help and comfort others is what it’s all about.

The journey may be a rough one to endure, but always remember that “the blessing is in the breaking”… when you’ve been broken down so much you finally realize who you are truly supposed to be and what the breaking is all about… bringing you to your highest self, vulnerable and ready to be built back up to a better you. Don’t give up, in your weakest hours is when your faith and strength are truly tested and when you need to hold on even tighter. In these moments I give thanks to the Most High. I praise God all throughout the day, when I’m having a great day and when I’m crying out in pain with thoughts of crawling into a deep hole to never return. He always listens, He always comforts and heals. Never give up on your faith… the journey may take longer than you’ve expected, but it WILL end, it may not be in your time, but in God’s time. Just know that everything has it’s purpose and  there is a reason and season for everything. Trust in your body’s natural ability to heal, just give it all of the love, rest and nutrients it needs to heal and it will do all the work. Always tell yourself how much you love yourself, no matter what state your skin is in, kiss your skin, talk to your body calmly and sweetly with positive healing words. Your thoughts will influence your healing just as much as what you put into your body and on your body. 🙂

Many Blessings Warriors ❤

Jen

I leave you with an inspirational tune from Hillsong United

What I Eat in a Day – Vegan!

Ugh eating a vegan diet is sooooo hard! Hehehe, just joking! 🙂 This lil blog update is to show what I eat in a day, all vegan, all delicious! Vegan is basically no animal products (meat, eggs and by products like dairy) and all the abundant plant based foods you can eat!

check out my instagram, username: jlh827 for lots of vegan inspiration pics!

Continue reading “What I Eat in a Day – Vegan!”

Currently Reading: The China Study


Currently reading: The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD

This book is the truuuuth! Such an intense study of the western & eastern diets and comparisons of disease rates in each. Our SAD (Standard American Diets) are only causing higher rates of diseases. The Western diet comprised of high amounts of animal proteins, fatty & processed foods are keeping us fat, sick & nearly dead! Adopting a whole food plant based diet will prevent and reverse diseases like cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cataracts, skin issues, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s, cognitive dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis & many more! There’s truly only one dis-ease, acidocsis…get the body alkaline by going plant based and heal your symptoms! 🍄🍀🍉🍃🍌🍊🍎 #govegan !