Hello Loves,
I’m very very excited to share another Ask A Professional post, this is one of my favourite series on the blog as it’s meant to be really informative and helpful and most importantly a free resource for those with health issues looking to get on the natural healing path!
Today, we’re chatting with Abby from Prime Physique Nutrititon. Abby, a Holistic Nutritionist, specializes in severe Eczema and skin issues stemming from her personal background and battle with this irritating skin condition. She not only provides helpful information and tips on her site, but is also a very positive and supportive person who can really help you get on the right track to healthy skin.
I had the pleasure of meeting Abby through Instagram and she’s been so sweet to me ever since! I love reading her posts, tips and informative articles as well as listening to her podcasts where she regularly features other holistic professionals and discusses important health related topics including skincare. Since Abby and I have similar values in terms of health and wellness, I really wanted to share her tips and story with you guys today. Let’s get started!
Q: Can you share with us a little about yourself and what you do?
Hello! My name is Abby and I’m a Registered Holistic Nutritionist with a focus on helping people overcome skin problems (specifically eczema) by teaching them how to eat properly, reduce stress, and incorporate an overall healthier lifestyle.
Q: How did you get started in the career you have now?
I suffered from really severe eczema from head to toe (which you can read all about here) for most of my life. Many doctors told me that it was the worst they had ever seen, yet the medication they gave me was not working at all. I had also taken steroids for years (both topically and internally), yet I saw no improvement; everything just kept getting worse.
It wasn’t until I discovered nutrition, that I discovered there was a way to heal the body without the use of medication. In fact, food was my greatest medicine.
When I completely changed my diet, worked on my health holistically, and added the right supplements to my diet, 2 months of being on the elimination diet did more for me than a decade of being on steroids! After this, I knew that I was passionate about nutrition and that I had to make a career out of it. Since then, I’ve been so inspired to help people find healing through nutrition and other holistic approaches as well.
Q: Starting your own business can be a whirlwind and usually has some ups and downs, can you share with us what’s helped you stay focused and balanced along the way?
To be honest, this took me a very long time to learn. When I first started my business, I worked on it day and night after I got home from my full time job (and it was incredibly stressful). I’ve learned to take time to relax and also to pursue things I love. Since then, taking time to do things that bring me joy (outside of my business) really helps to balance me. It also helps me to enjoy what I do!
Q: You’ve got some great resources on your website including a few E-books to help those who suffer from eczema, what inspired you to create these guides?
I started getting emails from readers every day (literally every single day) who suffer from eczema. In fact, the emails became more than what I could handle. As a result of this, I started recognizing that people have so many questions about eczema. I soon decided that it would be best to write an e-book so that it could help answer readers’ questions. Today, I have 2 e-books out in the market so far and they are selling very well – much better than I would have asked for!
Q: You share a lot of health tips and advice on your site, podcast and social media accounts, can you share one of your favourite health tips with us?
One of my favourite health tips is that your emotions can affect your body and your skin just as much as the food you eat. Negative emotions and stress all take a toll on your body. Although it’s important to be aware of what you put in your body, it’s just as important to be aware of the thoughts thoughts you think of each day. I’ve also written a post here with interesting studies that show how much emotions can affect your body.
Q: Can you share with us a bit about eczema and how it affects one’s lifestyle?
Eczema is a term for a group of medication conditions that causes the skin to become inflamed or irritated. It’s not only incredibly tough and bothersome for most people, but it affects people on many levels – both physically and emotionally. Physically, it can be painful and irritating. Emotionally, it can cause low self esteem, make people self conscious, and also affect how they view themselves. It’s difficult to deal with – so the important thing is to get to the root cause of it.
Q: You have a great page on your site that talks about different kinds of eczema and how to heal/deal with each type. Can you share some of that info with us, here?
One thing I find to be important is not to focus on the different types of eczema that exist. Although eczema can be expressed in different ways, I find that the important thing is to actually get to the root cause of the issue. Eczema can show up in different forms, but really, this condition is just the body crying out for attention that there is something out of balance that needs to be addressed.
It’s important to look at the body holistically to find out where the imbalance lies and how to get to the root cause to fix it.
Q: We all get itchy skin and rashes from time to time, can you help us appreciate how eczema is different?
Eczema can be long term or short term. Depending on how severe one’s eczema is, it can either be mild, or it can be severe and spread to different parts of the body. It is definitely more irritating than just having itchy skin and rashes from time to time. As such, it can also really affect someone’s lifestyle on a myriad of levels.
Q: Do you have any product recommendations for eczema sufferers or those with dry, itchy skin?
I have tons of product recommendations! My favourites are all natural products like the ones I list here and I also have a video (which we’ve embedded below for you guys to easily view! ;).
For people with eczema, I’m a fan of natural products like shea butter, coconut oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, and even calendula cream to help heal the scars on the skin.
Different products have a different level of effectiveness on each person – so find out what works for you. Some people find that coconut oil works well, while others find that it’s not hydrating enough. Always test out a small amount and find what works best for you.
Q: Are there any foods we should try to incorporate into our daily diets to maintain healthy, clear skin?
Definitely! Food is the key to glowing skin; everything you put in your body will either help it or harm it. I’m a huge advocate of starting your day with either a green smoothie or warm lemon water (to help alkalinize your body). Eating an unlimited amount of vegetables (especially green veggies) will also do wonders to your skin. Limit sugar and make sure you cut out the junk food will make a big difference as well.
Q: Sometimes skin issues go beyond food, is there anything we should avoid in our daily lives to reduce skin irritation?
Choosing all natural, chemical free products is a great start. This means using skin care products that avoid harsh ingredients (like some that I’ve written about here). This also includes household products (like soap and laundry detergent), which can all affect your eczema. Also make sure to reduce stress and get lots of sleep to help reduce skin irritation and to keep your skin looking healthy and glowing!
Q: Your podcasts are really informative and helpful, can you briefly share one of your most popular or favourite podcasts, who was it with and what was it about?
Thank you! I have so many podcasts that I love, but one that really stood out was the podcast where I interviewed my naturopath who helped me overcome severe eczema. This podcast was shared over 100 times and received 500 views in 2-3 days! What I love about my naturopath is that he’s so knowledgable, and I just love hearing him share and teach about this subject. Patients also fly in from all over Canada and the USA just to see him. In this podcast, I learned so much from him and I know that a lot of my viewers did too.
Q: Can you share one of your favourite and inspiring eczema success stories with us, to help us appreciate the kind of work you do?
I have tons of favourite eczema success stories! One of my favourite ones was one of my reader’s, Kathy (her story is here), who suffered from eczema for years. She had seen 8 different dermatologists and wasn’t able to find any help or healing. It wasn’t until she found my site and followed some of the recommendations I made, that her eczema had seen such significant healing.
I receive so many of these stories and I can’t believe that people reading my site would find healing just by following the advice I post. For more eczema success stories, you can read my eczema archive and read other eczema success stories.
Q: Do you have any advice for someone looking to get into the health and wellness field?
Keep trying and don’t give up; being in the health and wellness field is such a worthwhile place to be in, especially to know that you’re changing people’s lives. Whenever I receive emails from readers thanking me for helping their skin heal, something in my heart just leaps up because I know I’ve made a difference in someone’s life.
Find some place in the health and wellness field that you want to be involved in and go for it; study and do whatever it takes to succeed. I guarantee that if it’s your passion, you’ll enjoy it.
Thank you SO much Abby for sharing all this amazing and helpful information! If any of you still have questions for Abby, let us know and we can share a follow up series! Also check out her site for more helpful tips and advice, and if your in the GTA area you can speak to Abby about holistic nutrition and skin issues! Heck, why not give her a follow and say hello on Instagram and Twitter!
** (always consult a medical professional for advice), my purpose is to get more information and tips out there so people can make more informed decisions as to what medical professional to seek advice from.
