Understanding Eczema and Treating it Holistically

Eczema is a troublesome but common skin disorder that affects up to 15 percent of the population (1). In its acute form, eczema can cause inflamed red, dry, and itchy skin. Some patches may blister and weep, and, eventually, these areas may crust over. If the eczema is a chronic problem, the skin will continue to itch but may thicken and take on a leathery consistency. Usually, dry scales develop, and the skin’s color may change.

As a woman, our skin and hair are our glories, so this can be a damper on our self-confidence when having to alter our lives, outfits, and social life around its breakouts.

Through researching this topic it was found that most occurrences of Eczema are brought on by an allergic response. These responses are triggered by allergies to certain foods or to other substances; Its common to have a reaction to the allergen from either ingesting it or even just touching it. If you're able to identify the irritant and remove it, eczema will usually disappear over within weeks.

But if the skin continues to be exposed to the irritating factor, the rash may spread and develop into a chronic condition. Keep in mind that stress may aggravate eczema and keep it from resolving.

When in Life does it Appear? And Where?

Eczema has become more common in infancy or early childhood and most often develops on the face and the head or in the folds of the elbows, knees, or the groin. In some cases, it will disappear as childhood progresses and either stay away for good or recur in adolescence or adulthood.

Chronic eczema is a complex condition that can usually involve a family history of eczema, asthma, or hay fever; difficulty handling stress; or food sensitivity.

It has also been linked to abnormalities of the immune system, as well as to candida (an overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast in the gut) and low levels of essential fatty acids (Omega 3's) and deficiencies of other nutrients that help keep down inflammation.

Poor digestion and detoxification are also a common root cause of eczema. If you could imagine eating or coming into contact with an allergen, and that allergen circulates through your bloodstream due to leaky gut.

Like most complicated ailments that involve the whole body and lifestyle, holistic treatment is the best approach for both relief and resolution. Conventional therapy such as steroids may provide temporary relief for chronic cases but can be frustrating, as it generally just suppresses the skin problem, can cause further spreading, make symptoms worse, or cause other side effects.

Treating the root cause(s) with natural therapies will be the best way to resolve this condition.

How the Immune System is Involved

The underlying abnormalities leading to eczema originate primarily in the immune system and structural components of the skin. (1) For example, the allergy-related antibody IgE is elevated in up to 80% of patients with eczema due to increased activation of a specific type of white blood cell (type 2 T helper cells). (1) In addition, mast cells (specialized white blood cells) from the skin of those with eczema have abnormalities that cause them to release higher amounts of histamine and other allergy-related compounds compared with people without eczema.

Histamine and other allergy-related compounds result in the inflammation and itching characteristic of eczema. Another immune-system abnormality is a defect in the ability to kill bacteria. This defect in immune function, coupled with scratching and the predominance of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus in the skin flora in 90% of eczema patients, leads to an increased susceptibility to potentially severe staph infections of the skin.

There are also other immune defects in those with eczema that lead to increased susceptibility to other infections of the skin, including infections caused by a herpesvirus and by common wart viruses.

Allergies and Their Role

Studies have also shown that breastfeeding offers significant protection against developing eczema as well as allergies in general. (6,7)

Interestingly, studies suggest that mothers of breastfed infants with allergies should avoid the common food allergens (especially milk, eggs, and peanuts and, to a lesser extent, fish, soy, wheat, citrus, and chocolate) themselves, to prevent traces of food antigens from appearing in their breast milk.(4,5)

Maternal avoidance of these common allergens is associated with complete resolution in the majority of cases. In older or formula-fed infants, milk, eggs, and peanuts appear to be the most common food allergens that lead to eczema.

In one study, these three foods were implicated in 81% of all cases of childhood eczema,(6) while in another study 60% of children with severe eczema had a positive food challenge to one or two of the following: eggs, cow’s milk, peanuts, fish, wheat, or soybeans.

Diagnosis of food allergy is usually best achieved by the elimination diet and challenge method. This approach is especially useful in childhood eczema.

Elimination of milk products, eggs, peanuts, tomatoes, and artificial colors and preservatives results in significant improvement in at least 75% of cases.(6-8)

SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE ECZEMA

•Red, dry, swollen, and burning skin

•A strong, almost overwhelming desire to scratch

•Skin that blisters, oozes, and crusts over

SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC ECZEMA

•Recurring cases of acute eczema

•Thick, dry skin with scaly patches

•Continued itching

•Color changes

ROOT CAUSES OF ACUTE ECZEMA

•Food allergies

•Contact with irritants (these can include but are not limited to dyes, perfumes, topical medications, plants, metals, soaps, wool, pollutants, and even sunlight)

ROOT CAUSES OF CHRONIC ECZEMA

•Suppressive treatments of acute eczema (such as long-term topical steroid treatment)

•Heredity

•Stress

•Food allergies or sensitivities

•An imbalanced immune system

•Deficiency of or inability to process essential fatty acids

•Fungal overgrowth

•Low levels of stomach acid and resulting in poor digestion

•Poor detoxification

•Low levels of good flora

•Nutritional deficiencies

A Little About Candida

An overgrowth of the common yeast Candida albicans in the gastrointestinal tract has been implicated as a causative factor in allergic conditions including eczema. Elevated levels of antibodies against candida are common in atopic individuals, indicating an active infection. Furthermore, the severity of lesions tends to correlate with the level of antibodies to candida antigens. (1)

The bottom line is that the elimination of candida results in significant clinical improvement of eczema in some patients.

TESTING

The following tests help assess possible reasons for eczema:

• Intestinal permeability—urine

• Detoxification profile—urine

• Vitamin and mineral analysis (especially magnesium, B6, zinc)—blood

• Digestive function and microbe/parasite/candida testing—stool analysis

• Food and environmental allergies/sensitivities—blood, electrodermal Essential fatty acid profile—blood

TREATMENT

Diet Recommended Food

Eat a diet of basic, whole foods to encourage a healthy internal balance and a balanced immune system. You should consume essential fatty acids every day.

Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are great sources of omega -3. You can use the oil in dressings or sprinkle the seeds on cereal or salads. Flaxseeds and their oil change with heat, so do not bake with them or expose them to high temperatures.

Cold-water fish, especially salmon, mackerel, and herring, are also good sources of EFAs.

Eat pumpkin or sunflower seeds daily. They are excellent sources of zinc, a mineral that encourages the proper metabolism of essential fatty acids.

Drink a glass of clean, quality water every two waking hours to flush out toxins and to encourage skin health.

Gentle forms of Fiber to prevent constipation. If you’re constipated, your body will have to find another way to get rid of wastes—and that usually means that toxins are expelled through the skin.

Click Here for more Foods High in Fiber

Eat plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. They’re full of fiber and will keep your digestive tract clean.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene are necessary for good skin health, so eat your green leafy and orange-yellow vegetables. Their nutrients are best delivered to your body when the food sources are raw, juiced, or lightly cooked.

Fungal overgrowth (candida) is a possible cause of eczema, so eat cultured or fermented products every day to stimulate the growth of “good bacteria.”

In cases of chronic eczema for adults, undertake a three-day juice fast once a month to sweep away the toxic buildup.

Green drinks with barley, spirulina, or blue-green algae detoxify the blood and are especially supportive of eczema fast.

Children over the age of five may use these green drinks under the guidance of a nutrition-oriented doctor.

Food to Avoid

Eliminate all additives from your diet. Not only are additives likely to cause a direct reaction, but they also contribute to a toxic internal environment that can manifest in the skin. Determine whether you have an allergy or a sensitivity to any foods.

Common food triggers of eczema are dairy, citrus fruits, tomatoes, soy, shellfish, eggs, wheat, and gluten.

Stay away from inflammatory foods, especially sugar, spicy foods, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol.

Sugar and caffeine also contribute to anxiety and stress, so you have an extra reason to avoid these substances.

Nutritional Supplements for Eczema

*Please consult your primary physician before taking any of the supplements listed below, especially if you have multiple conditions. These supplements do not serve as a substitute for any current medications that you are currently taking.

1. Homeopathic Combination Eczema/Rash Formula. found in health food stores. Use a combination of the most common remedies indicated for eczema. Take as directed on the container three or four times daily for acute outbreaks and twice daily for chronic cases. If there is no improvement for acute eczema within forty-eight hours, switch to the indicated remedy listed under Homeopathy in this section.

2. Essential fatty acids

Take a formulation that contains a mixture of omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids, as directed on the container. Or adults can take fish oil at a dosage of 1.8 grams of EPA daily or 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily. Children can take fish oil at a daily dosage of 480 mg of EPA or ½ to 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil. Essential fatty acids reduce inflammation and dryness, and studies show that they heal eczema. If allergic to fish, use vegan Omega 3 from Algae (I like the Nordic Naturals brand)

A double-blind trial researched the effect of fish oil (1.8 grams of EPA) on a group of eczema sufferers. After twelve weeks volunteers who got the fish oil supplement had experienced significant improvement in their eczema. (8)

Click here more info about Omega 3's and Top 10 Omega 3 rich Foods

3. Probiotics. Adults should take a formula that contains at least five billion organisms per daily dosage and children at least two billion. Friendly flora such as Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium are involved with proper digestion, detoxification, and immune function.

A study in the Journal of Clinical Allergy and Immunology reported that when breast-feeding mothers supplemented with a probiotic, their infants with eczema showed improvement after one month. It appears that good bacteria reduce the effect of the infant’s food-allergy response. (9)

Learn more about choosing probiotics here!

4. Burdock root (Arctium lappa) Adults should take 1 ml of the tincture form or 300 mg in capsules with each meal, while children can take 0.5 ml and 150 mg. Burdock root has a cleansing effect on the skin.

5. Evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis) Adults can take 3,000 mg daily and children 1,000 mg daily. (1) It contains GLA (gamma-linoleic acid), which has anti-inflammatory effects on the skin. Some people with eczema need increased amounts of GLA. It’s especially important if other essential fatty acids, such as fish or flaxseed oil, have not been helpful.

6. Vitamin E Adults should take 400 IU and children 200 IU daily. It promotes skin healing and prevents the oxidation of essential fatty acids.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of Vitamin E and Top 10 Foods.

7. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids (buffered). Adults take 1,000 mg two or three times daily and children 500 mg two or three times daily. It reduces inflammation and promotes skin healing.

Click here for foods rich in Vitamin C and learn more about its' benefits.

General Supplements for Eczema

Zinc is needed for skin healing. Adults should take 30 mg twice daily, along with 3 mg of copper, and children can take 5 to 10 mg twice daily, along with 2 mg of copper.

Click here for the Top 10 Zinc Rich Foods

Vitamin A promotes skin healing. It is particularly helpful for small bumps on the back of the arms. Adults should take 5,000 IU and children 2,000 IU daily.

Quercitin has anti-inflammatory effects. Adults should take 1,000 mg and children 500 mg three times daily.

Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) assists the liver in its detoxifying functions. Take 500 mg or 3 ml three times a day.

Vitamin D deficiency can be a cause of eczema. A typical dose is 1,000 to 2,000 IU daily for children and 5,000 IU daily for adults. Many other herbs will reduce itching and swelling when applied topically. You can make a cream, lotion, a cool compress, or a poultice with any of the following: comfrey, chamomile, calendula, chickweed, and witch hazel.

Herbal Remedies

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is beneficial for many skin disorders. Red clover contains lymph moving action making it a top “blood purifier”. Take 2 to 4 grams or 2 to 4 ml three times daily. If you have oozing skin or weeping blisters, you can also apply a cool infusion of red clover to the affected area. You can also pinch off the flower, dry them out in a dehydrator to prevent fermentation, and included them in your tea or bath. Look for vibrant colors. Red clover thins the blood and should be avoided if you are on blood thinner medication, pregnant, or have a bleeding disorder.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) heals broken or oozing skin and has an antiseptic quality. It’s best used as a succus or cream. It has powerful antioxidants and blooms from late spring through autumn. It’s fresh petals and dried flower heads provide 100 times more carotenoids (including lutein and beta-carotene) than a sweet potato by weight. It detoxifies the lymph and is antimicrobial. If you are sensitive it may irritate your throat. Look for vibrant color

Apply neem oil directly to the skin to heal and soothe patches of inflamed, red, and itchy skin.

Chickweed ointment reduces itching. Use as directed on affected areas for temporary relief.

If you are under stress, drink a cup of peppermint, chamomile, or passionflower tea to help you relax.

Homeopathy (1)

Consultation with a homeopathic practitioner is highly advised before beginning these.

Pick the remedy that best matches your symptoms.

Take a 6x, 12x, 6C, or 30C potency twice daily for two weeks to see if there are any positive results. After you notice improvement, stop taking the remedy, unless symptoms return.

Arsenicum (Arsenicum Album) is for a chilly person who has very dry, itchy skin and swollen, tender skin eruptions. The eczema is worse in the winter, and the itching intensifies at night between midnight and 2 A.M. The person feels very restless, and the skin feels worse with warm applications. (1)

Calcarea Carbonica is for people who are flabby and have clammy hands and feet. Their eczema tends to be worse in the winter. They crave eggs and sweets. This is also a good remedy for infants who suffer from cradle cap. (1)

Graphites are for people whose dry skin becomes thick and has a honeylike discharge. The itching is worse in a warm bed. Medorrhinum is for eczema that has been a problem since birth or very early age. The person craves oranges and ice, tends to be very warm, and sweats easily. (1)

Mezereum is for eczema that blisters and oozes and then forms a thick crustlike layer. Cold applications and the open-air make the skin feel better. (1)

Petroleum is for eczema that is characterized by very dry, cracked skin, especially on the palms of the hands. The itching is worse at night and in the warmth of the bed. (1)

Psorinum is for chronic eczema that causes people to scratch until they bleed. The symptoms are similar to those of people who should take Sulfur, except that in this case, the people are very chilly. Rhus Toxicodendron is for blistery-looking eczema that is very itchy and feels better from warm applications and movement. The person may crave cold milk. (1)

Sulfur is for dry, red, itchy skin that’s made worse with bathing and warmth. The person who will benefit from this remedy feels hot, is restless, and generally has a thirst for cold drinks. (1)

Other Eczema Remedies

An oatmeal bath can be very soothing. Tie some oats in a cheesecloth or in a leg from a hose, and let the water run on the oats under the tap before you soak. This can be purchased as a powder, too. You can also use the wet ball of oats as a compress directly on the affected area.

If you find that this is irritating the skin, stop immediately.

Aromatherapy

To soothe inflammation and itching and to relieve tension, add chamomile, geranium, or lavender to your bath or to a cream. These oils can be used separately or together. If you want to relax, there are many oils you can try.

The following are all excellent: bergamot, jasmine, lavender, rose, sandalwood, or ylang-ylang. Use them in a massage, a bath, lotions, or creams—but make sure you dilute them with a carrier oil before applying them directly to the skin.

REFERENCES

1. Stengler, M., Balch, J, Young, R. Eczema. Prescription for Natural Cures 3rd Edition

2. Murray, Miachael, Pizzorno, Joseph. Eczema. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. 3rd Ed.

3. Groves, Maria. Body Into Balance. An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care. Digestion and Elimination.

4. Arvola T, Moilanen E, Vuento R, et al. Weaning to hypoallergenic formula improves gut barrier function in breastfed infants with atopic eczema. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2004; 38: 92-96

5. Cant AJ, Bailed JA, et al. Effect of maternal dietary exclusion on breast fed infants with eczema: two controlled studies. British Medical Journal 1986; 293: 231-233

6. Saarinen UM, Kajosaari M. Breastfeeding as prohylaxis against atopic disease: prospective follow up study until 17 years old. The Lancet. 1995; 346:1065-1069

7. Isolauri E, Tahvanainen A, Peltola T, et al. Breast-feeding of allergic infants. Journal of Pediatrics. 1999;134: 27-32

8. Bjørnboe A., E. Søyland, G. E. Bjørnboe, et al. 1989. Effect of n-3 fatty acid supplement to patients with atopic dermatitis. J Intern Med Suppl 225:233–6.

9. Majamaa, H., and E. Isolauri. 1997. Probiotics: A novel approach in the management of food allergy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 99:179–85.