Long history of skincare treatment
ing to get to it before it got to the stage where she needed antibiotics.”
Evie also lives with asthma and severe allergies, associated with her eczema.
“Evie would take an anaphylactic reaction to nuts, pulses, legumes, kiwi and eggs,” says Angela.
“We knew that she was sensitive to certain things. But at that stage, she hadn’t been tested for anything. I just didn’t give her any nuts, because I assumed that it probably wouldn’t be a good idea.
“But I came home one day, and Evie was coughing while sitting on the sofa. I asked my husband how long she had been doing that and he said around half an hour.
“I could see her skin also starting to break out, so I picked her up and took her around to the chemist.
“They gave her some Periton and told me to take her to the hospital.
“She had eaten a peanut M&M and that was the start of it. She had an overnight stay there.
“Then, a few weeks later, she had a mouthful of vegetable soup which had lentils in it. And it was the same again — her face and lips swelled, and we had to go straight to the hospital where she got adrenaline and all sorts of things.
“We have had a few dramas. “We had an issue where someone gave her peanut butter recently and I had to give her the EpiPen and take her to the hospital.
“Because Evie is that little bit older, she is more aware of it and has become more vigilant about what she eats now. We don’t have anything that could harm her at home and her school were very good — they are nut-free. But we The Gardiner family history of creating skin care products goes back to 1934 when Joseph Gardiner created the first Family Apothecary in Ireland.
Their expertise in making traditional Ovelle apothecary products like Silcock’s Base, Aqueous Cream and Emulsifying Ointment allowed them to draw on dermatological advances in skincare to create the now multi-award winning Elave skincare — headed up by Joseph’s granddaughter Joanna — which helps prevent flare up of sensitive including eczema, dermatitis and rosacea prone skin.
Their promise of absolute purity means no sulfates SLES/SLS, no parabens, no perfume, no formaldehyde, no methylisothiazolinone (MI), no alcohol, no soap, no colours and more. Elave sensitive skincare has been awarded cruelty-free status by PETA and is also vegan friendly.
Their products are available in most pharmacies and online at www.elave.
have to be very careful and carry an EpiPen and Periton around with us everywhere, just in case.
“When she was three years old, we discovered that she was asthmatic as well. She takes inhalers now also.”
Angela says that she finally found her ‘miracle cream’ in the form of Elave skincare.
“All the stuff that we got from the doctor just didn’t work,” she says.
“And then I heard about the Elave products and started using them on Evie’s skin. Her skin has been amazing since.
“For the majority of the year — as the change in the weather can flare her up — she has been really good.
“We just keep the cream on the spots that are more likely to flare up.
“I use the whole range; the bath wash, the shampoo and the cream with Evie. Using all three works a treat.
“I love it because it is a totally natural product, there is nothing harsh in it that can harm her skin. The condition is so easily triggered.
“For something as simple as this product is, to be so effective, has been amazing and is working really well for her.”
The National Eczema Society confidential telephone and email Helpline provides information, support and reassurance to people struggling to cope with eczema. You can contact the helpline on 0800 089 1122. Myrtle Johnston is also available through the helpline if you want to make contact with support from Northern Ireland
Feeling tired constantly is a common complaint in today’s hectic world — but sometimes exhaustion can be a sign of something more serious.
GP Dr Sindhu Siddiqi of the Smart Clinics, London, (www.thesmartclinics.co.uk) explains: “Most of the time, fatigue is because of long working hours, poor sleep, emotional stress and dehydration.
“But sometimes there are more serious, underlying problems which warrant further investigations.”
Here, she outlines some symptoms that are best to get checked.
You’re getting enough rest, but you’re tired and constantly thirsty. This may suggest you have diabetes. Other symptoms are weight loss, constipation and recurrent infections. You’re cold when others aren’t, you’re constipated, and if you’re female, your periods aren’t regular. You might have an underactive thyroid. The thyroid gland produces a hormone called thyroxine, which is essential for the smooth running of nearly all our organs. You’re feeling more breathless and your heart’s beating faster. You might be anaemic, which means your red blood cells aren’t transporting enough oxygen around your body, so it’s working harder to compensate. Anaemia can be due to not getting enough iron and vitamins in your diet (iron and vitamin B12 deficiency can happen easily in vegans). It can be because your body isn’t absorbing them properly, as in coeliac disease. Any unintentional weight loss with a normal diet suggests your body is using more calories than it should. Tiredness associated with weight loss can sometimes be due to cancer where the uncontrolled division of cells leads to more energy being used. Any lumps in your neck, armpits or groin that persist for over three weeks require further investigation to rule out lymphoma, a blood cancer that can happen at any age.
Tiredness is an early symptom in 80% of people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). If you have other symptoms too, such as electric shock sensations, balance or co-ordination problems, have a chat with your doctor. This can be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, which is different to the wear-and-tear arthritis osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where your body triggers inflammation in your joints for an unknown reason.
If you’re worried about any symptoms, visit your GP.