Establishing A Correlation Between Eczema And Diet
Eczema is a chronic skin infection wherein the skin becomes red and inflamed, and a scaly, itchy rash develops. Those who develop eczema often have a genetic predisposition towards it, similar to other allergic conditions such as asthma and hay fever which tend to run in families. Doctors also believe that there are allergens and irritants in an individual’s environment that can cause the symptoms of eczema to worsen. An additional hypothesis is that a causal connection exists between eczema and diet, whereby particular types of food can cause symptoms to appear.
There is uncertainty regarding the relationship between eczema and allergic reactions to food items, though it seems apparent that eating particular foods does exacerbate the symptoms some individuals experience. Some of the foods that appear to be catalysts for heightened symptoms of eczema are: eggs, chocolate, cow’s milk, seafood, soybeans, food coloring, wheat, acidic foods, and citrus fruits. Individuals who frequently battle eczema may also experience worsening symptoms with the use of sulfites, MSG, and some other food additives.
It can be difficult to determine whether your eczema outbreaks are caused or made worse by consumption of particular food items. The situation tends to vary from person to person and it depends upon the type of diet you are eating. In certain cases, reactions or allergies prompted by foods are almost instantly apparent, but in others, the link does not become known until much later. In some cases, it may be quite a few hours before an allergic reaction surfaces.
Anyone prone to eczema should keep a close watch on their diet and take note of any impact that certain types of foods have on your outbreaks. Ridding your body of a specific food for six weeks is the most effective way to determine whether that food has caused your eczema outbreaks. Should a heightened sensitivity or allergic proclivity exist, you will likely observe an improvement in eczema symptoms during the six weeks during which it is not part of your diet. Those utilizing this method must cut only one food item from their diet at a given time. Removing multiple items from your diet will lead to uncertainty as to which one was responsible for causing the symptoms.
If you have reason to believe that a specific food is aggravating your condition then talk it over with your doctor. He can then determine whether or not the best course of action would be to limit your consumption of that particular food or stop eating it altogether for a specific period of time in order to see if your condition shows signs of improvement.
Eczema is a medical condition that encompasses a number of different skin ailments, from nummular eczema to atopic dermatitis. Although there isn’t actually a cure for it, there are various treatment methods that will give you some relief. Learn more about treatment options including dyshidrotic eczema treatment at the Eczema Treatment site.
