Diet and Eczema

by: Mel Sinclair

Much controversy and argument surrounds the idea that food may play a role in triggering eczema. It has only been in recent years that doctors and health professionals have become aware of the significance of diet on eczema.

It is now generally acknowledged that some 10 – 25 percent of people are affected by food sensitivity, and it has become much more widely accepted that food intolerance may play a big part in eczema.

For many people, a change in diet is the crucial factor in the successful control of eczema. The underlying philosophy "you are what you eat" can be very true for people who are suffering from eczema. By paying attention to the food we eat and through planning a careful diet, the closer you will be able to get to understanding the underlying cause of your eczema flare ups.

By placing cream and oils on your skin, and avoiding contact with irritants like chemicals, dust etc is a way of approaching your eczema form the outside of the body. However, this is simply a way of suppressing the symptoms, not finding the cause and through paying extra attention to what you eat the symptoms are being attacked from the inside out not outside in.

Although just saying a change in your diet may seem like a simple and obvious approach, in reality it is a lot more complicated. Because eczema is a multi-factorial condition (that is caused by a combination of different factors), there is no single treatment that works for everyone.

One of the simplest things you can do to stay healthy and help your body heal itself is to eat a nutritious diet. However, if you suspect food to be a factor in your eczema, what foods can you eat and what should you avoid?

The first point you need to consider before you decide what approach to take will depend upon whether you are an adult with eczema or a parent of a child with eczema. The severe exclusion diets sometimes used to treat adult eczema can be extremely unsafe for children and should never be undertaken without medical advice.

Because there is no single reliable test for food sensitivity, one of the most important factors in identifying potential triggers is your own observation. Keeping a Food Diary in which you note down everything you consume is a good way to detect whether there is any significant pattern of reaction to a particular food or foods. As well as noting down what is eaten, you should note any symptoms, such as increased itching, redness etc that occurs after eating a particular food. Over a period of four to six weeks you may begin to notice a pattern emerging.

Deciding to focus of your diet and trying to identifying what foods you react to can often be a hard and sometimes long process. It will require willpower and patience, but if you do happen to identify that you have a certain food intolerance, the subsequent relief from avoiding this food will be well worth it.

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