Isolating The Cause of Eczema

Eczema in many people is an adverse reaction to specific substances. If those substances are environmental, a good moisturizer such as jojoba oil should be used to protect your skin and help it heal.
But if the culprits are food, you have to eliminate the offenders – something that is easier said than done, but vital if you want to handle your eczema. The most common offending foods are eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, cows’ milk and fish. Corn is also high on the list.
If you suspect your eczema is caused by a food allergy, you need to eliminate one food at a time. If you eliminate more than one, and your eczema gets better, you won’t be able to tell which food was causing it. Start with one of the foods on the list above, since these are the usual suspects, and stop eating it for at least a week to allow enough time for change in your eczema to occur.
You have to be careful that you eliminate all sources of the food since many prepared foods, including soups, sauces, and so on, also contain the offending food. Corn is found in some of the last places you would expect – like frozen orange juice and Hershey’s chocolate syrup. Wheat is probably in half of the boxes and cans in your cupboard. In fact, many people are convinced that wheat, for example, can’t possibly be the problem because they gave up bread and pasta long ago. But, they haven’t looked at the ingredients of the food in their cupboards.
Also, when testing children, remember that their digestive systems are still developing and, consequently, they may have reactions to any new food you introduce. If the reaction is severe, you should of course eliminate it immediately. But if it is minor, wait for a few weeks to see if the reaction stops.
Remember, too, that other factors such as stress can also exacerbate the condition. If you eliminate eggs at the same time as quitting a stressful job, the improvement may be because of the stress factor, not the eggs.
The best thing to do is to keep other things constant while you’re testing the foods – don’t introduce brand new foods, don’t make any big changes in your life that affect you emotionally – try to keep everything the same except the food you’re eliminating.
It’s also important to make sure you don’t start using new cleaning products or other chemicals that may stir things up. As it’s sometimes difficult to know what chemicals or environmental toxins you’re going to come in contact with, the best thing to do is use a moisturizer. A moisturizer bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective barrier that prevents chemicals from irritating the skin. So it’s the perfect topical eczema treatment for those who react to those substances, and it ensures that environmental toxins don’t enter into the mix when doing the food testing. Apply it every day, and start a week or so before the food testing.If you can’t find which of the foods is the culprit on your own, find a doctor or nutritionist who can help you do the testing.