If your immune system doesn't seem to be working right - you get sick often, you have allergies, you've been diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder, you've got a skin condition - LISTEN UP.

I'd like for you to stop and think for a second.  Have you ever considered that the insides of your intestines are actually on the outside of your body?  We are actually one long tube from mouth to rectum and our intestines protect us from the outside world, just like our skin does.  Go ahead, sit with that for a moment ;)

I find this notion absolutely fascinating because in Chinese medicine, the Lung (which is in charge of your immune system and relates to the skin) and Large Intestine are connected.  Think of them like a married couple, they exchange ideas, support each other, etc.  If one becomes unbalanced, the other can easily become unbalanced as well.  In biomedicine, the skin and intestines serve a similar purpose in keeping the bad out and letting the good in and Chinese medicine matched them up!

So what does your intestinal health have to do with your immune system?  As I mentioned above, your intestines are a barrier between you and the outside world.  If the intestines are damaged or inflamed, they can let things in that should remain out.  When these substances are allowed in, it's now your immune system's job to destroy them before they can cause a ruckus.  

If your intestines are consistently allowing in these substances, your immune system gets stuck on high alert at your gut and can't be particularly effective elsewhere. This can be a difficult pace to keep and eventually your body gets tired - leading to a malfunctioning immune system.  Here are some symptoms that can be related to poor intestinal health :

• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Allergies
• Food Sensitivities
• Catching colds often
• Digestive issues like gas, bloating, constipation and diarrhea
• Acne
• Migraines

So what are some things you can do to improve your gut health to in turn improve your over all health? 

• Take Colostrum - Colostrum is the amazing part of milk that gives babies their first real boost of immune system.  It helps protect them until their own immune system becomes mature and can take over this important task.  You can get it in pill form, so it's super convenient.  What Colostrum does for an adult with a disfunctional immune system is it help to heal the intestines so they become a better barrier against the outside world.
• Drink water - Making sure you're getting enough water will help your body flush the biproducts of digestion and keep your intestines moving smoothly.  If a bowel movement sits in your intestines too long, you'll have more time to absorb things that put your body on high alert.
• Eat fiber - related to drinking enough water is making sure you're getting enough fiber so that your bowel movments can move.
• Take a probiotic - Probiotics are the good bacteria that help us digest our foods properly.  Your gut bacteria balance can be disturbed by any number of things including use of antibiotics, use of hormonal birth control medications and poor diet to name just a few.

Take the above steps to improve your intestinal health, and I'm positive you'll start noticing some improvements quickly!

A healthy immune system should be like a bubble that lives right underneath your skin.  It protects what's inside the bubble from what's outside the bubble.  In fact, your skin itself is one of our first defenses against disease and is an important part of our immune system!

Sometimes our bubble doesn't quite work right, which leads to 2 basic types of problems.

The first issue is an immune system that lets things into the bubble that it shouldn't.  The most common symptoms of a weak immune system is catching colds really easily and frequently.

The second issue is an overactive immune system that actually attacks things inside the bubble.  With an overactive immune system you get diseases like allergies, eczema, psoriasis, celiac disease, lupus and more.

Chinese medicine is very effective at reminding your body's immune system how it should be acting.  It calms an overactive immune system and boosts an underfunctioning one.  This not only leads to symptom relief, but prevents the symptoms from recurring.  Isn't that the dream of anyone who suffers from immune system disorders?

Eczema is a skin condition that affects an estimated 1 in 18 people in the US.   It consists of redness, dryness or weepiness and extremely itchy patches of skin.  The itching can be so intense that some people find themselves scratching at the sores in their sleep!  Because of all of this scratching, many people experience skin thickening and scarring, which can be a source of embarrassment.

Unfortunately, biomedicine doesn't always have a good answer for treating eczema, and many people find that treatments don't work for very long.

A skilled acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist will be able to create a personalized treatment plan that will lead you on the path to stopping the itching and healing your skin from the inside out.  This process can take some time, but it is possible to have clear, healthy skin!

Here are some things you can do at home, in addition to working with an acupuncturist who specializes in dermatology, to help heal your skin:

• Take a probiotic - an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria can contribute to eczema.
• Take omega 3 fatty acids - omega 3 fatty acids help break the inflammation cycle
• Do an elimination diet to learn what (if any) foods you may be sensitive to.  If you're constantly eating something that is irritating to your gut, it'll show up in your skin.

If you're in the Portland area, feel free to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to discuss the possibility of Chinese medicine working to treat your eczema!

Psoriasis is a skin condition caused by skin cells that replicate too quickly resulting in a scaly, often itchy, patch.    Biomedicine often prescribes cortisone to try to control the overgrowth.  For some people this works, but for many it doesn't.  Many people find their scaly patches minimized, but not gone.