Eczema: An Unbearable Skin Condition

by John Watt

What is Eczema?

Eczema, also known as a milder form of atopic dermatitis, is a skin condition resulting from a foreign substance triggering your immune system which in turn causes your body to produce inflammation.  Eczema can be found on most parts of the body and usually exhibits redness, a rash, itchiness and at times, mild pain.  Currently there is no cure for eczema, but there are treatment options available to help relieve the symptoms and potentially prevent new outbreaks from occurring.  Treatments include prescription strength topical medications and/or over the counter (OTC) self care topical creams or balms.

What can cause Eczema?

In general, the skin helps protect your body from foreign irritants and allergens.  It also is there to help protect your body from bacteria and also helps in keeping your body hydrated by retaining water moisture.  There are many factors that can potentially trigger eczema and cause a flare up which can result in the breakdown of the skin protective mechanisms.  Such factors include food allergies, especially in younger children, which can cause flare ups of eczema.  Other causes may result from genetic mutations and/or environmental factors such as the type of soap and/or detergents used.  Other triggers may include:

  • Bacteria infections
  • Fluctuating hormone levels
  • Stress
  • Dry skin
  • Seasonal allergens like pollen and dust

What are some symptoms of Eczema?

Eczema can be found all over the body however, it normally shows up on the legs, arms and face area.  Symptoms include:

  • Redness
  • Rash
  • Dry and/or flaking skin
  • Small raised bumps
  • Painful open sores

How to manage Eczema?

Managing eczema flare ups can be tricky but understanding and avoiding what your triggers are is important for self care.  Here are some ideas to implement into your daily life to help control your outbreaks:

  • Understand and pay close attention to what is causing your skin to flare up.  Keep a journal with you and jot down anything that you notice that causes your eczema to act up.  For example, if you suspect your laundry detergent is causing the flare up, change up your detergent and see if you notice a difference.
  • Stay hydrated.  Keeping your body hydrated is a great way to help your body retain the needed moisturization to help prevent dehydration.
  • Find an eczema blog or get on the National Eczema Association website and take note on what is recommended or to see what other people who suffer from eczema are doing to help relieve their symptoms.
  • Moisturize your skin daily.  There are many creams/balms available without a prescription so do your research and find one that works best for you.  

What are some treatment options for Eczema?

Eczema can be treated by a variety of options.  Topical prescription corticosteroids is the go to treatment option when it comes to treating eczema.  Topical steroids are relatively safe for the most part and have been proven to provide relief, however, they do come with a word of caution in that they can cause thinning of the skin if used for too long. 

Another option is to take oral immunosuppressant medications such as prednisone.  While this class of medication has proven to help treat eczema, these too have possible unwanted side effects (i.e. restlessness, agitation, difficult sleeping) that can make one be weary of taking it.  

Other treatment options include OTC products or special compounded prescriptions from your local compounding pharmacy.  Both options are valid and have shown to provide relief for patients with mild to moderate eczema. 

One OTC product that has shown promising results is Eczema-Eze, an all natural based skin protection balm made by Express Compounding and best of all, Eczema-Eze is made without any harsh chemicals and is available without a prescription.  Check out below the amazing before and after pictures.

Before

After

Before Eczema-Eze and after several doses of topical steroids as prescribed.
Before Eczema-Eze

After twice daily applications of Eczema-Eze for two weeks.
After only 5 days of using Eczema-Eze

John Watt, PharmD – Express Compounding

 

Articles

  1. Atopic dermatitis – Mayo Clinic
  2. Atopic dermatitis – National Eczema Association

How Do You Fix Adrenal Fatigue?

by John Watt
tired woman

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Often adrenal fatigue and adrenal insufficiency can be confused when distinguishing between the two conditions. Many doctors agree that adrenal fatigue is a legitimate condition even though it has not yet been fully accepted into the medical world. On the other hand, many doctors understand that adrenal insufficiency is considered a valid medical condition and treat it as such. Regardless of which condition you fall under, the bottom line is both conditions may be improved by implementing an adrenal fatigue diet.

Before we dive into ways on how to fix adrenal fatigue, we need to lay some groundwork on what it is and how it effects the body. When it comes to adrenal fatigue, some of the more common symptoms include tiredness, body aches, lethargy, unexplained weight loss, digestion issues, sugar craving and low energy. What can be difficult about diagnosing adrenal fatigue is there are many issues that may cause symptoms similar to adrenal fatigue such as hormone imbalance, sleep apnea, anemia (low red blood cells) or hypothyroidism. This in itself makes it a challenge for doctors to properly diagnose a patient and can ultimately end in frustration for both the doctor and the patient.

How is Adrenal Fatigue Diagnosed?

Because symptoms for adrenal fatigue are common with other diseases or conditions, diagnosing it is rather difficult as there is no single test available. Many health care providers who test for the disease, believe that cortisol levels and other hormone levels that are out of sync are a good indication for the patient having the disease. However, the problem with testing for cortisol levels and hormones is they can vary depending on the time of day or even month. If your doctor can rule out any physiological reasoning, then your doctor may look at other conditions such as depression, anxiety or high stress triggers.

Treatments for Adrenal Fatigue

Treating adrenal fatigue is not solved by just popping a pill and often can be remedied by simply changing the way you eat. Starting an adrenal fatigue diet by changing the types of foods going into your body, can greatly improve the stress on your adrenal glands and ultimately improve your symptoms. There are adrenal diets available that guide you into making the correct food choice.

Foods to avoid:

  • Fried and processed foods
  • White flour and white sugar
  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine.

Basically you want to eliminate foods or drinks that contain high amounts of refined or processed sugars.

Foods to eat:

  • High protein foods (fish, eggs, nuts)
  • Low sugar fruits (avocados, grapefruit, strawberries, oranges)
  • Vegetables
  • Whole grains 

Articles

  1. Can I Be Tested for Adrenal Fatigue – Healthline
  2. Adrenal Fatigue – Hormone Health Network
  3. Is Adrenal Fatigue “Real”? – Harvard Health Publishing

The Love Hormone: What Is Oxytocin and How To Increase It?

by John Watt

Oxytocin is often referred to as the “love hormone” or the “cuddle hormone”. It is a hormone that is made by the hypothalamus and secreted into the blood stream by the pituitary gland in the brain and can be released when bonding takes place. Oxytocin is typically activated by social interactions between two individuals or even between humans and animals.

The love hormone oxytocin

Oxytocin In Women

In women, oxytocin plays an essential role in women when it comes to child birth. It is responsible for uterine contractions during labor and also helps in the bonding phase between a mother and child after birth. Oxytocin also promotes milk lactation for breastfeeding by moving the milk into the breast milk ducts. Interestingly, studies show that interacting with a baby can cause the baby’s own oxytocin levels to increase.1

Oxytocin In Men

For men, oxytocin does not play as big of role in their body as it does for women. However, it does help in bonding with others and it also is involved in the production of testosterone by the testes which leads to sperm production. So men, you too can benefit from healthy bonding with others.

How To Increase Oxytocin Levels Naturally?

There are many ways to increase the levels of the love hormone oxytocin within the body.  One can increase levels by using a compounded oxytocin prescription or one can activate it naturally by experiencing social interactions.  In this section we will focus on increase levels naturally by way of interacting with others.  As mentioned above, social interaction plays a huge role in increasing oxytocin levels.  In no particular order, here are some ways to improve oxytocin levels naturally.

8 Ways To Naturally Increase Oxytocin Levels

1. Make eye contact.  Be mindful of the person you are talking to.  For example, the next time you are on your electronic device and are having a conversation with someone, put the device down and look at the person while you are conversing with them. 

2.  Eat together.  Sharing a meal with someone can help with the bonding experience.  Number 10 comes into play here as a face to face discussion usually takes place over a meal.  Remember the old saying, “A family who eats together, stays together”.

3.  Give a gift.  Being considerate of others and sharing is always a for sure way to increase oxytocin levels.  Out of the blue, why don’t you try surprising someone with a give and see out they react?

4. Meditation.  Calming the mind and body naturally increases oxytocin levels.     

5. Go on a bike ride.  Getting outdoors and breathing in the fresh air helps relax the body.

6. Give a hug.  Probably one of the biggest ways to increase levels.  The human touch has been proven to increase oxytocin levels.  This is one way a mother and a newborn first interact and subsequently increase the bonding experience.

7. Pet an animal.  Just like humans, animals also enjoy the human touch.  Not only does the animal benefit but you can too.

8. Tell someone you love them.  There is no better way to increase oxytocin levels than by telling someone you love them.  Yes it might be a bit weird to tell your friends you love them but give it a try and see how they respond.

Articles

  1. What Is Oxytocin? – Everyday Health
Bio-Identical Hormones

Menopause and Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)

by John Watt

As women age, their bodies go through various changes which can cause adverse effects and affect their day to day activity.  Specifically, a hormonal imbalance is one area that can be affected as the body matures. When women go through menopause, their hormones begin to fluctuate, often decreasing rapidly, which can cause several side effects such as hot flashes, insomnia, and night sweats, to name a few. Hormone balancing is a delicate process in which a licensed healthcare provider must be proactive in monitoring their patient blood levels and making the correct necessary hormone dosing changes.  One method in improving hormone imbalance is to prescribe a compounded hormone or what is commonly known as bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).

Express Compounding. Helping women fight menopause one day at a time.

What is BHRT?

In a nutshell, BHRT is the process of taking hormones that are identical in molecular structure to those found naturally in humans and compounding them into a form that is easily distributed into the body.  BHRT eliminates the unwanted side effects seen with synthetic hormones by using these natural occurring hormones. Synthetic hormones are typically made with other additives which can give rise to unwanted side effects whereas BHRT compounds utilize natural hormones.

Where Do Natural Hormones Come From?

Progesterone and estrogen are two commonly prescribed compounded hormones when it comes to BHRT.  Both of these products are extracted from soy or wild yams, from which a laboratory processes and refines these natural products into the desired hormones.  Our compounds utilize natural based hormones to help alleviate menopause symptoms by restoring the body’s hormone balance.

Is BHRT Really Natural?

One could argue that these “natural” hormones are not natural because they are refined in the lab instead of obtained directly from “nature”.  This is a debate that has been, and will be ongoing for many years. The only true way to obtain “natural” hormones is by consuming plant foods that naturally contain compounds that mimic estrogen in the body.  These compounds are called phytoestrogens and the three most common phytoestrogens are isoflavones (soybeans), lignans (flaxseeds) and coumestans (alfalfa sprouts). Because we don’t live in an ideal world where we can consume the right amount of phytoestrogens, sometimes the human body needs an extra boost when it comes to hormone replacement and this is where BHRT comes into play.

What are the Benefits of Using BHRT?

As discussed above, BHRT uses hormones that are refined from natural substances such as wild yams or soy.  These hormones don’t contain any additional additives that can cause unwanted side effects as seen with traditional synthetic hormone replacement.  Some of these more serious side effects are blood clots and heart disease.

What Forms Do BHRT Come In?

When it comes to dosage forms of compounded BHRT medications, a patient has several options to choose from. The most popular form of BHRT is a topical cream which is applied directly to the skin. A vaginal cream is another way a hormone can be absorbed into the body. Our creams utilize site specific cream bases to allow for best absorption. A third form is a sublingual troche or liquid drop. Both of these forms get absorbed through the cheek and is a convenient way to take a medication by mouth. These compounds also come in a traditional capsule formulation for patients who prefer that method.

Is BHRT Right For Me?

Hormone replacement therapy is not for everyone.  The most important thing one can do is to find a healthcare provider who is willing to check your hormone levels and utilize BHRT as a treatment option.  You can also talk with other women who have been or are on BHRT and ask them if the compounded hormones are working for them. Once you have done your homework and chosen the right provider, then discuss with your provider all your options. From there your provider can write you a compounded prescription to have your compounding pharmacy customize it in a form that is acceptable for you.

Once on the BHRT and a noticeable difference is seen, in which your menopause symptoms are minimized or eliminated, this is a good indication that BHRT is a viable option for you.  Not everyone is molded from a cookie cutter shape and that is why BHRT can be customized to any dosage strength and form to best fit the patient and their needs.

John Watt, PharmD

Bio-Identical Hormones

Facts About Progesterone

by John Watt

Hello all! Welcome to Express Compounding’s blog. I get asked every now and then on what exactly progesterone is and what does it do?  Today we are going to explore some facts and functions of progesterone and what every person needs to know. Let’s learn about progesterone, eh?  

What Is Progesterone?

Progesterone is found in both men and women but since it is considered a female hormone, we are going to analyze it from a female perspective.  In a nutshell, it is a known fact that progesterone is a naturally occurring female hormone produced by the ovaries that preps and helps sustain the uterus for pregnancy. Progesterone can come in a few different flavors.   One is the synthetic version, known as progestin, which exhibits progesterone like properties. Typically you see progestins combined with estrogen in many commercially available oral contraceptives. Progestin can help alleviate many menopausal symptoms such as episodes of hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings [insert relieved smiley face emoji here].  Natural progesterone is another available form, which is where compounded bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can come into play.

What Is The Function of Progesterone?

Progesterone has several functions in the female body.  One function is it thickens the endometrial lining which increases the chances of accepting a fertilized egg.  Typically when the female body produces high levels of progesterone, her body should not ovulate. If a woman does not accept the fertilized egg and become pregnant, then this is where you see progesterone levels start to drop which leads to menstruation. 

Varying levels of progesterone in the body can cause an array of symptoms.  Low progesterone levels may cause irregular menses, insomnia, cramping, fluid retention to name a few.  High levels of progesterone can lead to fatigue, irritability and possible depression.

Okay fellas…if you thought you escaped this conversation…think again.  Even though progesterone is considered a female hormone, males need the much needed progesterone to produce testosterone.  Low progesterone can cause many problems, some of which are fatigue, hair loss, muscle loss and erectile dysfunction.

There you go folks, now when your friends and family ask you to inform them about the function of progesterone, you can now do so.