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Naturopathic Treatment for Eczema

Eczema is a fairly common skin condition which is usually treated by topical cortisone creams. A naturopathic approach to eczema, however, looks at the whole body in order to treat eczema. In this way, treatment for eczema includes dietary and lifestyle changes, and can also include acupuncture or homeopathic remedies.

  1. What is Eczema?

    • Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a skin condition linked to increased immune activity. It usually begins in childhood, and is related to asthma and hay fever in a group known as atopy. It affects between 10 to 15% of the population, according to eczemaguide.com, and is increasing for reasons no one understands.

    What is Naturopathy?

    • Naturopathy is a form of medicine which treats the body as a totality. Because of this, in diagnosing and treating disease, practitioners will look to underlying causes and how the condition affects the entire body. Naturopathic Doctors (N.D.s) and Naturopathic Medical Doctors (N.M.D.s) use a variety of treatments such as herbalism, homeopathy, acupuncture, and nutrition. They also will encourage patients to make healthy lifestyle changes.

    Eczema and Naturopathy

    • Eczema is treated by naturopathy as a disease that is presenting on the skin, but which is affecting the entire body. Because of this, treating only the symptom, the skin rash, is not an option. The naturopath will first ask the patient to look at dietary and lifestyle changes such as limiting or stopping the consumption of alcohol, caffeine and processed foods, as well as smoking cigarettes. Sugar intake will be limited and the naturopath will ask the patient to exercise more and spend more time outdoors. Relaxation techniques will be encouraged and taught. Food allergies and sensitivities will be identified and eliminated. The naturopath may also prescribe acupuncture treatments for eczema, and may introduce homeopathic remedies.

    Foods to Avoid

    • A naturopath will look at the patient's specific food sensitivities and make personal recommendations based on her diagnosis. However, there are certain foods that seem to exacerbate eczema, and other foods which seem to help cure it. Limiting or eliminating sugar of all types is a common recommendation for helping eczema. Sugar can come in many forms, and looking at ingredient labels for glucose, fructose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, and dextrose may help to begin identifying hidden sugars in the diet. Foods that are highly processed can also be a culprit, so eliminating these is important. Many grains and nuts are also problems for people with eczema and will need to be eliminated in order to follow a naturopathic prescription. A naturopathic doctor will tailor the recommendations to suit each individual patient, but these are common problems with diet which can affect eczema.

    Foods to Add

    • Eating fresh vegetables and fruits may help eczema, and will be recommended by the naturopath. Also increasing intake of essential fatty acids in the form of cold water fish, or fish oil supplements is encouraged. Flavonoids, found in many berries, can also help to decrease eczema and should be eaten. These are just some of the general practices that many naturopaths recommend, but a qualified doctor can make more specific recommendations to suit your personal needs.

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