Holistic Ways to Manage Eczema
Eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition that can leave you dealing with redness, dryness, and relentless itching. As you can imagine, we see a lot of it (shocking!). While conventional treatments like steroid creams and medications like oral steroids and antibiotics may help in the short term, a holistic approach can help address the root causes and provide longer-lasting relief (without the consequences of conventional options like topical steroid withdrawal). Let’s dive into some practical, holistic ways to manage eczema and feel good in your skin again.
Start with Your Diet - But Don’t Cut Out Everything
The food you eat plays a significant role in how your skin behaves. Eczema often ties back to inflammation and gut health, so here are a few dietary adjustments to consider:
Go Anti-inflammatory: Add foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds) to your meals OR consider a high quality fish oil supplement like our E/FA Pure. Bright, colorful fruits and vegetables like berries and spinach are also great for calming inflammation. Ultimately, a wholefood diet is largely anti-inflammatory; it’s the preserved and convenient and high sugar foods that cause many issues with gut inflammation and permeability.
Figure Out Food Triggers: Common culprits like dairy, gluten, or soy might be making your eczema worse. Whilst many sufferers of eczema do elimination dieting, this isn’t something that I encourage as I have seen it cause more issues than it solves where people are depending on food to be the main culprit in eczema. Food allergens are incredibly important to identify, and this can be done through blood testing or skin prick testing via an immunologist. The top 6 allergenic foods include soy, gluten, dairy, nuts, tree nuts and shellfish. Removing these items is relatively simple, and can help to see if the eczema is improved by reducing the load from the top allergenic foods. Ideally, the best way to understand allergies is testing, which also avoids the potential of creating a harmful or detrimental relationship with food where there is overt food restriction (which causes more issues). My main advice when it comes to food is that food is just one of the puzzle pieces in eczema, and we prefer that allergies are tested for through lab work or skin prick testing before encouraging any form of food restriction.
Stay Hydrated: It sounds simple, but drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated from within, and dehydration can be a major contributor of increased water loss through the skin, as well as decreased detoxification via the bowels and lymphatic system.
Treat Your Skin Kindly
Skincare is a cornerstone of eczema management. The goal is to keep your skin calm, moisturized, and free from irritants:
Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise: Look for emollients like shea butter, coconut oil, coconut butter, or products with ceramides to lock in moisture and repair your skin barrier.
Soothing Baths: Adding things like colloidal oatmeal or Epsom salts to your bath can help ease irritation. A few drops of chamomile or lavender oil, or a bag of green tea can also help to provide anti-inflammatory and irritant reduction support.
Ditch the Harsh Stuff: Avoid products with fragrances, sulfates, or high-strength alcohol (ingredients are listed in order of concentration - if alcohol is listed in the top 10 ingredients, this concentration is likely to be too drying for your skin). Always patch-test new products before using them all over.
Stress Less (Easier Said Than Done, Right?)
Stress is a well-known eczema trigger, so managing it is crucial:
Breathe and Relax: Practices like yoga, meditation, or even a daily 10-minute mindfulness session can help.
Sleep Well: Make sleep a priority. Your body (and your skin) does its best repair work when you’re resting.
Take Breaks in Nature: A walk in the park or just sitting outside can lower stress levels and improve your mood. Trees give off a scent undetectable to us which helps to lower stress levels. Looking at an expansive landscape can also help to reduce stress levels. Nature offers so much healing - we just often don’t get to it enough.
Address the Bigger Picture
Eczema isn’t just about your skin; it’s an inside out situation. It’s a multifactorial inflammatory and immunological problem, with usually more than one contributing factor. It can stem from other health issues like hormonal imbalances, allergies, a dysfunctional immune system, mineral deficits and many other things - or a smattering of several. Partnering with a naturopath or functional medicine practitioner can help you uncover underlying causes and create a personalized plan which may give longer-lasting relief to you.
Make Your Environment Skin-Friendly
Your surroundings can either help or hinder your eczema journey. A few small changes can make a big difference:
Use a Humidifier: Dry air can be tough on your skin, especially in winter. Humidifiers help to put more moisture in the air, which is beneficial for those with dry skin.
Keep Allergens at Bay: Dust, pet dander, and other allergens can irritate your skin. Keep your home clean and consider hypoallergenic bedding, as well as regular vacuuming. If you have a carpeted home, having them professionally and hypoallergenically cleaned can help to reduce dust build up.
Avoid Temperature Extremes: Hot showers and very cold weather can trigger flare-ups, so aim for moderation.
Opt for Natural Fabrics: Cotton, hemp and bamboo are favoured hypoallergenic materials which are breatheable.
Explore Natural Remedies
Nature has plenty to offer when it comes to soothing eczema:
Zinc, hyalruonic acid and marine collagen: These ingredients help with immune function and maintaining hydration within the skin, as well as increasing collagen levels which help to stabilise the skin structure and support moisture retention. You can find all these ingredients + more in our Formula S2, designed specifically for dry skin.
Essential Fatty Acids: These fats are essential to be had through the diet or supplementation, as they are one of the only things our body can’t produce for itself. Essential fatty acids, specifically omega-3 from fish, help to build the the stable membrane of our skin cells, are anti-inflammatory and help to build the lipid bilayer which is imperative in the production of the skin barrier.
Vitamin D: This simple nutrient can boost your immune system and support healthy skin - a must in people who are vitamin D deficient (which labs will show).
Take Control of Your Skin Health
Eczema doesn’t have to control your life. By focusing on your unique drivers, you can take steps toward healthier, happier skin. Every journey is unique, so don’t hesitate to seek guidance from a holistic healthcare professional to create a plan tailored to your needs. Curious as to what the puzzle pieces are for you and your skin? Check out our free Naturopathic Skin Appraisal for some in-depth answers and guidance.
