Heal Eczema by Making Lifestyle Changes

(NaturalNews) Eczema can be a distressing condition which is characterized by inflamed, itchy skin that sometimes develops into open bleeding sores. It can appear at any age and affects approximately two to seven percent of the population. Currently, research indicates that food allergies can be the root cause of eczema. All eczema patients have positive allergy tests. Eczema is a tricky illness with many causes, but with some changes can be reversed.

Two thirds of patients have family history of eczema. Many eczema patients eventually develop hay fever and/or asthma.

Both allergies (IgE mediated which can be tested with your GP) and IgG intolerance's to foods (tests completed by nutritionists) are key to treatment.

For most people eczema symptoms tend to worsen:
* When they are under stress or exhausted
* When eating certain foods
* When drinking much tea and coffee
* Exposure to heat
* Exercising
* Exposure to external irritants such as perfumes, washing powders,
shampoos and paints
* Pet hairs - especially cat hair

However Eczema is most commonly linked to food intolerance's and leaky gut. If the illness starts in early childhood, it is often linked to dairy intolerance, eggs, citrus or wheat.

Leaky Gut

Leaky gut is a condition that comes about when the health of the gut is out of balance. Technically leaky gut is where the junction between the cells of the gut lining develops gaps through which undigested food particles get through and enter the blood stream. These particles should not be there and so are foreign to the body. The immune system starts to react to them, producing all types of inflammatory symptoms including joint pain, fatigue, headaches and asthma.

The gaps between the cells of the gut lining come about due to damage in the gut from toxins, parasites, and overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut. Over time, a buildup of stress, chemicals, heavy metals, impacted old feces, and a high sugar or poor quality diet can all feed the overgrowth of bad bacteria and reduce the health of the mucosal lining in the gut.

All people have good and bad bacteria in the gut, but a healthy balance is about 80% good and 20% bad. When this gets out of balance, the bad bacteria produce toxins which damage the gut lining, causing the leaky gut.

Foods to avoid:
* Cut out all dairy produce, coffee, tea, chocolate, beef, citrus, eggs, wheat, alcohol, peanuts and tomatoes; this is a long list but is guaranteed to improve your eczema.

* Also avoid decaffeinated coffee products - if you are sensitive to coffee, it is not just the caffeine which is problematic.

* Avoid preservatives, additives, pesticides, food colorings, and refined and processed foods which can cause allergies and intolerance's which all trigger eczema.

By Alex Howard
Learn more here.