Category Archives: eczema and diet

eczema and diet

How To Cure Eczema – Find Home Remedy

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EczemaEczema is one of the dry skin conditions which make your daily life miserable. It causes extreme itchiness which forces you to scratch the skin until a layer of skin is removed. Sometimes the affected skin forms blister and may also bleed. The severity of the symptoms changes depending on the various factors like weather change, humidity, and air pollutant.

Therefore, you need to notice the changes that make the eczema even more terrible. As when the symptoms reach its extreme point, it may also disturb you night sleeps by keeping you awake every time to scratch the skin. Though there is no permanent cure for this disease, medicines and remedies can only lower the symptoms.

So, the bad news is that you cannot have a permanent relief from the disease. And the good news is that using certain remedies and medicines will certainly minimize the symptoms and helps to fight with this lifelong disease. Discussed below are some effective tips that make living with eczema easier.

Eight Various Cures For Eczema

Notice The Allergens

Eczema changes its face in the presence of many agents that are known as allergens. Allergens many be anything that trigger flare-up of eczema. Allergen may be different for different individual. So, you need to carefully monitor the effects of various factors on eczema.

 Allergen

It may be dust mites, fragrance, or certain chemicals. Therefore, you should completely avoid products containing chemicals and artificial fragrance. Instead, use chemical free, fragrance-free and mild products on your skin. It is better to opt for products especially designed for dry skin conditions.

Keep The Skin Moist

Dry skin when left unmoist, aggravate itchiness of the eczema. Therefore, always keep it moist by applying a moisturizer. Use emollients or water-based lotions enriched with vitamin E to moisturize dry skin.

Emollients are Vaseline-like skin cream that soften the dry skin and forms a protective layer on the skin that helps to reduce water loss from the skin. Whereas, water-based vitamin E lotions nourish the skin while moisturizing it.

Use Ointment

Sometimes due to repeated itching and scratching inflammation occurs in the skin affected with eczema. Inflamed skin cause blisters and may also result in bleeding. Inflammation can be reduced with the application of ointment.

Ointment

Topical corticosteroids are generally prescribed for inflammation. It is better to consult a doctor before opting of your own. A dermatologist can only be able to study the kind of eczema you have and prescribe a medicine accordingly.

Maintain Comfortable Room Temperature

Extreme hot or cold condition makes eczema worst. Moreover, increase in humidity induces the eczema to flare up resulting in excessive itching until its bleed.

Though you don’t have hold of outside temperature, you can certainly control the room temperature. During hot summer, maintain a cold atmosphere at home by switching on AC. And during dry winter months, use humidifier to control dryness so that you skin is prevented from getting extremely dry.

Also Read

Effective Home Remedies For Eczema Scars
Effective Herbal Remedies For Eczema
Effective Natural Cures For Eczema In Children
Effective Natural Cures For Eczema 
Natural Cure For Eczema On Hands

Wear Comfortable Cloths

If you have an active eczema, then you should avoid wearing synthetic fabric like polyester and nylon cloths as these fabrics may irritate eczema. Cotton garments are most preferable cloth for eczema as being natural it does not cause skin irritation.

Wear Comfortable Cloths

Moreover, it is advisable to wash new cloths before wearing it for the first time. Washing cloths will remove the germs that may encounter the cloth during several stages of manufacturing.

Control Stress

Stress is the culprit for many diseases so it is for eczema. Therefore, it is very essential to manage stress in life. The nature of life is to give surprises and shock, we should take this lightly and learn to overcome the affect.

The best way to manage stress is by engaging the mind in different activities. Take up any hobby or learn something new every time to remain motivated and busy. And when everything fails to control your stress, take the help of meditation, prayer and yoga.

Maintain Hygiene

Cleanliness is also a good way to control eczema symptoms. So, always keep the affected area clean and tidy to avoid any further bacterial of fungal infection on the skin. Eczema is an autoimmune disease in which the skin is not immune to infections.

Maintain Hygiene

In such condition, skin can develop any other infection easily. Therefore, take bath daily to avoid allergens and germs invasion into the body. Moreover, make sure that the towel, bed sheets, pillow case and other items of daily use that comes in contact with your skin are clean and tidy.

Take Milk Bath

As mentioned above, moisturizing is very important for eczema. Besides applying emollients, take milk bath which moisturizes the skin very effectively. Being natural, milk does not cause any irritation and moisturizes the skin deeply. All you need to do is to add milk and almonds oil in hot bath water and soak yourself for 30 minutes and relax.

Then pat dry and apply a vitamin E body lotion for best result. Nowadays, bath washes especially for dry skin conditions are available in the market that moisturizes the skin while cleaning it. You just need to pour 2 to 3 cupful of the bath wash into the water and relax your whole body into the water for at least 20 minutes. Bathing this way make the skin smooth and fresh relieving itchiness and rashes.

Watch Your Diet

Diet also plays an important role in suppressing the symptoms of eczema. Ayurveda reveals that too much spicy, sour and oily food aggravates eczema. That is why, it is recommended to avoid these foods if you are suffering from eczema. You should also stress on including foods that contain fatty acid and vitamin E.

Watch Your Diet

Adequate amount of these nutrients help to keep the skin soft and moist avoiding itchiness and dryness on the skin surface. Moreover, you should take zinc, B-complex, and fish oil either as supplements or through you diet to maintain a healthy skin and relieve the symptoms of eczema. Grape juice is also considered as a good diet treatment for eczema. So, try to include foods rich in these minerals as much as possible to minimize eczema symptoms and to lead a carefree life.






Health Diet and Fitness Tips: Natural Eczema Treatment: Beat …

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Aside from, there are numerous items that you can do to help by yourself removing this skin condition as effectively. It is mentioned that you can accomplish good long phrase consequences by using natural eczema therapy. There are two principal aims for utilizing normal treatment. First, organic eczema therapy can be
utilized in get to improve your physique immune program. Next, all-natural remedy can be utilized to get rid of toxins from your entire body.

It is highly recommended that you must have only organic food items in purchase to reduce the substantial toxicity of your physique. Apart from, it is also suggested that you need to use organic and natural wheat-grass as a natural eczema remedy. Aside from this, there are some foodstuff that can support reducing your eczema flare ups as nicely, this sort of as, beetroot, carrot, and fresh juice due to the fact they are rich in beta carotene.

Apple cider vinegar is also suggested to use as your all-natural eczema treatment method due to the fact this vinegar includes potassium which is very helpful in healing the effects of allergy symptoms. In addition, you can take away the toxic compounds by employing colon cleaning. In addition to, this technique can also aid you to get healthy skin as nicely.

Itching is regarded to be the most annoying eczema symptom. A lot of victims are trying to get care of this problem by making use of anti-histamines. Nonetheless, you can try making use of oatmeal bathtub, prepared from Aveeno alternatively. This approach can be accomplished by just including 1 or two cups of oatmeal into the bathtub filled with warm h2o.

Drinking heaps of water is deemed to be one of the greatest normal eczema treatment method methods as properly. Besides, you need to take vitamin B and vitamin E every day. It is also extremely crucial for you to hold your affected clean and remain absent from anything at all that can be the trigger of eczema, this kind of as, bushy pets, dust, or pollen.

These are the suggestions to treatment for eczema from the within due to the fact if the inside of of your human body is not healthier, then it is quite challenging to fully heal for eczema.

However, do check with your doctor before embarking on this form of all-natural eczema remedy if in question.

There are no reported side-results linked with probiotics, but it can be really tough to gauge the usage amount and whether probiotics fit you. Seek out your doctor’s guidance 1st.

I imagine you would have a clearer photograph of how to go about employing normal eczema remedy by now.

I need to have recommend on treating Eczema, but the place do I go?

If you experience from Eczema and find by yourself a minor missing on exactly where to go to uncover helpful remedies then this article has been designed with you in mind. A selection of normal treatments have been summarized beneath…

So what is Eczema?

Eczema is a long-term pores and skin problem that triggers the skin to turn out to be itchy, reddened, dry and cracked and can have an effect on all age groups. It usually occurs to folks who are vulnerable to allergies and can operate in people.
Have Any Question? Know more

Minimal Vegan: Epilepsy, Eczema, Stuttering, and Diet

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My father, who has since passed away, was an epileptic (I believe idiopathic epilepsy). I never witnessed any of his grand mal seizures, but he did have two – three in his lifetime — they had stopped for him after being prescribed Dilantin. He would often ‘space out’ while in a conversation or sitting down in the kitchen, and would start to rub his hand in circles on whatever was around (be it a table, his leg, etc.). On two occasions, over one year apart, my father wanted my brother and I to help him eat healthier after he saw my 120 lb weight loss. He decided both times to eat only raw nuts, fruit, dried fruit, and vegetables. Within 3 days this ‘spacing out’ had completely stopped along with his normal habit of talking in his sleep. His eczema and keratosis pilaris started to disappear within a week, his arthritis improved, his stuttering had lessened, and he did overall did look much healthier.

On both occasions the diet only lasted about 2 weeks before he was tempted to go back to his old way of eating, and thus returned the suspected petit mal seizures, stuttering, and eczema. I did not suspect the possibility of petit mal seizures until I had been reading a book on dietary intolerance, allergy,  and hypersensitivities, and read that in some cases seizures can be induced by food allergy or hypersensitivity. After some research into epilepsy, I realized my father had the exact symptoms of petit mal or absence seizures. An example: one day I had my father’s car and was driving back home – he was waiting to cross the road with the lawn tractor to get to the gas station nearby. I parked the car next to him and opened the window to tell him I was back home. He didn’t seem to realize I had parked his own car right next to him, even though I was only about 3 feet away; so I started to yell, and he still didn’t notice I was there. Suddenly he lost all obliviousness and crossed the road after about 10 seconds waiting. I’m very certain he did have absence seizures, but they went undiagnosed or unnoticed because he was so old (67), and it seems to be more uncommon for adults to have absence seizures. This wasn’t isolated to his older age, but went on since I can remember.

So far what I’ve gathered about epilepsy and diet:

Idiopathic epilepsy, or epilepsy without a known cause, such as a tumor, or what might develop after head trauma, seems to be the most responsive to ketogenic diets when compared to other types of epilepsy. Fasting was found to be a ‘cure’ for epilepsy, and the ketogenic diet has proven to be as effective, especially for those who do not respond to other treatment. Ketogenic diets are believed to reduce epileptic fit frequency because one of the ketone bodies, acetone, has been proven to be an anticonvulsant in animal studies. I believe there is a misunderstanding. Ketogenic diets  are masked elimination diets. Most major allergens are cut out – wheat, oats, almost all grains, sugar, dairy, refined foods and additives, etc. It seems to be common that many people who develop dietary hypersensitivities can reintroduce the food after 6-12 months without it and not have any problems, so long as it is not eaten with great frequency or every day. The same goes for ketogenic diets — it can be that within 12-24 months carbohydrates are slowly re-introduced with success in some. Carbohydrates are not introduced alone, because these ‘carbohydrates’ are also possible allergens, and if not allergens, foods that could cause a psuedo allergy or hypersensitivity reaction, which are not necessarily testable or provable.

There also seems to be a higher frequency of secondary conditions in those with epilepsy, including eczema, migraines, stuttering, and others. The connection between stuttering and epilepsy is interesting to me, especially the connection to diet. I never had expected that my father’s lifelong stuttering would be affected by removing some foods, and never even thought the possibility existed that they were somehow connected. I have food allergies myself. I am allergic to dairy (also lactose intolerant), tomatoes, cacao, strawberries, chicken, and turkey flesh; and on top of that, I have many other sensitivities that are not provable through testing. Apples give me severe nausea, for instance, but only when raw. When cooked, apples or apple juice are something I tolerate very well. Considering that my father also had cystic acne when he was young, and my cystic acne was cured with the complete removal of dairy alone, and psoriasis/eczema seem to be connected largely to a dairy allergy or intolerance in many people, it seems to be very possible that my father also had food allergies that were not very clear or tested for, and his epilepsy/stuttering/eczema were in fact of dietetic origin. If not caused by food, it at the very least had something to do with worsening his condition.

To anybody who is epileptic and has experimented with diet: I would  be happy to listen to what you have to say or think over this.

Researchers Focus on Eczema-Food Allergy Link – WebMD

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Researchers Focus on Eczema-Food Allergy Link






By Robert Preidt


HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) — The skin disease eczema may be an important factor in the development of food allergies in infants, a new British study suggests.

The breakdown in the skin barrier that occurs in eczema could play a key role in triggering food sensitivity in babies, the researchers from King’s College London and the University of Dundee said.

“This is a very exciting study, providing further evidence that an impaired skin barrier and eczema could play a key role in triggering food sensitivity in babies, which could ultimately lead to the development of food allergies,” Dr. Carsten Flohr, of King’s College London, said in a college news release.

The researchers said the discovery suggests that food allergies may develop via immune cells in the skin rather than in the gut and that the findings indicate that eczema may be a potential target for preventing food allergies in children.

A link between eczema and food allergies has been known for some time, but this study — published July 18 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology — adds to growing evidence of the skin barrier’s role in the process, according to the researchers.

The study included more than 600 infants who were 3 months old and exclusively breast-fed from birth. They were tested for eczema and checked to see if they were sensitized to the six most common allergenic foods.

Egg white was the most common allergen, followed by cow’s milk and peanuts. The more severe the eczema, the stronger the link to food sensitivity, independent of genetic factors.

It’s believed that the breakdown of the skin barrier in infants with eczema leaves active immune cells found in skin exposed to environmental allergens — in this case food proteins — which then triggers an allergic immune response, the researchers explained.

They also noted that food sensitivity does not always lead to food allergy and they’re conducting a follow-up of the infants in this study.

“This work takes what we thought we knew about eczema and food allergy and flips it on its head. We thought that food allergies are triggered from the inside out, but our work shows that in some children it could be from the outside in, via the skin,” Flohr explained. “The skin barrier plays a crucial role in protecting us from allergens in our environment, and we can see here that when that barrier is compromised, especially in eczema, it seems to leave the skin’s immune cells exposed to these allergens.”

This finding opens up the possibility that by repairing the skin barrier and preventing eczema, it might be possible to reduce the risk of food allergies, Flohr added.

Researchers Focus on Eczema-Food Allergy Link – Health News …

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FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) — The skin disease eczema may be an important factor in the development of food allergies in infants, a new British study suggests.

The breakdown in the skin barrier that occurs in eczema could play a key role in triggering food sensitivity in babies, the researchers from King’s College London and the University of Dundee said.

“This is a very exciting study, providing further evidence that an impaired skin barrier and eczema could play a key role in triggering food sensitivity in babies, which could ultimately lead to the development of food allergies,” Dr. Carsten Flohr, of King’s College London, said in a college news release.

The researchers said the discovery suggests that food allergies may develop via immune cells in the skin rather than in the gut and that the findings indicate that eczema may be a potential target for preventing food allergies in children.

A link between eczema and food allergies has been known for some time, but this study — published July 18 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology — adds to growing evidence of the skin barrier’s role in the process, according to the researchers.

The study included more than 600 infants who were 3 months old and exclusively breast-fed from birth. They were tested for eczema and checked to see if they were sensitized to the six most common allergenic foods.

Egg white was the most common allergen, followed by cow’s milk and peanuts. The more severe the eczema, the stronger the link to food sensitivity, independent of genetic factors.

It’s believed that the breakdown of the skin barrier in infants with eczema leaves active immune cells found in skin exposed to environmental allergens — in this case food proteins — which then triggers an allergic immune response, the researchers explained.

They also noted that food sensitivity does not always lead to food allergy and they’re conducting a follow-up of the infants in this study.

“This work takes what we thought we knew about eczema and food allergy and flips it on its head. We thought that food allergies are triggered from the inside out, but our work shows that in some children it could be from the outside in, via the skin,” Flohr explained. “The skin barrier plays a crucial role in protecting us from allergens in our environment, and we can see here that when that barrier is compromised, especially in eczema, it seems to leave the skin’s immune cells exposed to these allergens.”

This finding opens up the possibility that by repairing the skin barrier and preventing eczema, it might be possible to reduce the risk of food allergies, Flohr added.

More information

The American Academy of Dermatology has more about eczema.

Important Facts You Need To Know About Eczema And Food | 14 …

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Eczema is one of the most common skin problems in the world today. And yet, many people often mistake it as just an ordinary rash, until it worsens and grows more persistent.

Eczema is an inflammatory condition that is considered to be an allergic response to a certain trigger or set of triggers. It is a prevalent condition that is said to affect 15% of kids across the world. There are different types of eczema and in order to find the ideal and effective eczema treatment, it is important to determine what is its specific type and its corresponding triggers.

The Link Between Eczema And Food

Despite the advances of medicine and technology, the exact cause of eczema remains unclear to this day. And at present, you will not be able to find a permanent eczema treatment. However, researchers have found a strong link between eczema and food allergies. In such cases, the simple process of eliminating food triggers can be an effective treatment approach.

The problem is, too often, it does not only require you to avoid milk and egg or seafood. Day to day diet also plays a very important role in eczema treatment. Why? Most of the topical creams and steroids in the market today are just formulated to cure a symptom, but not the underlying cause. This is the reason why most eczema cases remain persistent and chronic in nature.

With this in mind, a more effective eczema treatment proposed is to promote healing from within by eating real, organic and unprocessed food. Nutrient deficiency has also been thought as a possible trigger of eczema. Hence, it cannot be stressed enough the importance of good and proper diet in any eczema treatment programs.

Maternal Diet

The diet of a pregnant woman, especially during the last month of pregnancy has been found to significantly impact the chances of the baby for developing eczema. The outcome of this can be either positive or negative depending on the choice of food. German researchers found that increased intake of polyunsaturated fats, common in vegetable oil and margarine as well as citrus fruits can increase the risk of eczema.

Sugar And Inflammation

High consumption of sugar has also been found to have a significant role in the development and aggravation of eczema. This is because refined sugar is the most common culprit known to trigger a number of inflammatory conditions. When you consume large amounts of sugar, the body is forced to release insulin, which comes with harmful free radicals that can cause damage to the cells. This resulting damage c an set off an inflammation response as the body’s immune system’s respond to fight off the free radicals. This means if you have eczema, one of the healthiest thing you can do is to cut back or try to eliminate refined sugars from your diet.

Eat The Right Food

One of the most effective eczema treatments is to consume healthy food. Nuts, fish and avocados are known to effectively counteract inflammation. In fact, avocado should be considered as one of eczema’s best defense.

 

 

Fermented Cod Liver Oil Cured My Baby's Eczema – New Life On A …

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Fermented Cod Liver Oil for Eczema

Finally!! I’ve finally discovered a cure for my baby’s Eczema!

If you knew how many things I’ve tried unsuccessfully, you’d understand my elation.

Creams. Oils. Herbs. Soaps. Diet changes. You name it.

The only thing that really helped at all up until recently was eliminating wheat from his diet. But even then the patches of eczema on the tops of his feet were still in a visibly dormant state. If he did eat bread, crackers, or anything else that had wheat in it, the rashes got so irritated, he’s scratch them bloody if I didn’t keep him in footed pajamas to protect his feet.

One day I was talking to a friend of mine, and I mentioned Elias’ wheat allergy and corresponding eczema. She shared that her son also had bad eczema, but her natural-minded doctor recommended taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil for the problem, and sure enough his eczema cleared up. She said something about an Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency causing the eczema.

fermented cod liver oil for eczema

I actually happened to already have some Fermented Cod Liver Oil in my fridge, so I started giving baby 1/4 tsp daily, still withholding wheat. Within just a couple of days, the rash looked better than I’d ever seen it. And by the end of two weeks, he was completely healed of eczema. I continued giving him the supplement, but slowly began integrating wheat back into his diet. You gotta understand, this boy LOVES bread. He’d eat my homemade challah all day every day if I let him. It was terrible giving bread to all of the other children, and having to deny him.

I noticed that as long as I gave Elias the cod liver oil, he could eat bread with no breakouts. I slowly began reducing the supplement, giving it to him a couple of times a week instead of daily. We’re 5 months in now, and Elias can eat wheat with no breakouts whatsoever. And I’m only giving him the cod liver oil maybe once a week, if that.

I’m so happy he’s finally pain free, and can eat like the rest of the family!

I’ve actually been giving the fermented cod liver oil to all of the kids, myself included, every so often. It’s supposed to be super good for you.

I bought the liquid version so the kids could take it, but for adults I’d definitely recommend a capsule. The taste is HORRID. Some people don’t seem to mind as much as others, but I swear I almost puke every time I take it. Chasing it with orange juice really helps. The kids are much better about taking it than I am.

To get the kids to take their fermented cod liver oil, I first offer them a little taste of pure maple syrup on a spoon. Then I squirt the oil under their tongue (except for the baby, I just squirt it straight in his mouth). They swallow and then I quickly give them a spoonful of maple syrup to wash the taste out of their mouth. They all love it, and have never complained. Shockingly.

I bought our cod liver oil from Green Pasture. They sell flavored ones, but we got the unflavored kind just ’cause I had no idea what it would taste like. It is kinda pricey, but in our case definitely worth it. I’m wondering if Purslane would have the same effect, since it’s also really high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Another option to consider, perhaps.

Now, I’m not saying this is a cure all. I’m sure eczema is triggered by different things in different people. However, it did work miracles for us.

Have you successfully cured eczema? I’d love to hear what has worked for you!

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Why Your Child May Get Eczema and How To Avoid It – Emaxhealth

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If you want to help your child avoid getting eczema, the results of a new study offer parents a suggestion concerning the use of antibiotics. Several other options are also provided about how to avoid eczema.

What parents should know about antibiotics and eczema

A research team composed of experts from various British health and medical facilities evaluated data from 20 studies concerning eczema, a general term for various types of dermatitis or itchy skin. Among the most common types of eczema are atopic dermatitis (the most severe and chronic kind of eczema), contact dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis is the form that most often is diagnosed during the first year of life, and it is estimated to affect more than 30 million Americans, according to the National Eczema Association. This kind of eczema often affects individuals who either have asthma and/or hay fever or who have family members with these allergic conditions.

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In the new study, the investigators looked at the individuals’ exposure to antibiotics before birth and up to one year after, and later development of eczema. They discovered the following:

  • Infants were more likely (up to 40% greater risk) to develop eczema if they were given antibiotics during the first year of life
  • Each additional course of antibiotics could increase an individual’s risk of eczema by an additional 7 percent
  • Prenatal exposure to antibiotics was not a risk factor for eczema

One reason for the increased risk of eczema associated with antibiotic use was offered by one of the authors, Dr. Teresa Tsakok of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, who noted that “broad-spectrum antibiotics alter the gut microflora and that this in turn affects the maturing immune system in a way that promotes allergic disease development.”

What parents can do
Parents should discuss alternatives to antibiotics with their physician if their child develops an infection or condition that may or may not be treated effectively with these drugs. If antibiotics are deemed necessary, parents should discuss also giving their child probiotics to help offset the killing of beneficial bacteria caused by the drug use.

If a child does develop eczema, a variety of treatments are available. Conventional approaches include antihistamines, immunomodulators (e.g., pimecrolimus, tacrolimus), and topical steroids, all of which are associated with side effects.

Some of the ways to treat eczema naturally and safely include the use of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) in foods and/or supplements, bleach baths, omega-3 fatty acid supplements, aloe vera, and following a diet that eliminates inflammatory foods such as processed meats, dairy products, and refined grains.

According to the new study’s senior author, Dr. Carsten Flohr, “A better understanding of the complex relationship between antibiotic use and allergic disease [such as eczema] is a priority for clinicians and health policymakers alike.” Add to that list parents who want to better understand how their children may get eczema and how to avoid it.

SOURCES:
National Eczema Association
Tsakok T et al. Does early life exposure to antibiotics increase the risk of eczema? A systematic review. British Journal of Dermatology 2013 Jun 20. Doi:10.1111/bjd.12476

Image: Pixabay

Why Your Child May Get Eczema and How To Avoid It – Emaxhealth

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If you want to help your child avoid getting eczema, the results of a new study offer parents a suggestion concerning the use of antibiotics. Several other options are also provided about how to avoid eczema.

What parents should know about antibiotics and eczema

A research team composed of experts from various British health and medical facilities evaluated data from 20 studies concerning eczema, a general term for various types of dermatitis or itchy skin. Among the most common types of eczema are atopic dermatitis (the most severe and chronic kind of eczema), contact dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis is the form that most often is diagnosed during the first year of life, and it is estimated to affect more than 30 million Americans, according to the National Eczema Association. This kind of eczema often affects individuals who either have asthma and/or hay fever or who have family members with these allergic conditions.

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In the new study, the investigators looked at the individuals’ exposure to antibiotics before birth and up to one year after, and later development of eczema. They discovered the following:

  • Infants were more likely (up to 40% greater risk) to develop eczema if they were given antibiotics during the first year of life
  • Each additional course of antibiotics could increase an individual’s risk of eczema by an additional 7 percent
  • Prenatal exposure to antibiotics was not a risk factor for eczema

One reason for the increased risk of eczema associated with antibiotic use was offered by one of the authors, Dr. Teresa Tsakok of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, who noted that “broad-spectrum antibiotics alter the gut microflora and that this in turn affects the maturing immune system in a way that promotes allergic disease development.”

What parents can do
Parents should discuss alternatives to antibiotics with their physician if their child develops an infection or condition that may or may not be treated effectively with these drugs. If antibiotics are deemed necessary, parents should discuss also giving their child probiotics to help offset the killing of beneficial bacteria caused by the drug use.

If a child does develop eczema, a variety of treatments are available. Conventional approaches include antihistamines, immunomodulators (e.g., pimecrolimus, tacrolimus), and topical steroids, all of which are associated with side effects.

Some of the ways to treat eczema naturally and safely include the use of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) in foods and/or supplements, bleach baths, omega-3 fatty acid supplements, aloe vera, and following a diet that eliminates inflammatory foods such as processed meats, dairy products, and refined grains.

According to the new study’s senior author, Dr. Carsten Flohr, “A better understanding of the complex relationship between antibiotic use and allergic disease [such as eczema] is a priority for clinicians and health policymakers alike.” Add to that list parents who want to better understand how their children may get eczema and how to avoid it.

SOURCES:
National Eczema Association
Tsakok T et al. Does early life exposure to antibiotics increase the risk of eczema? A systematic review. British Journal of Dermatology 2013 Jun 20. Doi:10.1111/bjd.12476

Image: Pixabay