The Paleo diet stresses eating natural foods with no sugar, little dairy and restricted grains. In other words, eat like a caveman, with a diet focused on meat, vegetables and fruits and healthy oils. Eczema is a skin condition often aggravated by allergies, although it is not, specifically, an allergic condition. Since some of the foods restricted by the Paleo diet are high-allergy foods, the diet may help reduce eczema in some people. Many Paleo diet informational websites state the diet helps treat eczema, but there is no scientific proof of this.
Eczema and Allergies
Eczema occurs much more commonly in people who have food allergies. The top eight food allergens, according to the Mayo Clinic, are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, fish, seafood and soy. Four of the top eight -- milk, wheat, soy and peanuts -- are restricted on the Paleo diet. Restricting those foods may reduce the risk of having an allergic reaction that triggers eczema. The Paleo diet eliminates processed foods, which contain food coloring and preservatives -- also possible allergens -- from your diet.
Celiac Disease
The Paleo diet restricts grains, even the whole grains considered healthy by many medical experts. Some grains, including wheat, barley and rye, can trigger a gluten reaction. Gluten is the protein in wheat that makes it stretchy. Barley and rye have similar proteins, while the protein in oats differs. However, many manufacturers process wheat and oats in the same plant, which allows for cross-contamination. Cross-contamination can also occur in the growing fields.
An inability to digest gluten leads to Celiac disease. People with celiac disease have an increased risk of developing eczema, Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society reports on CNN Health. They may also develop dermatitis herpetiformis, an itchy red rash with blisters that may resemble some types of eczema. Eliminating wheat and other grains will improve eczema.
Determining Allergies
If the Paleo diet helps clear up your eczema, you may want to have allergy testing done to determine if you have allergies to certain substances. Avoiding that food permanently, even if you go off the Paleo diet at some point, may reduce eczema.
Considerations
There are no clinical studies that prove that the Paleo diet has any benefit in treating eczema. Testimonies from people who claim that the Paleo diet has helped their eczema provide only anecdotal evidence. However, the Paleo diet does stress natural fruits and vegetables, lean meats and healthy fats, making it an essentially healthy diet. A diet low in saturated fats and refined sugars, which contribute to inflammation in the body, could reduce eczema. Talk with your doctor before using the Paleo diet to treat any health condition.
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