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Eczema – “The Neglected Disease”!
Researching eczema “the neglected disease” has been enlightening and as with many ailments of today the same old culprits appear again and again.
Let’s take a look at the culprits and solutions backed by the latest medical research as well as introduce a powerhouse of nature’s safe effective alternatives to common treatments.
Eczema can be a devastating disease to one’s health and wellbeing, with loss of sleep, painful intense itching, sometimes morning, moon and night.
24/7 in its extreme form, but most importantly very treatable.
“Eczema is not life-threatening, but is often a disturbing and distressing condition that results in physical, emotional and socio-psychological problems that affect not only the patient, but the whole family”.
Eczema “The Neglected Disease of Children”. by: Dr Joe Williams.
Dr Joe Williams has lived with eczema and revolutionized treatment protocols, successfully treating more than 40,000 patients with remarkable results, in over 50 years of medical practice.
More on Dr Joe Williams at the end of this post.
Hey! Do you or a friend suffer from Eczema? Want more? Well I have a PRESENT for you! Check this out! You can instantly download this article for FREE HERE. And easily share it with a friend. I think you’ll love it. xoxo –Debbie
What is Eczema “The Hidden Disease”?
Eczema is an autoimmune disease the result of the immune systems response to a suspected or perceived enemy.
Where your immune system overreacts and mistakenly identifies innocent compounds as enemies.
The immune system is falsely alerted of imminent danger, and springs into action producing antibodies called immunoglobulin E or IgE to launch an attack, releasing histamines and other chemicals that provoke the symptoms of allergies.
What is a true Allergy?
A classical allergy is when you eat the tiniest morsel of a certain food to which you are allergic and you have an immediate, often dramatic reaction.
You could experience an itchy rash, a tingling or sore mouth, swelling of the tongue and throat, an asthma attack or breathing difficulty, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, a drop in blood pressure or consciousness, anaphylactic shock and possibly death.
Blood and skin tests for the allergic antigen are positive.
What is a food Sensitivity or Intolerance?
Eczema can fall into this category.
It’s when you eat an offending food or come in contact with an offending antigen and the reaction may be more subtle and more difficult to detect.
In the case of eczema appearing as a rash.
It may go unnoticed for hours, days, or even longer making it more difficult to isolate the offender, or offenders for that matter.
What does Eczema look like?
Eczema usually starts in the elbow and knee creases, on the hands, face, feet, neck, wrists and ankles.
And appears as an itchy, red rash that may or may not test positive in a blood or skin test.
It takes more contact with the antigen to trigger a reaction.
However there is no hard and fast rule.
Everyone is different.
Eczema can occur at any time in your life, generally occurring in babies and children starting as early as 4 months.
When eczema appears early in life, chances are in 50% of cases there is no problem by the age of 5 years old.
And if it continues through childhood only approximately one in twenty adults suffer from eczema. Eczema is not contagious.
What Causes Eczema?
Anybody with eczema makes extra amounts of the antibody IgE.
And this tendency can be inherited.
50% of people who make excessive amounts of IgE are more likely to also suffer from Asthma and Hayfever which are also autoimmune diseases.
Children with eczema are more likely to react innately to environmental particles such as pollen, dust, animal hair, skin cells, mites, smoke, scented products, laundry detergent, air freshener, spores and fungus.
Some people may react to irritants like wool, dry skin, heat and sweating, or emotional stress.
Collectively these antigens are known as trigger factors.
In very mild cases of eczema, avoiding the likely sources of irritants (triggers) will manage future outbreaks.
In the meantime treating the debilitating itching is the most important factor for the comfort of the sufferer.
Eczema – “The Hidden Disease” Topical Treatment
Essentially there are many treatments for an eczema outbreak.
Topically a cream or ointment may be applied to reduce the itching, hot, dry, inflamed skin.
Typically the skin of an eczema sufferer tends to be dry and this could be linked to an abnormality of essential fatty acid metabolism.
An imbalance may occur where there is a deficiency in an enzyme in the skin leading to reduced production of important anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.
Treatment with topical and internal use of Evening Primrose Oil may help.
Adding therapeutic oils (evening primrose oil) to bath water and avoiding common soap also helps.
To prevent a burning sensation when applying ointments or creams add 1 cup of table salt to bath water.
Oat baths, and Chamomile have a soothing, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory effect in the bath water too.
Wrap a handful of oats in a cloth bag and add to bath water or alternatively try a chamomile tea bag infused in boiling water cooled and added to bath water.
Chickweed, Comfrey and Nettles are also very soothing in bath water.
A large handful of fresh chickweed ground in the blender and placed in a fine cloth bag, in the bath and squeezed into the bath water will have a cooling as well as soothing effect on eczema.
Chickweed ointment is also a very good treatment for relieving eczema.
Both Nettles and Comfrey leaves need to be dry.
Take a handful of either or both pour over boiling water and steep in liquid until cooled.
Add the infusion to bath water, the plant material can be added too, preferably in a fine cloth bag. Less messy:-)
While there are many topical creams and ointments, I would suggest, Calendula oil and ointment is the best.
In my experience of treating eczema there is no better ointment and oil than Calendula.
Where other treatments have not worked, Calendula has saved the day.
High in anti –inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and antiseptic actions. Calendula may help to control S. aureus if present.
However I will also have to say that making your own ointment is going to be far more superior and effective than anything else.
Surprisingly enough making Calendula ointment is very easy and so safe you can eat it.
Some of my infant clients have.
NOTE: But only pure beeswax straight from the hive. Not recommended for any product you buy, because you can’t be sure how it was produced and what has gone into it.
As an alternative, Calendula ointment will help you avoid the steroidal creams and anti-biotic treatment, some doctors may prescribe.
Do you or a friend suffer from Eczema? Want more? Well I have a PRESENT for you! Check this out! You can instantly download this article for FREE HERE. And easily share it with a friend. I think you’ll love it. xoxo –Debbie
Why Calendula Officinalis will help YOU with Eczema Symptoms.
Calendula officinalis – for treating Eczema the hidden disease
Calendula officinalis
Calendula Officinalis is a member of the Compositae family. Common names include
Marigold, Marybud, Gold-bloom, Caltha officinalis.
Although “Marigold” is a common name it should not be confused with common pot marigold, which looks quite different.
In New Zealand Calendula is a very common garden plant that grows throughout the year in the Waikato where I live.
The parts used are the whole flower heads.
To dry, nip the base of the flower head and place on a tray.
You can dry in the sun or in the hot water cupboard.
Using this method the flower heads are dry in about a week.
Actions: Anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, lymphatic, astringent, vulnerary, Emmenagogue, anti-microbial – (anti-bacterial and anti-fungal).
Indications: I have over 20 years of experience in using Calendula and it is one of the best herbs for treating local skin problems.
Externally it may be used where there is inflammation, infection, external bleeding, bruising or strains, slow healing wounds, skin ulcers, minor burns, varicose veins, chronic ulcers, capillary engorgement, open sores, severe burns and scalds, boils, chilblains, fungal infections like athletes foot, conjunctivitis, cold sores, sunburn, eczema, acne, sebaceous cysts and broken capillaries.
Internally Calendula is an esteemed herb for digestive inflammation, with anti-ulcerous and sedative action, great for periodontal disease (mouthwash).
Used in the treatment of gastric ulceration, enteritis, jaundice, hepatitis, hepatic and splenic congestion, gallstones and biliary insufficiency, duodenal ulceration, proctitis, liver congestion, gastritis, haematemesis, anorexia and constipation.
Dosage and preparations: Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water onto 2 teaspoons of the dried petals or 4 teaspoons of fresh and infuse for l0-l5 minutes.
Drink three times daily.
Other recipes for calendula
How to make Calendula oil.
The first thing you need to do is to dry some Calendula flowers or to buy some already dried from your local herbalist/naturopath or supplier.
Place the dried flowers in a sterilized jar and cover with oil.
I use olive oil. Canola is good too.
Place the jar in a nice sunny place and shake daily to make sure the flowers remain moist.
After about 2-6 weeks your oil will be ready.
Strain and retain oil, which is now a rich orange colour.
Remove plant material and discard.
(A wonderful addition to the compost heap).
Use this oil in the bath water and massage into the skin daily.
Gently pat dry.
How to make an Ointment
Find a local honey maker and buy some bees wax, this is the best.
Using 2 parts oil to 1 part beeswax place both into a jar.
Place the jar into a pot of water.
Enough water to come half way up the jar when immersed and heat up to slowly melt the beeswax.
Remove the jar from the pot once all the beeswax has melted, add 2 drops of a high quality tea tree oil and cool.
The added tea tree oil is also a powerful antifungal antibacterial addition to your ointment.
When cooled.
If your ointment is too soft reheat and add more beeswax.
If your ointment is too hard reheat and add more oil.
Now the reason I have been so explicit about home-made ointment is because YOU will never get anything better than what you make yourself.
While the properties of the dried flower heads last much longer, 6 months or more, the intense colour of fresh dried flowers does not last. The intense colour deteriorates within as little as 3 weeks.
Obtaining beeswax from your local area is more beneficial to you and you’re family.
As the bees have been feeding in your environment.
Unfortunately commercial brands of Calendula and many so called natural botanical creams tend to have bleach in them.
You can easily tell, the cream is white.
Or they have only used calendula essential oil, not enough therapeutic activities in my opinion.
Rest assured that the ointment YOU make is going to be far superior.
However there are plenty of topical creams to treat eczema and the next best after your own home-made is something made up by your local herbalist.
Some of the best ingredients will have herbs like Calendula, Albizzia, Golden seal, Licorice, tea tree oil and chickweed in them.
Treating Eczema Internally.
The most likely triggers to eczema are those mentioned above.
Pay special attention to what triggers the outbreak and try to avoid them.
The 5 most common foods that can trigger a reaction are:
Cereals based on wheat and corn.
Dairy products.
Eggs
Peanuts
Soya
Pay special attention to these foods. If a reaction occurs avoid them.
Immunological Abnormalities
Some conventional approaches to eczema are now advocating oral and topical antibiotic treatment aimed at killing Staphylococcus aureus, which is a common bacteria on the skin that can flare up and cause infections eczema sufferers.
In immune compromised people, e.g. eczema, anti-biotic treatment has shown improved results being claimed.
Everyone agrees there is a problem with immune response abnormalities. E.g. the hypersensitive reaction of IgE in people with eczema.
And this is where Echinacea will help to balance the immune response.
Echinacea is an immune modulator, meaning that it helps regulate the immune system.
This “regulation” is a normalisation process, so an immune modulator like Echinacea helps to moderate and optimise the immune response.
Andrographis, Tea Tree Oil and Calendula may control aureus infection.
Other useful herbs include anti-allergic, anti-histamine, nutrient rich herbs such as Nettles.
Soothing, anti-inflammatory herbs as in Calendula, licorice, chickweed and nettles.
And Ginger will improve digestion, awesome for pain relief and help to control symptoms.
More Food Medicine.
No surprises here guys!
A diet of junk foods can exacerbate Eczema.
Those who regularly eat junk-food: takeaways, processed meals, chippies, lollies, cakes and biscuits are more likely to exacerbate their eczema symptoms, than those who eat a whole food diet of fresh fruit, vegetables and fresh cuts of meat.
A High Intake of Sugar can Depress YOUR Immune System!
A high intake of sugar can depress the immune system, the recommended daily allowance of sugar is 25 grams or 6 teaspoons.
If you wanted to avoid hidden sugar in foods then you would need to avoid approximately 80% of the food in the supermarket. Which only leaves Fresh fruit and vegetables.
Fresh is Best forget the Rest.
Eat the freshest food possible.
Locally grown fruit and vegetables in season are the very best. Farmers markets are about the best place other than your own vegetable garden. And if you can possibly get heritage seeds then you are sure to grow nutrient rich food medicine.
This is the best way to help build good immunity.
Some foods are worth avoiding and I found this excellent little booklet online from The Ministry for Primary industries that is well worth a look.
Addressing Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies.
Some specific vitamin and mineral deficiencies can be addressed by increasing the food rich sources containing more of them or supplements if required for an extra boost.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D works in the immune system by reducing levels of inflammatory proteins called cytokines, as well as increasing amounts of good antimicrobial proteins in the skin, which destroy invading germs and viruses.
Foods high in vitamin D
Salmon, Eggs, Tuna, liver, milk fortified with vitamin D, fish liver oil, sunflower seeds.
Only sunshine and sunflower seeds would be recommended for many eczema sufferers.
Zinc
Zinc is essential for the normal functioning of vitamins, especially B- complex.
Important in healing burns and wounds.
Vitamin A and D deficiencies can also cause zinc deficiency.
This happens because both vitamins determine the amount of zinc found in the plasma.
Food sources of Zinc
Whole grains, brewer’s yeast, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, eggs, seafood, poultry, nuts, mushrooms and spirulina, cider vinegar (organic), skullcap, sage, chickweed, Echinacea, nettles, dulse, milk thistle, sarsaparilla
CAN Eczema be treated with B vitamins?
One of the primary nutritional factors behind eczema is vitamin B deficiency say some publications.
The usual suspects are B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) B7 (biotin).
B3 is necessary for hormone production, detoxification and helping the body process carbohydrates to produce energy and form fat. Good fat – that forms the protective layer of the skin. Without it, the skin loses its natural moisture which, in turn, can lead to skin problems.
Food sources of B3
Lean meats, chicken, dates, figs, prunes, avocado, dandelion nettles, chickweed, watercress, fat-hen – all green leafy vegetables
B5, which, like B3 helps detoxify the body.
Food sources of B5
Peanuts, Peas, Soybeans, Brown rice, Brewer’s yeast, Egg yolks, Wholegrain cereals, Green vegetables: Dandelions, Chickweed, Mellow, Fathen or any other dark green leafy vegetable that contains other B vitamins, Organ meats.
B6 helps process amino acids – the building blocks of all proteins and some hormones.
Food Sources of B6
Liver, Brewer’s yeast, Wheat germ. 1 average sized Potato, 1 average sized Banana, Spinach, Fish, Molasses, Avocado, Dried Peas, Beans, Green leafy vegetables
PABA, considered by some to be part of the B vitamin family, is an antioxidant that fights free radicals and enables the body to break down proteins, and maintains intestinal flora. If you have red, itchy and patchy skin or lesions you need PABA.
Food sources of PABA:
Liver, fish, eggs, citrus fruit, currants, fresh vegetables, molasses, brewer’s yeast.
Other sources: fresh fruit, bran, brown rice, mushrooms, kidney, yoghurt, whole grain products, other B vitamins, papaya, boneset, cornsilk, horsetail and sunflower seeds.
B7 Maintains proper function of oil glands, and helps control glucose levels. Eczema might be connected to B7 deficiency.
Food Sources of B7
Soybeans, Calf liver, Dandelions, Brewer’s yeast, Whole wheat, Oatmeal, wheat germ, corn, egg yolk, parsley, red clover, agrimony, alfalfa. Brown rice, fruit, nuts, mushrooms, cauliflower and fresh organic vegetables.
Complex B vitamins have been shown to improve eczema symptoms in some people.
Finally I want to introduce you to Dr Joe Williams author of the book Eczema – “The Hidden Disease of Children”. Dr Williams has been in medical practice for more than 50 years, he has a special interest in Eczema as he suffered from Eczema himself when in medical school.
Do you or a friend suffer from Eczema? Want more? Well I have a PRESENT for you! Check this out! You can instantly download this article for FREE HERE. And easily share it with a friend. I think you’ll love it. xoxo –Debbie
I hope you enjoyed this article and now have a food medicine arsenal to attack and cure Eczema for good.
Do you have any natural remedies to share with our readers to help combat eczema?
If so we would love to hear from YOU.
