There Are Natural Remedies for Eczema!

Did you know that 15 million Americans suffer from atopic dermatitis (AD). It’s also known as eczema. I have a son that’s struggled with this for over 10 years. It comes, it goes, and it flares up when he’s stressed. And sadly, conventional treatments do more harm than good.

AD most often begins in childhood–usually in infancy, but adults can develop eczema even after an itch-free childhood. This is the case with our son. He had beautiful skin all through his youth. But once adulthood hit, oh boy! According to the National Eczema Foundation, the condition has telltale symptoms: dry, itchy, scaly skin, cracks behind the ears, and rashes on the cheeks, arms, and legs.

And saddest of all, besides being horribly uncomfortable, it’s embarrassing to those that struggle with it. If you deal with this issue, or know someone that does, then you know what I’m talking about.

Corticosteroids, the most common conventional treatment, work by suppressing the skin’s natural reactions. They can cause thinning of the skin, infections, stunted growth in children, stretch marks, and more serious problems. “The detox that the skin is trying to express gets suppressed, so it gets driven into a deeper layer of the body, and the next layer in from the skin is the lungs,” says Robin DiPasquale, ND, RH (AHG), chair of the Botanical Medical Department at Bastyr University outside Seattle. “That’s why we see people treated with cortisone cream show up a few years later with asthma.” In fact, approximately 75% of children with AD develop asthma or hayfever later on.

Instead of stifling the body’s responses, naturopaths recommend tackling the problem at its source, the immune system. Here are four NATURAL approaches that are now proven to work well, especially when used together (and I thank the online magazine, Natural Solutions, for this vital information):

1. Identify the cause. First, search for an environmental or nutritional trigger. The gut makes up 60% of our immune system, so when we eat food that we don’t digest or assimilate properly, the immune system creates an inflammation response. For people predisposed to AD, that inflammation shows up in the skin. The most common food causes of AD: eggs, milk, peanuts, wheat, and soy. Common environmental triggers: harsh laundry detergents and cleaning products.

2. Treat (don’t suppress) the condition. Naturopaths recommend gentle topical treatments, such as washes or water-based creams that contain calendula and yarrow. These herbs relieve itching without suppressing the immune system’s processes. Oatmeal baths also soothe outbreaks. (To prevent a drain clog, put the oats in a sock and run water through it.)

3. Improve nutrition. First, cut out inflammation-causing fried and processed foods, as well as all foods that trigger an allergic response. Eat whole, unprocessed foods. Then, add omega-3s (DHA and EPA found in fish oil) to reduce inflammation, as well as probiotics to balance the gut flora and improve digestion. (Once again, whole foods to the rescue. There’s not much eating well doesn’t help!)

4. Boost the immune system. While improving nutrition will naturally boost the immune system, it’s also recommended that you take astragalus to modulate the immune system; meadowsweet and poppy to combat inflammation; California poppy to calm the nervous system; and rosemary to move the blood. With adults, for whom AD often signals the liver’s inability to eliminate toxins, liver-supporting burdock, yellow dock, red root, poke root, figwort, and greater celandine are highly recommended. Using herbs can be tricky, so you’ll want to be sure to work with a well-trained herbalist.

While there’s no over-night fix, there is lots of hope. Researchers now know for sure that AD doesn’t need to win. There are plenty of natural ways to deal with it, and when used together, a good outcome is frequently the case!