Today Abby from PrimePhysiqueNutrition.com is sharing her amazing story of healing eczema naturally after a lifetime of extreme suffering and failed treatments. Welcome, Abby!
My journey has been painful and tiring, but I'm glad to say that I've finally overcome severe eczema – despite numerous doctors telling me that eczema can never be cured. As a teenager, I had doctor appointments lined up on a weekly basis to see if I could find relief for my eczema. It was tiring, and above all else, frustrating.
I was tired of waking up finding blood on my fingers, seeing dead skin flakes on the floor, and showering with stinging rashes over my body. Doctors, unfortunately, said that it was one of the worst cases they had ever seen.
I had almost given up on all treatments – because I hadn’t found anything that worked. I had tried medication, steroids, and cortisone creams for at least 10 years, and it wasn’t until I switched to natural remedies, that I finally noticed a difference.
Healing eczema naturally from the inside out
In over a decade, I’ve spent countless hours doing research and thousands of dollars in treatments and products in order to find something that would work – be it through medication, steroids, or cortisone creams. Doctors told me that there is no cure for eczema, and that the only way to help it is to continue to put medication on, which, sadly, will only suppress the inflammation more.
After trying to find a solution for so long, I finally decided to try alternative treatments instead. At first I was hesitant, but I ended up trying some natural remedies, similar to the ones that Emily describes in her book, The Eczema Cure. I saw such an incredible difference.
Here are four of the main things that I did to help my eczema get better, which I hope can help you or someone you know who suffers with eczema.
#1 – Fix your gut
In The Eczema Cure, Emily talks about healing digestion. Most people with eczema have some sort of gut dysbiosis, and the issue stems from what’s known as a “leaky gut.” This happens when the lining of the small intestine becomes permeable and allows undigested nutrients, toxins and bacteria to “leak” through the intestines and go into the blood stream. The foreign substances that enter the blood then cause an autoimmune response in the body, which leads to allergic reactions such as eczema.
To combat this, I did a ton of research and started implementing good digestion tips, taking probiotics (that had at least 10 billion CFU), and filling my diet with fermented foods, such as sauerkraut. This began to increase the amount of good bacteria in my gut to help my skin heal.
Doctors also used to give me antibiotics frequently whenever I was not feeling too well, so I stopped relying on antibiotics (as they can kill a lot of the good bacteria in the gut). By natural remedies for immune support (like garlic, onions, and oregano oil), this has kept my gut healthier and happier, and my bloating has also decreased significantly.
I truly believe that the skin is a reflection of what is going on inside the body – so once you fix your gut, your skin will begin to heal as well.
#2 – Change your diet
Many eczema sufferers are sensitive to certain foods, without even knowing it. Foods such as sugar, wheat, processed foods, and white flour often exacerbate eczema.
During my huge eczema flare up, I noticed that my gut was so out of whack that I was constantly gassy, had trouble digesting foods, and would feel tingling in my fingers whenever I ate the wrong foods.
In 2012, my friend asked if I wanted to try the elimination diet with her. I was incredibly pessimistic at first, but I ended up switching to an all natural, unprocessed, whole foods diet. Within 2 months, I had experienced tremendous healing.
The Eczema Cure also covers the elimination diet and teaches in more detail on what foods to eat to help your eczema get better.
#3 – Reduce stress
We often overlook stress, and we don’t even realize the extent that it affects us.
When my skin began healing, I was having a lot of trouble getting the last 5-10% of my skin to heal. I was so frustrated because I couldn’t figure out why. I was eating what most people would call a perfect diet, and I was exercising.
It wasn’t until I quit my really stressful job, that my skin naturally healed itself! Why? Simply because I removed the biggest stressor in my life, and the flare ups naturally disappeared.
For you, stress may not necessarily come from your job; wheat and stress for one person may be just as reactive as dry weather and cow’s milk to another. In order to cure your eczema, it’s important to identify what triggers create a flare for you.
#4 – Eat Omega 3’s
The DHA in omega-3 fatty acid is particularly helpful as it reduces inflammation in all cells of the body.
For my own treatment, I doubled the dosage from 1-2 grams a day to 3-4 grams a day to reduce the inflammation. If you use a good quality fish oil, you’ll notice that the quality and softness of your skin will change as well (especially if you have eczema). Make sure to look for a good quality fish oil such as this one.
Other supplements (like such as vitamin D) will also help improve immunity, hormone function, and skin conditions like eczema.
How I feel today
I no longer get severe eczema flare ups like I used to. With my gut, digestive system, and overall immune system strengthened, I’m also able to eat regular foods that I couldn’t before, without flaring up or getting a tingling sensation anymore. (Of course, I still try to eat as healthy as possible).
I have encountered many doctors who tell their patients that there is no hope for eczema, and I find that many eczema sufferers lose hope after hearing this. Don’t be alarmed if your healing does not come overnight. Since it’s taken years of bad habits for toxins to accumulate in your body, it will also take some time for your body to reverse the damage.
Since I'm not able to cover all the natural remedies and tips in this one single blog post – be sure to check out The Eczema Cure to learn how to heal the root cause of your eczema from the inside out.
Click here to get The Eczema Cure now
Abby Lai is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who is passionate about helping clients to heal eczema and achieve optimal health. Find her at PrimePhysiqueNutrition.com, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.
wow! I love to hear stories like this. My son had eczema since birth and in 2009 when he started kindergarten we did an elimination diet. We found dairy and gluten to be trigger foods. We also added tallow and fclo to his diet and now at 10 he has the most beautiful soft skin. 🙂 also we eliminated a lot of gut issues he was having. A real food diet works! I promote it every chance I get.
Always amazed by the power of good nutrition! 🙂 It seems absurd to me that so many doctors and dermatologists refuse to believe that diet has any role in skin health. These sorts of skin conditions are particularly tough – I’m glad people like you are spreading such a great message! 🙂 There is hope!
Thanks so much for sharing my story! I hope it can help as many people as possible, and show people that healing our gut and eating real food really does make a difference to our bodies 🙂
Cheers!
Abby
http://www.primephysiquenutrition.com
This is my story, nearly exactly! I’m working on the same thing, and although I’m still testing and identifying some foods in my diet that are causing flareups, I’m on my way to healing too! Congrats to you, Abby! It’s hard as junk, but it’s totally worth it (experience speaking).
Wow, I really love this story. We eat whole food, organic diets here incorporating herbalism and fermented foods. I have 2 sons, who on rare occasions get a little eczema. They both have MCS, multiple chemical sensitivity and for them when their skin is irritated, it usually means a chemical reaction to something. As you can imagine, my focus is always on gut health and very slowly over the last few years have been introducing food bit by bit and know how important the right diet is. Emily I wonder if you would consider doing an article one day on MCS and just like Abby with her eczema note the importance of good gut health for those who have allergies and sensitivities to not just food but to other things as well? No doubt there would be individuals suffering symptoms of MCS and not know about holistic management for their ailments. General GP’s don’t believe in MCS and when someone with chemical sensitives goes to the Dr, they are generally fobbed off and considered a hypochondriac and left feeling hopeless just like Abby was with her eczema. Congratulations Abby, work hard, get the reward. Don’t I know it! 🙂
i have a similar story but my issue was acne not eczema. As soon as I eliminated certain foods after an elimination diet, switched to a whole food diet, and started using oils on my face, my skin immediately started clearing up!
You have inspired me to buy The Eczema Cure – I have suffered since 6 weeks of age with eczema, asthma, allergies and sensitivities to fabrics, chemicals, the environment, water, air and the sun. I am a hodgepodge of immune problems. Once I was diagnosed at age 27 with Hashimoto’s disease, I wanted to get off the steroids I had been fed since childhood and started looking for holistic cures. I found a host of books and resources on gut healing and how it can improve the skin and immune function. I have been hesitant about a book (or e-book) that claims to cure eczema but the message is similar to the gut healing protocols I have been trying to follow for over a year now but only found success in strict elimination diets. I am hopeful because of your stories that I too can be free of this disease. Thanks Emily and Abby.
I am very glad to hear your story on eczema. My grandaughter has it and I am very concerned because she is only eight months old, Her mother is so set on listening to the doctor as far as trying different types of creams which don’t work, I use natural products and will give her some to use on the baby but she doesn’t, she takes them home but wont use them. What can I do , the baby is suffering so.
Amazing ! ! I am a chronic sufferer and the worst eczema is on my face . I am so inspired by your courage ( I have shame for so many years) ) and your success . Thank you for sharing your story . It gives me hope in my own plight . 🙂
My friends daughters are 4 and 6, they have 2 of thw worst cases of eczema in soutgern oregon..is there any way you coukd send me the book, my money is limited but would love to help these 2 previous girls. Thank you