Eczema is a common skin condition that is marked by itchy and inflamed patches of skin. The most common type of eczema is known as atopic dermatitis or atopic eczema. [1] Psoriasis manifest similar symptoms as eczema but it is often more severe, characterized by patches of abnormal skin, which look red and scaly. They may vary in severity from small and localized to complete body coverage.

 

Symptoms of eczema and psoriasis can range from mild – such as having dry, sensitive skin; to severe – red and inflamed skin with very bad itching, flaky skin, discolouration on patches of skin to blisters with blood oozing out of it due to persistent scratching. I suffered from bad childhood eczema and the scars on my leg still give me shudders, recalling the deep itch within that even scratching cannot sooth. I am sure any of you who suffered from this unbearable itch will be able to relate!

The most exasperating thing about autoimmune issues like eczema and psoriasis is: there is no exact cause and cure! Eczema and psoriasis sufferers can identify with the pain and suffering of being inflicted with Eczema or Psoriasis as there is no clear indication of its triggers and it can flare up anytime, anywhere. You may also feel lost and not know what to do since there is no exact way of pinpointing the actual trigger.

After speaking to many people who struggle with skin itch, we suggest at 3 main ways (not mutually exclusive) to manage eczema and psoriasis by looking at its potential causes:

1. According to Healthline, Eczema is thought to be triggered by an overactive immune system that responds aggressively to the presence of irritants. It can also be caused by an abnormal response to proteins that are part of the body. Normally, the immune system ignores these proteins and attacks only the proteins of invaders, such as bacteria or viruses. In Eczema, the immune system is unable to distinguish between the two, which causes inflammation. [2]
2. In holistic health, toxicities such as heavy metal toxicities are considered to be the root of all skin disorders. Toxicities can causes leaky gut syndrome, which creates allergic reactions to substances and foods and sets your body into a chronic inflammatory state eg. Eczema which attacks the skin. [3]
3. Bad food choices such as processed foods which contain additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients can exacerbate eczema symptoms and cause free radical damage, with inflammation from eczema further creating more free radicals, making it a downward spiral for eczema sufferers.

I am sure you have armed yourself with steroids and anti-histamines which can help in temporary relief, but before you start relying on them, it is of utmost importance to place emphasis on the following to reverse eczema and psoriasis in the holistic health aspect:

1. Undergoing cellular detoxification, which is an important pillar to relieving eczema symptoms. Detoxification is understood very loosely nowadays but it is important to find well-researched natural elements like Spirulina which is known to be effective in removing heavy metals from the nervous system and the liver; Chlorella which is a solid green-coloured form of algae that is also known to be effective in removing heavy metals due to its tough cell walls that binds to toxins in the body so as to eliminate them. [4]
2. Taking supplements and foods that are high in anti-oxidative properties so as to reduce free radical damage and therein provide relief for eczema.
3. Learning to know your Eczema & Psoriasis triggers by keeping a notebook that tracks the food that you eat, drink and other lifestyle habits so as to potentially identify the trigger source and reduce exposure to it.

Here are some common and convenient tried-and-tested home remedies, with many testimonials of people who felt relief from their eczema and psoriasis symptoms:

1) Negative Ion Clothes

In the above example, Karen, who used to be a music teacher from Hong Kong, suffered for more than 30 years from extremely bad skin condition due to eczema, food allergies and auto-immune disorders. After she started using negative ion clothes, she saw huge improvements in her skin condition in just 8 weeks. The image above shows the progress she achieved while using negative ion clothes.

With the skin being the largest organ in our body, Negative Ion Clothes is a non-invasive remedy that is worn externally. Made in Japan in 1956 and Swiss Oekotex-certified, Negative Ion Clothes are made up of Teviron and Neoron, which supply an abundance of negative ions directly to your skin. By wearing negative ion clothes, the absorption efficiency of negative ions is increased to 85%.

“After using a negative ion glove, my tendon spurs disappeared and my hand numbness went away. Some months later, my hand eczema disappeared!” – Bao Meidi’s testimonial (Dallas, USA)

Besides purifying the blood and improving blood circulation, negative ions help to keep the cells healthy and increase cell activity by optimizing the body’s oxygen intake and waste elimination in the cells, which helps cells to vitalise and become healthy. This is in line with the cellular detoxification which we shared about earlier to manage eczema. Negative ions also help to boost the overall immune system. [5]

Moreover, with its superior moisture and water permeability, negative ion clothes have been reported to prevent skin irritation because it dries super fast! It is also recommended to wear negative ion clothes 24/7 to reap the best benefits. You can read some of the testimonials here, where users have demonstrated a remarked improvement in their eczema and psoriasis conditions with the help of negative ion clothes.

If you wish you speak to a professional negative ion clothes specialist regarding your specific condition, please write to them directly. You can also read about our founder’s experience with negative ion clothes here.

2) Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has proven anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral components due to its lauric acid component. Applying thin layers of Coconut oil can help to soothe the skin and reduce itching as coconut oil is absorbed into the skin pretty quickly and fills in the inter-cellular space that is opened up and causes you to lose moisture.[6] Being a lipid, it prevents your skin from drying out and becoming more irritated. Packed full of vitamins that help to nourish the skin, Coconut oil can possibly help to improve Eczema conditions.

Note to only use raw, organic and cold-pressed coconut oil that is in its most natural form to prevent absorbing toxins from any fake oils out there!

3) Essential Oils

Essential oils can help in reducing skin inflammation while increasing the moisture barrier in the skin. Some of the essential oils that can help with eczema conditions comprise of the following [7]:

• Tea Tree Oil helps to relieve itchiness while reducing soreness and inflammation.
• Thyme Oil contains Carvacrole, an organic compound that functions as a natural defense against pain, swelling, infection and inflammation.
• Eucalyptus Oil helps to effectively treat pain relief and inflammation.

Do note to only use 100% pure essential oils that are free from additives and adulterants and the essential oils should be diluted with carrier oils such as olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil etc. for safe topical application on the skin due to its high concentration.

Healthambition details a good list of essential oils to use, including home made ones with their ‘recipes’!

4) Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe Vera Gel is another natural remedy that you can consider due to its rich anti-inflammatory and healing compounds. When applied on itchy skin arising from eczema and psoriasis, it has a cooling sensation which helps in relieving itchiness.

You can choose to either purchase individual Aloe Vera pieces directly from the supermarket or purchase ready-made Aloe Vera gels from your local pharmacy. Alternatively, you can even try to grow the plant yourself so as to harness its goodness directly from the natural source. Again, we recommend organic sources to cut down exposure to chemicals.

5) Probiotics

Having lackluster gut health can also be a potential trigger for eczema and psoriasis as the gut is unable to eliminate the bad bacteria from the body effectively. This results in a decreased ability to detox and affects the immune system as 80% of the immune system lies in having healthy guts.

Therefore, loading up on probiotic-rich food such as yogurt and fermented foods such as kimchi, miso, kefir, sauerkraut can help with improving gut health, which in turn reduces the chances of Eczema and Psoriasis flare-ups and improves your skin condition in the long run.

6) Flax seeds, Chia seeds and Turmeric

Chock-full of Omega-3 fatty acids, flax seeds are also another natural remedy for eczema and psoriasis conditions as it blocks a chemical in the human body called arachidonic acid, which causes inflammation. [8] You can either choose to grind the flaxseeds into a powder form or take Flaxseed oil supplements.

Chia seeds have similar benefits but are often more expensive than flaxseed so we are recommending the more economical option!

Turmeric is renowned for being anti-inflammatory and it helps to reduce inflammation in skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. This can be attributed to Curcumin, an anti-oxidant found in turmeric, which protects the skin by neutralising free radicals and reducing the downtime for wound-healing. [8] To achieve benefits, it is best to combine the intake of Black Pepper with Turmeric as Black Pepper contains piperine, which increases the bioavailability of Curcumin in Turmeric and in turn increases the levels of absorption of Curcumin. [9]

7) Spirulina

Spirulina, a spiral-shaped microalgae that grows naturally in the wild in warm, fresh water lakes, has a lot of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that is commonly used for treatment of skin conditions such as Eczema due to its nourishing effect on skin. In addition, Spirulina helps to boost the immune system. Spirulina can either be taken in the powder form mixed with water or in the pill form. [10]

8) Do coffee and wheatgrass enemas regularly

Even though this may sound like a gross practice initially, enemas are an extremely effective way to cleanse our colon (which influences our gut health and level of inflammation in the body!) if administered properly. Please read here to see recommended instructions.

9) Holistic Detox

If you are like me, and a new environment helps you to reset your wellness habits better, you can consider a holistic detox program customized for you at professional detox centers such as The Lifeco at Phuket. FYI – Kate Moss detoxes at their Turkey branch!

Because all the healthy juices and food are prepared for you, and all the holistic treatments are meant to detox and relax your body, I always return home from these detox in a better state. You can read more of our team’s experience here and also read on to get your 5% promo code (Code at the end) if you choose to invest in your detox program!

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In a nutshell, in order to up your chances of winning the battle against Eczema and Psoriasis, and reduce the frequency of its flare-ups, an integrated approach that ranges from reducing stress levels, having healthy lifestyle habits with high density of anti-oxidants and negative ions, eating nutritious diet that is filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein to constantly monitoring your skin and health condition is needed to improve the overall immune system, which will in turn reduce your susceptibility to illnesses such as Eczema and Psoriasis.

About our writer, Harper Lee

Harper Lee is a health aficionado who is always on the constant look-out for health hacks and news to build up her wealth of knowledge on holistic health. She hopes that her articles will inspire others to achieve health via natural remedies and live life centered on the pillars of good health and wellness.

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Sources:
1. “Skin Conditions and Eczema
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/atopic-dermatitis-eczema#1

2. “Eczema” http://www.healthline.com/health/eczema#symptoms4

3. “Dermatitis and Eczema natural cure” http://www.lindaburke.co.uk/conditions-d-h/dermatitis-and-eczema

4. “6 Potent Superfoods to Detox Heavy Metals from your Body and Mind” http://www.wakingtimes.com/2016/03/30/6-potent-superfoods-to-detox-heavy-metals-from-body-mind/

5. “What is a Negative Ion” http://www.negativeionclothes.com/science/

6. “Alternative Eczema Remedies #1: Coconut Oil” https://www.scratchsleeves.co.uk/alternative-remedies-coconut-oil-for-eczema/

7. “12 Anti-inflammatory Essential Oils to Heal Eczema” by Lindsay Sheehan http://www.naturallivingideas.com/heal-eczema-with-essential-oils/

8. “10 Home Remedies for Eczema and Psoriasis Relief” by Readers’ Digest http://www.rd.com/health/conditions/home-remedies-for-eczema-psoriasis/

9. “Amazing health benefits of Black Pepper and Turmeric” https://www.turmericforhealth.com/turmeric-benefits/health-benefits-of-black-pepper-and-turmeric

10. “Should you take Spirulina for Eczema Treatment” https://spirulinathegreat.com/should-you-take-spirulina-for-eczema-treatment

11. Feature Photo Credit: BeHealthy24.com

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Disclaimer:

The information on this website is for informational and educational purposes only. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by health care professionals. Readers are therefore encouraged to consult with a licensed health care professional concerning the information presented, which has been received from sources deemed reliable, but no guarantees, expressed or implied, can be made regarding the accuracy of same. Therefore, readers are also encouraged to verify for themselves and to their own satisfaction the accuracy of all reports, recommendations, conclusions, comments, opinions, or anything else published herein before making any kind of decisions based upon what they have read.