My battle with Eczema

I have suffered with eczema for over 20 years. I developed it from a very early age and since then have never managed to find a cure. But in the past couple of years my eczema was manageable until recently. For the past 5 or 6 months I have felt my eczema getting worse. This has inspired me to take action and finally try free myself from this terrible condition! What's worse is that I know how to cure my eczema for good, but I have never had the determination to see it through. As I go through my journey, I wanted to share my progress with anyone else who suffers from any sort of skin related issues. It is possible.... but don't expect an over-night miracle (so I keep telling myself). It will take me atleast one year and 8 months! This blog gives me a reason to stay true to my plan and hopefully help others too.

Pranayama

Right now you are probably wondering what is the cure?.... It is something called Pranayama. The best thing is that it is absolutely FREE. Pranayama consist of various different breathing exercises of which I am going to focus on two:

1) Kapalbhati (30 mins)
2) Anulom Vilom (30 mins)

I alternate between doing 10 minutes of Kapalbhati to 10 minutes of Anulom Vilom (Until I have done each for 30 Minutes).

*But for those who are new to Pranayama, please only do each exercise for 5 minutes each an then gradually build up after*

Please click on the link explaining how to do Pranayama. This video is about an hour long and explains about various different types of Pranayama.... I have noted the times where he shows how to do the various types of Pranayama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2c5jm2tefw

26.20 : Bhastrika Pranayama

29.49 Kaphal Bhati Pranayama

35.20 Bahya Pranayama

37.19 Agnisar kriyah

38.25 Anulom Vilom Pranayama

41.45 - Bhramri

I am also trying to avoid eating junk foods (Chocolates, sweets, fizzy drinks etc).

I am going to make an effort to post weekly pictures of my skin to update you all on my progress. The picture will be taken prior to me putting any cream or moisturiser (So that you get a real sense of the dryness of my skin) 

Why I am so confident?

I first came across Pranayama when I saw it on TV. One Yoga teacher by the name of Baba Ramdev has popularised this Pranayama exercise and has cured thousands and thousands of people with various diseases. When I was 18 years old I managed to do Pranayama for about a month. I noticed its benefits  when I went to play football with my friends. Even after an hour (or more) of playing football I never felt out of breath, I was amazed. 

The longer you have had an particular disease, the longer it will take to cure. It's roughly like this....the amount of years you have had that disease it will take that same number in months to cure whilst doing Pranayama.

So in my case, I have had eczema for about 20 years so it will take roughly 20 months. So its going to be tough, especially when I don't see any drastic improvement in my health or eczema. But I have to push on with determination....hence why I have started this blog.

I should mention that I am 15 days into doing these Pranyama exercises for an hour each day. I haven't really noticed any significant changes in my eczema (and Keratosis Pilaris - another skin disease I developed a few years ago). However, I have always suffered from constantly having cold hands and feet (Raynaud's Disease) and what feels like a constant blocked nose. From doing Pranayama I can feel the airways in my nose clearing up a little and hence I can breathe better. Also the blood circulation to my hands and feet have improved a little too. So it is working, I just need to be patient and stick to it.

Today's Pictures (15/03/2015)

Forehead 15.03.2015

Dry Skin on face 15.03.15

Dry skin on shoulder 15.03.15

Keratosis Pilaris (KP) under my arms 15.03.15

More KP 15.03.15

Some rules to follow:

• Pranayama should be done with clean bowels in the morning ( i.e. make sure you have been to the toilet) * If you can't do Pranayama in the morning, please do so 5 hours after your last meal.
• After doing Pranyama you should wait 15 - 30 minutes before showering, eating or drinking.
• Pregnant women should NEVER do Kapalbhati.
• If you suffer from any sort of heart disease or hypertension, please do Pranayama gently.
• Kapalbhati should be done 4-6 months after any surgery.

Please remember this is not an overnight cure. It takes time, please have the patience to see it through. Best of Luck.