Those
suffering from eczema need to
carefully consider their diets as what a person eats and drinks plays a
big
role in how healthy they are. You can improve or worsen a case of
eczema by
what you consume on a daily basis. The saying, “You are what
you eat” couldn’t
be more true than it is for those with eczema.
There
are certain foods that are very
common triggers of eczema flare-ups. Keep in mind though that not all
triggers
will be the same for everyone. You will come to learn what triggers
your eczema
by a simple process of trial and error. If you eat something and your
skin
reacts badly to it then don’t eat it again. The most
well-known food triggers
include cow’s milk, wheat, shellfish, peanuts, eggs, soy,
corn, oranges,
tomatoes, lemons, strawberries and food preservatives (such as MSG for
example).
Some
people may experience an immediate
sensitivity which means that an allergic reaction within a period of
two hours
of eating a trigger food could take place. Other people may find that
they have
a delayed sensitivity which means that the allergic reaction will not
show
itself anywhere from six to twenty-four hours after eating a specific
food. In
both instances, the symptoms of the reaction might include any one (or
many) of
thee things- swelling and redness of the skin, itchy eyes, sneezing,
wheezing,
pain in the abdominal area, vomiting and diarrhea. It might also be a
good idea
for those who suffer from eczema to keep a detailed food diary, marking
down
everything you eat and at what times in order to pinpoint what foods
cause you
problems.
Studies
have shown that consuming
one-tablespoon of flaxseed oil a day is helpful in reducing the
inflammation
associated with eczema. Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of
essential fats.
If you prefer, flaxseed also comes in powder form and can be sprinkled
on a
variety of foods.
Taking
nutritional supplements of herbs
is an excellent way to bolster your daily diet and decrease your chance
of
eczema flare-ups. Evening primrose oil is an excellent supplement as it
contains a high percentage of an omega-6 fatty acid known as GLA (or
gamma
linolenic acid). GLA has been proven to aid in healing with regards to
eczema
breakouts. Evening primrose oil is used a great deal in Europe for
eczema
sufferers. An average daily dose is two to four grams, taken with
meals. Be
aware that supplementing your diet with evening primrose oil will not
produce
instant results- in fact it will more than likely take up to six months
or
longer of taking the supplement daily to see results. If you can be
patient
than you will more than likely be pleased with the results.
Zinc
is another supplement that is
believed to help with a case of eczema. However be aware that taking
too much
zinc every day can bring about a copper deficiency in the body which
can usher
in other health problems you don’t need. If you choose to
take a zinc
supplement, do not consume anymore than thirty milligrams a day.
