🌿 When the Body Speaks: My Journey with Asthma, Dermatitis & Sensitivity
- Anastida Chantarachot
- May 7
- 3 min read
Updated: May 8
There was a time when I didn’t fully understand my skin.
Growing up in Thailand, life felt simple and connected to nature. I spent most of my time outdoors - under the sun, surrounded by warmth and humidity. My skin felt balanced, resilient, and uncomplicated.
It wasn’t something I questioned.
Until much later.
Before the Skin—There Was the Breath
Before I understood my skin, my body was already communicating with me - through my breath.
I grew up around cigarette smoke, as my grandfather was a smoker. From time to time, I would notice that taking a deep breath didn’t feel completely clear. It felt slightly restricted, but subtle enough to ignore.
At the time, I was very active.
I played sports and swam regularly.
So I assumed my lungs were strong.
It wasn’t until 2018, while working in a hair salon, that things began to shift.
Day after day, I was surrounded by chemicals fumes from hair dyes and treatments. Slowly, my breathing became more noticeably affected.
Eventually, I went to see a GP for chest discomfort.
That moment led to a diagnosis I hadn’t expected - I had asthma.
When It Became More Than Just Breathing
My awareness of sensitivity didn’t stop there.
Years earlier, my daughter had already been diagnosed with dermatitis by multiple GPs. At the time, I couldn’t fully understand why. There was no obvious family history from her father’s side, and I didn’t believe I had it myself.
But over time, I began to recognise the same patterns in my own skin.
Around 5-7 years ago, I came to the realisation that I, too, was experiencing dermatitis.
What first appeared through my lungs…
Was now showing through my skin.
A Shift in Environment
Looking back, the transition from Thailand to Australia played a significant role.
In Thailand:
Daily sun exposure
Outdoor living
Humid, skin-supportive climate
In Australia:
Indoor lifestyle (around 80% of the time)
Drier air and environmental changes
Increased exposure to irritants
These changes may seem small, but for a sensitive system, they can have a cumulative effect.
Understanding My Triggers
Through both personal experience and working closely with clients, I began to identify patterns.
For me, common triggers include:
Nickel sensitivity
Certain soaps and external irritants
Lactose intolerance (since birth)
Foods such as gluten and corn
Emotional stress
Over time, I came to understand that conditions like asthma and dermatitis are rarely caused by one single factor.
They are often a combination of:
environmental exposure
internal sensitivities
immune responses
and lifestyle patterns
What I Learned Through Study & Practice
During my time studying naturopathy, I explored a more holistic understanding of these conditions.
Dermatitis is not just a surface issue.
It is often a reflection of:
a compromised skin barrier
heightened sensitivity to irritants
and internal imbalance
In the treatment room, I see this often - especially in clients with sensitive, reactive, or dehydrated skin.
The skin becomes:
dry
inflamed
easily triggered
and slow to recover
And in many cases, the approach needs to be simplified - not intensified.
A Different Approach to Skin
This journey reshaped how I approach skin today.
Not as something to "fix" quickly, but something to support gently.
My focus became:
strengthening the skin barrier
reducing unnecessary triggers
simplifying formulations
and calming the nervous system
Because for sensitive skin, less is often more.
Rethinking My Relationship with Scent
Living with sensitivity also changed how I experience fragrance.
For a long time, I couldn't tolerate fragrance directly on my skin. It would triggger irritation and discomfort.
But scent has always been deeply meaningful to me - especially the natural floral aromas I grew up with in Thailand.
So instead of removing it completely, I changed how I experienced it.
Rather than applying fragrance onto the body, I shifted it into the space.
A more gentle, controlled way to enjoy scent - without overwhelming the skin.
The Philosophy Behind CHIVATARA Collection
CHIVATARA Collection was created from this understanding.
A space where:
skin is supported, not overstimulated
sensitivity is respected, not ignored
and scent is experienced with intention
This is why:
our skin formulations are kept simple and barrier-focused
unnecessary fragrance is avoid in skin products
and our home fragrance are designed to create a calm, sensory atmosphere
Not as an overload - but as a quiet presence.
A More Concious Way of Living
Asthma and dermatitis were not just diagnoses for me.
They were signals.
They taught me to pay attention -
to my environment,
to my body,
and to the smell, everyday exposures that often go unnoticed.
And through that awareness, I found a different way to care.
Closing Reflection
The body speaks in many ways.
Through the breath.
Through the skin.
Through moments of sensitivity we don’t always understand at first.
But when we begin to listen, we can respond with more intention.
And sometimes , that’s where true healing begins.
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