Herbal poultice protocol for extreme eczema
I have dealt with skin problems my whole life. When I was a baby I had rashes on my face and my mom took me to the Chinese herbal doctor. She gave me a cream which resolved the rash and she told my mom, this kind of skin problem means that they will “grow up to be really smart". I’m paraphrasing here because I was just a baby and don’t actually remember, but my mom manages to tell me the story most times my skin problems come up. It’s nice to think that there’s a benefit to being in such discomfort, that my knowledge-seeking brain makes up for the way my skin reacts and is sensitive to it’s surroundings.
I have dealt with skin problems my whole life. When I was a baby I had rashes on my face and my mom took me to the Chinese herbal doctor. She gave me a cream which resolved the rash and she told my mom, this kind of skin problem means that they will “grow up to be really smart". I’m paraphrasing here because I was just a baby and don’t actually remember, but my mom manages to tell me the story most times my skin problems come up. It’s nice to think that there’s a benefit to being in such discomfort, that my knowledge-seeking brain makes up for the way my skin reacts and is sensitive to it’s surroundings.
Three weeks ago this most recent flair up started. It started as a dry itchy spot at the crook of my elbow, which is something that happens to my skin when the seasons change from winter to summer. The long layers come off and I am moving and sweating in a way my body hasn’t been used to in the winter time. It started out normally, but then quickly devolved into an uncontrollable weeping red mess, spreading over most of my right arm. I took myself to urgent care ASAP. I would usually resist taking pharmaceuticals as long as possible, but the rash was reaching an uncontrollable point and an allopathic intervention was needed. I was diagnosed with Atopic Dermatitis and Cellulitis of the upper limb and prescribed antibiotics, steroids and and an anti-histamine.
Eczema is not curable and no one knows what causes it, but according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, some of the causes and triggers include: pollen, mold, dust mites, animals, cold, dry air, respiratory viruses such as influenza, and harsh chemicals and dyes and certain food allergies. There are also emotional triggers which I find the most interesting. In my experience with this extreme case, stress was definitely a huge trigger in how the rash go so out of control. I am at the very end of a period of transition, where the endings and beginnings are overlapping, and the stress of navigating an unideal living situation for me for many months made those suppressed emotions present on my body in a very visible, and unavoidable way. Just another way that my body reminds me to feel my feelings.
The antibiotics and steroids felt really intense for my body and I felt the immediate need to build myself a deep rest cocoon and let the medicine do its thing. I work on the weekends at a coffee shop and I had to call out for the two days I was scheduled to get up and down every few hours during the day and night to do rash care and manage the itch. Not fun at all. But I found myself getting into a kind of rhythm with it. Calling upon all of my plant medicine allies to help me and also welcoming in new allies. I was casting about desperately for anything that could help. I started applying full arm sized poultices for hours at a time, elevating the arm and cooling the temperature with an ice pack. The following is the protocol that I’ve been following has been supporting me in resisting the itch.
leaf on day three of antibiotics and steroids
poultice-wrapped arm, supported by pillows
Simple Oatmeal Herbal Poultice
materials: paper towels, plastic bag or wrap, towels, ice pack, oatmeal.
step one, make the oatmeal: depending on the size poultice you need, measure out an appropriate amount of oatmeal into a glass jar. Then pour boiling water about 1/4 inch (or one centimeter) over the top, mix and cover. (best to make in advance so that it can cool down completely and be left in the fridge for multiple uses)
optional: I also made versions of the oatmeal that used calendula flowers, horse tail, and chamomile in the mixture, but decided that the most simple recipe was actually what was needed for this case.
step two, assemble the poultice: lay down two layers of paper towel on a clean, sanitized surface, spread cooled oatmeal mixture evenly onto the paper towel in a size and shape that completely covers the whole rash (bigger is better.) Either lay oatmeal directly on the area, or place another layer of paper towel on top to be against the skin. (I found that this extra layer makes for easier clean up and feels smoother sensorily.)
optional: add some drops of calendula oil and castor oil to the oatmeal before covering with final paper towel layer.
step three, wrap and rest: place poultice against the skin and wrap in plastic. Then make your way to a place where you can rest undisturbed with the area elevated above the heart. The poultice can be left on for 30min to an hour, but I tried to leave it on as long as I could, as long as the ice pack stayed cold.
optional: I opted to also utilize cannabis, specifically in edible form and found that it helped me a lot in surrendering to the poulticing process and helped me to keep it on longer.
optional: I also recommend tying an ice pack over the poultice with a clean cloth to cool down the oatmeal as it reaches body temperature. This helps the cool, soothing sensation last longer.
optional: something nice is also to have a cool weighted pillow to put over the chest as you rest. This stimulates the vagus nerve and activates the parasympathetic nervous system to reduce stress and anxiety and promote calm rest.
step four, post poultice care: after removing the poultice, the skin should feel slick from the oatmeal. If possible refrain from rinsing the area to keep the oatmeal goodness on the skin. The first thing that I add to the skin after poulticing is aloe vera gel. This soothing cooling moisturizer creates the first defense against dryness, but dries out fast if used by itself, so on top of that I use a combination of home made salve and then Aquaphor on top to lock in the moisture. It’s best to leave the area uncovered for a while, to breathe and be exposed to air.
other considerations: Since one of the main triggers for this flair up was stress, there is something to be said about identifying what is causing the stress and removing it from your field. Since the stress in this case was caused by a build up of suppressed emotions rooted in instability in my living situation, there’s not much that I can do about it at the moment. I did ask my dad to pick up some more aloe vera gel for me and he came back from the coop with these wonderful gifts: Urban Moonshine’s Joy tonic- fast acting relief for stress & anxiety with motherwort & lemon balm, as well as a homeopathic herbal oil for eczema control. I’ve also been taking Echinacea tincture every day for immune system support.
Urban Moonshine: Joy tonic and Forces of Nature: Eczema control
As you can see, this has been quite an involved process. I followed this protocol making a full arm sized poultice for three days. Each time seeing my skin transform underneath as the poultice draws out the infection. Now I am at a point where the skin is still very raw, sensitive and starting to peel. I am continuing to keep the area moisturized and managing the itch. Progress is slow, but there has definitely been an improvement.
Poulticing: a poem
My skin is a permeable membrane
I live and breathe through this organ, the largest of my body
my skin is angry
with me or with the circumstances I find myself in, I don’t know
even so, I tend to the anger with patient, soothing touch
until I feel the scream in my throat choke me with it’s persistence.
I am a permeable membrane
inextricably connected to all that surrounds me
Breathing deeply into the sensations of coming alive, over and over again
drawing out the poison,
re-building a new layer of skin that let’s in all the love I deserve
learning new ways of being
thinning on the boarders and inbetweenness
my old skin falls off
like a snake shedding
and underneath, I am pink and tender and new
they say that every 7 years we have a completely new skin
but I am made new every month, week, day and minute
in progress
coming into being before my own eyes.
Displaying artwork in downtown Brattleboro
It is a curious little shop that transports you to another time and place with sensory magic. The smell of incense and vintage jazz playing on a record player, racks of vintage clothes and kitchen wear, displays of brass, ceramic and wood curiosities. The shop is lit throughout by sculptural lamps of paper and linen. As we chatted, Sheri showed me around the back area of the store where she reupholsters furniture on a work bench makes jewelry out of metal, feathers and bones.
Wooden and ceramic objets holding moss
Today has been a big day for me. I woke up with the sunrise, climbed the Harris hill ski jump in the snow, took my cat to meet a groomer for the first time, sent some follow up emails to connect with people I met in a webinar, and brought my work into Verdigris: the house of wayward objects. I spent an hour and a half in the shop, pricing some work that Sheri the business owner is going to display in a section for local artists.
It is a curious little shop that transports you to another time and place with sensory magic. The smell of incense and vintage jazz playing on a record player, racks of vintage clothes and kitchen wear, displays of brass, ceramic and wood curiosities. The shop is lit throughout by sculptural lamps of paper and linen. As we chatted, Sheri showed me around the back area of the store where she reupholsters furniture on a work bench makes jewelry out of metal, feathers and bones.
The feeling of joy and discovery walking around the shop and running my hands over the hand made and vintage objects was quite a pleasurable way to spend a Thursday afternoon that I would recommend to anyone passing through downtown Brattleboro.
Tomato Carnage
Finally today was the day I set aside to process all the tomatoes. Waking up in the morning, I already knew that each task that day would feel like a struggle. A struggle to finish the chores and the tasks so that I could just lay down. Amidst the folding of laundry, washing of dishes, taking of shower—my usual day off tasks—I applied myself to the tomatoes.
Moving cross country: A lesson in staying present
At the end of April 2024 I packed up all the cute fun things I could fit into my Toyota Prius and drove with my cat Mei Mei from Chicago to Vermont. This permanent move was a really big decision for me, considering I had lived in Chicago for almost seven years.
Today is the summer solstice marking the first day of summer in the Northern hemisphere. Summer thunderstorms have cleansed the evening and the streets with intermittent torrential downpours. I have spent today reflecting on the past few months and the transition I have emerged through, moving back into my childhood home.
At the end of April 2024 I packed up all the cute fun things I could fit into my Toyota Prius and drove with my cat Mei Mei from Chicago to Vermont. This permanent move was a really big decision for me, considering I had lived in Chicago for almost seven years. During that time. I was able to cultivate an incredible, tender group of friends that I consider to be my chosen family. Why might I leave the city you might ask. As a young person, living in the city seems like a no-brainer, but it didn’t feel that simple to me. I did very much appreciate the diversity and opportunities that Chicago provided, but also found myself intensely burned out socially and spiritually and ready to live my life somewhere smaller, slower and amongst the mountains I grew up in… even if that meant uprooting myself from a life that I worked really hard to build.
I can’t explain what exactly brought about this realization, only that it was something that I knew deeply in the core of my being. That deep pit of longing in your stomach.. the body’s second brain.
This whole experience has been a lesson in staying present. There is a song that I love by the Weepies: Can’t go back now. One of the lyrics:
“I can’t say why everybody wishes they were somewhere else. In the end the only steps that matter are the one’s you take all by yourself.”
These lyrics were playing continually in my head and reminding me that we are all just living on a floating rock. Trying to find the balance between living interdependently with others without being co-dependent on each other. Maintaining my independence and my ability to dream and strive on my own. I felt like while living in Chicago, it was difficult for me to be a fully actualized version of myself.
For the last two months I was in the city, getting rid of things, packing and preparing for the drive, I was also reaching out to friends and saying yes to expereinces. Something strange happened. Those last two months turned out to be some of the best I had and I think it was because I really lived like I only had two more months in the city. As a result of that mindset shift I expereinced so many moments of sweetness and connections with new people. So much so that I was tempted to change my mind all together. But standing strong in my truth and the original reasons why I wanted to leave helped to ease that temptation. As soon as I released the expectations that I was having about what living in Chicago would bring me, I started to feel more fulfilled in my relationships and more stable in the job that I had as well.
It was really difficult to leave all of that behind and essentially start all the way over. Standing on my wobbly toddler legs and perching on the precipice of my growing edges. The lesson that I take from all this, is that releasing expectations and attachments to the outcomes of your actions allows for more space to see what is already there and that change is inevitable but it’s better to embrace the change, do the daring thing, and do it scared, and then rebuild afterwards.
20 things that bring me joy
for when it’s hard to remember…
for when it’s hard to remember, I take a look at this list.
Fun snack
Take a walk
Forage / wild crafting/ herbalism
Mei Mei (my cat)
Sharing meals with friends
Cooking myself a meal
Everything shower
Boba
Fresh haircut
Organizing/cleaning my space
A good film
Cloud gazing
Socks matching outfit
Cup of tea
Sunlight through cold winter air
Feeding the birds
Collecting rocks
Feet in the water
Soup
Summer thunderstorms
What brings you joy? comment below
Mending and altering clothes
This simple yet powerful act fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the things we own, shifting our perspective from disposable fast fashion to long-lasting, cherished pieces.
Mending and altering clothes can have a significant impact as a way of life. Although an understated way to enact change, this practice not only extends the lifespan of our garments but also contributes to reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
By repairing and modifying clothing items, to better suite one’s style and fit, individuals are able to minimize their environmental footprint by decreasing the amount of textile waste that ends up in landfills. Moreover, embracing a culture of mending and altering clothes encourages creativity and self-expression, as individuals are able to personalize their garments to reflect their unique style and preferences.
This simple yet powerful act fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the things we own, shifting our perspective from disposable fast fashion to long-lasting, cherished pieces.
Illustrating the principles of design
Twelve small collages inspired by the elements and principles of design
Elements of design
Line
Shape
Color
Value
Form
Texture
Space
Principles of design
Balance
Contrast
Emphasis
Movement
Pattern
Rhythm
Unity
Six Reasons Why Every Artist Needs a Website
In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for artists looking to showcase their work and connect with fans, collectors, and potential clients. Here are six compelling reasons why every artist should have a professional website.
In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for artists looking to showcase their work and connect with fans, collectors, and potential clients. When I created my first website, I would never have expected to be doing this work for a living.
I experienced first hand how powerful Squarespace is as a tool for self expression and had a lot of fun using it to create an online portfolio for my artwork. The digital space acts as an extension of the artists creative universe and it is possible to create an online space that embodies the feeling, personality and emotion behind the artist’s work off the screen.
Here are six compelling reasons why every artist should have a professional website:
1. Showcase Your Portfolio
A website provides a centralized platform where artists can curate and display their portfolio in a visually appealing and organized manner. This allows potential clients and art enthusiasts to easily browse through the artist's body of work, gaining a comprehensive understanding of their style, range, and artistic evolution.
2. Reach a Global Audience
With a website, artists can transcend geographical boundaries and reach a global audience 24/7. This broader exposure can lead to increased visibility, opportunities for international collaborations, and access to new markets for selling artwork.
3. Control Your Brand and Message
A website gives artists full control over how their work is presented and the narrative that surrounds it. From the design and layout to the content and messaging, artists can craft a cohesive brand image that accurately represents their artistic vision and values.
4. Enhance Credibility and Professionalism
A professionally designed website signals to potential clients, galleries, and collaborators that the artist is serious about their craft. It conveys a sense of professionalism and commitment, which can be instrumental in establishing trust and credibility within the art community.
5. Drive Sales and Commissions
A website serves as a powerful sales and marketing tool, enabling artists to sell original artwork, prints, and merchandise directly to buyers. Additionally, it provides a platform for commission inquiries and facilitates communication with potential clients interested in personalized artwork.
6. Complete ownership of your images and content
Owning your content on your website is crucial for maintaining control over how your brand is presented online. By creating original text, images, and videos, you establish a unique identity that sets you apart from competitors. This also helps ensure that your messaging remains consistent and authentic. Additionally, owning your content protects you from potential copyright issues and allows you to freely update and modify your website as needed. Regularly creating and owning content is a powerful way to strengthen your online presence and engage your audience effectively.
In conclusion, a website is a versatile and indispensable tool for artists to present their work, expand their reach, and cultivate their artistic brand. Whether established or emerging, having a website is a strategic investment that can significantly elevate an artist's career and impact in the art world.