You know the saying, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT... And the same holds for the treatment of your Eczema dermatitis and other skin problems. In other words, it is important to take in consideration the foods that we consume in order to help control the problem. Here are some things that you should consider to help you with your a eczema problem. Keep an eye out for the types of foods that causes your eczema to flare-up. Some foods such as shell fish, nuts and other can be allergic to some people…

Raw foods like fruits, vegetables, and sprouts are known to have a marked effect on the B-cells’ function. These cells are the lymphocytes which play a big role in the humoral immune response, functioning mainly to make antibodies fight against antigens. So in short, these raw foods boost the production of lymphocytes in order to enhance the body’s resistance to ill-health. By taking in raw foods, the body is supplied with good quantities of vitamins A, C, E, B, and zinc. This then will result in a powerful immune system, protecting the body from diseases like eczema and maintaining smooth and healthier skin.

Dairy Intolerance this also includes Lactose intolerance which affects 3 in every 4 people. It’s all about allergic reactions and many people who suffer from dermatitis and eczema and other problems have an allergic reaction to almost all dairy products. Because dairy sensitivity can be either Lactose Intolerance or Milk protein allergy you must be careful to distinguish between them. Lactose Intolerance refer to a person’s inability to digest Lactose, the sugar found in milk, and Milk protein allergy refer to the body’s allergic reaction to Casein.

It is estimated that to some extent up to 75% of the world’s population is Lactose Intolerant. That is, three out of four people who have difficulty digesting lactose. And less than 3% are allergic to Casein (the protein found in milk). This is usually detected in babies but can remain undiagnosed till later in life.Dairy sensitivity is responsible for GI (gastro-intestinal) symptoms in millions of people and will become more noticeable now that thousands of processed foods contain dairy derivatives.

The symptoms of Dairy Intolerance are nausea, diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and itchy skin conditions, GI (gastro-intestinal) and respiratory problems. Remember, Lactose intolerance can be confused with Fructose intolerance, because many symptoms are the same. Lactose Intolerance is known to increase markedly with age. To identify Dairy Intolerance you have clinically tested which include the Hydrogen breath test and stool acidity tests. Dairy Intolerance is all in the genes, generally you have a 75% chance of being Lactose Intolerant, except if you are of Northern European ancestry the chance of Lactose Intolerance is only 25%.

Dairy sensitive people improve dramatically on a Dairy-free diet. Obviously the simplest strategy for managing Lactose Intolerance is to go Dairy-free. But before changing what you eat, and because Lactose intolerance is often confused with Fructose intolerance you must positively identify your problem food. For Casein there needs to be more vigilance as Casein is now included in hundreds of processed foods. Actually there is no "cure" for Dairy Intolerance. But the symptoms will disappear when you remove Dairy from your diet. Once you have positively identified your problem food, you need a plan for long-term Dairy-free eating.

Yeast sensitivity (Candida infections) is another allergic reaction that can make your eczema flare up and itch like crazy. Yeast infection is extremely common. Every one in three persons or 35% of people have yeast infections at any one given time. If this could be you, have your doctor check your symptoms. If you are yeast-sensitive get dramatic improvement on a Yeast-free diet. Yeast infection has a wide spectrum of symptoms of any food sensitivity; skin problems, gastro-intestinal problems, lethargy, headache, breathing difficulties, mood swings you name it. Yeast infection is a disease that makes you feel "sick all over", and can be easily confused with other food intolerance like dairy and gluten intolerance. Although clinical testing is available, generally diagnosis is usually inconclusive. The most useful indicator is the patient's history of yeast infection, such as ear or throat infections, jock itch, vaginal etc. Candida can be notices through the appearance of stress or a compromised immune system, and anything that weakens the immune system can trigger a yeast infection. A combination of yeast-free diet and anti-fungal medication is the best way to treat yeast-infections which occur - by inclusion or by accident in a wide variety of foods.

Gluten Sensitivity -to include Celiac and Wheat intolerance. Gluten intolerance is a broad term which includes all kinds of sensitivity to Gluten. And a small proportion of Gluten intolerant people will test positive to Celiac Disease test, and so are called Celiacs 0.5% of the population or 1 in 7. Gluten is a highly complex protein that occurs in four main grains: Wheat, rye, barley and oats. Gluten is present in all types of wheat grain such as whole grain wheat, bran, spelt, triticale and there are thousands of processed foods which contain Gluten. This also means that Gluten is present in all baked foods that are made from these grains: bread, pies, cake, breakfast cereals, porridge, cookies, pizza and pasta. Gluten is one of the most complex proteins consumed by man and is difficult for the human digestive system to break down. Some Gluten intolerance is identified in childhood and manifests itself with headaches, mouth ulcers, weight gain or loss, poor immunity to disease, and skin problems like dermatitis and eczema. So in your quest for an eczema free life make sure that you test for Gluten intolerance with your doctor, avoid these types of foods and improve your eczema dramatically within weeks on a Gluten-free diet.

Fructose or Sugar sensitivity. Hereditary Fructose Intolerance is quite rare (less than one in 10,000). It is inherited and lasts for life. Fructose is found in processed foods like soft drinks and confectionery. Sugar cravings are strongly associated with Fructose sensitivity, and the symptoms of Fructose sensitivity are very similar to Lactose Intolerance so they can be misdiagnosed. Long term effects are poor and sensitive skin, nails and hair; general ill health and even osteoporosis. Treatment of Fructose Intolerance (HFI) is a very strict Fructose-free diet with NO FRUIT or fruit juice for life. Consider the high level of sugars we ingest: soft drinks, confectionery, desserts and thousands of processed foods and pharmaceuticals. Fructose sensitive people improve dramatically on a low-sugar Fructose -free Diet.

It is estimated that around 3% of children and about 1% of adults have some kind of Food Allergy. Often the allergens are in shellfish, eggs, milk, nuts, soy, wheat, corn, and fish. They can also be found in food additives like colours and preservatives. Food allergy symptoms are typically SUDDEN ONSET AND SEVERE. They can be ear, nose, throat and respiratory problems like nasal congestion and asthma, skin problems like dermatitis, eczema, hives or rashes and gastro-intestinal disorders like nausea and vomiting. Food allergies are an autoimmune response caused by the body ‘misreading’ a food protein as an enemy or toxic substance. Because they are fairly dramatic, allergic responses are usually easily identified with blood tests or “patch testing”.

Now you might ask-how did I get a Food Allergy? Often when a child is allergic, there are family members with allergies or a tendency for allergies to be passed on. Others develop allergies with no apparent genetic background. Treatment is generally one of three approaches: largely it involves avoidance of theallergen whenever possible, treatment and management of symptoms, or auto-immune therapy – injections of extracts of the allergen to try and de-sensitise the individual.

Summary:

Can you depend 100% on an improved natural diet as the only remedy for reversing eczema. Whole or organic food supplements can be attributed to a large percentage of the success in reversing many people’s eczema as a result of the use of these wild-crafted, organic and natural whole food supplements for their eczema treatment. Whole food supplements are far superior in quality and effectiveness for reversing eczema because they are produced in their natural and complex configuration. A natural eczema treatment is to supplement your body with nutrient rich foods. The Nutritional Medicine approach includes principles that are of great benefit to the treatment of eczema.

Therefore, when choosing a diet for the your eczema, there are several factors you needs to consider in order to reduce flare ups, all the while ensuring that you get the nutrients that you need to be a healthy and thriving individual.

So, in our quest to cure our illness we should consider four things:

1. Foods Commonly Known To Trigger Eczema.
2. Determining What Foods Cause Your Flare-Ups.
3. Incorporating Food Substitutes To Ensure Proper Nutrition.
4. Incorporating Foods That Aid In Eczema Relief.

Logically, the first step in choosing a diet to help cure your eczema, involves getting to know the common foods that have been proven to trigger such aggravating and often painful flare ups.

As a norm, the most commonly known foods that trigger eczema flare ups include:

• Eggs
• Dairy
• Wheat
• Gluten
• Nuts
• Citrus fruits
• Soy
• Tomatoes
• Chocolate
• Shell fish

Here are some substitute foods that you can use in place of the one s which are causing your eczema to flare up  

• Soybean varieties - soy is a great substitute for dairy
• Rye - a great substitute for wheat
• Beans are a great substitute for eggs.
• Kiwi's are a great substitute for citrus.
• Salmon – a great addition to the diet of the eczema sufferer provides a good source of EFA's
• Pumpkin seeds are a great addition to the eczema sufferers diet
• Sunflower seeds - perfect for the eczema sufferers diet
• Chickpeas - another great addition to a eczema sufferers diet

Now we are going to take a closer look at the foods that can help turn your eczema around, and these will be presented in the form of natural herbal salads. Once you know what foods are potential eczema triggers, you can transition to the next step....