If your baby is suffering from eczema, you know how uncomfortable the itchy and dry skin can be, not to mention the sore spots. Since eczema usually goes hand in hand with sensitive skin, treating it can be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully there are quite a few home remedies for baby eczema you can try.
Moisturize
Keeping baby's skin well moisturized should always be the first step in any eczema treatment. Use a natural aloe Vera lotion several times a day, especially after bathing baby. Reapply as often as need to keep baby's skin from drying out. Avoid any harsh cleansers and make sure baby is getting plenty to drink to moisturize from the inside out as well. Incidentally breastfed babies experience fewer and milder episodes of eczema.
Oatmeal Bath
When baby's skin gets very itchy, an oatmeal bath can be very soothing and help skin heal. Put two cups of oats in a food processor (or use a coffee grinder) and grind them into a powder. Add the oatmeal powder to a running bath of warm (not hot) water and stir well. Soak in the oatmeal bath for 15 minutes, rinse with clean water and dab the skin dry with a soft towel. When baby's eczema breakouts are bad, it is safe to sooth them with an oatmeal bath twice daily.
Natural Skin Wash
As mentioned above, you want to avoid any harsh skin care for baby. The following natural skin wash is very gently and helps with the itch. Combine 1 tsp of comfrey root, 1 tsp of white oak bark, 1 tsp of slippery elm bark and two cups of water in a bowl. Mix well, and then pour it into a pot. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil, and then simmer for thirty minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, then strain out the solids and use the liquid like any face wash.
While this mixture may not completely clear up baby's eczema, it is a natural, gentle and effective cleanser that will help reduce the itching and inflammation.
Healing Lotions
When eczema really flares up, you want to get baby's skin healed back up as soon as possible. Healing lotions can help shorten the healing time and moisturize and protect your skin from future outbreaks at the same time.
Lotions to look for ate those made with blueberry leaves. Blueberry leaves are very good at relieving the inflammation of eczema and at improving the irritation that accompanies itching.
Zinc is another great ingredient. Apply zinc lotion directly on the affected area. Zinc can also be taken as a supplement in pills. Taking regularly, it can be an effective eczema treatment.
To help heal the skin, use a lotion containing vitamin E, or apply vitamin E oil directly on the affected area. It will quickly reduce itching and improve healing. Continue applying the vitamin E oil until the skin is healed.
This article is provided for information purposes only. Please consult your baby's health care provider before trying home remedies.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Potassium Concerns in the Elderly
Having sufficient nutrients in the body is a general goal for everyone. It doesn't necessarily take great effort to achieve this goal. If you simply follow a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, you should be healthy. However, taking medication, genetics, and age can cause you to become vitamin or mineral deficient. Potassium is one such mineral that the elderly or those individuals who care for them should be aware.
Potassium is a mineral that, in combination with sodium and calcium, maintains normal heart rhythm, regulates the body's water balance, and is responsible for the conduction of nerve impulses and the contraction of muscles. The body of an average-sized person contains about 5 ounces (140 g) of potassium. Blood levels of the mineral are controlled by the kidneys, which eliminate any excess in the urine.
Potassium is a mineral that, in combination with sodium and calcium, maintains normal heart rhythm, regulates the body's water balance, and is responsible for the conduction of nerve impulses and the contraction of muscles. The body of an average-sized person contains about 5 ounces (140 g) of potassium. Blood levels of the mineral are controlled by the kidneys, which eliminate any excess in the urine.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
What's The Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia?
"What's the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's?" It's a common question, and doctors are some of the best at confusing us. Physicians seem to prefer the word "dementia," possibly because Alzheimer's has become such a loaded word. "Dementia" somehow sounds less frightening to many people, and now even the experts have started using the words interchangeably.
They aren't interchangeable. Alzheimer's Disease and dementia are two very different things.
Dementia is a symptom. Pain is a symptom, and many different injuries and illnesses can cause pain. When you go to the doctor because you hurt, you won't be satisfied if the doctor diagnoses "pain" and sends you home. You want to know what is causing the pain, and how to treat it.
They aren't interchangeable. Alzheimer's Disease and dementia are two very different things.
Dementia is a symptom. Pain is a symptom, and many different injuries and illnesses can cause pain. When you go to the doctor because you hurt, you won't be satisfied if the doctor diagnoses "pain" and sends you home. You want to know what is causing the pain, and how to treat it.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Dealing With The Stress Of Being A Parent
Becoming a parent is a life changing event, and while bringing up children certainly can be a joyful experience there's no denying that it can also place huge stresses on you as a mother or father. Commonly recommended ways of dealing with stress in other areas of life tend to involve 'getting away from it all', such as visits to the gym or a game of squash to release the tension. However, being a parent is a full time job and it's not always possible to take time out in this way.
Luckily, there are several ways of dealing with your stress that actively involve your children, and so are much easier to apply to your day to day life. You'll also probably find that enjoying time with your children while simultaneously lowering your stress levels will deepen your mutual bonds and strengthen your relationship - which sounds like a good thing all round!
Luckily, there are several ways of dealing with your stress that actively involve your children, and so are much easier to apply to your day to day life. You'll also probably find that enjoying time with your children while simultaneously lowering your stress levels will deepen your mutual bonds and strengthen your relationship - which sounds like a good thing all round!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Losing Weight After Pregnancy
You could be lucky. I was - just once. When my middle daughter was born I actually weighed 10 pounds less than I had when I'd conceived her. That's not something you can count on, though, and I can tell you that from experience as well. Most women start their lives as a new mom with an extra 8 to 15 pounds that they didn't have pre-baby.
There's a very good reason for that. God designed our bodies with nurture in mind. Part of that weight that you put on during pregnancy was meant to nurture your baby AFTER birth. While your body requires an extra 300 calories a day to keep up with the nutritional demands of your baby during pregnancy, a breastfeeding mother requires at least 500 extra calories a day to produce enough milk and remain healthy. Your body stores up a little extra nutrition for after the birth just in case there isn't enough food for its needs when it's time to feed the new little critter.
There's a very good reason for that. God designed our bodies with nurture in mind. Part of that weight that you put on during pregnancy was meant to nurture your baby AFTER birth. While your body requires an extra 300 calories a day to keep up with the nutritional demands of your baby during pregnancy, a breastfeeding mother requires at least 500 extra calories a day to produce enough milk and remain healthy. Your body stores up a little extra nutrition for after the birth just in case there isn't enough food for its needs when it's time to feed the new little critter.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
How To Beat Depression!
Here's the story of a small, almost successful mail order entrepreneur, and how he overcomes the blues that comes with his way of conducting business:
What an adrenalin rush! Last week when I visited the post office my post office box was overflowing with orders. One day, I had to get a plastic container just to carry the mail home. At the end of the week, I had made about $1,200 in orders!
Unfortunately, I spent money to stock up on inventory. I anticipated receiving the same type of business the next week to make up for any overspending I had done this week.That did not happen.
The next week brought in a total of $150 in orders _ and the week after that brought in only $10! After that, depression set in. I kept saying "What will I do now? I spent the $1,200 and only have $80 to my name. Rent will be due in a couple weeks and I'm flat broke - simply because I let money go to my head because I was temporarily "rich."
What an adrenalin rush! Last week when I visited the post office my post office box was overflowing with orders. One day, I had to get a plastic container just to carry the mail home. At the end of the week, I had made about $1,200 in orders!
Unfortunately, I spent money to stock up on inventory. I anticipated receiving the same type of business the next week to make up for any overspending I had done this week.That did not happen.
The next week brought in a total of $150 in orders _ and the week after that brought in only $10! After that, depression set in. I kept saying "What will I do now? I spent the $1,200 and only have $80 to my name. Rent will be due in a couple weeks and I'm flat broke - simply because I let money go to my head because I was temporarily "rich."
Safeguarding Your Food
Every year, an estimated 7 million Americans suffer from cases of foodborne illness. Some cases are violent and even result in death. Of course this is commonly known as "food poisoning". The culprit is food that has dangerously high levels of bacteria due to improper cooking or handling.
Food safety is usually taken for granted by the buying public but everyone's attention was recently directed to food poisoning involving some meat that was undercooked. It was determined that the problem never would have happened if the meat had been cooked properly. E.Coli 0157.H7 is a potent virus, but it can be completely destroyed when the meat is fully cooked.
It is important for consumers to take an all-around safety approach to purchasing, storing and preparing both traditional and new meat and poultry products. Ultimately, consumers and food handlers bear the responsibility for keeping food safe once it leaves the store.
Food safety is usually taken for granted by the buying public but everyone's attention was recently directed to food poisoning involving some meat that was undercooked. It was determined that the problem never would have happened if the meat had been cooked properly. E.Coli 0157.H7 is a potent virus, but it can be completely destroyed when the meat is fully cooked.
It is important for consumers to take an all-around safety approach to purchasing, storing and preparing both traditional and new meat and poultry products. Ultimately, consumers and food handlers bear the responsibility for keeping food safe once it leaves the store.