If you have eczema, you know your condition is not just another case of dry skin. Your skin may be dry, red and itchy. Over time, you may even experience thickened skin and scaring from the condition. Eczema includes a group of skin conditions, the most common of which is atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis occurs in people with family histories of allergies and asthma, and it usually shows up in children before age 5.
Because of the connection to allergies, researchers believe that foods sometimes trigger eczema rashes. One way to reduce eczema flare-ups is through diet. Try managing your eczema by eliminating trigger foods from your diet. Since food triggers will vary from person to person, experts recommend that you identify foods that may trigger your particular eczema. Some common triggers are dairy, wheat, soy, eggs, shellfish, yeast, nuts and citrus.
Beyond eliminating your triggers, eating a well-balanced diet supports healthy skin growth, promoting healing of inflamed skin. In addition to eating a balanced assortment of foods, try taking flaxseed, evening primrose oil and zinc. Flaxseed and evening primrose oil reduce skin inflammation skin, while zinc supports your immune system. By eating healthy foods and eliminating eczema trigger foods, you can improve your over all skin condition and reduce flare-ups.
What to Look for
As you shop for your eczema food diet, remember that there are many foods that you can eat that will not trigger your skin condition. For healthy skin, shop for foods that will provide you with a healthy balanced diet. Be sure to stock your cart with lots of fruits and vegetables. In particular, look for foods high in nutrients, minerals and antioxidants.
Shop for fruits and vegetables that you can eat raw rather than cooked. Since cooked foods lose some of their nutrients in the cooking process, you can get the most health benefit from raw fruits and vegetables. Some nutritionist also report that diets made up of 80 percent raw fruits and vegetables provide the best results for eczema management.
Omega fatty acids are good for treating a number of inflammatory conditions in the body. For eczema patients, omega fatty acids reduce skin inflammation. Great examples of foods high in omega fatty acids are flaxseed oil, avocados and fish. Try to incorporate as many of this type of foods in your regular shopping list.
Common Pitfalls
Leave foods that trigger your eczema off your shopping list. Look over the list of recommended eczema diet food and cross off any known triggers from your shopping list. For example, nuts are a great source of zinc, but can also trigger eczema for some people. Instead, select another food high in zinc off your eczema diet foods list.
Opt for the original thing rather than a prepared version of your favorite eczema foods. Prepared foods may be more convenient, but many prepared foods lose some of their nutritional value. In addition, prepared foods may have more additives and preservative, which could trigger your eczema.
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