Eczema Article

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Chris (list mom)

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

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http://www.alternative-medicine-and-health.com/conditions/eczema.htm

ECZEMA,

 

OR ATOPIC DERMATITIS, is a chronic, itchy skin disease that usually

appears on the inside of the elbows and knees and on the face and the

wrists. Infants are the most common sufferers of eczema, and most will

be free of the disease by the time they're eighteen months old. But

children as well as adults can develop it at any age.

 

Eczema is an allergic disease; it's more common in people who have other

allergies, particularly asthma and hay fever. As you might guess, the

best approach for controlling eczema is similar to that of controlling

other allergies. The first step is to try to identify allergenic foods.

I have seen patients improve dramatically when they eliminate allergenic

foods from their diet: Eggs, milk, dairy products, chocolate, peanut,

soy, potatoes, and the glutens found in wheat, oats, rye, and barley are

common offenders. An allergen-free diet should be followed for four to

six weeks in order to allow improvement. In infants, cow's milk is the

most common allergen, so it's important to breast-feed babies as long as

possible. In addition, if the parents of a child are allergic to certain

foods, the baby may carry that allergy as well, and those foods should

be avoided. It's not uncommon for babies with eczema to develop chronic

ear infections.

 

One recent well-controlled study found that the food additive tartrazinc

can provoke eczema in some people, though the reaction is not common

(sometimes it's difficult to make a connection between eczema and a

particular cause because the symptoms can vary from one day to the

next). It was reported that of the twelve children studied, one showed

severe eczema symptoms after the ingestion of tartrazine. Tarrrazine, or

FD & C Yellow Dye No. 5 is found in many foods. For a complete list, see

the section on food colorings in Hives.

 

There's a great deal of evidence that people with eczema have a problem

with their digestion of essential fatty acids. Over half of eczema

sufferers improve when they take evening primrose oil--as a supplement

as well as topically. Evening primrose oil can relieve the symptoms of

eczema and help to normalize the digestion of essential fatty acids.

 

Fatty fishes, a natural source of the oils that help relieve the

improper fatty acid digestion, are a great aid to people with eczema.

MaxEPA is a form of fish oil supplement that I recommend. I also tell my

patients to have fatty fish like herring, salmon, or mackerel at/east

twice a week.

 

Vitamin C and bioflavonoids are extremely useful in controlling this

condition.

 

Vitamin A is very important to the health of the skin and can be very

useful in the treatment of eczema.

 

Zinc is especially helpful for people with eczema. Many eczema sufferers

have been found to be deficient in zinc, and, in fact, zinc is an

important mineral in the fatty acid metabolism.

 

In addition to supplements, there are some practical measures that you

can take to relieve the symptoms of eczema, outlined below.

 

NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR ECZEMA

 

Identify food allergies and eliminate the offending foods from your

diet. Eggs, milk, cheese, chocolate, peanuts, soy, potatoes, and the

glutens in wheat are common allergenic foods. It will take four to six

weeks for the results of an allergen-free diet to be observed, so be

patient,

Breast-feed infants for as long as possible if there is any sign of

eczema. While breast-feeding, the mother should avoid any foods to which

she has had an allergic reaction.

Investigate the possibility of the food additive tartrazine contributing

to the eczema, and if it does, eliminate it from the diet.

Eat fatty fish tike salmon, herring, and mackerel at least twice a week

IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE:

Evening primrose oil: 1,000 mg. three times daily, and then reduce the

dose to 500 mg. daily.

Evening primrose: topically to the affected skin twice a day.

MaxEPA fish oils: 1,000 mg. three times daily.

Vitamin C and bioflavonoids: 1,000 mg. Of both daily,

Vitamin A: 10,000 I.U. daily

Zinc: 50 mg. daily.

SOME STEPS TO RELIEVE SYMPTOMS:

DO not use hot water for bathing and showering. Use warm water.

Use bath oil to soften skin. Use a nondrying soap substitute instead of

soap.

Do not use over-the-counter ointments that contain benzocaine or

antibiotics.

Avoid lanolin in skin lotions, cosmetics, cleansers, and the like.

Try to avoid temperature extremes and any activity that will involve

excessive sweating.

Aerobic exercise is beneficial to eczema and other skin ailments, Just

be sure to take a warm shower after exercise to wash away sweat.

Avoid any oily or greasy ointment that prevents skin from breathing.

Try to wear cotton and other natural fibers next to your skin with the

exception of wool, which you should avoid.

As stress can exacerbate eczema, practice stress reduction techniques.