“According to the National Eczema Association, 31.6 million people (10.1%) in the U.S. have some form of eczema. One in ten individuals will develop eczema during their lifetime, with prevalence peaking in early childhood.” This skin condition is a significant problem for Americans. Not only is it uncomfortable, itchy, and unappealing, it is a warning sign of deeper issues. Unfortunately, the causes can be multifactorial, making them difficult to manage and resolve. The most common treatments are prescription steroids or topical creams. While this may mitigate symptoms, it does not get to the root cause of the problem. There is not a one size fits all approach. Instead, identifying the underlying issues may take a multi-pronged approach.
Chiropractic and Eczema
One vital aspect often overlooked is interference with the nervous system. Because the nervous system controls every process in your body, interference with this system can cause stress in your body in many different ways. Chiropractors look for spinal misalignments (subluxations) that cause interference in the nervous system. Rather than looking to treat the symptoms (eczema), chiropractors look to resolve the interference so that the body can function and heal at a higher level. A nervous system assessment is the first step to start and is the first of the MaxLiving 5 Essentials of health.
Lifestyle changes
The other four essentials of health, quality nutrition, oxygen and exercise, mindset, and minimizing toxins, also play vital roles in tackling eczema. Food intolerances and allergies can contribute to eczema symptoms. Dairy, soy, wheat, and nuts are well-known triggers. You can try an elimination diet where you remove all sources of these trigger foods for no less than thirty days and note any changes in symptoms.
Eating an anti-inflammatory diet with plenty of high-quality fats is vital in mitigating eczema. It will be crucial to avoid processed foods, fried foods, sugar, and damaged fats (like vegetable oils, canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and any hydrogenated oils). Increase omega 3’s by eating more flax seeds and flaxseed oil, wild-caught salmon, mackerel, and sardines. A high-quality omega supplement like Optimal Omega is also ideal. The MaxLiving Advanced Plan checks these boxes and much more.
There is a tremendous connection between the health of your gut and skin issues like eczema. Your gastrointestinal tract, when healthy, plays an important role in preventing undigested food,
microbes, and toxins from “leaking” into the bloodstream. When this occurs, your body’s immune system thinks there is a foreign invader and reacts by causing inflammation, manifesting as skin issues and other symptoms. Nutritional testing helps pinpoint whether or not this is occurring and gives a roadmap to resolution.
High-quality probiotics like MaxLiving’s Probiotic 50B can be a great place to start. Eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha are excellent sources of probiotics as well. Often, a gut-healing protocol involves a removal phase, a replace and reinoculate phase, and a repair phase through specific supplementation. Talk to your MaxLiving doctor about testing and gut protocols.
Avoiding toxins and detoxification
Toxins we are exposed to daily drastically affect the body’s glutathione levels. Low levels of glutathione can lead to many health issues, including psoriasis, eczema, vasculitis, and other skin issues. Avoiding exposure to toxins and daily detoxification is essential to building and maintaining adequate glutathione levels. MaxLiving’s Detox System is excellent because they give your body the precursors to glutathione so that the body can produce it naturally.
Some of the most significant toxic culprits related to skin disorders are monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial sweeteners like aspartame (Equal), neotame (Nutrasweet), and sucralose (Splenda), so be sure to read labels carefully. Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and aluminum are particularly troublesome. Primary sources of these exposures are amalgam (silver) fillings, vaccines, large fish, pipes, china, cookware, and water. Avoid toxic cleaning products and personal care items as toxins can exacerbate eczema symptoms.
Sun and Vitamin D
Vitamin D is crucial for many cells, organs, tissues, and processes in the body, and there is research showing its impact on the risk and severity of eczema. While sun exposure is ideal for increasing Vitamin D levels, most Americans need supplementation due to lack of sunlight, sunscreens, and insufficient body exposure to sunlight. An Australian study of 7600 children showed that those who lived in areas with less sun and lower temperatures were TWICE as likely to develop eczema due to lower Vitamin D levels.
Sun exposure results in higher Vitamin D levels, and there is a cascade effect. As Vitamin D levels rise, antimicrobial proteins known as cathelicidins also rise. Cathelicidins work to reduce bacteria and parasites in the skin. They, in turn, reduce inflammation related to these microbes, which can reduce the incidence and severity of eczema. (1)
Natural Topical Relief
For natural relief of eczema symptoms, use extra virgin coconut oil on the skin; take 20-minute baths with Epsom salts, baking soda, or apple cider vinegar. Vitamin A applied topically can also boost the immune system and reduce local inflammation.
In conclusion, putting these pieces of the puzzle together can unlock the resolution to your eczema symptoms and make you generally healthier along the way.
About the Author
Kimberly Roberto is a wife, mother of three, author, and business owner. She and her husband Fred have owned and operated a chiropractic and wellness clinic for the last 25 years. Kimberly and Fred have been a part of MaxLiving since its onset. Kimberly co-authored the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans book in 2009 which sold over 10,000 copies and recently authored MaxLiving’s Maximizing Your Pregnancy, Birth and Newborn book. She’s a holistic nutritionist and maintains a healthy cooking/recipe blog. She is passionate about natural health and helping people reach their potential for health and wellness. She resides in Marietta, GA, and their three children are now grown and attending college.
References
(1) https://www.progressivehealth.com/can-sunlight-help-reduce-eczema.htm
