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The Role Of Food In Eczema
Atopic eczema is the commonest type of eczema. It is a chronic condition, which results in scaly and itchy skin, with patchy areas of inflammation. Although this particular condition can affect the skin anywhere on the body, it is most likely to occur on the bends of the elbows and knees, and also on the face. There are many possible causes of eczema, and the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, or CSNN, states that a proper diet can play an important role in treating this skin disorder.
Although not true for ALL eczema sufferers, it is quite common for eczema to occur in people who already suffer from allergies. With a lot of people who suffer from eczema, their condition is made far worse upon continual consumption of foods that their body is intolerant of. Many people have gone on to either reduce their symptoms or cure themselves of eczema by going through a period of abstinence from foods that have been shown to exacerbate the condition.
Foods To Avoid...
Food intolerances of course, vary from one person to another, but some common foods to watch out for include cow's milk, coffee (regardless of caffeine content), soybeans, wheat and maize. After three weeks, you reintroduce one food item per day and monitor closely for a return or worsening of eczema symptoms. Should none occur, then that food is considered safe for consumption. When you identify the culprit, you would then be able to abstain from it as necessary in order to control the severity of your symptoms. Dairy products are known to worsen eczema more than other foods, so pay particular attention to your symptoms when bringing these back into your diet regime.
Foods to Eat and Avoid With Eczema
According to a number of research papers, a diet high in meat and poultry results in more inflammatory substances being released into your blood and cell membranes. Consuming animal products on a daily basis is highly inadvisable, especially if you are suffering from severe symptoms of eczema. CSNN advises eating a whole foods diet that emphasizes the following immune system-boosting foods: fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, seafood, fresh fish, flaxseed oil and extra virgin olive oil. If you must eat meat, then be sure to opt for the organic and lean variety. Examples include skinless chicken breast, skinless turkey breast, and lean ground beef. Despite the increase in inflammation from increased levels of arachidonic acid, these types of meats may actually be beneficial, since they contain a lot of zinc, iron and B-vitamins which help to strengthen the immune system.
B Carotene and Vitamin A
Beta carotene and vitamin A have been observed to exhibit effective anti-inflammatory benefits, therefore helping to resolve inflammatory skin conditions like eczema. I highly suggest that you consider consuming foods that have high levels of either vitamin A or beta carotene. Such foods include collard greens, kale, broccoli, mustard and spinach.
The health benefits of fiber are VAST, and it would take me all day to list them all to you here. One benefit that fiber has with eczema is that it helps to keep the bowels clean. The inner (luminal) walls of your intestines are given much protection from dietary roughage, which prevents toxic substances from hanging around long enough to have much effect. This reduces the occurrence of leaky gut syndrome, which is directly related to atopic conditions like asthma, rhinitis and eczema. Excellent sources of dietary fiber include fruits & vegetables, grains and whole-grains, beans, peas and other legumes, nuts and seeds.