I've suffered from eczema since I was a baby. As a child, my eczema was severe and very uncomfortable to deal with. As an adult, it has lessened in severity and sometimes disappears for months at a time. However, in the spring of 2018, my eczema made a reappearance, but this time more severe than it has ever been in my adult years. Usually, I've been able to manage at it home with no problems, but this time it was so out of control, I visited a dermatologist for the first time in my life. I was prescribed with topical steroids to apply to my problem areas (face, neck and ears).
After about a week of use and research on the long-term side effects of the steroids, I decided to ditch the them and try some at-home remedies instead. Long story short, I have yet to return to the dermatologist for my eczema and my eczema flare ups have lessened tremendously.
According to the National Eczema Association, "Eczema is the name for a group of conditions that cause the skin to become red, itchy and inflamed. There are several types of eczema: atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, nummular eczema, seborrheic dermatitis and stasis dermatitis. Eczema is very common. And in many cases, it's also manageable... over 30 million Americans have some form of eczema."
Everyone doesn't experience eczema the same way. While some may experience mild itching every now and again, some may experience more severe ongoing symptoms that may interfere with their everyday lives..Some symptoms of eczema include:
- Dry, sensitive skin
- Inflammation
- Very bad uncontrollable itching
- Dark colored patches of skin
- Rough, leathery or scaly patches of skin
- Oozing or crusting on the skin
- Areas of swelling
Most dermatologists prescribe topical steroids to patients dealing with eczema. However, the long-term effects of topical steroids such as thinning skin is a cause of concern for many patients. If you suffer from eczema and want to find ways to naturally manage it at home without the use of steroids, here are 6 holistic remedies that you can try.
1.Meditate and eliminate stress
GiphyBelieve it or not, your mind is powerful, especially when it comes to bodily functions and aliments. Stress is another known cause of eczema flare ups. Much like hives caused by stress, when you're already going crazy about the discomfort and itchiness that comes with eczema, stressing over it may cause the condition to worsen. When you're in an eczema-related rut, try calming your mind and taking your thoughts away from the situation at hand. If you're not familiar with meditation, you can try guided meditation apps to help you.
2.Hit the gym
Another great way to relax and relieve some stress is through exercise. And no, you don't have to do an intense 2-hour high intensity interval training session to see results. Whether you're going for a light jog or participating in a beginner's yoga sessions, exercising can be a great way to get your mind off of eczema while improving your overall health.
3.Check your diet
GiphyMany people tend to forget that much like your heart, lungs, and stomach, your skin is an organ and what you put into your body does effect it. Though eczema hasn't been scientifically linked to diet, there are a few foods known to cause inflammation in the body. These include peanuts, milk, soy, wheat, eggs, and alcohol. Try eliminating these from your diet (even if it's for a short period of time) to lessen the inflammation on your skin due to eczema.
4.Clean up your laundry day
Even if you don't enjoy doing laundry, you must admit that the fresh scent of clean clothes is the one thing about laundry day that you genuinely look forward to. Unfortunately, all of the those dyes, fragrances, and other added chemicals that we associate with the fresh scent of laundry are absolutely no good for your skin, especially if you are battling eczema. Instead, you need to be reaching for clean detergents that don't have any of those pesky chemicals that will further upset your skin.
Recommended: Molly's Suds Original Laundry Detergent Powder
5.Turn down the temperature of your shower water
GiphyWe all know how amazing a long hot shower at the beginning or the end of a long day is, but when you suffer from eczema, it's best that you shower in lukewarm water. Hot water (and cold water) tends to dry out the skin, while lukewarm water helps your skin retain moisture. When you already suffer from a condition like eczema, where your skin already tends to be dry and scaly, hot water will only agitate your skin more. If you opt to take baths while experiencing an eczema flare, try an oatmeal bath that can help soothe your skin (specifically the itchiness).
6.Transition to clean beauty products
Similar to what we said about your laundry detergent, the products that you put directly on your skin have a big impact on your eczema. Transition to clean beauty products that are free of dyes, added fragrance, and other artificial ingredients that may be irritating your already-inflamed skin can make a huge difference. Start by gradually incorporating natural and clean products into your skincare routine (face and body) until you find natural products that work for you and your eczema.
While eczema may be discomforting and may be even frustrating, it's not impossible to take control of. Try these holistic remedies until you find one that makes living with eczema much easier.
Featured image by Getty Images
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To my surprise, that came in the form of social media.
Now, you might be wondering how someone might be able to juggle their work in a creatively-dominant career like writing while still having the mental capacity to produce ideas for their own personal brand, and well, that answer didn’t come easily.
In 2021, I hit a wall with writing and content creation.
With the stress and uncertainty that came as a result of the pandemic, to being burned out from having to live off my creativity, I reached a breaking point. For me, writing was always a space to explore my thoughts, process heavy topics, and express concepts that only words could bring reason to. However, when I didn’t have the brainpower to write or create content, I knew it was time to set parameters around my hobby of content creation and my passion for storytelling.
In this case, the biggest challenge was finding the balance between the two by releasing the guilt and shame of taking a break from both in order to reconnect with them.
Through years of trial and error, the fog finally cleared, and I was able to hit my stride in 2023. From garnering over 10K followers on TikTok, building an Instagram community around lifestyle and creative encouragement, along with my wellness collective, Black Girl Playground, and writing for xoNecole as a lifestyle contributor, the creative juices have been flowing steadily.
And it all happened by creating a strategy that allowed space for planning, resting, and creating. Today, I’ll be sharing my top tips to help you find your balance between your side hustle and passions.
On staying inspired and motivated when working on various content creation and freelancing projects:
Early this year, I came to the bright conclusion that I needed to shorten the gap between ideation and execution — and it completely changed how I create.
Oftentimes, when we have an idea come to us, we let it sit for too long, and then before we know it, we’ve either lost the enthusiasm to put it into action, or someone else grabs it. If you want to stay in a flow of creativity, whether side projects or full-time work, it’s important to not get slowed down by self-doubt, procrastination, or perfectionism.
Give yourself permission to act on your ideas as they come to you. Even if they’re a little muddy or not “perfect,” you can always fine-tune them later.
@yagirlaley shrinking the gap between [ideation] + [execution] 🧠💡#fyp #creativeadvice
On the importance of choosing a niche:
If there’s one thing that has helped me balance my work as a writer and content creator, it’s putting each in its own niche (or category). By definition, a niche is a specialized segment of the market or a specific area of expertise.
When you are creating in the same niche that you’re also making a living in, that’s an easy way to get your wires crossed. And at times, this could lead to feeling as if you don’t have any ideas for yourself because you’ve given them to the other area you're juggling.
When balancing two, you want to have enough fresh ideas to give to your personal projects and your full-time work to avoid any overlap. This ensures that your personal creative vision isn’t compromised when working on client projects while still having some for yourself.
On the strategies that have helped to maintain a consistent workflow in both areas:
I can’t stress enough how important it is to create a workflow and structure for yourself as a freelancer — this applies to those with a 9-5 in the day and a 5-9 at night, too.
As someone who admittedly has ADHD tendencies, object permanence can sometimes create a block in time and project management. That’s why I encourage creatives and professionals to create systems that allow you to see the work that’s ahead of you.
Personally, I can’t live without having multiple calendars going at once. My Google calendar keeps track of interviews for articles and events, while my physical calendar helps me keep track of important dates. I also work out of an Excel sheet where I can log in ongoing stories and track their status from drafting to submission. I’ve also heard great things about the Notion app for planning and tracking.
When it comes to creating content, spending time doing bulk content days has been an asset to my creative workflow. When I complete the videos, I save them to my drafts and upload them as needed.
Credit: Amberita
Courtesy of the writer
On the best advice for someone who is considering pursuing both content creation and freelancing simultaneously:
Don’t be ashamed of taking a break and resting — because both are essential to the life of a creative. Last month, I returned to Instagram after taking 6 months off from posting. During that time, I worked on growing my TikTok page, using the platform to practice vulnerability and allowing myself to put the fun back into creating content. Without the time, I can’t say I’d be able to approach Instagram with the same ease and playfulness; but thanks to that time away, it was possible.
Resting, letting our minds wander, or simply doing nothing are all just as productive as creating. No one can produce at all times, we have to allow ourselves the space for new concepts and ideas to flow to us. In addition to that, when we take breaks from social media, it allows us to stop the wheel of comparison and consume more than we create. So if you feel like you’re in a creative rut with all you want to balance, it may be time to take a step back, unapologetically.
Your creativity will thank you for it.
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Featured image by Sir Taylor
