What is Eczema? (Part II)
Eczema can begin with a dry area (reddish in color) that is very itchy. Scratching only exacerbates the condition, because the more you scratch, the more you need to scratch it, etc.
Does this sound familiar?
This then causes small tears in the skin and create clear pustules, which are another symptom of eczema.
When these pustules are open, the liquid can spread to surrounding healthy tissue that later develops the same dry, reddish, itchy patches.
When the skin becomes very dry with eczema, it forms cracks that can bleed.
Winter aggravates eczema and is the time when one witnesses this tendency for the cracks to bleed, due to the contrast in temperature between the cold air outside, and the heat indoors.
This indoor heat, it further drying to the skin.
But if you don’t live in a cold climate, what else affects eczema?
Firstly, new research shows that eczema and asthma are actually correlated and are hoping that this new discovery, especially in infants, will influence the treatment available for eczema.
To read more on the Genetic Basis for Eczema Discovered, click here.
But aside from this, diet also affects eczema (especially Allergic Contact Dermatitis).
Here are suggestions to help you or your child:
- If your child has eczema, the first thing you should suspect is an allergy to lactose in milk. It is so common, that doctors recommend it be the first food eliminated from the diet when allergies are suspected.
- According to many dermatologists, eczema is exacerbated by the consumption of wheat and citrus.
- According to Dr. Weil; milk and dairy products should be eliminated from the diet as well as products that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (often found in snack foods and baked goods), as well as trans-fatty acids (such as margarine and vegetable shortening.)
- Other nutritional doctors advise to do an elimination diet to avoid allergy-triggering foods, and use the Candida-Control diet, if yeast is a factor.
If after controlling your diet you still do not see an improvement in your eczema, an underlying condition such as a deficiency in hydrochloric acid could be the culprit.
Hydrochloric acid is the stomach acid responsible for breaking down food so the intestines can absorb nutrients and eliminate the rest.
Another common denominator for eczema sufferers is a deficiency in Essential Fatty Acids or EFA.
EFA’s are called “essential” because they have to come from food, as they are major building blocks of body fat. Now, this is NOT the kind of fat that we think of as ‘bad’, or the kind that you try to lose when you go on a diet. Rather this is a very necessary fat for the health of your tissues.
Essential Fatty Acids also produce something called ‘prostaglandins’ which are our natural steroids to reduce inflammation.
I want you to stay tuned for the third and final part of our eczema series in which we will talk about treatment.
Remember, knowledge is power and education on your skin is key!
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To your skin’s health!
Derma Diva Rosa.
