Day 13: Nutrition: The Do’s and Don’ts of Eating with Eczema
Eczema, or dermatitis, is a non-contagious skin condition that presents itself as itching, redness, oozing or dry, scaly patches of skin.
If you or someone you know suffers from eczema, then you know how irritating it can be. Frequent flare-ups can disrupt your daily activities.
This skin condition can be a helpful sign to prompt you to dig deeper and discover what your body is trying to tell you.
There are several possible causes of eczema but all fall under 3 areas: stress, gut health and liver stress.
Many remedies exist on the market to relieve the symptoms of eczema, such as topical creams, but there are things you should do right now to treat the problem. Number one is pay attention to your diet.
Foods to Eat
- Beans (black, pinto, chickpeas, etc.)
- Grains (buckwheat, millet, quinoa, brown, jasmine or basmati rice, oats) only eat gluten-free versions of grains and flours
- Oils (Coconut, extra virgin olive oil, sunflower)
- Seeds (chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower) store in freezer to maintain freshness
- Sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, stevia, blackstrap molasses, coconut sugar)
- Greens (lettuce, collards, kale, mustard or dandelion, arugula)
- Veggies (asparagus, celery, green beans, sprouts, beets, bell peppers, carrots, artichoke, broccoli, bok choy, cucumbers, mushrooms, onions and garlic (sparingly), peas, squash, zucchini)
- Fruits (kiwi, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, plums, apples, cantaloupe, pears, mangoes, peaches, lemons, limes, watermelon, olives)
- Proteins (organic, hormone and antibiotic-free chicken, beef, turkey or lamb)
- Milk substitutes (coconut, hemp, oat, rice milk)
Foods to Avoid
- Cow’s milk
- Eggs
- Fish and shellfish
- Nuts (peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, Brazil, cashews, macadamia, hazelnuts)
- Soy
- Wheat
- Aged or fermented foods (cheese, avocado, hot dogs, pepperoni, salami, dried fruits, eggplant, beer, wine, kefir, kombucha, yogurt, vinegars, spinach, tomatoes, tuna, sardines, sour cream)
- Foods that trigger histamine (chocolate, pineapple, strawberries, gum, food coloring, carrageenan, bananas, papaya)
*Always consult your doctor for health diagnoses.