Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I have had a very itchy rash for 7 months now. I’ve had a biopsy done, and it showed nothing. I have had all kinds of blood work, with no results. I went to an allergy specialist and they did 31 skin tests, again, nothing. This rash is on both my legs, thighs, my waistline, and it moves around, and it is worse if I start to sweat. I have been on several prescription creams, pills that made me so tired and sleepy. None of it helped, and the doctors have given up. I am 67 yrs old, and my only previous health concern was high blood pressure. I can’t stop scratching, and have scabs all over. Would there be anything natural I could try that might help? Thank you!” —Kathy P., Shawano, WI A. Dear Kathy, What a miserable experience. I am so sorry you are having this problem and have not been able to find relief. I do have some suggestions for skin health, both supplements and lifestyle. The first thing that comes to mind when I hear about these kinds of skin issues is iodine. Most people think they get plenty of iodine because of iodized salt. That is not the case. People may be getting enough iodine to prevent the iodine deficiency disease goiter, but they are not getting anywhere near the amount they need for excellent health. Also, compounds like fluoride, chlorine, bromides and bromines all compete with iodine in the body, so as our exposure increases to these toxic chemicals (two are even in most people’s tap water—chlorine and fluoride) our need for iodine increases to displace them from our body. I like 3 forms of iodine blended together for the best results: potassium iodide, molecular iodine, and sodium iodide. Start with four 12.5 mg capsules a day for four months, then drop down to one 12.5 mg capsule thereafter. In rare instances, some people will see some small rash-like skin irritations for 2 to 3 days after they start iodine. This is likely a detoxification reaction as the sweat glands expel the toxic substances that are displaced by the iodine. It will pass quickly. Most people do not experience this, and I mention it only because you currently have a rash. Another supplement that can have a powerful impact is sea buckthorn berry oil capsules. Taken internally, this source of the rare omega 7 fatty acid, as well as other skin-healthy nutrients, improves the hydration capabilities of the skin and mucous membranes. It alleviates dryness and facilitates skin healing. Take two 500 mg capsules in the morning and two in the afternoon/evening. When your skin is back to normal, you can decrease to two capsules daily. If you notice skin issues beginning again, go back to the four per day dose. Make sure the sea buckthorn is hand harvested. Machine harvested berries are frozen and damaged, and may not work as well. Additionally, with this plant, machine harvesting is completely unsustainable. If you do not see dramatic improvement in two months, add calcium lactate to this regimen, at a dose of 3 tablets twice daily. Quality health food stores will sell all three of these supplements, but if you have trouble finding them, just let me know. Lifestyle changes may help as well. First, do not bathe or shower in very hot water. Hot water can be drying to the skin, and can increase itching. Avoid hot tubs and swimming pools, unless they do not use chlorine. The chlorine in swimming pools and in hot tubs not only displaces iodine, it is drying and can irritate your skin. Do not wear tight clothing, and make sure your bedroom is cool and well-ventilated while you sleep to avoid excessive perspiration. Make sure you use laundry soaps that are free of perfumes, extra chemicals, and coloring agents. Look for natural detergents and cleansers. Drink lots of pure water—at least 8 glasses a day—and get 3 tablespoons of olive oil and/or coconut oil into your diet every day. These healthy oils can dramatically improve skin health and resilience. And crazy though this may sound, take a good look at your mattress and pillows. Make sure there are no bedbugs, which are making a very unfortunate comeback in the US. There are many resources to learn how to evaluate for pests, but here is one link with information and pictures: bedbugs in mattresses. I hope these suggestions give you some relief! Healthy regards! Terry . . . Naturally