4 Most Important Healthy Lifestyle Changes that Healed my Leaky Gut

My Chronic Eczema was a Symptom of Leaky Gut

Can a body rash with no end or beginning, that persists for over 1 year, be considered chronic? One year may seem like a short time for someone living for years with SIBO, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, etc with no relief.

My year long rash, at the time, felt debilitating to me. Every day felt like a struggle and I just wanted to live a healthy life. I wanted to feel confident and healthy but I could not do that with eczema showing on my arms and neck, and hiding everywhere else under my clothes.

I wasn’t yet into a holistic mindset or lifestyle, so I went to a dermatologist to get some help. Have you ever been prescribed a steroid medication? You feel right then that the only solution for your rashes is to manage it with medication. I didn’t want that to be my future and I did not want to have to rely on medication just to have, what should’ve been my naturally, smooth skin again.

So in the end, my rash only lasted for one year and hasn’t returned after 7+ years! How did I treat my eczema naturally and help to heal it so soon? I had the time and ability to do all the research that led me to change my behaviors and pretty much my whole lifestyle. I found that my internal and external environment made a difference to whether I had itchy skin outbreaks or not. I began to dissect each and every decision I made for my home and my body, starting with the products directly touching my body, all the way to the air and water I let into my body, and the way I spent my time.

If you want to read about what is leaky gut the nutritional changes I made, you can read it here..

4 Major Holistic Lifestyle Changes

In this post, I share some of the lifestyle changes I made toward healing my leaky gut, including, makeup choices, body wash choices, filtering the water in my home, and even making the everyday choice to slow down (mind and body.)

1. Research

The first step toward healing my leaky gut was to research on my own. With so much health and wellness information available to me, I had to decipher what was best for me.

I began by recording all of my symptoms. I would then research each symptom as a keyword in google search, along with the keywords “TCM,” “Traditional Chinese Medicine,” “Ayurvedic,” “Alternative Medicine,” “Functional Medicine,” or “Integrative Medicine,” for a more holistic approach.

Being able to filter out the classic, western medicine, WebMD material helped to minimize the confusion.

When I was able to piece together natural solutions for my leaky gut and eczema, I was then able to be in the driver’s seat for my health! To note, I’m not against holistic doctor’s, I just didn’t have the ability at that time in my life to visit one.

2. Make Non-Toxic Swaps

Toxins in my home and skincare were my first priority. I made healthier swaps to help holistically heal my leaky gut, which included:

A Quality Water Filter- Many city water systems contain chemicals like chlorine that can kill the good gut bacteria you may have, leaving you susceptible to pathogens invading and taking over. I now have a Berkey water filter for drinking water and two shower filters from amazon.

Detergent- I changed my detergent because the chemicals from regular detergents can cling to the clothes you’re wearing and your body will have to constantly process those chemicals. We use Molly Suds from Amazon. In the past, we have also used White Vinegar, Borax, and Baking Soda.

Body Soap &Shampoo- I looked for Neem Soap because once I used Neem, I found that it brought greater relief to my itchy rashes than any other herb I had tried at the time. I now use Goat Milk soap and still choose Auromere’s Neem Soap whenever I can.

Makeup- I purchased homemade makeup items from Etsy. The ones I purchased had all the ingredients listed and I chose the ones with ingredients I was familiar with. I now have a few Pacifica products but will be in the market for new products soon. I may make my own makeup from natural products.

Others: There are a ton of natural, chemical-free options available for things woman use often, including:

• Henna Hair Dye

• Essential oils and Simmer pots in place of of soy candles and chemical fragrances

• Natural Nail polishes

I believe in the humanness of being human and because of this, nobody’s perfect, and I didn’t always go natural. For example, I used the dermatologist’s subscribed steroid cream to temporarily clear my rashes, just in time for a vacation to improve my mood and confidence. I wanted a quick fix for my mental well-being while on vacation but I knew this wasn't my ultimate solution. For a long-term solution, sticking to habits and creating a routine will ultimately transform your lifestyle.

3. Create a Healthy Life Routine, and Stick to it!

My routine was very strict once I committed. It took me about 2 months to commit fully to the diet and lifestyle changes. Most of my routine revolved around food commitments because that’s mainly where the struggle lies for most of us. I would eat processed gluten and sugar on occasion until I realized my flair ups were connected to these ingredients and I was only making my condition worse. Some habits and routines I created and committed to for healing my leaky gut, eczema, and chronic inflammation, include:

Food journaling

I food journaled so I could make connections between the foods I ate and how I felt. I still recommend food journaling as a first step to anyone struggling with their gut health.

Morning Juice

First thing in the morning, fresh-pressed juice was what gave me energy and started cleansing my body for the day. My juice was always a mix of Beets, Celery, Carrots, Apples, Lemon, and Ginger. These were the ingredients I decided, based on my research, would be best for my condition.

Healthy Snacking

You can eat the best lunch and dinner but if you snack like you just moved out of your parent’s house, you will continue to overload your body with processed ingredients and sugar. I opted for a mix of coconut shavings, figs, pumpkin seeds, and a bit of non-dairy mini dark chocolate chips (0g of sugar), EVERY morning between breakfast and lunch. Other snacks included cucumber slices, grapes, oranges, pears, and seaweed. All this info is shared in my Healthy Gut Protocol.

Supplementing

Glutamine powder in my water before lunch helped to heal my gut lining and provided a feeling of being fuller to help avoid overeating.

Probiotics before and with lunch (In all forms including yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi)

Golden Milk before bed (especially if I was craving a nighttime snack.)

Mindful Eating Mealtime Habits

My habits for mealtimes consisted of cooking everything on low and never above a simmer. I was eating mainly vegetable base diet with Liver, Salmon and Eggs as my main protein sources. I wanted to retain as many nutrients as possible from my foods. I took my time eating with no electronics present. I would be thankful for my food and practice other mindfulness habits during mealtimes.

I habitually avoided sugar, gluten, grains, nuts, and nightshade vegetables to be safe until I was healed. I am now able to eat all of these foods without issue or outbreaks because I healed my leaky gut!

Nighttime Self-Care

I would be sure to give myself a foot massage before bed and 5-25 minutes of stretching. I would keep electronics off and away within an hour before sleep and do some journaling. I would I would make sure I wasn’t going to bed very late and often prayed and meditated on gratitude as I lay in bed.

Beginning the day right starts with the night before - so get a head start and optimize your nights!

4. Covet Your Relaxed State 

I learned that the mind plays a very important role in healing and as long as we’re stressed, we are not going to heal. I knew I had to find what brought me peace and calm, and aim to replicate that feeling daily. I took time to be outside, getting sun on my skin, stretching in the fresh air. Organizing, writing, stretching, and eating good food brought me peace.

These are just some examples, so whatever looks like self-care to you, do more of it so your body can relax and take care of any over-inflammatory response. I was able to holistically treat my eczema and over time, I healed. It’s been 7+ years with no skin rash outbreaks and I have kept many of the healing practices I learned along the way.

Are you going through any health issues? Have you ever thought to take a holistic approach to your healing? Thanks for reading! I hope you found something helpful here to you.

Taking care of yourself and minimizing stress are vital components to your health. Engaging in self-care practices and lowering stress levels can reduce the risk of various health issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental health disorders. For me, lowering my stress was all the difference in how fast I was able to heal my Leaky Gut! Since then, I learned from Dr.Pati’s 5-Point Model that stress is a major component in all disease! Prioritizing self-care and stress reduction enhances overall quality of life, boosts productivity, and fosters a positive mindset. It also enables individuals to better cope with life's challenges and maintain a balanced, fulfilling existence.

I’ll share a blog post soon on best practices in supporting your body during stressful times! Until then, BE WELL!