Eczema and Diet

It has been suggested that certain vitamins and minerals are good for the eczema sufferer. Common vitamins such as vitamin C. vitamin E and the mineral Zinc, are all recommended supplements for patients suffering from eczema. Certain foods have been shown to cause eczema flare-ups but not in all cases. Common foods to avoid during an eczema flare-up include milk, eggs, tomatoes, citrus fruits, wheat and nuts. Also, try to avoid any food items that contain chemical additives or preservatives. Drinking plenty of water helps to flush the body of toxins as well as keeps the skin moist.

Eczema has no known cause but by removing allergens, such as foods, from a patient and flushing the body regularly with water, an eczema sufferer can greatly improve their own quality of life without expensive drugs.

Don’t try to eliminate all the foods on the list from the diet at one time. Food would be pretty bland without variety. Instead, try removing one of the items for a week and see if the eczema clears. Move on to the next one if no improvement happens. Over time, a person can find out which foods to avoid during an eczema flare-up to minimize their own symptoms.

This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For more information or a diagnoses, please contact your health care professional.

Eczema and Exercise

Eczema outbreak after working out at the gym? You didn’t catch it from the equipment. Eczema is not a communicable disease and is more often caused by heredity than anything else. So why did you get eczema after working out? When you work out, you sweat. At least you do if you are exercising correctly.

Sweat can irritate the skin and cause an eczema flare-up. Tips to avoid the flare-up if you exercise avidly are simple. Drink lots of water before, during and after a workout. This helps to hydrate the skin. Always shower immediately after a work out using a mild soap. Sweat left on the skin can cause an eczema flare-up. The eczema can also be caused by soap irritating your skin so try using a different soap and see if the eczema goes away. A person tends to shower more if they are working out which can also stress the skin by drying it out. Find a good moisturizer and liberally apply.

Don’t stop exercising just because of an eczema outbreak. Try doing another exercise such as yoga or tai chi that keep you fit without as much sweating during flare-ups. Remember, you control your eczema. Don’t let it control you.

This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For more information or a diagnoses, please contact your health care professional.

Eczema and Stress

Stress can cause many problems in the human body. But it can also cause problems on the human body. A common cause of eczema is elevated stress levels. Stress lowers the body's ability to fight disease, viruses, colds and many other common ailments. Eczema is generally a hereditary condition. Parents who suffer from eczema, asthma or hay fever have an 80% chance of their offspring having eczema.

Common symptoms of eczema include flaky, thickened, dry skin. Other forms of eczema include tiny red bumps that will ooze or appear infected if scratched. Most forms of eczema tend to itch before the rash appears. The itch can be so bad as to cause loss of sleep, fatigue, irritability and stress.

So not only can stress cause eczema, but eczema can cause someone more stress. The cycle can be vicious and an eczema sufferer should combat their eczema as soon as possible whenever a flare-up is identified.

This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For more information or a diagnoses, please contact your health care professional.

Babies and Eczema

Does your baby have scaly red patches? Odds are, your baby could have eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis. This condition regularly appears in children from two months old to two years old. Eczema, an itchy skin rash, can appear on their forehead, cheeks and scalp. Eczema can also spread to a babies arms, chest, legs or other body parts. Eczema varies in appearance depending on the type of eczema.

Most common symptoms include dry, scaly skin or it might be tiny red bumps that blister, ooze or appear infected if they are scratched. Babies are prone to scratching due to eczema’s extremely itchy nature so great care must be taken to prevent this. “Cradle cap” is another form of eczema or dermatitis that appears as white flaky skin on the scalp and possibly the ears of a baby.

Eczema is often inherited from parents. Parents who have had eczema, asthma or hay fever should monitor children closely for any signs of an eczema outbreak as there is an 80% chance their offspring will have eczema.

Eczema is not an allergic reaction but allergens can cause a flare-up. If a mother is breastfeeding, she must also monitor her own food consumption so as not to pass on allergens to a child suffering from eczema. Wool, soaps, shampoos, lotions and heat can also cause flare-ups of eczema in children.

This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For more information or a diagnoses, please contact your health care professional.

What causes Eczema?

There are no absolute causes of eczema but the tendency to get eczema can be hereditary. One study showed that there is an 80% chance of the offspring of a parent who suffers from eczema, hay fever and/or asthma will also suffer from eczema.

Irritants can also cause eczema. Some eczema irritants include hot and humid weather, cold and dry weather, chemicals and solvents. Allergens can also trigger an outbreak of eczema. These include but are not limited to pollutants, tobacco smoke, pollens, pets, dust mites, moulds and spores. Allergens should be avoided if at all possible for the eczema sufferer.

Foods are also suspected of causing eczema. Certain foods such as dairy products, wheat, citrus fruits, eggs, nuts, chemical additives, preservatives and artificial colorings are most suspected of causing an eczema outbreak.

Stress can also trigger an eczema flare up as stress usually starts to weaken the immune system response. Considering that having eczema can also cause a person stress, this unfortunately causes a never-ending cycle.

While eczema has no absolute causes, an eczema sufferer should not exclude all of these from their daily lives. As with most sensitivities, one, most, all or none of the above listed items can cause an eczema outbreak. It all depends on the individual.

This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For more information or a diagnoses, please contact your health care professional.