Eczema is a multi-faceted inflammatory condition of the skin… as I’m sure you’re already well aware if you’re reading this!
It can be tricky to get a straight answer when you ask, what’s caused my eczema? And, that’s because there are many things that can contribute to the biological processes of inflammation that occur in eczema.
So, let’s look at one of the three most significant factors that I focus on with my patients, (because they are hands down the most common things that need attention in treating eczema).
Food - Allergens and Intolerances
People with eczema often have sensitivities to certain foods or environmental triggers, and this is something they may or may not be aware of.
There is almost always a link to food allergies or intolerances, the most common culprits being gluten and dairy.
No matter who I am treating with eczema, whether it be a baby or an adult, these are the first two items that we focus on removing.
Why?
Gluten (gliadin, actually… which is the protein in gluten) increases something called lipopolysaccharides (LPS for short) in the body, which in turn increases permeability in the gut lining. A common term for this is leaky gut syndrome. I know, leaky gut can sound a bit made up… but it’s really not. The technical term for this condition is intestinal hyperpermeability. This is a very intertwined condition in eczema, because leaky gut affects a bit of tissue in the gut called gastric associated lymphoid tissue or GALT for short. This tissue is a part of our immune system, and when it’s irritated and affected, it causes hyperstimulation of immune responses, which is the main problem driving inflammation in eczema.
The immune system’s job is to protect us against pathogens or nasties that enter our body, and the way it does this is by creating massive inflammatory processes. White blood cells infiltrate tissues and produce a bunch of inflammatory chemicals like cytokines and interleukin-6. This is what creates redness, irritation and inflammation. This immune response is triggered by leaky gut, but also by any irritants or allergens that each individual may have.
Common problem foods in the diet are dairy, gluten, histamine-rich foods (like tomato, meat, mushroom, avocado, vinegars etc) though what can trigger or flare each person’s eczema is as individual as they are.
And, it’s not always food alone that can cause this response. It’s common that there are also environmental irritants or allergens, which might cause seasonal eczema flares or might mean you’re constantly exposed to an irritant which makes it hard to keep your skin under control.
No matter what the allergen or irritant is, it’s so important to have these things investigated more deeply. It’s not always an allergy that triggers or flares eczema - it can also be an intolerance. Intolerances are different to allergies, but still contribute to inflammation within the body.
This is why so much of the focus in my treatment programs is put on calming the immune system responses, reducing inflammation and healing the gut.
There is so much that we can do with the diet to encourage healing, and reduction of inflammation, and this is the first place that we start.
It’s exponentially important to also remove any items from the diet and from the environment that are contributing to flares. I use a simple hair test to start identifying incompatible foods and household items, and work from there to investigate links with food chemical sensitivity.
I also encourage the help of an immunologist to properly identify allergies as this is something that is outside the scope of Naturopathic medicine but is vitally important! Allergens will cause an immediate reaction and I find that most people have an inkling as to what is causing the response - especially considering it happens so quickly.
Intolerances and incompatible foods and items are much harder to identify considering the response is much more delayed.
Are you feeding inflammation or helping reduce it?
Although the foods that are heightening immune responses are unique to you, here’s a list of foods that are I recommend everyone with eczema reduce or remove:
dairy products including milk and cheese (dairy increases insulin and growth factors, encouraging inflammation, and is a highly common allergenic food in eczema sufferers)
fried and fatty foods (these are highly inflammatory)
soft drinks (even sugar free ones… these are very damaging to the gut!)
foods high in sugar (these are highly inflammatory and encourage unhelpful bacterial growth)
alcohol, especially beer (alcohol damages the gut lining and severely disrupts the microbiome)
allergens that are common in eczema sufferers, including dairy, gluten, soy, peanuts and egg
So, what should we focus on eating to help heal the skin, the gut, and reduce inflammation?
Here’s a list of general recommendations, but remember that without personalised food testing, we can’t be 100% sure of which foods need to be avoided for best results!
foods high in quercetin, like blueberries, broccoli, apples and cherries (quercetin is a bioflavonoid that helps to reduce inflammation)
probiotic supportive foods, like kefir, tempeh, miso and sauerkraut (these foods support a diverse microbiome)
whole fruits and vegetables (preservatives and additives in processed foods can often trigger and worsen eczema)
fatty fish, like salmon (essential fatty acids are imperative in improving the skin barrier function and are also highly anti-inflammatory)
bone broth (this is high in collagen which is a protein needed for skin healing and repair)
foods high in glutamine, such as beans, beetroot, spinach, parsley, papaya (glutamine helps to heal the gut lining)
Check out the other 2 major drivers I address in my treatment: skin health and microbiome!
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