One reason that diet and eczema is not well understood it that there are three parts to what I call “Diet detective work”. Often families with eczema consider the second part and much of the third part.
The first part is the exclusion of the suspect additives and natural chemicals, which include salicylates, amines and mono sodium glutamate. These should be seen as chemicals which “aggravate the underlying condition”. Many people note that spicy food, citrus or high additive food make the eczema worse, but do not realise they can do more. However reactions to these suspect chemicals can be tricky as the symptoms only become worse when the total sum of several additives and natural chemicals add up to that person’s tolerance threshold. The normal diet contains suspect foods such as apples, tomatoes, spice, as well as chocolate, and additive colour and flavour.
The second part of dietary investigation is minimisation or exclusion of whole foods to which the person is allergic. These are known when a reaction occurs to a food introduced in infancy, such as dairy foods, soy, wheat, or eggs, or from allergy tests preferably done with an allergist, immunologist or dermatologist. The other indicator of a whole food being suspect is if a close relative reacts, even if their symptoms are not eczema.
The third part of dietary investigation is to exclude non dietary suspect allergens and chemicals in the environment. The allergens, such as dust mite, pollen or dander, are also found from allergy testing. The chemicals to be minimised include all smells, perfumed products and plants, products with benzoate preservatives, skin contact with coloured finger paint or playdough. Other environmental factors that aggravate symptoms include infections [as well as the additive flavour and colour in the paediatric syrups used to treat them], stress, insect bites, hormone changes, and, in babies, teething.
Many of these aggravators are known to eczema sufferers. Yet the diet component is often dismissed, as if it should be magic on its own, rather than be part of what I call the “Total Body Load” of suspect items.
Families with eczema know that it takes time to work out what medical treatment suits their own child. “Diet detective work” is the same. The trick is to reduce all the suspect items at the same time for a month and do challenges. This can take a little effort at first, but if symptoms are reduced then the additional effort required for treatment is minimised.
Read your article on eczema. I am 64 yrs, of age and have had some ecema and psorasis, since my teen years. I have always believed it comes from food (you are what you eat)! Makes it hard to enjoy eating, One of lifes enjoyments. A neurolegest (sorry can’t spell), told me to stay away from cheese(mostly orange cheddar), blue cheese, red wine and any meats sealed in pkgs.,as they all contain Tyramin,which works against your nervous system, and can cause migraines. Why do our foods have to be so (poisoned) with preservatives? If you eat out, you don’t know what they are cooking with! So, again, (restaurants) another one of the enjoyments in life.
Dear Kendra, The good news is that you are unlikely to have to be as strict as you are being for eczema. In my new book Tolerating Troublesome Foods I talk about food sensitive people having their own “metabolic fingerprint” as each person is different. And I give you hints on the many ways food tolerance is different. Usually those with eczema are not very sensitive to all the foods that contain amines [ though few can manage brown chocolate!] – white chocolate may be tolerated. You will learn hints that mean you become a gourmet in your own interest and manage many foods that you gradually learn you can enjoy in a gourmet way. You can work out how to manage when you are eating out so you can eat and enjoy one of life’s important enjoyments. My kind regards Joan
My eczema is caused by a potato intolerance. No potato = NO eczema!!
Eczema is a common reaction to a potato intolerance. If you determine it is potato, be aware that potato is in SO many processed foods. It’s in iodized salt, VIt A fortified reduced fat milk, etc… Dextrose is either from potato or corn and you as a consumer can’t know, so best to avoid everything that says ‘dextrose’ on the label. Some medications/vitamins are cultured on a potato base, so one must take care in that area as well.
Hope this insight helps!
Dear DesertRose. You are showing how individual each person’s sensitivities can be. Potato is an unusual culprit, especially on its own! You can check out your individual tolerance using what others have found. The form of the potato may matter. Onc child reacted to home-made biscuits with tolerated ingredients with the addition of potato flour, but tolerated well cooked hot potato chips which only contained potato, tolerated oil and salt. Others do not do well on new potatos with peels but tolerate well cooked old potatoes. You can check out your tolerance of other ingredients which you may also be benefitting from reducing at the same time as being very careful with potato. These include additives by testing soft drinks, and chocolate using home-made biscuits with cocoa included, or make chocolate crackles [Yum if you can tolerate them!] you are also lucky if you can manage spice, such as in dishes with rice. Thanks again for reminding all that each person needs to continue diet investigation to find their own best diet.