Hidradenitis Suppurativa is the gift that no one wants that keeps on giving. I’ve been battling if since I was 13 years old, had the surgery that removed the tunneling been in remission and out. There are quite a few things that I’ve learned during this time and I want to share the 10 things that I do that have helped me be proactive with treating my HS. As a disclaimer, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I am, however, someone who has been successful in treating my Hidradenitis Suppurativa at home. So, what are these things that I do that help keep my flares at bay?
Let’s get into it!
10 Ways to Proactively Treat Hidradenitis Suppurativa–That Work
- Take a probiotic
One of the supplements that I’m most passionate about is probiotics. Why? Because your gut health is so important. It influences literally everything in your body. My hands-down favorite and the most effective probiotic is Seed. It’s actually a symbiotic and the capsule contains both a prebiotic and probiotic. I highly recommend starting your day with this.
2. Drink half your bodyweight in water.
This is one of the things that people say to do when you want to lose weight but it’s also really effective when you’re flushing toxins from your body. When battling HS, you want to stay hydrated and keep the toxins in your body moving out. It’s the same if you have a cold, the flu or some other sickness. If you’re battling any infection in your body, hydration is key. Start your day with 2 cups of room temperature water and it will make a big difference in all of your skin.
3. Remove processed foods from your diet as much as you can.
This is called eating clean but it denotes that those who eat processed foods are dirty and this can be a little elitist. Processed foods take the nutrients our bodies need from foods out and there are different additives that can trigger allergies, inflammation and intolerance in our bodies. As we’re trying to fight the build up of toxins in our bodies, it’s easier to do this without introducing new ones into the body. A really great documentary that talks about your body healing itself is “Fat Sick and Nearly Dead”.
4. Take anti-inflammatory supplements.
These include Vitamin D, ashwagandha, Omega-3, Vitamin A, Bromelain, Curcumin, Vitamin E, and Ginger. While adding these to your diet is good, taking a capsule form is going to be more effective. If you click on the name, it will take you to the listing on Amazon for what I use.
5. Eat the rainbow and anti-inflammatory foods.
The more natural colors in your diet, the better. So this means red peppers, purple cabbage, green spinach, yellow squash, and all that deliciousness. And salmon. It’s so good for you but just make sure it’s sustainably sourced.
6. Take Goldenseal & Echinacea.
Doctors will prescribe all the antibiotics in the world. This disrupts the flora in your gut and doesn’t help your body heal on it’s own. When I was a teen, I would be on antibiotics for 10 days, have like 5 days off before I was back on them for 10 more days. And for women, this means the presence of yeast infections and more. Now? As soon as I feel a little something developing under the skin, I start taking my goldenseal supplement with the echinacea and it will either completely stop the cysts from developing or shorten the time of the flare.
7. Detox my skin.
I don’t mean fasting either. I will make a paste with Aztec Clay and Apple Cider Vinegar to put on my “hot spots”–the ones where I would traditionally get the cysts. This mask will pull the toxins out of this area. I use it under my armpits, in my groin area, under my FUPA so that those areas get some extra loving.
8. Be naked more.
If I’m not on camera, I’m normally naked. This gives my skin a chance to breathe more and reduces the irritation that can come from wearing bras, panties, and clothing.
9. Shower as soon as I’m done working out.
I’m a sweaty person and I love working out. But within 10-15 minutes of finishing my workouts, I will shower because the sweat irritates my skin. If I can’t shower as soon as I’m done, I have WaterWipes with me so that I can wipe the sweat from the spots of my body that are susceptible to flares.
10. I’m intentional about reducing my stress levels.
I mentioned ashwagandha above and this helps with cortisol levels. I also started meditating and doing yoga to help me relieve stress, which can trigger Hidradenitis Suppurativa. CBD is also a really great tool to use as it’s an adaptogen.
Alright, warriors! I hope this helps! If you have any tips that work for you, drop them below along with any questions that you may have about treating your Hidradenitis Suppurative!
