Bad Food and Good Food for Eczema

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.

Reference: http://www.eczematruth.com