First steps to going low tox for eczema, allergies and asthma

Where to begin to heal with eczema, allergies and asthma?

When your child is diagnosed with eczema, allergies or asthma, it can feel overwhelming with knowing where to start to help them. Somehow the options for improving health can narrow to the point of medication-only approaches. This is the OLD approach to helping improve eczema, allergies and asthma symptoms. There IS another way.

By reducing the toxins you and your child is exposed to, you can reduce inflammation, and reduce their symptoms of itchy skin, irritable lungs, and those allergy symptoms. Knowing what can be inflammatory is the first step, so you know exactly what to address to help your child thrive.

Personal Care Products can be inflammatory and irritating to the skin. Cross check the ingredients on the label to ensure that it does not contain skin or respiratory irritants, hormone disruptors or cancer-inducing chemicials. Yep – you read that right. Sometimes our shampoos, conditioners, soaps, moisturisers, deoderants and toothpaste contain nasties, never really fit for human use!

Cleaning Products can also be high in toxin load. Choose products that are kinder to your home and body, with bi-carb of soda and vinegar, and essential oils as good cleaning alternatives. Please toss the fabric conditioner – it really is a chemical crap-storm and contains so many toxic ingredients such as fragrances. An easy and cheaper replacement is a couple of drops of essential oils and a spash of cleaning vinegar in that washing compartment. For household cleaning, microfibre cloths are a great option to reduce the chemical load in your house – and in your body.

Cookware and Storage Containers can contain toxic and harmful chemicals such as Teflon and plastics such as BPA which are known carcinogens. Audit your cookware and storage containers, and purchase stainless steel or cast-iron cookware that won’t leach chemicals into your food. Invest in glass storage containers such as Pyrex which can reduce the amounts of hormone and cancer-inducing substances in your food. Even reusing glass jars from honey, olives, passata can be a inexpensive option to begin with.

Where to begin?

Start where you’re at. Today, if you look at one personal care product and replace/toss out, then that is a fantastic start. Tomorrow, if you look at your cookware and look to replace something there, that’s amazing progress.

Take it one step at a time – it’s all worth it for healthier and happier children (and a happier you!).

Check out the video below for more tips and ideas on how to go low-tox for eczema, allergies and asthma.

If you’ve decided you’re ready to help your child with eczema with curated information and resources on this and more, then check out the Happy Skin Collective for Eczema HERE.