Did you know that your skin condition is not actually a skin condition? What if we told you, what you thought was just a skin issue might be the result of a hidden battle within your body?
Eczema, often misunderstood as a simple dermatological issue, is actually an autoimmune disorder1https://www.healthline.com/health-news/study-proves-eczema-is-an-autoimmune-disease-010515#1 which stems from the gut. It is a condition linked with ‘gut dysbiosis’2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6021588/ (an imbalance in the good and bad bacteria within your gut).
Have you tried every lotion, potion and steroid imaginable, only to find yourself back in a relentless cycle of itching and rashes? We hear you – enough is enough!
What is causing my eczema?
Inside your gut, there are trillions of bacteria – i.e. your microbiome. Your unique microbiome is like a natural ecosystem and like any natural ecosystem, it’s fragile and can be damaged by antibiotics, stress, sugar, and environmental toxins. Other contributing factors to eczema exist, like disrupted blood sugar and poor liver function.3https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7613128/ This internal damage will map directly onto your skin!
This is why creams alone will never fully resolve the problem. You must heal your gut in order to heal your skin. If you’ve been part of the Chuckling Goat community for a while, you will probably know we get some pretty dramatic skin transformations through our gut health protocol!
What can I do to resolve my eczema?
There are no quick fixes and healing takes time. The good news is, you can heal your eczema naturally. Here are our top recommendations for naturally managing your eczema…
1. Check for nutrient deficiencies
Vitamin D also reduces skin inflammation, and may directly regulate circulating IgE levels4https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5263170/ . Patients with eczema have been shown to have low blood serum vitamin D levels. Less exposure to sunlight, which we need for our bodies to manufacture vitamin D, is correlated with symptom flare-ups. Take this as your reminder to get outside and soak up some sun!
2. Enjoy a colourful diet
- Eat foods rich in vitamins A, C and E (colourful fruits and vegetables, seeds, eggs) to support barrier function.
- Include foods rich in Zinc to support skin integrity and immunity5https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16029676/ and reduce inflammation of the skin. Good sources include oysters, crab, organic beef, pumpkin seeds, cashews, chickpeas, almonds, kidney beans, and spinach.
- Eat foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and improve skin hydration. Salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies are good sources, but always ensure they are from sustainable and traceable sources. Flax, chia, seaweed, spirulina, and some nuts and seeds are good veggie alternatives.
- Increase your fibre intake to increase microbiome diversity and support your overall gut health. It’s all about fibre for your good gut bugs!
- Eat your greens! Foods such as broccoli, spinach and kale provide folate and potent antioxidants called sulforaphane and chlorophyll, all crucial for antioxidant protection and liver detoxification 6https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23411305/7https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11333191/ .
- Include apples, blueberries, and cherries as they are high in quercetin (a plant-based flavonoid). This is a powerful antioxidant and antihistamine, that has the ability to reduce inflammation as well as levels of histamine in your body.
3. Follow the Chuckling Goat Gut Health Protocol
Take Chuckling Goat’s Kefir, Complete Prebiotic & Fish Collagen daily. Kefir works by repopulating your gut with all the beneficial bacteria needed to thrive. Prebiotics feed the probiotic bacteria (in Kefir and in your gut microbiome). The collagen restores the lining of your gut. This is important as intestinal permeability (damage to the gut lining) is associated with autoimmune disorders, including skin conditions like eczema. Combined, these products heal your skin from the inside, out!
4. Protect your gut from damage
Stress is a key modulator in many inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, like eczema, and is often responsible for triggering an inappropriate immune response in the body. As such, it is paramount to support your nervous system. Discover the new Dutch method of reducing stress and boosting happiness here.
Avoid excess environmental toxins. Use household and personal care products that are free from any dyes, perfumes, petrochemicals, parabens or phthalates.
Steer away from gluten, A1 dairy, processed foods, high amounts of added sugars and vegetable oils. These can all exacerbate inflammation.
5. Use probiotic skincare
Apply our Sensitive Kefir Lotion and Sensitive Goat Milk Soap to your skin. These unique, chemical-free, probiotic skincare products contain our award-winning Kefir which helps restore the skin’s natural biome. Read more about why your skin needs probiotic lotions here
Check out our good skin smoothie recipe for eczema here 🍹
Questions? Feel free to contact us on live chat (weekdays from 8am to 8pm) to speak to one of our nutritional therapists.
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