Overview

This overview explores how Integrative Health can support prevention and treatment of skin problems.  Each of us may have different reasons why skin health is important in terms of our Meaning, Aspiration, or Purpose (MAP), and of course, all of this must be considered within the bigger picture of a person’s values and goals. 

What are some of our options?  Every aspect of self-care influences can influence skin health.  This includes Nutrition (e.g., eating a Mediterranean or DASH Diet), Mind and Emotions (e.g., stress management approaches), Recharge (optimizing sleep), and Physical Activity (e.g., coming up with a personalized activity plan).  It also includes Surroundings (pollution levels, work environment), Personal Development (growing and learning), relationships (Family, Friends and Co-workers), and Spirit and Soul (living with meaning and purpose).  Beyond self-care, professional care is also important, including conventional care, such as medications and procedures, as well as complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches like mind-body techniques, acupuncture, and taking dietary supplements.^1,2

Note that this overview focuses on reducing risk related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general.  In addition, there are specific Integrative Health tools focusing on some of the most common skin problems: acne, skin cancer, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis.  The narrative below illustrates how Integrative Health for the heart could look, informed by the latest research we have. 

Meet the Patient

Amy is a 22-year-old college student.  Without any way to pay for further education, she started to work at a fast food chain after high school.  She is now struggling to both work and meet the demands of university classes.  This has become increasingly more difficult for her due to an increased intensity of her eczema.  As a young child, Amy had trouble with eczema.  As she got older, it seemed to become less of a problem.  She has had occasional flares—especially at the changes of seasons.  In general, these flares have been mild compared to her childhood eczema.  When she initiates treatment with topical steroids at the beginning of a flare, she is generally able to control it.  She also suffers from seasonal allergies each spring, and has a strong family history of allergies, asthma, and hay fever.