Rashes

Rashes are a daily part of our lives now. We've grown accustomed to them. They began when we were in our home and have stayed with us. In fact, they've escalated since leaving our toxic home. This makes sense since the skin offers an easy exit for toxins.

Here's an example of one that emerged for one of the kids soon after we began our detox protocol.

Last year, Colin had some severe ones on the backs of his legs, and Reagan had a black spot on the back of his neck. I posted some pictures here.

Here's a recent rash of Brandon's:

We keep remedies on hand and are always prepared for whatever rash may appear. Here are some of our "favorites."

• Bentonite clay mixed with raw apple cider vinegar
• Ketacanozole cream
• Grapefruit seed extract
• Tea tree oil
• Neem oil

I was not prepared, however, for the rash that appeared on my feet a few days before Thanksgiving.

My right foot began to swell on Friday evening. By nightfall both feet were beginning to itch. By 2:00 in the morning the itchiness became severe.

We tried mixing bentonite clay with raw apple cider vinegar and dousing both feet with it. It helped. But only until the clay dried.

There was no doubt in my mind this was a die-off phenomenon. I can’t prove this, of course. I know the body is full of mystery, especially when it comes to fungus and other unfriendly pathogens.

It’s just that the oozing bumps were so familiar. Plus I had recently upped my intake of coconut oil, a very potent healing food.

The discomfort of the edema wasn't the problem. It was the itchiness. Elevating my feet did nothing for the swelling or the itchiness. I thought of Job and his boils. I was in tears, the itching was so severe.

I called our acupuncturist, since the swelling began just hours after my weekly appointment.

We reviewed my diagnosis. This, of course, is what drew me to acupuncture in the first place. Chinese medicine offers a profound way of looking at symptoms. With our mold exposure and the lurking pathogenic nature of our illness, our family exhibits signs of dampness, specifically damp heat. (Damp diseases, according to Paul Pitchford, author of the book Healing with Whole Foods, "have a sluggish, stagnant quality and often take a long time to cure.")

My rash, therefore, could be seen as the release of heat from the body. The most immediate remedy? Cooling the feet. "Put your feet in ice water," he suggested.

I filled the tub with ice water. For the first time since the onset of the rash, I felt relief. No itchiness whatsoever.

I kept a tub full of cold water for the next three days. I soaked my feet in the middle of the night and whenever the itching became severe.

By Thanksgiving my feet were back to normal. Just a few crusted bumps to show for my trauma.

A rash this signicant two years into recovery doesn't surprise me. Our extreme exposure combined with our genetic burden makes the detoxification process long and difficult. Anywhere from 3 to 5 years. I'm grateful, therefore, for this latest hurdle. It only makes me more determined to keep on climbing.

With some extra bags of ice on hand, of course.