Pine Bark = my best friend

This whole journey started way back when I was working at Davids Tea and a woman scoffed (rather loudly) at a book we had on our shelf beside the teas. It was a book about what you can eat to defeat cancer. She was very audible about hating the notion that cancer could be cured by just eating more leafy greens.  I stepped up to serve her and, seeing she clearly wanted to rant about healthcare, I asked her how one should attack something like cancer which led to a conversation about my skin disorder.

She grabbed the receipt tape and jotted down some things for me to take. The thing that I latched on to was the maritime pine bark pills. And I still take them to this day. It's been about 5 years since this chance encounter with "Nadine" and I am so happy that we happened to chat that day.

Here is a visual of what I'm taking now: 5 years later.

Internal:

Vitamin B 1xday
Maritime Pine Bark 1xday
Greens+ 2xweek
Vitamin D  1xday
Probiotics 2-4xweek

And a multi-vitamin geared towards woman's health 1xday

Topical:

Fragrance free moisturizer
gentle/fragrance free foam cleanser
FX make up
gentle Toner
Tea Tree Oil (spot treatment)
Vitamin A cream

Info from a reader

Recently I received an email from a reader of this blog who wanted to share her insights about DD and specifically gluten diets. Her email about what a Doctor passed on to her about his observations:

Just about anything that is chronic. I have successfully used gluten-free diets for disorders such as ADHD, fibromyalgia, lupus, migraines, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, microscopic colitis, psoriasis and even type 1 diabetes. The list goes on and on. I have even used it successfully for weight loss when everything else failed. If you have an illness that is not responding to medical intervention you have absolutely nothing to lose. Wheat, rye and barley may be the culprits. And, you can get far better sources of nutrients from other sources. There is absolutely no harm in giving a gluten-free diet a try—even with a child. I have a dramatic case of Darier’s disease that completely cleared with a gluten-free diet. I didn’t even know what this disease was. I called one of my physician colleagues and I researched it. You are basically born with this disorder and it usually manifests by the time you are a teenager. Imagine the worst case of psoriasis from head to toe. This man never wore shorts, tee shirts or a bathing suit until he went gluten free. This is an autoimmune genetic disorder that completely cleared on the diet. He stayed on the diet for the rest of his life and his skin remained clear. None of the medical treatments (some quite toxic) he received had worked.

What are your thoughts? Any insights into what is working for you?  In her email she also mentions that her photodynamic treatments have cleared most of her skin of the DD. My father has very bad Psoriasis and swears by going in the sun or a to a tanning salon to wipe out break outs on his body. No need for lengthy treatments (I mean we are celtic decent and aren't made to tan!) so he started at 15 seconds and worked himself up to 5 mins and he says that does him just fine!

I have remarked in the past that diet is a huge step in understanding why your skin is acting the way it is. So take care and nourish yourself, don't just feed your hunger.

A support group online?

So I came across this community while trying to find out more information about gluten-free vs. Darier's
http://www.mdjunction.com/dariers-disease

I am just now looking around it and wondering if you are online there too!

Do you have any experience with a gluten-free diet in regards to break outs? I would love to know!

Thanks,

Adri

Natural Face Scrubs

I am sick of buying tiny tubes for a ba-jillion dollars only to have my sensitive skin hate me for doing so in the long run. For a while I was making do with Neutragena Face Scrub for sensitive skin - but it wasn't exactly helping, but it wasn't exactly making me break out so I was okay with using it. Once it ran out last week I made a vow to start trying some of the DIY face scrubs I keep seeing on Pinterest (follow me if you like!)

So I tried the olive oil + sugar (at the bottom of that info-graphic) scrub and it left me very sad... The olive oil is so thick and unforgiving that it was clogging my pores instantly. It's supposed to be nurturing and make you silky smooth! Not for me! I broke out on my nose and cheek bones after that for days! NEVER AGAIN!

Next I wanted to try something without oil in it. I came upon this website: http://voices.yahoo.com/homemade-coffee-face-mask-scrub-8051090.html 

It had just coffee grinds and honey as the ingredients. Well well well - I just happen to have that in my pantry every day! Like it says on the website: if you drink coffee in the morning, you then have the perfect grinds to use for a scrub! I cheated as I only had a bit of grinds in my french press (and the espresso grind was a good bet so its not too big and coarse for your skin) and so I may have cheated a bit on the ratio but the results were still fab...

The scrub on ma face

After the scrub: a lil pink is okay!

     

The coffee grounds and honey
A lil wet but it made no difference and the Vitamin A post-scrub cream (top)

I used 1 tbsp of unpasteurized honey  + left overs from one cup of coffee espresso grind  ----->
(**note - they were German Chocolate Cake Dark Roast and left my skin smelling like CAKE! LOVE!)

I rubbed for a minute or two then left it on for another 5 minutes (the website says leave it up to 15 minutes but I'm always wary of length due to sensitivity...)

Then splash it away, dab the water, and MAN did it feel GLORIOUS! 
Then I added my Vitamin A cream all over my face and neck after.

My face feels so GOOD. It doesn't feel ouchy or burnt or gross (like with the olive oil) 
Now to see if I break out over the next few days...

Anything working for you?

I want to try oatmeal and coconut oil in some sort of scrub - I hear both are very good for our sensitive skin!

**note post-posting this: talking to a friend and she swears by coffee scrubs. She says she can keep her scrub a week (no refrigeration required) if it's kept in an airtight container (ziplock or jar) for about a week. But I like the idea of making it on demand. A lil FYI for your DIY ;)

2018 UPDATE: I have been using JUST used coffee grinds, no honey or oil, just the grinds every time I have a shower (ies easier to get it off my face and not all over the bathroom that way) I found the added oil or honey was just too much for my skin. I keep my used coffee grinds in a tiny mason jar sealed tight on my shower caddy between uses. Works like a charm! And yes, German Chocolate Cake is still my favourite :)

A little (cheap) piece of heaven

I recently got an email from a reader asking how things are going -

The short answer is good!

The long answer is...

My boyfriend started using my face/body cleanse schtuff and I started to get mad. But, in due turn, he "bought the next round" but couldn't find the Vitamin A cream I had bought from the local health food store (from my last post http://fightagainstdariersdisease.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vitamin-creams.html) What he brought home was this:

Life Brand Vitamin A and Life Brand Vitamin E

The Vitamin E stuff is THICK and doesn't really do it for me. - But the Vitamin A cream? I could MARRY IT. No scent. No thickness. Easily my favourite new thing to add to my MUST have list for my skin disorder. After a few days my face cleared of redness. After a week - I didn't wear foundation. Me. NOT WEARING FOUNDATION. Guys. Girls. World. Hear me: this is my new favourite thing! If you don't see it at your local store - inquire. Or buy online?

I mean LOOK: - this is me with just eye make up and some sunscreen (because that's how I have to roll)

So my neck and face are truly thankful. I hope you have been testing and trying new things too - if so - share please! 

All the best to you and yours,

Adrianna