We’ve all probably heard about the link between good health and what you eat and the importance of changing your diet when there’s a problem. For example, if you have elevated cholesterol, doctors usually recommend you should go easy on red meat and dairy products. Both are known to be high in unhealthy saturated fat and instead, you may want to opt for lean poultry and veggies.
Is there really a connection between diet and eczema? The short answer is it all depends. Some people do have a specific intolerance or allergy to something, that can cause eczema outbreaks, much like someone whose asthma is triggered by allergies. If they encounter a certain type of plant, something in the environment, or a certain type of animal dander, their asthma will act up. It’s the same thing with eczema.
Discovering which specific foods that trigger eczema is more difficult because everybody has different sensitivities. What may bother you and causes an eczema flare-up might not have a similar effect on someone else. Anything with anti-inflammatory properties is good for most inflammatory skin conditions, a category that includes eczema. For example, spices like turmeric and ginger are known for their anti-inflammatory benefits.
Can a specific diet plan help control eczema?
No diet or foods will cure eczema however you can modify your diet to try to keep the symptoms at bay, just like changing your diet to address another chronic health condition. Drinking plenty of water (a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses per day) is key to eczema outbreak prevention and to help moisturize the skin from the inside.
Anti-inflammatory diets have many benefits, including pain relief. These diets are very helpful to address the symptoms of eczema, which can be caused by stress, and your immune system overreacting to allergens or irritants in your environment. Anti-inflammatory diets limit dairy, whole grains, red meat, flour, and sugar, however, they emphasize vegetables and fish.
The best know anti-inflammatory diet is the Mediterranean diet, which medical professionals have long praised for its health benefits. It stresses lots of veggies, whole grains, legumes, fish with omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon or tuna), and olive oil.
Overall, it’s more plant-based and includes a lot of fish and nuts, which is where you’re getting your protein.
Of course, the best of all worlds is to eat clean, meaning eliminating as many processed foods as possible. If you consider going that route, and make it a part of your lifestyle, it will help you with every disease. That includes eczema. That includes heart disease and diabetes, as well as high blood pressure and mental health problems.
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