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Melissa Peterson has been a writer and educator in the health and medical science fields for over 15 years. Naturopathically trained, Melissa also has postgraduate qualifications in literature research and reviewing. Her business, Words On Therapy, provides many services to industry including technical articles, white papers, blogs, SEO content, copywriting and research collation.
Natural therapists often incorporate internal probiotic supplementation into the eczema regime, respecting the gut-skin axis, but what is commonly overlooked is the impact the microbiome residing on the skin’s surface has on eczema development and progression.
Improve child immune health with a combination of probiotics and vitamin C.
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a pruritic, chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease, which has been increasing in prevalence since the 1960s; it affects up to 20% of people worldwide. An epidemiological survey found the highest rates to be in industrialised nations, including Australia and New Zealand, and suggested the increase in prevalence is due to interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Even though eczema is seen across all ages, it is most common in children, with 50% of the cases diagnosed by the age of one.
Childhood obesity is a serious health issue and an early risk factor for obesity in adulthood, leading to morbidity and mortality. The odds ratio of obese toddlers is 1.3 for becoming obese adults, but increases to 17.5 in adolescents. Those who remain obese in adulthood are prone to a cluster of diseases and disorders called metabolic syndrome (MetSy).[1] Worldwide, this syndrome is present in 20-25% of the population, while in Australia it is estimated to affect 1 in 3 adults.
Magnesium is a critical biological element for human health; it is the second most abundant electrolyte within the cells after potassium and the fourth most common mineral in the human body after calcium, potassium and sodium.
Natural constituents of plants can have powerful antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects on potentially pathogenic bacteria, while promoting aggregation and biofilm formation of beneficial probiotic bacteria, according to a recent in vitro study.
The role of Blastocystis hominis (BH) as a pathogen in the human body is shrouded in controversy. Very commonly found in society, this mysterious and elusive parasite still baffles scientific and medical communities. Having an understanding of what is currently known about the BH microbe, and being aware of the use of non-pharmaceutical measures, will guide many therapists towards safe and effective individual protocols, where treatment, regardless of symptom status, can increase overall health and wellbeing.