Is your skin inflamed, scaling, flaking, oozing, crusty, or itchy? Then, you must be suffering atopic dermatitis (AD), or eczema.
Because some medical treatments can be more harmful than helpful, I thought of sharing with you certain effective natural approaches that can be healing to the condition. Now, let us see what causes AD and how to handle it.
Eczema triggers range from low stomach acid, “leaky gut syndrome” (particles of undigested food entering the blood stream), and yeast overgrowth to genetic defects in certain enzymes and food allergies (gluten, dairy, chocolate, refined sugar and carbohydrates, food additives, fried and processed foods). However, nothing sparks it as much as stress.
Eczema strikes adults as well as children. It is usually treated with steroidal creams. These temporarily relieve symptoms more by suppression than by healing the condition. With long-term application, the skin becomes thin and stretch marks appear, whereas natural therapies address the underlying cause, treat it, and boost the immune system as well. Let us see how.
The larger part of our immunity is located in the digestive tract and that is where our investigation starts. Undigested, mal-absorbed, and allergenic foods create inflammatory skin reactions. Dairy products, gluten, soy, peanuts, and eggs are known triggers. Environmental toxins, detergents, and chemicals also produce such responses.
The first line of treatment is to relieve itching and inflammation by bathing the affected area in chamomile infusion. Apply Aloe Vera or water-based creams or vitamin E oil to moisturize skin and speed healing. Mangosteen ointment is also good for eczema. Beauty products should be perfume-and-chemical-free. Avoid harsh soaps. Find the cause of your rash by process of elimination. Stop all possible triggers and then introduce them one by one several days apart. Watch for allergic reactions. After identifying an allergen, eliminate it from your diet or stop using it.
Avoid inflammatory foods like trans-fats, fried, processed, and preserved foods, additives, and refined sugar and carbohydrates. They aggravate the condition.
Diets should consist of whole, unrefined, organic foods. Whole vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes, seaweed (for their carotenoids), wheat grass, cold water fish, and live culture (probiotics) yogurt increase intestinal microflora (“good” bacteria) and enhance digestion and bowl movement. Brown rice and millet improve AD conditions. Proper chewing stops food particles from entering the bloodstream and provoking allergies. A balanced nutrition minimizes skin eruptions.
Increased water intake eliminates toxins and irrigates and cleanses the digestive tract.
Important supplements to take are essential fatty acids (a good brand of omega-3-and-6); vitamin B complex to improve skin; vitamin C with bioflavonoids to reduce stress-related attacks; vitamin E to relieve itching; vitamin D3 for tissue healing; and zinc to speed healing as well as biotin to improve skin condition.
Some herbs have good effects on AD. Chamomile, internally and externally, soothe the skin. Burdock and yellow dock support the liver to eliminate toxins. Black thorn, blueberry leaf, and turmeric root have flavonoids that are anti-inflammatory. Grape seed extract relieves inflammation and eliminates toxins. These herbs come in supplement form, too. Your bowel movement should be efficient in order to remove toxins. Take a fiber supplement like flaxseeds, psyllium husk, or Metamucil to enhance toxin elimination.
Stress is a major factor in provoking skin eruptions. Manage stress with regular activity, therapeutic exercises (yoga, tai chi), and massage therapy.
Avoid dry or humid conditions (sweat) and exposure to the hot sun, allergens, medications, cosmetics, and toxic pollutants to minimize eczema attacks.
If you are one of those who suffer low stomach acid, your physician should prescribe a hydrochloric acid supplement to improve food assimilation, thus reducing allergic reactions.
A piece of advice to expecting mothers who suffer from eczema or who have a family predisposition to the disease. Natural medicine recommends probiotic supplements during the last trimester of pregnancy in order to minimize the child’s risk of developing the condition or other types of allergies.
All the above suggestions work synergistically to improve eczema. So, apply them to relieve itching and burning sensations. Such natural remedies can soothe skin irritation, ease suffering, improve skin appearance, and balance health. They are effective!
(Mariam A. Alireza is a holistic science specialist. Send comments to [email protected]. Log on to arabnews.com for previous articles.)
