Beer Link to Psoriasis

Could the humble pint of lager cause psoriasis? A US study released earlier this week seems to think so.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Boston University monitored 82,869 women (not diagnosed with psoriasis) and their drinking habits over a period of 15 years.

The findings showed that the women who drank five or more beers a week doubled their likelihood of developing the auto-immune condition. 

Even more moderate consumption showed an increased risk while alcohol-free beers and other forms of alcohol were not found to increase the risk.

The study suggests that it could be the gluten-containing barley, used in the fermentation of beer, that is the cause.

Bruce Bebo, director of research at the National Psoriasis Foundation, felt "more investigation" needed to be done to determine whether the beer connection to psoriasis was real or not.

Previous studies have found a link between alcohol and psoriasis. Alcohol seems to affect immune responses as well as the biology of keratinocytes (skin cells).

Why beer should be a worse trigger than other forms of alcohol is not known.

The US study only tested women so it also remains unclear whether men are affected in the same way.

Got a Skin Allergy? Top Ten Lifestyle Tips which really work.

I get lots of questions about how people should deal with a skin allergy.

Switching to organic beauty products like those from Pai Skincare is just one of many things you should consider doing.

For National Allergy Week I gave a number of consultations to people with skin allergies - ranging from eczema to contact dermatitis - and provided them with a fact sheet on how to help eliminate the problem.*

What is an Allergy?
An allergy is a disorder of the immune system. It occurs when your body is hypersensitive to an environmental trigger (or 'allergen') and reacts against it.

Common allergens include animal hair, dust mites, pollen, chemicals and certain foods.

The idea for Pai Skincare was born out of a bad skin allergy. As a long term urticaria sufferer, I wanted to tackle the root cause of the problem and eliminate the chemicals I applied to my skin.

The best way to treat a skin allergy is to identify the primary triggers causing it and avoid them.

This is easier said than done!

It can be difficult to isolate and eliminate a single allergen and often we have to settle for improving a skin condition rather than eradicating it.

Here are our top ten lifestyle tips to help you on your way.

The Top Ten Tips
1. Avoid stress
Stress and anxiety are known to cause skin flare-ups or make allergies more aggressive. If you want to tackle your allergy then eliminate potential sources of stress first. Book yourself a holiday or take a couple of weeks off work to relax and recuperate.

2. Sleep
Get lots of it. Sleep affects your physical and mental health and is essential for the normal functioning of your immune system.

It’s the only time your body and skin gets to regenerate.

3. Don’t over wash
Cleaning the skin too frequently can strip your natural oils and lessens its ability to heal itself effectively.  

Harsh chemical detergents are not only allergy triggers in themselves but also can cause the skin to produce excess oil (sebum) as a form of protection.  

Pores can become clogged and infected, resulting in spots. Always bathe in warm, rather than hot water and wear natural fibres, like cotton, next to the skin.

4. Beauty products
Read the label, as buying ‘organic’ doesn’t always mean getting ‘organic’. There is no labelling regulation so companies can make ‘all natural’ claims yet still contain any number of harsh, synthetic ingredients.

Don’t be duped. Here are some of the chemicals to avoid:
- artificial fragrances or ‘parfum’
- propylene glycol (PG)
- mineral oil (paraffin oil/wax)
- polyethylene glycol (PEG)
- formaldehyde (imidazolidinyl urea)
- pthalates (DEP, DEHP)
- parabens (methyl-, propyl-, butyl-)
- sodium lauryl / laureth sulfate

One of Pai's founding principles is to avoid not just the types of chemicals above, but also to ensure that the natural ingredients we use, such as essential oils, also do not irritate the skin.

5. Diet
A lot of skin allergies can be successfully treated through the stomach.

Increase your intake of Essential Fatty Acids (omega 3 & 6) by eating avocados, nuts, seeds and oily fish. Flaxseed, safflower and evening primrose oils are also excellent sources.

6. Eat alkaline foods
Ragnar Berg pioneered research in the 1930s that showed a link between highly acidic foods and eczema flare-ups.  

Worst offenders are: rice, bran, porridge oats, wheat, red meat and cheese. Alkaline foods include: cucumber, dried fruits (especially figs and raisins), leafy greens, carrots, spinach, bananas and potatoes.

7. Avoid alcohol
Many allergy sufferers are deficient of the enzyme Aldehyde Dehydrogenase which metabolises alcohol. If alcohol isn’t broken down properly it is toxic to the body and an immediate immune response is triggered to try and rid these toxins.

8. Avoid refined sugar
It interferes with the white blood cells’ ability to destroy micro-organisms and is often linked to eczema.

Replace with a raw cane sugar or use natural sweeteners such as honey.

9. Eat sterols and sterolins
These are vegetable fats found in beans/ legumes and balance the immune system.

Mung bean sprouts and alfalfa sprouts are both excellent sources, you can buy them ready-sprouted in most good health food shops.

10. Eliminate household chemicals
Avoid heavy use of surface cleaners and air fresheners.

Use natural minerals to clean surfaces instead and open a window to eliminate bad odours!

*All content provided is for general information only. It should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor or other health care professional.

Quercitin - the natural anti-histamine

As a long term sufferer of urticaria I'm only too familiar with anti-histamine drugs, although I choose not to take them any more.

Recently I've been researching a natural anti-histamine called Quercitin and testing it out.

Quercitin is a plant-derived 'flavonol' - a particular type of flavenoid - which has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Flavenoids are what give fruit and vegetables their rich pigment and they have been famed for their anti-oxidant and other health-giving benefits since the 1930s. It's why you often read that you should eat natural foods that have both a variety and depth of colour.

Flavenoids such as Quercitin have another key benefit which is that they are able to change and dampen the body's reaction to allergens. Good news for allergy sufferers!

The way Quercitin works is that it directly inhibits the key processes that happen when the body has an allergic reaction.  One of the ways it does this is by slowing and reducing both the manufacture and release of histamine.

Histamine is what is released by our mast cells when we come in contact with an allergen - e.g. dust, pollen, food. In the case of urticaria this release of histamine is what produces the raised itchy bumps on the skin.

How does Quercitin differ to synthetically produced anti-histamines?

Over-the-counter anti-histamines don't block the release of histamine, they merely arrest the action of it. So, it's a classic case of treating the symptoms of a condition rather than tackling its root cause.

Quercitin works in a different and much better way in that it actually stops the production and release of histamine.

Foods rich in Quercitin include black and green tea, tomatoes, broccoli, apples, citrus fruits, red onions (apparently there are higher concentrations in the outermost rings!) and leafy green vegetables like cabbage and spinach. Alternatively you can buy Quercitin supplements from most good health food shops.

One thing to stress is that Quercetin doesn't work instantly like regular anti-histamine pills so it's not a quick fix. As a nutrient, Quercetin needs time to work and should be taken for at least 3-4 weeks before you will see any noticeable improvement.

It's too early for me to say how effective it is, but I'll give you an update in a month or so!

What is Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate?

Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate - it doesn't exactly trip off the tongue!

It is a chemical preservative commonly used in "natural" beauty products to help preserve them from bacterial or fungal growth.

We are meeting more and more people who have extremely strong reactions to products containing this chemical.

One customer used an organic facial moisturiser from a well know 'natural' skincare brand and immediately had an intense burning sensation followed by extreme irritation lasting for several days.

Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is a skin irritant in high concentrations, and should only used in low levels in products - 0.1%. Although there are products out there using higher concentrations.

It is far more of an irritant than Parabens and it affects more people. Parabens have been used for years and there are few reported cases of Paraben allergies.

But many manufacturers are shifting away from Parabens because of the bad press and instead including less well known chemicals to preserve their products.

Sodium Hydroxmethylglycinate is often described as "organic" or naturally derived from the glycine, an amino acid.

However, there is little that is organic about it - it goes through a rigorous manufacturing process using lots of chemicals. Indeed, one of the particular problems highlighted is that Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is sometimes contaminated with Formaldehyde, which is used during manufacture.

It is also thought to break down into Formaldehyde in the body - which is a problem if the product you are using is a moisturiser, designed to permeate the skin. It is less of a concern if it is present in a shampoo or cleanser, which is washed off.

Many people come to organic skin care after developing reactions to chemicals in their usual products. Unfortunately, if you purchase a product containing Sodium Hydroxmethylglycinate, there is a chance it will irritate your skin or that you will have an allergy to it.

At Pai Skincare, we only use natural preservatives - no Parabens and certainly no Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate.


Sodium Hydroxymethlyglycinate is also listed as:

GLYCINE, N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) -. MONOSODIUM SALT;
GLYCINE, N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) -, SODIUM SALT;
N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) GLYCINE, SODIUM SALT;
N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) -. MONOSODIUM SALT GLYCINE;
SODIUM SALT GLYCINE, N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) -;
SODIUM SALT N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) GLYCINE;
N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) - SODIUM SALT GLYCINE;
SODIUM HYDROXYMETHYLGLYCINATE;
GLYCINE, N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) -, MONOSODIUM SALT;
HYDROXYMETHYLAMINOACETIC ACID,
SODIUM SALT;
SODIUM N- (HYDROXYMETHYL) GLYCINATE

Skin Allergy Snapshots: Contact Dermatitis

For the next instalment of my Skin Allergy Snapshot series I wanted to offer clarification on a commonly confused condition: contact dermatitis.

Because of their shared name, contact dermatitis is often misdiagnosed as the more general dermatitis.

Dermatitis is an umbrella term meaning ‘inflammation of the skin’. Though contact dermatitis does fall within this bracket, so do variations like eczema and celiac reaction.

What is contact dermatitis and what does it look like?

Contact dermatitis is a reaction caused by direct contact with an irritating substance or allergen.

It generally manifests as dry, red, itchy skin that may break or blister and is sore to the touch.

There are two main types of contact dermatitis which are differentiated by their triggers.

Irritant contact dermatitis

Irritant contact dermatitis accounts for around 80% of contact dermatitis cases. It is brought on by a strong reaction to an external irritant.

Common irritants include

•  Detergents (soaps, washing up liquid, bleach etc) 
• Solvents (alcohol) 
• Chemicals

As it is caused by touch, irritant contact dermatitis most commonly affects the hands, making it a frustratingly visible condition for sufferers.

It may arise from a single exposure to a strong irritant or prolonged exposure to a weaker one. Unless the trigger is avoided completely irritant contact dermatitis often persists, as the first bout can damage skin and sensitise the area.

Allergen contact dermatitis

Allergen contact dermatitis is caused by the immune system’s reaction to a specific substance.

Such allergies develop from contact with an allergen which we have become sensitised to.

It is not clear why some people become allergic and others don’t, or why we can develop sensitivities to substances we’ve been in contact with for years.

Common allergens include: 

• Nickel (in jewellery and clothes fastenings - this is the one we hear about most from customers) 
• Fragrances, Formaldehydes, Hair dyes, cosmetic preservatives
• Rubber

Treatment

The most effective treatment for both forms of contact dermatitis is to avoid the triggers completely. If you’re unclear as to what they may be, ask a dermatologist to perform a patch test to help identify them.

Purifying your cosmetics is a good place to start. Avoid foaming face washes, shampoos and shower gels as these contain harsh detergents.

Read the ingredients lists on your beauty products and identify and eliminate common triggers. I found myself to be particularly sensitive to Phenoxyethanol and Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate (both cosmetic preservatives).

Although it might not cure the symptoms, regular moisturising helps soothe inflamed skin. 75% of contact dermatitis cases occur on the hands, so regularly apply a gentle emollient such as Pai’s Fragonia & Sea Buckthorn Hand Therapy Cream for instant hydration.

For especially dry skin, try our Comfrey & Calendula Body Cream. Its therapeutic formula calms allergy-prone skin and heals and regenerates particularly damaged areas.

Europe bans cosmetic companies from using Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Phytonadione (Vitamin K)

The recent European Cosmetics Directive has finally outlawed Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Phytonadion (Vitamin K1). About time too!

Few cosmetic companies now use these ingredients... but some still do - even the odd organic one.

Diethylene Glycol is a type of Glycerine or Glycerol that is poisonous to humans. It is often used in anti-freeze. However, in recent years DEG has been found in toothpaste originating from China.

Glaxo Smithkline has said that the ingredient was found in counterfeit versions of its Sensodyne toothpaste. In Panama, contaminated products are estimated to have killed 70 people.

DEG isn't completely banned, as the directive allows for cosmetics to contain traces of the chemical found in Glycerol.

At Pai we use vegetable derived Glycerine (as opposed to Animal Fat derived). Because we are Soil Association certified, we can only use their approved suppliers of vegetable Glycerine in our products.

This ensures that not even trace amounts of DEG find themselves into Pai products.

Pai manufactures all products in-house, rather than outsourcing production to a factory.

This means we can guarantee that our ingredients are not contaminated or replaced with non-human grade glycerine (this has happened to other companies in the past).

Phytonadion is best know as Vitamin K1. In 2006 it was banned in France by the health regulator Afssaps (Agence Francaise de Securite des Produits Sante).

Afssaps reported twelve extreme allergic reactions, all eczema-related conditions of the face and body. Six of the sufferers had to be hospitalised.

"Cosmetics products that include K1 can represent a serious threat to human health," an official statement from Afssaps said at the time.

Vitamin K2 is thought to be generally safe - but if a product does not specify K1 or K2, then we would suggest you stop using it.

Many consumers are becoming aware that just because a product says it is organic on the front, the ingredients on the back often tell a different story.

If you want to be absolutely sure a cosmetics product is as natural as it claims, then look for the Soil Assocation logo on the box.

Skin Allergy Snapshots: Urticaria

Part One

Over 70% of Pai customers suffer from some kind of skin allergy or sensitivity.

As well as being uncomfortable and distracting, skin allergies can also seriously dent our confidence.

With this is mind, I thought I’d start a blog series that deals with common skin complaints. I’ll discuss their symptoms and causes as well as natural ways to control them, so they don’t control you.

Part one in the series will focus on an allergy very close to home: urticaria.

In terms of advice available, urticaria lives in the shadow of better known conditions like acne and eczema, and as a result sufferers are often left in the dark.

What is urticaria and what does it look like?

Urticaria, also known as hives, is an allergic rash consisting of raised bumpy red weals. 

Like all allergies, the manifestations of urticaria vary from person to person, but I find it most often appears accross my upper back and shoulder blades.

Although it never breaks the skin, the rash is extremely itchy and hot to the touch, making urticaria an unsightly and uncomfortable condition to live with.

Though everyone's urticaria experience is different, there are thought to be three main types:

• Acute urticaria. Flares fairly quickly after contact with an allergen and can last anything from a few hours to six weeks. Heat or exercise can be a trigger but food allergies tend to be the most common cause.

• Chronic urticaria. Less likely to be caused by an allergy or physical stimulus and lasts for over six weeks. This type is termed ‘idiopathic’ (of unknown cause), which can make it difficult to diagnose.

• Physical urticaria. Triggered by a physical stimulus (anything from heat to water) and only lasts for a couple of hours.

Most common triggers

Food

Food allergies tend to be the most common trigger of acute urticaria but can be a problem across the board. Eggs, shellfish, tomatoes and nuts tend to be the worst culprits. Alcohol can also be a trigger (especially wine in me!)

It is often recommended that you keep a food diary for a month so that you can identify your personal intolerances.
 

Salicylates

Salicylates are another major cause and is a subject I’ve written fairly extensively about in the past. Salicylates can be found in a number of foods but also in things like aspirin and paracetamol, which is why doctors always recommend avoiding these types of analgesics.

Stress

Urticaria often relapses when we’re stressed or tired, when our natural defences are down. As I blogged last month, the mind and body are interconnected, so maintaining a steady emotional balance can help reduce flares.

Physical Abrasion

The most obvious trigger for me is physical abrasion. Sufferers of urticaria tend to have such hyper-sensitive skin, that rubbing or scratching it causes the tell-tale red lines to appear. This reaction is known as dermatographism.

Chemicals in our Environment

As is common for a lot of people, the onset of urticaria made my skin generally hyper-sensitive. After a lot of research and testing, I identified a few common ingredients in my beauty products that my skin really didn’t respond well too – the worst offenders tended to be synthetic preservatives (Phenoxyethanol) and fragrances (Parfum) in cosmetics. Pai was born from my search for an alternative!

Treatment

Doctor’s often prescribe anti-histamines as a treatment – in severe cases they’ll even prescribe two, one to take in the day and another for at night.

Anti-histamines provide only temporary relief and long-term are believed to thin the skin and make us more susceptible to flare-ups.

Quercitin is nature’s anti-histamine and is considered a more effective alternative, as it blocks the release of histamines rather than just masking their effects. To find out exactly how it works, read my earlier blog.

Other natural remedies are available. ‘Urtica’ translates from Latin as ‘nettle’, and it is thought that nettle teas and other nettle-related homeopathic treatments can also be beneficial.