Saturday, February 20, 2010

I had a dream

It's not a big dream. Not a life-altering, dream, but it's my dream.

And here it is.

I've always wanted to squeeze lemon juice using only my hands. You know, like they do in cooking shows.

I warned you that it wasn't a big dream. Some of us have small aspirations. But if you've been plagued with excema all your life on your hands, and you like to cook, you'll maybe understand where I'm coming from. Whenever I see people squeezing lemons, I think "Ouch!".


This morning I did it! Without even the tiniest bit of "ouch", this lemon was squeezed like a pro. I don't know when I've last had no excema on my hands so I thought I'd take a picture.



After 40 years of cortisone creams, they will always be old hands, but they are not flaming red, or rashy looking.

I've been using baking soda instead of shampoo for just over a month now. I don't know if this is why, but I read that shampoos have all sorts of nasty ingredients in them and there was one testimonial stating that her excema went away when she stopped using shampoo. That was all I needed to know to try it out. (Read this if you're at all interested, but don't bother if this is a weird route down which you do not wish to travel.) So far it's working for my hair and my hands are better too.

I do hope that gardening and the extra hand-washing that causes doesn't change all this. I like squeezing lemons pain-free.

I should have a bucket list. I could knock that one off now.

6 comments:

Coralee said...

oh wow, good for you! I tell everyone about Pumpkin Patch soap from Rocky Mountain Soap... it's specifically for excema and it was the only soap I could use while I was pregnant. You are not the first person I know to use the baking soda trick and I've considered it, but not sure I can live through the first little while with greasy hair... I have greasy hair already and I know that detox for the hair just increases this effect at first. Maybe one of these days.

Tamara Jansen said...

CONGRATULATIONS! I don't have excema but I have people close to me who do. It's really tough to handle so I'm glad to see you have a possible solution

Unknown said...

I did the baking soda thing for awhile - no greasy kickback, but my hair is so dry anyway that might explain it. Haven't bothered lately - mostly I forgot. :S

Glad to see it's helping the hands - do you grow any calendula? It's one of those 'good for the skin' things, and pretty. :) I made salve from calendula blossoms soaked in olive oil (just put dry blossoms in a jar covered with oil and ignore for several weeks, then strain), then heated with a wee bit of beeswax to make it spreadable - it's lovely on the skin, and was really easy to make. Might be useful if gardening is hard on the hands!

(oh yeah - and thanks for the slipper pattern - that's great!)

Evelyn in Canada said...

Anyone who has tried calendula in the garden once has it forever, so I don't mean to grow calendula, but yes I do have plenty. I hadn't thought to make a lotion from it. That sounds easier than I would have imagined. I'll have to try that this fall. Thanks for the tip!

Rosa said...

Yah for You!!:)

Patty-Jean from LittleQuiver said...

Yay - wonderful! It is going on 2 years since I also made the switch - hairdressers say my hair is Healthy! http://www.littlequiver.com/2008/06/shampooless.html

Even those couple of times, when I've been away from home and unprepared and used shampoo/conditioner I have regretted it. Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vin, and Lavender = lovely hair!

May you squeeze many more lemons!