Anyone with Eczema?

[RowanC]

Anyone here with eczema that healed using raw foods?
I have a girlfriend who over the past 5 years has gotten horrible eczema all over her body. It's so sad. I wish I knew how to help her...

[Rawkinlocs]

Not me personally, but my 7-year old daughter. Hers was very severe...it was on just about every part of her body and it even affected her scalp and made her hair fall out in patches.

Prior to raw, we had tried everything under the sun...prescription creams, over the counter creams, Aveeno, Eucerin, something I found on the internet, essential oils mixed in carrier oils.

It wasn't until we started eating raw that I noticed her clearing up and even foods that would cause flair-ups that she had to avoid (citrus and nuts), she was later able to eat with no problems.

So yes, there IS hope for friend if she is willing to do it!

[RowanC]

Rawkinlocs, is it gone now?

My friend is so beautiful, but she's so ashamed of this problem that she's taken to wearing long sleeves everywhere she goes. It began in her crotch about 5 years ago and now pretty much covers all of her body except her face. She's tried EVERYTHING. It really seems to be eating her alive.

Did your daughter's eczema clear up completely on raw?

[Rawkinlocs]

Totally and completely! The only time she gets a flair up is if she eats junk food (which at home, I can control, but when she's away...another story).

But yes, the rashes, the scaly patches all cleared up and the areas where she had lost her pigment and the areas were very light, that darkened up after a while too.

I am searching my hard drive as we speak for the photo collage I had put together of progression photos...when I locate them, I'll post them.

The most important thing I can recommend in addition to just going totally raw is for her to cease consumption of sugar, dairy and (cooked) grains. Also, if there are any trigger foods that she's noticed causes her body to react, she needs to eliminate those too for a while as well (I'm talking raw plant foods).

[Shmoopie]

Eczema has to do with a few things. It can be a food allergy - usually glutens or dairy. It can also have to do with liver function. Cleansing and supporting the liver will help at least a little bit. Amino acids play a role...she is likely not getting enough of them. Candida is a huge culprit as well as parasites. Some would say that where there is a systemic skin problem (like eczema and psoriasis), there is definitely a parasite. Those same people would also say that where there is a parasite, there is candida, and vice versa. So basically, all of that can be cleared up with a raw diet.

If your friend isn't on a raw diet or willing to get onto a raw diet, but is willing to try a product, there's a product on merryclinic.com that is supposed to be pretty good. Creams and topical treatments can only treat the surface, but eczema isn't a surface problem. It's not a skin problem. It's internal like everything else. I had one friend who had psoriasis covering 70% of her body. She used the psoriasis formula from this website about 7-8 years ago and hasn't had a single spot of psoriasis since. She had to take the pills for about 3 months. I had another friend use one of the other products. It may have been the acne formula - I don't recall. Anyway, it helped her skin tremendously as well. They are just different herb combinations - no drugs. They will cause detox, by the way.

[RowanC]

She has traveled extensively.. do you think this could be a parasite problem, really? I'll go check out the website, but I wonder if just a parasite cleanse might help?

[Tirza]

I have a friend who has really suffered for years with this too. She went off all dairy and grains that contain gluten. She is very strict about it and it is all gone. She uses oats that she gets from England where there is a field that is carefully guarded against any possible cross-pollination with wheat. So our Raw Diet is ideal in cases like this.

[Little Mango]

Hi Rowan C. How is your girlfriend doing? I myself am battling with eczema which is why my lovely doctor told me to go onto raw!

[Naturallynice]

My 9 month old baby started having eczema in her chin, corners of her mouth and a bit under her eyes, when I stopped nursing her. It has been a week now that I feed her only smoothies and green smoothies, and the eczema persists. I am persisting too, though... Orange juice seemed to make it worse, so I have stopped that. What else could be a trigger?

Most times she has a combination of the following: avocado, pears, coconut cream/butter, mango, bananas, pineapple, papaya, rasberries, blueberies, olive oil, spinach, romaine, kale. She also munches on apple, cucumber, sweet bell peppers, celery. That's what I can think of so far.

Could any of them be a trigger? I must say, that if she finds a crust of bread she will eat it, her brother and sister are feeding her their crusts. But she doesn't have any teeth yet, so the amount she actually eats is very little. Still, I should be more diligent?

Or could it be because of teething?

[jaurequi]

Try chia seeds internally, and chia oil, externally (especially good).

Best,

[juliebove]

My daughter and I both have it and I also have psoriasis. I still have a bit of trouble with the psoriasis from time to time, but the other problem seems to have cleared for both of us except for those times we accidentally use something externally that we are alleric to. I have an almond allergy and sweet almond oil is in a lot of cosmetics, particularly of the "healthy food store" type. Daughter can't have wheat or soy.

I can also relate to the long sleeves but in my case it was the psoriasis. Mine seems not to respond favorably to the sun as is purported to help. Instead the sun makes my skin feel burned and makes the psoriasis worse. Or it used to when I lived in CA and NY. Here in WA I've had less of a problem. Although I still try to avoid the sun as much as possible, I have ventured out on occasion in short sleeves with no problems.

I would advise your friend to try adding coconut oil to her diet. I would also advise her to have a RAST or some other test to check for food allergies. She might still be allergic to something that would be on a raw food diet. Daughter is severely allergic to bananas. Our skin problems do seem to be related a lot to food or what we apply externally.

[Nimmanu]

My 9 month old baby started having eczema in her chin, corners of her mouth and a bit under her eyes, when I stopped nursing her. It has been a week now that I feed her only smoothies and green smoothies, and the eczema persists. I am persisting too, though... Orange juice seemed to make it worse, so I have stopped that. What else could be a trigger?

Most times she has a combination of the following: avocado, pears, coconut cream/butter, mango, bananas, pineapple, papaya, rasberries, blueberies, olive oil, spinach, romaine, kale. She also munches on apple, cucumber, sweet bell peppers, celery. That's what I can think of so far.

Could any of them be a trigger? I must say, that if she finds a crust of bread she will eat it, her brother and sister are feeding her their crusts. But she doesn't have any teeth yet, so the amount she actually eats is very little. Still, I should be more diligent?

Or could it be because of teething?

I probably should keep my mouth shut, but I'm going to ask you anyway, and you can tell me that I should have kept my mouth shut, and I won't be offended...

Why did you stop breastfeeding so early? The WHO recommends a minimum of 2 years, and almost every country in the world besides the US breastfeeds for 2 years.

As for the triggers, YES, just the bit of gluten she's getting from breadcrusts certainly can make a gluten sensitive person break out, and otherwise sick.

I can tell you, as a person sensitive to soy, dairy, and wheat myself... it takes very little make me itch for hours, give me dandruff, and give me (how to be delicate about it?) liquid number 2.

[rawpriestess]

my son had ezcema as a child, when he eats dairy he gets it, when he quits dairy no more, same with his kids.

[Nectarine]

I applaud you for taking such a caring interest in your friend's welfare. I wish I had had friends like that as I was growing up. I was never 'eczematic' myself, but over the last few years, my skin became inordinately dry and scaly, and, as my beard thickened with maturity, my pseudofolliculitis barbae (shaving rash) problem worsened as well. But since switching to an exclusively raw diet only 3 weeks ago, my skin has improved significantly, and looks much much better. Sometimes, I won't even use moisturizer for a couple of days, and my skin remains balanced, well hydrated, and supple-looking. The change in my skin was apparent from very early on in my raw journey (that is not to say the benefits will be that rapid in your friend's case), and still more changes are occurring (finer pores for example). So yes, your friend has evey chance of improving the condition of her skin if she would only commit to a 100% raw diet for a decent period of time, to see for herself.

[Apasaraw]

I used to get patches on my back and hips...when I went gluten free it cleared up in a few weeks. Raw followed...

I do hope she gives a dietary change a try....best to your buddy RowanC.