Best Places to Live with Eczema

The United States has many wonderful cities each with different climates, native plants, and even allergies. There are certain places in the country to live that can affect your allergies if you suffer from cedar, mold, or other types of allergens. You should choose to live where you will be the healthiest. This is true for people who also suffer from eczema. You want to live in an ideal climate that will keep your skin from becoming too dry.

Living in the right city won’t cure your eczema but it will keep the amount of flare ups you are experiencing to a minimum. Living in the most ideal climate and treating your flare ups with eczema oil should keep your skin healthy, moisturized, and looking great. You should live where the temperature and humidity is right for you and where there isn’t a lot of pollen, smoke, or dust. Here are some cities that have favorable climates and low allergens for people with eczema as reported by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

Seattle, Washington is such a beautiful city with a great climate. What is perhaps the most appealing are the low pollen rates. Also, they have a public non-smoking law. People with eczema may notice that smoke can irritate their skin, but it’s a personal choice for someone to smoke or not. For those that don’t smoke, the law in Seattle is great because you have an issue with second hand smoke. The climate is favorable due to the location near the water, and is considered a mild oceanic climate.

If you prefer the east coast, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America would recommend Cape Coral, Florida. This city had a very high air quality score and reported low for allergen rates. If you love the water you will love the canals and waterways because it has more than any other city. Being on the coast makes the city have a favorable climate.

Studies have shown that asthma is also linked to eczema which is why the cities chosen were based on the study completed by the AAFA. These cities are ideal, but not necessarily where you have to live. There are other ways to control your eczema as well so that your skin won’t cause irritation for you too frequently. Because climate is a factor for causing it, you could always purchase a humidifier for your home. This will help to control the temperature in your home. Humidifiers are inexpensive and won’t take up too much space.

In addition to controlling external factors as best you can, keep up with a regular skin care treatment so that you’ll stay moisturized. Always use natural skin care products such as eczema oil, lotions, or creams. Products and controlled temperature will make a difference with the amount of flare ups you are experiencing.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.

Treating Diapers Rash the Natural Way

It is a common occurrence for babies to get rashes from being in diapers so often. A lot of parents believe that their babies’ skin should be rash free at all times. It is okay for your babies to have some rashes. You need to make sure that the rash doesn’t get too severe so that your baby isn’t uncomfortable, unhealthy, or unsafe. If the skin is chapped or bleeding, then the rash is a severe one that needs to be treated immediately. Here are some natural ways to treat a rash that is becoming unhealthy to your baby’s skin.

Using these natural methods will not only treat diapers rash, but the methods can be used to prevent the rash from becoming too severe in the future.

The first treatment method that can be used all the time is wiping your baby’s bottom with a warm wash cloth instead of using wipes. You only need to use warm water, no soap. If you feel that you must use soap, be sure to buy one that is organic and fragrance free. If the rash is really bad and you notice that the wash cloth is adding discomfort, just rinse your baby’s bottom with warm water.

After using the warm wash cloth, let your baby’s bottom air dry. You don’t need to pat it dry. Having the diaper off for as long as possible is better for your baby’s skin. If you are afraid that your baby will go to the bathroom again, just place a towel underneath to catch any “accidents.” If you have the time, let your baby air dry for 15 to 20 minutes after every changing, and you will probably start to notice the rash will get better.

Use a natural diaper cream every time you put on a new diaper. The diaper cream will provide a barrier between the diaper and your baby’s skin which will help prevent diapers rash. There are different types of creams and ointment that you can use, but always use a natural product to avoid harsh or synthetic chemicals. Diaper rash oils are great because they are sensitive and provide a lot of moisture. If the rash is severe, the oil can be sprayed on the rash instead of rubbing it on which could cause more discomfort. The oil is absorbed very quickly too. If you need a thicker barrier try a baby butter or balm made from raw Shea butter. An organic balm will aid in treating yeast infections which are common with rashes.

Following these natural methods will ease the pain and discomfort caused from rashes, and will make the rash heal faster. These natural methods are safe and won’t cause irritation like some baby products that are made with synthetic ingredients.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.

Staying Self Confident with Skin Imperfections

Having self confidence and high self esteem will make your outlook on life more positive. When you walk with your head held high and have a confident stride, you will get things accomplished. You can also influence other people to feel good about them, and rub off some of your positive energy. It can be hard at times to exude the highest level of self confidence.

This can be even more difficult if you are experience some skin imperfections such as acne, dry patches, black heads, sunburns, or eczema. You may have feelings of embarrassment or low self esteem. You shouldn’t feel bad about yourself because everyone is beautiful and we all go through some type of skin imperfection at one time or another. Here are some tips and techniques to stay self confident.

Think about all the wonderful success and accomplishments you have made throughout your life. This will keep the focus off of your skin problem, and you’ll be reminded of how great you are! Or you could also think about other positive things that bring you joy.

Smile a bright, big, beautiful smile and show off your pearly whites. When you smile a lot, you actually start to feel happier. When people see the happy look on your face, they will think you are very confident and you’ll start to feel more confident as well.

Dress nice. When you feel and look pretty on the outside, you’ll feel better on the inside. You can light up a room with a good looking outfit or nice hairdo. If you are worried about acne or dry skin, you can keep the attention off of your face by dressing nice or styling your hair.

Surround yourself with positive, upbeat people. Their energy will change your attitude or feelings of low self confidence. Having warm hearted friends will know when to boost your self confidence with compliments and make you feel like a great friend.

Play a sport or do an activity that you are really good at. Hitting a home run at a baseball game or running a mile in five minutes will definitely make you feel good. When you do things you are good at, you’ll have the feeling of success and your confidence will improve.

Pamper yourself and do things to improve your skin. When you use eczema moisturizers or skin clearing lotions, for example, you’ll see an improvement with your skin imperfections. You and a friend could get together and give each other facials. You’ll feel good about taking steps to improve your skin, and you’ll also feel beautiful and relaxed especially after a facial.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.

How to have a Green Christmas

It’s not even Thanksgiving yet and here I am talking about Christmas. Like it or not Christmas will soon be here. This Christmas I plan on having a green Christmas, greener environmentally, greener financially, and more importantly better for my family.
If we want things to change, we have to make a conscious effort. We don’t just happen to start eating healthier or happen to exercise. It takes a plan. The same thing holds true for every change, even a Christmas change.
This Christmas instead of buying plastic store bought ornament that were made by underpaid workers and shipped half way around the world, I am going to make my own. You don’t have to crafty or talented, you just have to plan a little.
Nature provides many ornament ready made. Take a walk and you might find your next ornament. Pine cones, acorns, seed pods, dried flowers, empty bird nests, or feathers are all great ornaments. Dried fruit slices from apples, pears, oranges, lemons or limes can be tied on trees with a bit of ribbon or string. Just slice the fruit and place on a cookie sheet and bake at 145 degrees for 4 to 12 hours with the door propped open to allow steam to escape. An apple or orange stuck full of whole cloves with a ribbon or string tied around it is another option. For those of flashier taste, glitter can always be added.
Found or recycled objects also can make very beautiful and interesting ornaments without using any more of our precious resources. Old wool blankets or clothing can be cut into hearts, birds, stars, trees, gingerbread man, or any shape you desire. Simply cut out two identical shapes, sandwich a loop of ribbon or twine between the shapes and you can glue or sew the shapes together. You can decorate your shapes in infinite ways. You can sew or glue on found objects like old jewelry, left over ric-rac, sequins, or buttons. Glitter glue can also be used to decorate the ornaments.
Wrapping paper is just a waste. I spend time looking for beautiful paper that expresses my style, that will look great under my Christmas tree. In reality I wrap my presents on Christmas Eve after my children have gone to sleep. By the time I’m done wrapping, I’m too tired to enjoy looking at the paper and the next morning there is no time to look at the paper. About five seconds after I open my eyes the paper is shredded all over my living room. Then gathered up into garbage bags and sent to the land fill.
This year I will be making my own Christmas paper. Simple newspaper is an easy option, and it can be composted after it is used. Pieces of fabric can be used and recycled year after year. Fabric stores all filled with beautiful choices of fabric. For those who like to antique or flea market, antique Christmas table cloths or Christmas handkerchiefs can be used as wrapping. Unprinted newspaper remnants can be bought very cheep from newspaper offices. You can decorate the paper by dipping pine cones, flowers, potatoes cut into different shapes in to paint and using them as stamps, or just leave it blank. Kids really enjoy decorating wrapping paper.
Now is the time to start planning for a greener Christmas. If I wait until December I am so busy trying to buy perfect gifts for the whole family, co-workers, friends, the children’s teacher, not to mention all the family and friend Christmas parties to attend. Then there’s my office party and my husbands office party both scheduled on the same night. The kids school Christmas program to attend. Don’t forget to decorate the house and put up the Christmas lights. I’m exhausted just thinking about it. Who has time to make decisions at this point?
Now you can take walks and look for nature items to decorate your tree and house. Please don’t gather items from National or State parks as it is illegal not to mention bad for the environment. Now you can visit thrift stores and flea markets to look for found items to make Christmas decorations. Maybe even check your own closet, basement or attic. Ask Mom, Grandma, or you Aunt who saves everything. They will probably be glad to share the wealth. Now you have time to get the children or grandchildren involved in helping to make ornaments, so you can take it at a fun, slow pace.
I wish you not only a greener Christmas but a more peaceful and relaxed season.

written by Shannon Ulrich

Combating Stress to Keep Eczema Under Control

Staying calm, cool, and collected is easier said than done. Work, home, relationships, headaches, illness, and other external factors can trigger stress in our lives and it’s a common occurrence to deal with. There are many factors that can trigger stress; however there are ways to combat it to keep the feelings of stress to a minimum. This is especially important for people who have eczema because stress can cause flare ups. Here are some ways to combat stress to keep your flare ups under control.

1. Talk. Don’t be afraid to vent about something that’s frustrating to you. Find a friend, coworker, or family member that is your go to person and do the same for them. You both could arrange weekly meetings, phone calls, or e-mails to talk about stress triggers and feel open to vent about them. Holding your feelings in will usually make you more upset and even more stressed out. Talking to someone more often about how you feel will make you feel better, and you may also find that other people share similar stressful triggers.

2. Exercise. Working out is a great way to take out frustrations. You can lift weights, go for a run, or do something more relaxing like yoga or dance. When you exercise you release tension in your body, get the blood and oxygen flowing, release endorphins, and you feel better about yourself because you keep yourself in shape. When you have eczema, sweating will cause flare ups so choose an activity that will produce minimal amounts of sweat. Instead of running, try walking or doing yoga in a cool room. If you notice that your eczema gets worse after working out, take a cool shower and use an eczema moisturizer to stop skin irritation.

3. Aromatherapy. Creating a warm atmosphere with soothing smells will help you relax and keep stress levels low. Find candles that have comforting smells and light them when you start feeling anxious or tense. You can also use natural oils with lavender or chamomile that are used for relaxing. Lavender can help you sleep better, and having a full night’s rest will help keep your stress low. You can use the oils on your skin or burn them to create an aroma in your home or office.

4. Art Projects. Be creative, get active, and make something beautiful. Doing some type of art project will take your mind off of what’s bothering you or causing you stress. You can paint, make sculptures, plant a flower garden, make decorative boxes to store clutter which might cause you stress, or find some other creative outlet. Being creative, open, and free will diminish your stress because you use a different part of your brain then, let’s say, crunching numbers all day if you are an accountant.

5. Organize. Keeping your work space, your home, and your bedroom clutter free will keep stress to a minimum. A lot of people feel stressed or overwhelmed when there is a lot of clutter or chaos in their life. Buy some organizational storage for papers and supplies in your office, or for household items in your home. Part of staying organized is also creating schedules and having some type of routine. Make a calendar or your day’s tasks, or if you don’t have time to lay out your daily activities, keep a weekly or monthly calendar with important meetings or events. This may not work for everyone depending on their lifestyle or job, but when possible stay as organized as you can.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.

The Perfect Baby Gift for Newborns

“No one likes change but babies in diapers.” Barbara Johnson*

The welcoming of a new baby into this world brings so much joy and excitement for friends and family members and especially the new parents. The birth of a baby brings new beginnings, ideas, challenges, and successes for both the baby and parents. There are plenty of new decisions to make to ensure your baby will grow up healthy, strong, and happy.

Aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, and grandparents will want to shower your new baby with gifts. As a new parent, don’t be afraid to ask for certain gifts you’ll need or to register online or at a store so people will know what you need or want. For example, you may only want natural and organic products for your baby, and as gift buyer you may want to introduce new parents to a natural lifestyle. Here are some great ideas for the perfect baby gift.

One of the best gifts you can give is diapers. You should buy either cloth or chlorine free diapers. This is such a great gift because on average newborns will go through 12 diapers a day, 84 a week, and 360 per month. That’s a lot of diaper changes! Older babies usually wear about eight diapers a day. Most new parents will agree that receiving diapers is one of the most perfect gifts because it’ll help them save money for other expenses.

A great gift to go along with the diapers is a natural diaper ointment. It is important for babies to have diaper ointment with every changing so they won’t get diapers rash. Natural ointments can be found as sprays, balms, and oils. They are made with natural ingredients such as Kukui Nut Oil, Emu Oil, Aloe Vera Oil, and Tea Tree Oil. You could prepare a gift basket with a spray, balm, and oil so that the parents can sample different types of natural baby products and include a couple of cloth diapers and bottles to make the basket complete.

Babies will also need a lot of bottles during the day, so you can find some cute baby bottles. There are different types and brands of bottles, so you may want to ask the parents first which type they’d prefer. Or, buy a bottle that you have used for your children that you really liked. To make the gift look really cute and presentable, you could use a lot of curly ribbons wrapped around the bottles in light pastel pinks or blues. If you want to keep with the organic theme, you can buy organic bottles that are BPA free.
The life of a new baby is something to celebrate and is a great way to shower the new baby with gifts.

*(Quote from www.newbabynames4u.com)

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com/.

The Effects of Chlorine in Disposable Diapers

For a lot of parents, the big decision making factor is convenience especially when it comes to the diaper debate. For some parents, using disposable brands is the most convenient choice. However, they should reconsider because there are disadvantages to the health of your baby’s skin from using disposable diapers that a diaper ointment won’t be able to treat. Most disposable brands use synthetic ingredients including chlorine which is bad for your baby’s skin. After reading about the effects of chlorine found in disposable diapers, you may want to consider switching to cloth diapers which are only made with natural ingredients.

Chlorine is an ingredient you will most likely find in all disposable diaper brands. It is an extremely harsh chemical that has long term effects to our health. It is most often used to kill bacteria in water and should mostly be used for purifying drinking water, and is usually found in swimming pools to keep them sanitary. So why is it used in diapers? Chlorine makes your skin dry and causes rashes, so if your baby is wearing a diaper with chlorine in it then it is having contact with your baby’s skin for long amounts of time. When exposed to this harsh chemical for a long time, it can unfortunately be a cause of cancer. Using a natural diaper ointment may only provide temporary comfort. It is better to use cloth diapers along with a diaper ointment made with organic ingredients because your baby’s health won’t be negatively affected.

When you look at the ingredients used to make a disposable diaper you may not see the word “Chlorine.” However, you will find the ingredient dioxin listed. It is the chemical used in the bleaching process which makes disposable diapers white. During the bleaching process, the chemical uses chlorine in the gas form. Studies have shown that dioxin can cause cancer if a person is exposed to it for a long time or in big doses. For babies or even adults, small amounts can lead to skin diseases, or rashes.

Another common chemical used in disposable brands is sodium polyacrylate which is used as the liquid absorbing agent. It is often seen as a gel in disposable diapers. This chemical also used to be in tampons and was found to be a cause of toxic shock syndrome. According to Diaper Safari (www.diapersafari.com), the ingredient can no longer be used in tampons but for some reason is still allowed in making disposable diapers.

The effects to your baby’s health are too great to risk from using disposable diapers. Don’t take the risk of damaging your baby’s skin because of the convenience that disposable brands may offer. If possible, always use natural baby products and find diapers that are chlorine free.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com/.

Fall And Winter Natural Skin Care Tips

The harsh conditions from the fall and winter air can really do some damage to your skin. The cold air, frigid winds, and dry conditions can make your skin chapped, flaky, and very dry. During the fall and winter months, people with eczema may experience really bad flare ups because of the weather conditions. It is important to take care of your skin even if you don’t suffer from eczema. Following these natural skin care tips will ensure that you have healthy, beautiful, moisturized skin during the cold seasons.

The first tip is to moisturize more often than usual; moisturize and moisturize often. This is especially important for people who have eczema. Using eczema oil often and whenever you feel dry will help keep your skin healthy and moisturized. If you are using lotion to bring moisture back to your skin, use a natural product that doesn’t have any harsh chemicals or synthetic ingredients. If you normally use lotion in the morning, be sure to also moisturize during the middle of the day and at night. During the cold months, thicker set lotions tend to work better so I would suggest using a natural body butter cream such as cucumber or plumeria body butter.

During the fall and winter, be sure to stay hydrated. This will keep your skin healthy and beautiful. Drink lots of water and hydrate often throughout the day. You can also use water in another way to keep your skin looking great. You should buy humidifiers for the rooms in your home. Having a humidifier will keep the cold air out and will keep your skin moisturized. Also, heaters in your home blow out hot dry air which makes your skin dry or itchy. Having the humidifiers will bring back moisture into the air. However, do not soak in a tub of warm water because that will actually do damage to your skin. Follow the drinking water tip, but don’t soak in water. Taking baths is bad for your skin because the water on the exterior dries you out.

Another great skin care tip for cold seasons is to exfoliate your skin a couple times a week. Exfoliating will help to remove some of the dry skin that may be irritating you. Use natural products on your skin. You can find body scrubs that are made with plumeria or cucumber that are great for helping to take the dry skin away. Body scrubs relieve itchy, dry skin, improves circulation to new skin,
enables new skin to receive more nourishment, and makes skin feel soft and silky.

Following these natural skin care tips will keep your skin looking and feeling great during the cold seasons that would normally dry you out.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com/.

Use Cloth Diapers During Potty Training

There are many advantages for using cloth diapers that go far beyond the health of your baby’s skin. First and foremost, cloth diapers are less abrasive against your baby’s soft, sensitive skin which causes fewer rashes than disposable diapers. Cloth is more economical because you wash and reuse the diapers instead of throwing them away after one use like how disposable ones are designed. Diapers can be very expensive if you have to keep buying them, and cloth is a onetime investment that gets multiple uses. They are also better for the environment because disposable diapers are often times not biodegradable and cloth isn’t meant to be thrown away.

The best advantage that most parents have experienced with the use of cloth diapers is that their babies potty train earlier than most kids that wear disposable ones. On average, babies that wear cloth potty train up to six months earlier than expected which have been proven in studies about potty training. If you talk to parents that use cloth, they will likely tell you that their babies were potty trained before they were two years old. Cloth diapers also make potty training easier in addition to happening faster. Disposable diapers are too absorbent and babies can’t feel when they are wet. You may think this is an advantage because it’s more comfortable for your baby, but that can become a problem during potty training. It is thought that babies want to potty train earlier because they don’t like the wet feeling from cloth. Also, your baby will know when to go to the bathroom because they can feel when the diaper is wet.

It is common for babies to have a lot of accidents during potty training. It is a new feeling that they have to learn to understand when they need to go to the bathroom. Another advantage of using cloth during potty training is that you’ll save a lot of money. Instead of having to buy a lot of disposable diapers after each accident, you can just wash the cloth ones and reuse them. Cloth diapers have come a long way and can be bought with Velcro attaching or even fitted for your baby. More parents are switching to cloth because of this convenient feature and they don’t have to use pins to secure the diaper. Because of the newer features of cloth diapers that are fitted, it makes them easy to use during potty training. They act just like a pull up but have more advantages.

Cloth diapers should be used during potty training, and before as well, because of the advantages they offer to both the parents and babies. They are convenient, more economical, better for your babies’ skin, better for the environment, and most important they will make your baby potty train earlier and easier.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com/.

The Diaper Debate

There is no right or wrong diaper choice to use for your baby. It is a personal preference that should be decided by the parents. There are two main choices: cloth or disposable diapers. There are different types of cloth diapers and many different brands of disposable ones on the market. Using the right choice for your baby can be a trial and error process. You may notice that a certain brand causes a rash and in that case, you should change diapers. They are also priced differently and sometimes the most expensive is not always best and vice versa you shouldn’t buy a diaper just because it’s the least expensive choice at the store.

Many parents argue about whether cloth or disposable diapers are best for their babies. While deciding on which type to use, keep in mind that using a natural diaper ointment is always the best choice to prevent and cure diapers rash. Diaper ointment should always be used with every changing. There are advantages of both cloth and disposable ones. While the initial cost of cloth diapers can be expensive, the overall savings are greater than using disposable ones. When making the cloth purchase, buy at least 30 to 35 of each size your baby is wearing at the time. You can buy less, but you’ll have to do more loads of laundry to clean them. Disposable ones can be easier to use because you throw them away after each use. Some parents prefer the ease of this. They can be more convenient when you are out of your home because you can throw the diaper away wherever you change your baby.

If your baby moves a lot during a changing, disposable might be easier to use because of the tape-stick while cloth you have to use safety pins sometimes. Cloth is also known to cause less diapers rash. If you are concerned about the effect that diapers can have on the environment, then you should use cloth. Disposable diapers are supposed to be biodegradable, but it takes time. Cloth ones can be washed and reused which doesn’t affect the amount of waste going into our landfills. However, on the other side of the debate, parents argue that using cloth uses up too much water because you have to do loads of laundry almost every day. While the effects on our environment are an ongoing issue, your first concern should be which diaper will your baby be most comfortable wearing and which will cause little to no rash.

Parents should try different types of diapers for their babies, and they could also try using a combination. There can be the choice of combination of cloth and disposable. Use cloth at home and disposable when going out. The disposable ones are more convenient when not at home, however cloth when convenient, should be used do to the advantages they have. Some parents will find that cloth don’t irritate their baby’s skin, while other parents will see no difference between cloth and disposable. Some parents will like the fact that disposable can be more convenient, and other parents won’t mind washing the cloth ones. It is a personal choice for the parent about which diaper they will decide to purchase.

About the Author: Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com/.