Ruth Holroyd's Blog, page 17

My favourite free from soup and bowl meals

This is a really hard one for me as it’s a real struggle to find good, free from and healthy soup and bowl meals.

I love to make my own but it’s not always possible due to time constraints and energy levels.

So for those days when you want a warming soup and want to just open a can or a pouch, here’s my top allergen free options.

It’s definitely a challenge to find suitable products that are free from all my allergens and I often have to shop around, finding some things in one shop and some in another. I can never ever find everything I want in one shop.

I‘m allergic to wheat, dairy, soya and nuts (anaphylactic reaction) and can’t have tomato or celery due to milder reactions, it’s really hard to find a safe option.

So here, in no particular order, are the soups that I’ve been enjoying and some others you might like to check out.

Suma tinned soups – I have tried a few of these and love them. At the moment I’m trying the Spicy Lentil soup and since it’s free from wheat, dairy, soya, celery and tomato. Be aware that some of their soups do contain soya protein.Free & Easy soups – My favourite is the Organic Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Turmeric Soup Vegan, ingredients: Water, Butternut Squash (11%), Sweet Potato (10%), Carrots, Vegetable Bouillon (Rice Flour, Sea Salt, Maltodextrin, Onions, Yeast Extract (Gluten Free), Carrots, Sunflower Oil, Turmeric, Parsnip, Mushrooms, (Mushrooms, Shitake-Pilze), Herbs, Concentrated Vegetable Juice (Carrot, Onion) Pumpkin Spices Garlic), Rice Flour, Kibbled Onion, Apple Juice Concentrate, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Ginger Powder, Curry Powder, Turmeric (0.04%). They also do Green Pea and Mint and Carrot and Coconut soups. They’re all really good.SOUPOLOGIE – Cauliflower Kale Black Garlic – Water, Cauliflower (26%), Leeks, Kale (3%), Rapeseed Oil, Vegetable Stock¹, Garlic, Salt, Black Garlic (0.2%), Nutmeg, Black Pepper. ¹Rice Flour*, Sea Salt, Maltodextrin from Maize*, Vegetables 8.3% (Onion, Carrot, Parsnip, Pumpkin)*, Yeast Extract, Sunflower Oil*, Turmeric*, Mushrooms (White Mushrooms, Shiitake)*, Parsley*, Concentrated Vegetable Juice (Onion, Carrot)*, Lovage*, Garlic*, Fennel Seeds*. *Organically grown ingredientsBiona – Organic Spiced Pumpkin Soup ingredients: water, pumpkin*, lentils (red)*, leeks*, onions*, mango purée*, carrots*, rice starch*, sea salt, corn flour*, yeast extract, indian curry*, corn maltodextrin*, celery*, onion powder*, garlic*, lovage*, black pepper*, laurel*, turmeric (curcuma)*, horseradish*, nutmeg* * = from controlled organic farmingAuga – Organic Three Lentil Soup Vegan, ingredients: Water, organic various lentils 12% (green, red, brown), organic carrots, organic potatoes, organic spices, organic rice flour, organic paprika, organic rapeseed oil, sea salt.Glorious Super Foods – Thai Carrot Soup – I’ve only ever round this in Morrisons. Be aware that some of their sups do contain milk and tomato, so always check ingredients. Ingredients: Water, Carrot (34%), Onion, Coconut Cream (5%) (Coconut, Water), Leek, Potato, Red Pepper, Ginger Puree, Sugar, Coriander, Vegetable Bouillon (Salt, Maltodextrin, Potato Starch, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Vegetables (Onion, Parsnip, Parsley), Sunflower Oil, Spices (Lovage, Turmeric, Pepper, Garlic, Mace, Nutmeg), Spice Extract), Cornflour, Salt, Red Chilli, Rapeseed Oil, Lime Juice, Lemongrass, Garlic Puree, Ground Spices (Coriander, Cumin, Cayenne), Galangal, Spirit Vinegar

You could also check out the following, if you have less allergies than me they might be OK

Amy’s Kitchen – tend to all have tomato and or celery but are gluten and dairy free so worth checking outClearspring – they do lots of vegan soupsJust Wholefoods soups – contain celeryFree From Bowl meals

I have to say I don’t really buy anything like this at all so I will look forward to the Free From Food Awards judging to discover who has entered. What constitutes a ‘bowl meal’?

Writing this blog has also made me mourn some lovely products that seem to have disappeared, including the wonder ilumi pouch meals which I loved so much. They made loads of curries, soups and meals as well as gravy that really became regular options for me, but sadly they are no more. Also Look What We Found who did similar pouch meals and soups – whatever happened to them? Occasionally some of their range can be found in Aldi and Lidl but they’re hard to find, and the products I like, and that were suitable for my allergies, seem to have been discontinued, including the lovely Pea and Ham soup.

Free From Food Awards 2022 – Soup and Bowl Meals sponsor

I thought it would be fun to test my knowledge of this area of the free from aisle in the supermarket. I often find that because I cook so much from scratch at home that I’m so out of touch and discover loads of new things during the judging sessions. If you’re not familiar with the Free From Food Awards, they are an annual awards ceremony that rigorously tests, tastes and judges all the entrants in numerous categories from plant milks to Top 14 free. I am so proud to be sponsoring this category this year and can’t wait to see who enters.

Visit the Free From Food Awards 2022 to find out more.

What are your favourite free from soup and bowl meal options? I’d love to hear what you love and have you tried any of the above?

You can find quite a few of these soups and meals on the realfoods.co.uk website.

Photo by Alesia Kozik from Pexels

The post My favourite free from soup and bowl meals first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide – new look

Many of you will hopefully have already read my Anaphylaxis guide, previously called The Reluctant Allergy Expert – How to kill the fear that anaphylaxis might kill you. Well it’s had a make-over for 2022. We’ve rebranded so it now has a new title, a new cover and brand new cover image. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Now called Anaphylaxis: The Essential Guide: An Action Plan For Living With Life-Threatening Allergies, it’s a big improvement I think.

Anaphylaxis: The Essential Guide: An Action Plan For Living With Life-Threatening Allergies httpsEverything you need to know to navigate life with anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis has the potential to hijack your everyday life but it is possible to create a positive path forward.

Anaphylaxis can be terrifying. It can make people severely ill and in rare cases it can be fatal. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing and swallowing, rashes, vomiting, collapse and loss of consciousness. Every person’s allergic reaction is different and the symptoms can also be different depending on which allergen they come into contact with. They might only suffer a mild reaction at first, but the reactions may become severe over time.

Ruth Holroyd, who is severely allergic to nuts, dairy and other foods, has a lifetime of experience of anaphylaxis. Through research and her first-hand experience she has compiled a self-help guide for people living with the condition, their family and their friends.

In Anaphylaxis: The Essential Guide, you will discover information, help and support to face this frightening condition with confidence. Ruth shows you how to:

Get a diagnosis swiftly and how to come to terms with itRecognise the other factors that can affect the severity of a reaction, including exercise and medicationPut together an Anaphylaxis Action Plan with day-to-day tips and strategies for staying safe at home and at work, eating out, holidays and datingAssess possible treatments, therapies and resourcesCope with the psychological impact of living with anaphylaxis and severe allergiesTake action when you’re feeling depressed or anxious, or experiencing panic attacksCreate a positive and resilient mindset, and reframe the condition to feel less excluded and more in control

“Genuine and invaluable insights into allergy. It’s the sort of book I’d love to give to all my allergy patients”

Dr Adam Fox, Guys and St Thomas’s Hospital

New Year, New Title, New Cover

What do you think? Is it an improvement?

Hopefully the new cover and title will:

Help the book stand out on the shelf next to other titlesIt’s more eye catching and appealingThe title more succinctly explains what the book is aboutIt should mean more people living with anaphylaxis or caring for someone who is can find the bookIt should help with search terms and amazon’s algorithms of books!

It’s available to buy now on Amazon for £9.99 but if you’re not sure, you can find out more, read testimonials and watch a video review here: Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide – More info

Buy Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide here

And for posterity, and in case you hadn’t seen the old title and cover, here it is, the original version, The Reluctant Allergy Expert – How to kill the fear that anaphylaxis could kill you. I still have some old copies of this version

What do you think? Is it an improvement? Or did you prefer the old version?

The post Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide – new look first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide – new book

Many of you will hopefully have already read my Anaphylaxis guide, previously called The Reluctant Allergy Expert – How to kill the fear that anaphylaxis might kill you. Well it’s had a make-over for 2022. We’ve rebranded so it now has a new title, a new cover and brand new cover image. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Now called Anaphylaxis: The Essential Guide: An Action Plan For Living With Life-Threatening Allergies, it’s a big improvement I think.

Anaphylaxis: The Essential Guide: An Action Plan For Living With Life-Threatening Allergies httpsEverything you need to know to navigate life with anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis has the potential to hijack your everyday life but it is possible to create a positive path forward.

Anaphylaxis can be terrifying. It can make people severely ill and in rare cases it can be fatal. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing and swallowing, rashes, vomiting, collapse and loss of consciousness. Every person’s allergic reaction is different and the symptoms can also be different depending on which allergen they come into contact with. They might only suffer a mild reaction at first, but the reactions may become severe over time.

Ruth Holroyd, who is severely allergic to nuts, dairy and other foods, has a lifetime of experience of anaphylaxis. Through research and her first-hand experience she has compiled a self-help guide for people living with the condition, their family and their friends.

In Anaphylaxis: The Essential Guide, you will discover information, help and support to face this frightening condition with confidence. Ruth shows you how to:

Get a diagnosis swiftly and how to come to terms with itRecognise the other factors that can affect the severity of a reaction, including exercise and medicationPut together an Anaphylaxis Action Plan with day-to-day tips and strategies for staying safe at home and at work, eating out, holidays and datingAssess possible treatments, therapies and resourcesCope with the psychological impact of living with anaphylaxis and severe allergiesTake action when you’re feeling depressed or anxious, or experiencing panic attacksCreate a positive and resilient mindset, and reframe the condition to feel less excluded and more in control

“Genuine and invaluable insights into allergy. It’s the sort of book I’d love to give to all my allergy patients”

Dr Adam Fox, Guys and St Thomas’s Hospital

New Year, New Title, New Cover

What do you think? Is it an improvement?

Hopefully the new cover and title will:

Help the book stand out on the shelf next to other titlesIt’s more eye catching and appealingThe title more succinctly explains what the book is aboutIt should mean more people living with anaphylaxis or caring for someone who is can find the bookIt should help with search terms and amazon’s algorithms of books!

It’s available to buy now on Amazon for £9.99 but if you’re not sure, you can find out more, read testimonials and watch a video review here: Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide – More info

Buy Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide here

And for posterity, and in case you hadn’t seen the old title and cover, here it is, the original version, The Reluctant Allergy Expert – How to kill the fear that anaphylaxis could kill you. I still have some old copies of this version

What do you think? Is it an improvement? Or did you prefer the old version?

The post Anaphylaxis – The Essential Guide – new book first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Self image, reflections, mirrors, facial eczema and TSW

I’ve been thinking about my dual fear of mirrors and obsession with my magnifying mirror for a while now. I absolutely hate seeing my reflection in mirrors and photos, after a lifetime of seeing eczema, red and sore skin in them. However I now have an obsession with over analysing the poor state of the skin on my face with a magnifying mirror to assess the damage daily. The two things don’t mix well.

Inspired by this brilliant article by my lovely friend Nina Ajdin, Haunted by my own reflection on AtopicDermatitis.net, I can relate to so much of what Nina writes and her blog is well worth a read.

These are my reflections on reflections (geddit?).

Don’t like looking in the mirror? Vinyl mirror stickers – The Real Skin Club – Use my code SHAPEOFSKIN at checkout for 20% of

If you also hate looking in the mirror, here’s a few tips that I find have helped me

Avoid them – Take down the mirrors, avoid looking in them and just know that you are worthy. You are healing and you are beautiful. Save the mirrors until you can recognise yourself again if you find it really triggering. I have just one mirror in my bathroom that is screwed to the wall that I can’t avoid but otherwise, there are no other mirrors. I don’t need them right now.Talk to yourself – I started doing this after some therapy and I have to say, after an initial feeling of embarrassment that I sounded like a dick, speaking daily to myself in the mirror really helps me. I tell myself I’m doing great, just say Hey Ruth, how you doing? I tell myself I am beautiful, that I am healing, that I love me! I say, Hey Ruth I love you! Sounds corny but it works. I couldn’t even say the words I love you out loud to start with but after daily practise and lots of tears I can now say it and smile and know that it’s true.It’s OK to not like the situation – It’s completely OK and also understandable to not like what’s going on with your skin. If you have eczema, psoriasis or topical steroid affecting your face I know how tough that is. Know that you are not alone, this is not fair and it is not your fault. But you are still worthy, you are still amazing. You are still you inside and you’ll find your way to functional skin in time. Positive Affirmation mirror vinyls – I got some wonderful mirror vinyls with positive affirmations on them from The Real Skin Club. They’re brilliant, look really cute and are a constant reminding to myself to be kind, gentle and compassionate with myself. They say I am Enough, I am resilient and My skin does not define me. Use my code SHAPEOFSKIN at checkout for 20% ofWould you talk like that to a stranger? – Remember that you need to find kindness for yourself and empathy for what you are going through. I’ll bet you would not judge a friend going through the same thing with so much harshness. Imagine you are talking to a loved friend, or even a small child. Be your best friend through this, it’s hard enough already! Vinyl mirror stickers- The Real Skin Club – Use my code SHAPEOFSKIN at checkout for 20% of Love hate relationship with mirrors

At the same time as avoiding my reflection in mirrors, I am obsessed with analysing my face in minute detail with a magnifying mirror. I’m pretty sure this is unhealthy, but it also helps me with my other obsession, picking off the flakes, and let me tell you, there are a lot of flakes. I sit with a magnifying mirror and my tweezers and gently remove any that are ready to leave my face and join the dust revolution in my house.

I don’t think it helps though as it solidifies my perception of myself, that my skin is always red, angry, dry, flaky etc. When in actual fact, often it looks a damn sight better than I think it does.

When your skin hurts and is itchy and permanently uncomfortable, it’s easy to imagine that just because you can’t stop thinking about it, everyone else can see how bad it is too,

Most people won’t notice, most won’t care and very few will actually be judging you.

Eczema cartoon from the National Eczema Society

This funny cartoon from the National Eczema society portrays it too a tee. It might be visible but in our heads we build it up out of all proportion and catastrophise about the awful things people will think and say. This isn’t helped by the amount of comments stupid people make, something Nina shares about in here blog linked above. More on that in a future blog post about handling unwelcome comments.

It’s not easy, but if you can try not to let the odd few who make ill advised comments tarnish all your thoughts it will help.

No one should hide away from society because they feel unworthy, shame or not good enough.

No matter what we look like, we deserve our place in society.

The problem is that our society is so fundamentally based on how we look and as women, being ‘pretty’ seems to be the ultimate goal.

I’ve always stood out from the crowd and been and felt different. I’ve never felt part of discussions about make-up, clothes, getting nails done and things like that. I’ve always been the tom boy and wondering whether there is something wrong with me.

Because I do not wear make-up and I just don’t care what people think. I do take care with my appearance and like to get dressed up but I won’t be moulded into what society thinks a woman should be.

I’ve now come to realise, with age, that being different is what makes me so brilliant. It’s actually what draws people to me and makes people like me. I am unashamedly me and that’s OK. I no longer worry about being different, now I just get on with being happily a little bit crazy.

Right now I’m really challenging that ideal because most days I am covered in huge skin flakes, red, swollen and inflamed. I know I don’t look ‘normal’ but this is my reality at the moment.

As a society we all need to be kinder, to judge less, to find empathy for others and embrace facial difference.

Because every time you comment on a person’s appearance you may be making them feel like hiding away at home. Avoiding the mirrors and fearing coming out into society. Don’t be that person. Be better than that.

You may also find this blog, ‘Responding to difficult comments‘ interesting.

Finally, a poem I wrote about reflections Buy The Shape of Skin on Amazon todayI never look into the mirror.In case of what I might see.I'm always pointing the camera.So it's never looking at me.If I do spot my reflection.I'm surprised to spy.Not the horror I’m expecting.But just me walking by.There is always more to any book.Than what is on the cover.It’s not the only thing you see;There’s hidden beauty to discover.My skin is like a mirror.Revealing how I feel.I wish it was as smooth as glass.But that would not be real.Inside though I am happy.Underneath the face you meet.Contented with the life I have.Not taking a back seat. For more poems like this check out my poetry book, The Shape of Skin, available on Amazon.

I would love to hear your thoughts on mirrors. Do you hate them? Avoid them? Do you always think your skin looks worse than it is? and expect the worst because of thoughtless comments from unthinking unkind people?

Let’s reflect on how we see our reflection…

The post Self image, reflections, mirrors, facial eczema and TSW first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Focus on the Positives – the gift of allergies and eczema

Have you written any New Year’s resolutions yet this year? i.e. Get cured of allergies, eradicate eczema, heal from topical steroid withdrawal, eat out more without fear, world peace, get fit, write that book…

Do you struggle to keep to them?

Why not explore the idea of continually viewing life as a chance to be thankful for what you already have.

It doesn’t have to always be a struggle and a drive for change, to be better and to improve. Don’t just write a list, put it away and discover the following year that you didn’t really achieve any of them.

It might sound like a stupid idea, but particularly if you have some health struggles or mental health challenges, like recurring negative thoughts or anxiety. I myself have been learning how to cope with panic attacks, anxiety and that nasty negative internal voice.

Every time you have a negative thought, replace it with a good one. Something you are proud of, something good that happened and something kind about yourself.

Positives of having life threatening allergies Focus on the positive experiences and be thankful

This year aim to discover and explore food and life avoiding certain allergens, turn things upside down and look at food in a totally new way; explore all the foods you CAN eat and celebrate them. Focus on the wonderful things you CAN do that don’t involve food. Find all those myriad positives. They’re out there. If you didn’t have allergies you may well be grabbing unhealthy snacks, eating fast-food or dining out with friends with little thought for the consequences. Whilst it may seem hard having to always remain vigilant, making the healthy choice will have a positive impact on your overall wellbeing.

Something you could try this year is to really focus on all the positive things that happen in your life.

If you write regularly then why not start or end the day by recapping all the inspiring things that happened.

It could be anything, from an amazing new freefrom product you found in the supermarket to getting great service in a local cafe. It could also be something totally unrelated to your allergies or food sensitivities – don’t let them define you.

It could even be the joyful sunrise you saw on your way to work. You have allergies but they shouldn’t rule your life in a negative way.

The idea is to write something positive on a piece of paper and pop it into the jam jar each day. Then at the end of the year when it’s time to think about New Year’s Resolutions again, read all the things that happened and it should help you find a more positive outlook on living with allergies, food intolerances or whatever challenge you are struggling to find positivity about. Instead of feeling angry, why me? and constantly bemoaning that everything contains nuts etc. It doesn’t. There are be hundreds and hundreds of foods; fruit, vegetables, meat, fish etc. are all totally nut free. You CAN eat so many things so get out there and eat them.

So are they really a gift? I’m probably stretching even my positive outlook on this one, but ignore the negative voice in your head that’s crazy mad about the injustice of your particular allergy or eczema and think about what’s good in your life. For instance…

It keeps you slim – You can’t indulge in puddings or snack on biscuits at meetings etc. For me anyway, I’m pretty sure I’d be much heavier than I am because I’m lazy and used to eat pretty much whatever I wanted, I even used to like aeroplane food! Some FreeFrom food choices can actually be very calorific though, just as any processed foods can be so the opposite can be true – you could put weight on if you rely solely on freefrom supermarket foods.You have to understand the food you eat – There are hidden preservatives, bulking agents, fillers etc. which the powers that be have decided are good for our health. But what is the long term effect of consuming these unnatural man made fake food stuffs? Being a serial label checker can be a pain but you will gain a much better understanding for the sheer number of unnecessary ingredients found in some foods. This will have a huge impact on your general health – in a good way. Not only will it hopefully help skin health but also consider the long term effect of consuming unnatural fillers, bulkers, emulsifiers and just generally junk. Our bodies don’t need that and can’t process it like they can with real food.Freefrom food choice is rising – Every year the array of Freefrom foods in supermarkets and health food stores is growing. Consider though that freefrom is not always healthier – read labels, understand exactly what you’re eating and analyse the salt, fat and calorie content. Become a follower of the Freefrom Food awards so you can find out who the new freefrom companies are and discover new amazing products. The ultimate freefrom diet would be to only eat fresh food for a whole week, why not take the go-processed-food-free challenge for a week and see how you feel?Learn to cook – Before food came to bite me I was a terrible cook. My mum did teach me to boil potatoes, get peas out of the freezer and put them in a pan and how to cook fish that came in a nice sanitised square, but that is pretty much as far as my culinary skills extended (sorry Mum, I should have listened more). Why cook when you can buy ready meals? Or so I thought. Having allergies has forced me, kicking and screaming, to pick up the allergy cookery books and learn. There have been disasters but I’ve discovered something I now love to do, experimenting with new ingredients and flavours, trying out new recipes and actually, the results have been pretty good, especially the cakes and biscuits.Finding positives in eczema and topical steroid withdrawal

This one is much harder to get your head around because when it’s bad it can and does effect most aspects of your life, and often in a negative, painful, exhausting and isolating way. But here goes:

It teaches you to listen to your skin – You might envy the people who can do, eat and put anything on their skin and seem to still have an amazing smooth complexion. But what if they can’t hear the messages their body might be trying to tell them? What if you are getting warning signals, through your skin, that if you can tune into them can teach you the best, most healthy way to fuel and heal your body and skin. You will learn a deeper understanding of your own Mental health – If you are taken to a really dark place, to rock bottom with what seems like everything taken away, you have to dig deep to keep going. You are beautiful and special and brilliant and you are worthy of all the love. But knowing that can be hard to learn. Having the bad luck to be going through topical steroid withdrawal has taught me so much about myself and given me a deep and incredible understanding of who I am, what I need and why it’s so important. If you struggle with anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions, there could be a direct link to your skin condition. I know anxiety directly affects my skin. Make it a goal to get the help you need, for you, and for your skin.If you let it, you can learn to Love yourself and your skin – A huge lesson for me because I actually didn’t love myself at all when I started trying to get my hear around this. I couldn’t even say the words to a mirror. And when I first began to tentatively say them, it would make me weep. Now I can high five myself in the mirror because I can see now what a beautiful, kind, wonderful human I am. Despite what my skin might be going through, I am lovable and I love and actually really quite like myself now. You guys are so lucky to have me around It’s that push to clean your diet – Get to know what foods are good for reducing inflammation, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and avoid things that won’t be good for your skin. For me I also have allergies but not everyone does. However there are lot of foods that can irritate skin. Check the Itchy Dozen.Clean your skin care regime – look at ingredients on your skincare products and only put stuff on your skin that you would eat. Your skin absorbs quite a lot of what you apply onto it. TSW is a lesson in that and the damage that can be done.Clean your house – Work on eradicating all the allergens and potential pollutants in your house. I want to produce a free guide to doing this in 2022 but in the meantime, you can get started. Think about everything you bring into your house, from cleaning products to candles – most of them contain harmful ingredients so make healthy choices e.g. Beeswax or soy candles instead or get an oil diffuser. Ditch the plug in fragrance things and get natural. Start thinking about how reduce dust, allergens, mould, etc.

Focus on the positive experiences you have this year and I promise you will feel differently about your health. Having an atopic body is the incentive to do better for yoursef and the environment, bit by bit to make a difference.

Avoidance is currently the only solution for people with allergies but until scientists find the holy grail of a cure we have to muddle through.

Be prepared and organised, smile and continue to spread awareness simply and calmly about what it’s really like living with allergies. We still have a long way to go as there are still huge misunderstandings and myths around allergies but together we can make a difference.

And if you are going through topical steroid withdrawal, you are not alone. I am right here with you, oozing, flaking and itching my way to skin freedom. It takes time but we will get there. It’s not fair, but we can fight this and raise awareness everywhere so that others don’t have to go through what we have.

So have you written any New Year’s Resolutions yet? Are any of them allergy related? Skin related?

Check out Why I’m not writing any resolutions for 2022 and please share your thoughts below.

The post Focus on the Positives – the gift of allergies and eczema first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Why New Year’s Resolutions are bollox

And why I’m not writing any for 2022.

It’s that time of year when we reflect on what we have achieved and what we want to do in the coming year. We write lists of all the things we want to change for the better and I do love a list. But why is there all this focus on the new year being the time to finally become a New You!

What if just being me is OK. So this year I am not going to bother.

When your body is no longer functioning at it should, dreams, plans and bucket lists just seem like such an extravagance. A waste of time. Lofty dreams and sights set too high. Unachievable and unattainable when getting up and making healthy food is a success some days.

The image below kind of sums up my feelings.

Things to to do before… before what? Before I can heal? Before I die? Like my life will not be whole and perfect and eternally happy unless I complete this arbitrary list I came up with in five minutes brain storming.

Going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal and having life threatening allergies makes one feel so grateful for small things.

Waking in peace and comfort.Living without pain and discomfort.Being able to enjoy good food safely.Having a functioning skin barrier

These are just basic needs and wants. Things we should all take for granted. But they’re things I’ve not really fully experienced for some time.

I have forgotten what it feels like to be truly at peace in my body.

I can’t remember the last time I had a really good night’s sleep.

I don’t know how to relax completely because the constant fight to not scratch and ignore the ever present itch is always there. I am on alert to avert the itching and maintain healing… it takes a toll.

I don’t mean we shouldn’t dream, plan and aspire to achieve our goals, but making lists of things, doing them and ticking them off doesn’t ultimately make you happy.

Quite the opposite, it can make you fee like you’re going nowhere.

What is a bucket list and why do we make them?

Bucket lists are usually things to do before you hit a certain age or a before you die! Resolutions are lists we make every year.

A list of aims, goals and activities that we think we’d love to do. Maybe we know someone else who has done these things or we’ve simply always wanted to do something. It could be anything depending on your circumstances in life and they can be great to give you some drive, motivation and ambition to explore, experience and give more back to the world.

Why do we do things like this? Do we think we’ll be a better person? Feel happier? Have more friends or be more respected by our current friends?

Do we do them to make ourselves feel better? Prouder?

I think it’s great to have dreams and to try to do the things you want to do, but climbing that mountain might not make you eternally happy.

And sometimes making lists of things you want to achieve can make you feel pretty crappy when you can’t do them, or fail to succeed when you try.

Sometimes getting out of bed before midday can feel like climbing Everest.

Turning to a friend or family member’s house can seem like a terrifying task because you don’t want them to see in a state.

So what if we throw out the bloody bucket lists and trash the resolutions.

What if what we strive for is simpler, quieter, gentler.

What I’ve learnt over the past 2-3 years is that it’s the simple things that make me smile, that bring me joy.

What’s in store for 2022

For me, my 2022 is going to look quite different. I will achieve things and I will crack on with my plans, like my next book which is coming along well… but what I really want to do is just to heal. I want clear skin. I want to wake feeling calm, comfortable and rested.

And the timelines on these things are not set in stone.

They will happen when they happen.

The things I AM going to try to commit to are the small daily changes that I know help me to thrive.

Getting organised with lots of healthy fruit, vegetables and easy mealsDaily Calm meditationsDaily yoga or at least regular yoga, particularly Yin YogaWalking oftenGetting into natureGratitude journalingWritingAnd getting back my running mojo which has most definitely left the building…

Because I’ll be honest, my skin has been healing and challenging me a lot in the latter part of 2022 and I’ve not stuck to any of the above. I’ve been doing my own meditations and affirmations that I will heal, I am beautiful and I am worthy and that helps. I am channelling healing and trying to remain positive but I’m dropping the ball on some of the basics.

Just to not be going through this eternal relentless groundhog day of Topical Steroid Withdrawal would be my ultimate goal in life right now.

We can learn a lot from stillness

So my only goal is to continue healing. To continue believing I will heal. And it’s hard, this healing. Because I flake off a face almost every day and that is often a painful experience. I struggle to sleep every night. I feel tired but I feel hopeful. And I have to push forwards because going back is not an option.

Number one on m list of new year’s resolutions is to give myself the self care and self love that my body needs to keep this progress going.

Finding real stillness in a life full of urgent, frantic itching activity is really hard, so if I could have one other goal it would be to find that stillness. Just one minute of real stillness, sitting with the emotions that are showing up that day, and just being OK with that. We can learn a whole lot from allowing ourselves to just be, and making time to do that regularly. Inner peace is something I would like to find more of.

And instead of writing long lists of resolutions I’m going to be proud of what I’ve achieved and just be thankful that I am a human being and just focus on the being, not the doing.

Did you write some resolutions? Do you feel they help? I would love to hear your thoughts below, please comment with your resolutions or thoughts on our need to write them.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels

The post Why New Year’s Resolutions are bollox first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Why I’m not writing any resolutions

It’s that time of year when we reflect on what we have achieved and what we want to do in the coming year. We write lists of all the things we want to change for the better and I do love a list.

But this year I am not going to bother.

When your body is no longer functioning at it should, dreams, plans and bucket lists just seem like such an extravagance. A waste of time. Lofty dreams and sights set too high. Unachievable and unattainable when getting up and making healthy food is a success some days.

Going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal and having life threatening allergies makes one feel so grateful for small things.

Waking in peace and comfort.Living without pain and discomfort.Being able to enjoy good food safely.Having a functioning skin barrier

These are just basic needs and wants. Things we should all take for granted. But they’re things I’ve not really fully experienced for some time.

I have forgotten what it feels like to be truly at peace in my body.

I can’t remember the last time I had a really good night’s sleep.

I don’t know how to relax completely because the constant fight to not scratch and ignore the ever present itch is always there. I am on alert to avert the itching and maintain healing… it takes a toll.

I don’t mean we shouldn’t dream, plan and aspire to achieve our goals, but making lists of things, doing them and ticking them off doesn’t ultimately make you happy.

Quite the opposite, it can make you fee like you’re going nowhere.

What is a bucket list and why do we make them?

Bucket lists are usually things to do before you hit a certain age or a before you die! Resolutions are lists we make every year.

A list of aims, goals and activities that we think we’d love to do. Maybe we know someone else who has done these things or we’ve simply always wanted to do something. It could be anything depending on your circumstances in life and they can be great to give you some drive, motivation and ambition to explore, experience and give more back to the world.

Why do we do things like this? Do we think we’ll be a better person? Feel happier? Have more friends or be more respected by our current friends?

Do we do them to make ourselves feel better? Prouder?

I think it’s great to have dreams and to try to do the things you want to do, but climbing that mountain might not make you eternally happy.

And sometimes making lists of things you want to achieve can make you feel pretty crappy when you can’t do them, or fail to succeed when you try.

Sometimes getting out of bed before midday can feel like climbing Everest.

Turning to a friend or family member’s house can seem like a terrifying task because you don’t want them to see in a state.

So what if we throw out the bloody bucket lists and trash the resolutions.

What if what we strive for is simpler, quieter, gentler.

What I’ve learnt over the past 2-3 years is that it’s the simple things that make me smile, that bring me joy.

What’s in store for 2022

For me, my 2022 is going to look quite different. I will achieve things and I will crack on with my plans, like my next book which is coming along well… but what I really want to do is just to heal. I want clear skin. I want to wake feeling calm, comfortable and rested.

And the timelines on these things are not set in stone.

They will happen when they happen.

The things I AM going to try to commit to are the small daily changes that I know help me to thrive.

Getting organised with lots of healthy fruit, vegetables and easy mealsDaily Calm meditationsDaily yoga or at least regular yoga, particularly Yin YogaWalking oftenGetting into natureGratitude journalingWritingAnd getting back my running mojo which has most definitely left the building…

Because I’ll be honest, my skin has been healing and challenging me a lot in the latter part of 2022 and I’ve not stuck to any of the above. I’ve been doing my own meditations and affirmations that I will heal, I am beautiful and I am worthy and that helps. I am channelling healing and trying to remain positive but I’m dropping the ball on some of the basics.

Just to not be going through this eternal relentless groundhog day of Topical Steroid Withdrawal would be my ultimate goal in life right now.

So my only goal is to continue healing. To continue believing I will heal. And it’s hard, this healing. Because I flake off a face almost every day and that is often a painful experience. I struggle to sleep every night. I feel tired but I feel hopeful. And I have to push forwards because going back is not an option.

Number one on m list of new year’s resolutions is to give myself the self care and self love that my body needs to keep this progress going.

And instead of writing long lists of resolutions I’m going to be proud of what I’ve achieved and just be thankful that I am a human being and just focus on the being, not the doing.

Did you write some resolutions? Do you feel they help?

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels

The post Why I’m not writing any resolutions first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Happy Christmas and 2021 in review

Just really quick thank you to each and everyone one of you who read this blog, comment regularly and support me by coming over to read my wafflings.

It can feel lonely blogging but I can see from the stats that you guys are reading more and more and coming back and also new readers are finding this blog.

So thank you.

I’ve been busy beavering away to bring you more cool stuff.

And in case you’ve not read a blog for some time, here’s a little round out of 2021, the year that just kept on giving with more Covid worries, vaccines, and the continued rollercoaster of healing my skin through topical steroid withdrawal. When I go AWOL it’s probably because my skin is a challenge so bear with me.

Thanks 2021 for all the highsWinning the Free From Hero Award just blew my mine and I am still so proud of that.Also being voted in the Top 10 Health blogs again – Whoop Whoop!I’m Sponsoring the Free From Food Awards 2022 which is a very proud moment for me.I got Shortlisted in the UK Mental Health Awards 2021 – still can’t quite believe that. Beyond proud of everything I’ve achieved, always with the goal to help others.I was on the front cover of Chat Magazine in ‘Snogging me comes with a Health Warning!”Topical Steroid Withdrawal was finally acknowledged as real by Dr George Moncrieff and I cried a lot!Also got voted #20 in the Top 20 UK Health Blogs by Feedspot.I published my second book, The Shape of Skin, packed with funny, thought provoking, real, raw and dark poems for people with eczema, topical steroid withdrawal, psoriasis, sensitive skin and atopic dermatitis.This little blog reached its 12th birthday! Can’t believe I’ve been blogging for twelve years! Check out my birthday blog for some advice for anyone wanting to become a writer and blogger.Oatly lost it’s court case against Glebe Farms and Pure Oaty is now my favourite oat milk.I spoke at an online event, a Mock Food Trial to help raise awareness amongst food service companies.To help answer the deluge of questions about topical steroid withdrawal I created a TSW FAQ, packed with links, resources and advice for anyone worried about topical steroid withdrawal damage. Thanks to everyone completing the Yellow Card Scheme, the MHRA has finally recognised Topical Steroid Withdrawal as real and issued new guidelines.I got a water softener – a life’s dream come true as I’ve always wanted one. Watch out for more blogs on how it’s helping my skin in 2022.

That’s quite a year; when I look back I feel so proud. In a year which ended with the worst skin I’ve ever had in my life, as TSW keeps healing from deep down in my poor damaged dermis, I’ve kept going. I’ve kept blogging and finding things every day to be grateful for and thankful for. I’ve prioritised my healing journey and emotionally I’ve never ever felt happier or stronger.

I’ll be sharing more next year on the things I’ve done to continue to drive healing from the inside out. It’s not an easy fix. There isn’t any one thing that will heal your skin. It takes time, patience, attentiveness and a lot of hard work. And it’s something you’ll need to continue to give priority to throughout your life.

I have a couple more book projects on the go which I’m very excited about.

So once again, thank you all and I wish you all a very Happy, calm and comfortable Christmas. This blog has kept me going through some hard times and I’m so proud that it’s still going strong.

And all I really want is to have calm, comfortable functioning skin. That is literally all. If I could have that I could sleep at night and just finally learn how to be happy without the daily struggle. I cannot wait.

The post Happy Christmas and 2021 in review first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

I had the Pfizer vaccine and no anaphylaxis

Just a really quick blog post because I’ve seen the news that people who are at risk of anaphylaxis are being turned away from getting the booster vaccine and also are too scared to risk getting it anyway due to previous fears of anaphylactic reactions. I’ve just had mine and here’s my story, explaining why and how for me it was completely safe.

A Crisis in the allergic community

People are scared. People are being refused at the vaccine centres and people are also putting off going for their booster. To find out why read, Covid19 booster crisis for people with allergies from Allergy UK.

The first two vaccines I had were Astra Zeneca, for this very reason. I was advised not to get the Pfizer vaccine but instead to opt for Astra Zeneca. My GP was very helpful in researching the ingredients and putting my mind at rest, as were the amazing staff who administered the injections.

There is no Astra Zeneca booster vaccine

The fear comes in because there doesn’t seem to be a booster vaccine from Astra Zeneca, so you have to have the Pfizer vaccine. Having previously been advised not to have the Pfizer vaccine my brain was in a whirl.

But that previous advice was just precautionary whilst experts tried to figure out what was causing those unexplained anaphylactic reactions.

I just wanted to share that despite having the risk of anaphylaxis I was absolutely fine. Some of the my previous allergic anaphylactic reactions were unexplained ones in hospital and may have been caused by medications, something in a drip or latex exposure, although not to any drugs similar to the vaccine.

I was frightened going in for the booster jab but the staff were amazing. One lady even checked up on me regularly while I sat in the waiting area, a special place set aside for anyone who may be at risk of an adverse reaction. I think I must have looked anxious but this was more do with being uncomfortable with my mask and skin than fear of anaphylaxis at the time.

Thankfully nothing happened at all, I was fine. And apart from a very sore arm I had very few symptoms afterwards. I think I had a bit of a headache but nothing that even required pain killers.

So I am now double jabbed and boosted and feeling much safer for it.

Please don’t be worried if you also have experienced anaphylaxis to food in the past. You should be fine with the Pfizer vaccine.

Obviously I’m not a medical professional so I would advise that you check with your GP before booking your booster jab, just to be safe.

Recent guidance states that, “The only people who need to seek further advice before they get the booster are those who have had an immediate anaphylaxis to MULTIPLE unrelated medicines that contain Polyethylene glycol (PEG/Macrogol).”

If that applies to you and you are allergic to Polyethylene glycol or you are not sure what you reacted to, please get advice before booking a booster vaccine.

But otherwise you should be perfectly fine. Check out this great blog, The Pfizer booster jab is safe for those with anaphylaxis by the brilliant Michelle Berriedale-Johnson.

And if you’d like an insight into the anxiety I face when going for things like this vaccine, partly due to my anxiety over masks, antibacterial gel and anaphylaxis read, Eczema and TSW – Pros and Cons of face masks.

I’d love to hear from anyone else who’s had the Pfizer vaccine. Stay safe everyone xxx

Photo by Zoltán Bencze from Pexels

The post I had the Pfizer vaccine and no anaphylaxis first appeared on What Allergy Blog.

Eczema and TSW – pros and cons of face masks

If you have eczema, topical steroid withdrawal, asthma, or any other condition that may hinder the wearing of masks or make it uncomfortable, cause anxiety or exacerbate symptoms, here’s some observations, tips and advice.

If you really do not want to wear a face mask there are many reasons that you may be exempt.

To download and print an exemption card visit the Government website here:

Face Coverings: When to wear one and getting exemptions

Reasons for exemptionSevere Eczema – if a mask will be uncomfortable, make your skin inflamed, hot and cause flares, itching and irritationAsthma – If prolonged wearing of a mask may hinder breathing and make asthma worseAnxiety – If wearing a mask will make you overly anxious due the consequences of wearing one.

There are many other valid reasons so check the link above to see if you qualify. Don’t suffer in silence if they are really causing you pain and suffering.

So there is hope and relief if you are really struggling, particularly now we are facing more prolonged need for mask wearing when perhaps we thought it might be over.

I’ve been finding it really hard, as the skin on my face has been healing from TSW and has been dry, excessively flaky, sore and irritated. Wearing a mask has been causing me a lot of anxiety as it can trigger itching and be very uncomfortable.

When you cover your mouth and breath into it, moist warm air gathers on your face and can really trigger a flare up of facial eczema.

They can also cause hot flushing which is another trigger for sore skin.

Benefits of mask wearing and tips for doing it well

It’s not all bad, there can be some great benefits of wearing a face mask

Safety – we know that face masks cannot protect us 100% from catching Covid, but since doctors and surgeons wear them every day to keep themselves and vulnerable patients safe, it still make sense to me that wearing one could help keep you safe from catching the virus.Anonymity – Whilst wearing a mask CAN make me uncomfortable and itchy, it can also help me feel like I can hide my face and not have to deal with people staring, asking questions about what is going on etc. That can feel like a huge weight off and reduce anxiety about being seen with such a different and shocking facial condition.Mask material – Be careful what material of mask you buy. Sometimes the disposable paper ones can be good as they are thin and may not make you feel so hot. However they are dry, rough and scratchy. Look for masks made from materials that are kind to sensitive skin, such as silk, tencel or bamboo.Wash regularly – It goes without saying, but make sure you have a few masks so you can wash them after wearing.Get the right type – Make sure you get one that fits snuggly, doesn’t rub, preferable has two layers for added comfort and doesn’t have elastic against the skin.Moisturise – Make sure you use a good quality natural moisturiser before going out when you have to wear your mask.

So there are ways of making this mask wearing less of a trial and I many of my skin warrior friends love being able to hide their skin behind a mask. I might get some huge big dark glasses and a huge brimmed hat for added disguise.

Here is Dr Lio talking about Eczema and Covid and wearing a mask

It’s been a really tough time for everyone but it really struck me how many triggers and traumas it’s brought into my eczema life at my recent booster vaccine appointment.

It really was horrible for the following reasons

Masks – They wouldn’t let me wear my own comfortable cotton mask. I had to remove it and put on a horrible paper scratchy one. Why is this? What possible difference does the kind of mask make?Anti bacterial gel – I hate the stuff. It stings, gets into the cuts in my hands, is so wet and disgusting and I have to wipe it off on my clothes every time. The woman on duty was giving out the antibac to each person so you had no control of how much, and lets just say she was putting way too much onto everyone’s hands, as if this makes any real difference. Through this whole time of Covid I’ve managed to avoid most of the antibac by not going out much, washing my hands in real water and proper soap when I get home and also by wearing gloves and avoiding touching common things like buttons, door handles etc. Every time I see that gel I’m thinking… no, no nooooo it’s going to hurt, it will sting, it will be tooo much, will I touch my face with it by mistake and set of an itch fit? NOOOO. It’s horrible stuff. Does it really help remove a virus?The vaccine – I’m realising that I am now quite medication phobic. I don’t trust anything or anyone. If someone tells me something is completely safe I don’t believe them. Topical steroids and Protopic damage have done that to me. But I have had to bite back all that fear and take the vaccine… three times now. I don’t like it. Not one bit. But it feels like the right thing to do. All the fear mongering is not helping me one bit.Anxiety – Before Covid I was learning how to live with panic attacks and know how to breathe through one, calm myself and remind myself I am safe, I am OK. But nothing really feels 100% safe at the moment does it? All my worries about catching covid, antibac, wearing a mask and getting super itchy and damaging my already sore skin pile up and I’d much rather stay at home. Anxiety is just there, ready to pounce and has a direct link to making me itchy and particularly my face. It’s the perfect melting pot of horrors.Anaphylaxis – this was my third vaccine. I’d had the first two and this was the booster. So I was pretty confident I wouldn’t go into anaphylaxis but I had my adrenaline ready anyway, just in case, and still had a small doubt in the back of my mind. This was my first Pfizer vaccine, the first two being AstraZeneca. Needless to say it was fine.Being seen with poor facial eczema – I can’t quite shake it. I just always feel self conscious when my face is inflamed, covered in visible flakes and full on TSW. I know I am beautiful and I should not care what people think but I hate being stared at and strangers asking about it. It happens more than you’d realise. And I hate it every time.

I think they thought I was having a manic episode or something as I was sitting in my allocated chair (due to the potential risk of anaphylaxis I had to sit for 15 minutes after my vaccine to be observed, just to be safe) going through my face tapping on my brow, under my nose, my chin, my chest.. gently rocking and then holding my mask gently on my face, trying to avoid being itchy and going into a frenzied scratch attack. They came over and sat with me and were very concerned. I nearly burst out laughing, trying to explain this was what I did when I was anxious because all my least favourite things were happening to me right here: masks, antibac, vaccine, anaphylaxis risk (albeit small) and the challenging TSW on my face which was sore that day.

I got offered a sticker for my bravery

Where to find a soft mask that won’t irritate your skin Tencel masks from Clover Skincare are cool, soft and soothing to the face https://cloverlover.co/Clover Skincare – Tencel mask – Your face needs soothing. This light and lovely face mask makes it easier to breathe. It also absorbs twice as much moisture as cotton, making it super cool to the touch. I have just ordered one of these after the scarf I won was soft and cooling for my neck.The Big Silk face masks – currently buy 4 and get one free! Silk is really soft and also should be cooling yet breathable for your skin. Get good quality silk and shop around. I’ve not tried these one but they have fantastic reviews.You Got Eczema – cotton face mask from Redubble – for the laughs. I don’t know how this one actually is but it made me laugh.Further Reading

The Allergy and Asthma network have some tips on Face Masks and facial eczema

The National Eczema Society has this advice – Eczema and Covid19 – wearing a face mask when you have eczema

So how are you finding it wearing face masks? Is it difficult? or do you find is soothing and great to hide behind? Or is the bane of your life? I wish I could just hide behind mine without so much irritation. But I do feel a little safer wearing one, protected and hidden. Do they protect us from Covid? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The post Eczema and TSW – pros and cons of face masks first appeared on What Allergy Blog.