Natural Health: It's been non-stop since the start of the school holidays — I'm tired when I wake up

Megan Sheppard: "Since it helps to improve sleep quality and nerve health, magnesium is worth considering when you find yourself tired before you have started your day."

My two-year-old gets eczema flare-ups behind his ears and knees, which can get quite itchy and sore. Is there a natural balm I could use?

The short and simple answer is yes — a calendula balm can help to soothe itching and flaking skin almost immediately and is a great topical solution to have on hand for relief of your son’s eczema symptoms. The longer term solution is to consult a health professional who can look into the potential root cause of his eczema.

Eczema will often respond well to dietary changes and nutrient support via supplementation if required. Gut health is the first place most practitioners will start, often beginning with rebalancing the intestinal flora using a good quality probiotic. If you wish to try this route, make sure that you choose a product specifically formulated for toddlers and children which is free from artificial sweeteners and colourings, such as BioCare.

Reducing or eliminating dairy can be helpful for eczema sufferers. Grains, particularly those containing gluten, can also trigger flare ups. Often these foods and food groups are able to be reintroduced slowly back into the diet once the eczema is completely healed, however in some cases this is a lifelong change.

Sugar is another food ingredient that can exacerbate skin conditions and allergic responses. Testing for sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies can be useful if you feel that particular foods or food groups are at the root of eczema flare ups.
You may also need to look at household and personal care products that may be triggering the eczema flare ups. Switching to pure, natural, and unfragranced hair care, soaps, dish detergent, laundry products, and cleaning supplies is a great place to start.

I've four children under ten and it's been non-stop since the start of the school holidays. I'm tired when I wake up. What would you suggest?

With four small children you are doing incredibly well to get through the school holidays! When it comes to overwhelm and significant stress load, the herbal remedies I typically suggest are Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), and/or Ashwagandha root (Withania somnifera).
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that helps to reduce cortisol levels, calming body and mind by facilitating the release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. You can take it as a tea, tincture, or in capsule form.
Siberian ginseng provides gentle adrenal support, balancing out your body’s response to stress. Another adaptogenic herb, Siberian ginseng helps to improve both mental and physical energy and stamina, can help with brain fog and concentration issues, and is a wonderful immune tonic.

Your body will also have an increased demand for the B vitamins, since stress (emotional, mental, and physical) really burns through our stores of this vitamin group. In terms of supplementation, the best place to start is with a vitamin B-complex.
The B vitamin group helps to support nerve health, and it is extremely common for individuals who have undergone a long period of stress to be deficient in one or more of the B vitamins. There are plenty of great B-complex supplements available, including a B-vitamin tonic made by Floradix.

Mineral-wise, magnesium is also a nerve supportive nutrient, and can also help with insomnia, muscle pain and cramping, anxiety, and restless legs. Magnesium is most effectively absorbed when applied topically as a spray, gel, or cream, but can also be taken internally as a capsule or powder.
Since it helps to improve sleep quality and nerve health, magnesium is worth considering when you find yourself tired before you have started your day. Deep restorative sleep is super important for crucial repair and rejuvenation processes within the body, and lack of quality sleep will naturally lead to fatigue, increased stress levels, and impaired immune function.
Try to make time for some conscious breathing exercises — you can do these together with your children. There are plenty of free apps and guided breathing exercises available, or you can simply stop and do a few rounds of '4-7-8 breathing'. This is simply taking a deep breath in through your nose to the count of four, holding to the count of seven, and exhaling to the count of eight.

Go gently with yourself — I have no doubt you are doing a magnificent job.

• Do you have a question for Megan Sheppard? Email it to [e-mail]
• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.