Eczema and an open mind

Hello Sophie

I had some really good results with hypnotherapy. I'd had eczema from infancy to my teenage years - with none after the age of 15. However it returned when I divorced and moved to Edinburgh (from Australia). The GP (yes, GP!) I consulted seemed to think that I was 'trying to again be who I was before I'd met my husband' - and that I might respond to hypnotherapy. He gave me a 20-minute session each week for 4 weeks, and a cassette tape (it was back in 1995) to listen to each night. It worked.

It's possible that in fact it was the divorce+emigration (i.e. lots of stress) which had trigger the relapse. And hence that listening to the tape nightly for a month reduced my stress levels and allowed my body to heal. But, it may well have been the hypnotherapy itself.

[The GP who gave me the treatments has gone and made a business out of hypnotherapy. See .]

Ava x

What a huge question! There seems to be more eczema around than there used to be. One big factor in this is suppression of fever with paracetemol, leading to asthma and eczema. Another is vaccination, which provokes the immune system with unpredictable results.

Think of diseases as existing on a spectrum of toxicity, from the very mild (headaches, rashes) through severe (arthritis, RA, Lupus) to the terminal (cancer etc). Think of symptoms as the body's attempt to recover.

As recovery is attempted and fails, eg through suppression, or ever increasing toxic load, so the disease state shifts further toward the terminal. So acute symptoms reduce while toxicity increases. When toxicity reduces, symptoms appear as the body reveals its cleaning processes, as colds, flu, boils, racshes etc.

Immune suppression reduces processes like eczema, but increases cancer. Stimulating the immune system reduces cancer and increases more minor annoyances.

Add to this picture, eczema often has a symmetrical distribution. Hence it likely has a central cause. In terms of mechanism, the central nervous system cannot easily detox, due to the blood brain barrier working out as well as in. Toxins can travel to the outside along peripheral nerves (CSF has been found right at the distal ends near the skin) and by axonal transport. Where it reaches the surface depends on the activity of the autonomic nervous system, lymphatics, action of blood vessels etc, but the pattern tells a story and gives clues to the particular aspects of each case.

So when the body is dealing with an unusual toxic load and a disrupted immune system, it will take these extraordinary measures to detox. This is worse if the main channels of elimination are working below par. Hence you will see many kids with constipation and skin problems. If mum puts cream (especially steroids) on the rash, the problem is driven inwards as the body's preferred solution is suppressed. TThe problem has to go somewhere, and hence it pops up next in the lungs, hence the number of kids with asthma and eczema.

And so on. If asthma is not resolved and inhalers are used, next phase is deep storage of waste out of harms way - into joints, around heart valves, adipose tissue deposition etc etc. Take anitinflammatories and statins for that lot and already you're brewing the conditions for very serious chronic and degenerative disease.

So resolving this requires understanding the toxic conditions of the body particular to the individual case, and keeping the normal channels of elimination clear. This involves the spine and body mechanics, the organs, the diet, stress levels and so on. Diet is hugely important, but many systems focus so heavily on this that there is little I need to add, here at least. Much more importantly is seeing how those dietary factors cog with the rest of the problem.

Remember that most of our toxins are not mysterious, our own metabolic waste has to be moved along and out constantly - this transport becomes disrupted in a number of ways.

Each case has unique features, of course. My own little patch of eczema went away when I had two metal fillings removed, so in each case we have to understand the entire context and unique obstacles to recovery of the person.

So we remove obstacles to healing and allow the body to resolve things its own way, we never suppress symptoms, although we may seek to make the process as tolerable as possible. Sometimes during this process, fevers, flu, diarrhoea, worsenning of symptoms may occur. It is very important to resist the urge to jump on these new signs of increasing immune activity without regard for what is going on. All too often, modern practitioners are not trained in how to guide the patient through this most important aspect of the recovery.

In the meantime, we understand that these skin rashes and lesions are the body's attempt to recover. However bad they are, the consequence of palliation without regard for the underlying process is potentially far worse.

If you want to know more, I can email you an article on the subject.

Thanks, just as I'd hoped you've given me a couple of new perspectives to ponder

Eczema happens due to 2 parts, one being adrenal gland dysfunction the other being mild liver toxicity/stagnation.

Adaptogenic herbs, vitamin C and Vitamin b5 will help build up the adrenal glands, whilst bitter herbs will take care of the liver.

If only it were the same in every case. Whilst all of that may be true, then understanding adrenal overload/exhaustion/insufficiency and what is causing the liver to be stressed are also vital parts of the equation - and these elements are unique in every case. If we just prop up the adrenals and give a push to the liver, then cause remains, we will only see a limited benefit at best in many cases, knock on effects, dependence on treatment with possible development of tolerance or deepening of toxicity in the long run. In other words, we risk making the patient even more chronic.

This is true, but i mean if your still consuming stimulants, steroids etc then your not going to be able to heal your adrenal glands anyway.

Same goes for liver toxicity, if your still drinking alcohol heavily or medications there wont be vast improvement. Saying that even those that do generally notice improvements with bitters and liver herbs.

Wise words kvdp, as usual. I add to this understanding with a couple more things.

Firstly nutritionally - one of the commonest causes of eczema is cows milk allergy or intolerance (can be either) or gluten intolerance. In which case the gut is where one needs to start!

It is very well worth while eliminating all dairy products (milk, cream, butter, yoghurt, whey protein, buttermilk, and all cheeses) for 4 weeks and see if it makes any difference, then trying the same for all gluten containing foods - anything with wheat or barley in it. Even a small slip-up will cause a reaction if these are the problems, so remember most baked goods have milk incorporated, and many processed foods do too, or anything made of flour - use rice, millet, quinoa or buckwheat instead. So you'll need to read all labels assiduously. Use instead other milks - rice, oat, almond or quinoa milks if you need replacements. Other food intolerances may be involved, so if it's not milk or gluten then it may be worth doing a food intolerance test to find out what it might be - like peanuts, soya, or eggs. There are various herbs that are helpful and certain foods that would also be supportive.

If intolerance is the case then you'll need to avoid all dairy products or gluten containing foods for at least 6 months to allow the body to 'forget' to react to them and then retry some milk products (probably milk, cheese and yoghurt in the same day), or gluten foods, and see if there is a recurrence of the eczema. You will probably have to support gut-healing in the meantime and have the addition of probiotics. For this, the help of a [url]qualified nutritional therapist [/url]is recommended. There is also the possibility that there are enzyme problems that needs a specialist nutritional therapist's help too - a great friend of mine is finally getting her skin problems sorted as a result of this problem.

The other possible help is EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique - [url]see here [/url]for many case reports. This is a wonderfully helpful system that can deal with underlying causes - it is usually better to get practitioner help for this as I find it is not easy to concentrate on one's own! There is a free manual of the basic technique [url]available here [/url]to download.

I would also add that it is best to avoid chemical in things like bubble bath, but I'm sure you are aware of that. I'd limit all chemical cleaners too.

Wishing you all the best

My own little patch of eczema went away when I had two metal fillings removed

I was just wondering about this - can I ask in general how expensive this procedure is, and did you have it done in London etc? I've had eczema on my face since puberty, I also have sebbhorreic dermatitis and various other rashes/blemishes that come and go as they please. Never really been able to get to the bottom of it, even now at the age of 37, have explored so many different things, except mercury toxicity, so was just looking for some general info on it at this stage before I look into it further.

thanks!

If you get your regular dentist to do it, then it's not prohibitively expensive - around £100 per filling. Cheapest I've heard of is £60 in Bristol.

If it's more than one or two, or they're in a bad state, then get a mercury-free, natural, or biological dentist to give you an assessment of the situation, and work out the best plan of action.

These two come with recommendations:

Google 'mercury free' and you'll get various lists and directories.

Due to the galvanic effect of little batteries in our mouths, getting the order wrong can create interesting disturbances, hence the assessment will tell you which ones are most urgent, and what order to do them in.

Also, it may be worth asking about the materials they will be replaced with. Some compounds contain BPA, a known endocrine disruptor, that is gradually being phased out of plastic manufacture for food use.

This is true, but i mean if your still consuming stimulants, steroids etc then your not going to be able to heal your adrenal glands anyway.

Quite, and this is the mechanism for many therapies, both drug and natural. Mild toxins and/or stimulants reduce or suppress symptoms of al kinds. Hence the original topical treatment was mercury, modern steroids are sympathomimetics, they act on the tissues in the same way as cortisol etc. Which is all very well until the patient runs out of reserve some years perhaps down the line.

Many thanks for the dentistry info, I think I have found somewhere local to me that would be suitable, so I will think about when I can schedule it in.

I may be interested in coming along for a session with you sometime, too - I never considered osteopathy for the kind of ailments I have, and it's fairly impossible to treat oneself objectively when sometimes I can't look past the skin rash on my face in the mirror, to the underlying reasons for the manifestations - I've done my fair share of suppression in the past. You seem to know a lot more about the workings of the human body than any other medical practitioner I know Probably get Christmas out the way first though.

For me, eczema is linked to Vit. D, or lack thereof to be more precise. During summer I do not have problems with eczema because I spend a lot of time outdoors working in the gardens. When cold weather sets in I spend much less time in sunlight, then I develop spots of eczema. Taking a Vit. D supplement during late fall and winter is very helpful.

Dogwoman, definitely. There's a lot of talk about vitamin D at the moment. Very wise to get a blood test if you think you're deficient, as the amounts we each need to restore levels can vary greatly. Of course, eczema is not just that, or everybody with D deficiency would have eczema.

Hi

Would like to say a big thank you Kvdp, my baby has excema and i have been doing all i can not to supress it and it is so helpful to see scientifically why this is so important for his health later on..

He is 11months and we have had some success with homeopathy, it is slow progress but it has changed it and recently when i was concerned about him being very mucousy our homeopath explained that it was just his bodys way of throwing out the toxins in a more efficient way than through his skin....(it is so easy to get distracted and want to cure every little thing and see it as an inbalance when you dont know all the workings of the body)

I am so glad i read your posts here today as I was desperate this morning and went and got some conventional creams for the first time but was concerned to use them, in particular the steroid.

For us we are already dairy free and wheat free...i have found nuts and seeds irritate it(thru breastmilk) so have given them up..

i recall there was a nutritionist on here who advised the 5 classic agravators of excema are dairy, gluten, orange juice, potatoes and tomatoes....however our homeopath advises clearing the root cause rather than giving up certain foods for good.

Have found Shea butter the best moisturiser out there, can be bought on Ebay pretty cheaply and it lasts a long time....

Also when his excema has become infected breastmilk has cleared this up....think calendula could be used in some way too for this if you dont have a regular supply of breastmilk lol!!!

I would so appreciate any other insights if there are any on baby excema..

thank you for the great info

anna`

, kids tend to get eczema and other adrenal gland related problems as there adrenals havent matured yet. Which is why newborns and such grow out of eczema, asthma etc.

Make sure the diet is rich in vitamin C and vitamin B5 foods, which are two of the most needed nutrients by the adrenal glands.

Avoid steroidal creams, all they do is further weaken and atrophy the adrenal glands.

I would try vitamin E oil capsule, pricked and smeared on the skin. It might be best to try it on a small patch first to see how it goes, and I'd include some extra vitamin C in the diet - they work together - and if you are avoiding orange juice then kiwi fruit are an excellent source, [url]see here too[/url].

The other thing I'd definitely do is add some probiotics - in the form of unsweetened bio-yoghurt (maybe add some manuka honey to sweeten). You can make your own yoghurt from 'milks' other than dairy using a probiotic capsule as a starter (you need both Acidophilus and Bifidobacteria preferably a quality supplement from the chiller cabinet).

These two strategies alone may resolve the problem.

Whitewillow-have to go out now so no time to look this up properly BUT think you're not supposed to give honey to such a youngster (bacteria?) sorry if I'm scaremongering but I'm allways so worried about babies.

also-Neem Cream worked relly well on my little girl - she's nearly 4 now & goes & gets it to rub on herself now when she needs it.

Yxxx

I work with the body and mind connection and the psychology of disease.

Debbie Shapiro's thoughts link eczema to limiting physical contact and creating a bubble in which we cant be touched due to emotional turmoil. Also, Like a snake shedding its skin its a sign of getting rid of old patterns so that the new person can emerge but there is fear of 'letting go'.

Louise Hay sees it as something getting under your skin and irritating you.
Her daily affirmation for eczema is

"Harmony and peace, love and joy surround me and indwell me. I am safe and secure.".

I thought I'd share my holistic view as you said you are open to ideas.

Hi again,

Many thanks Amlaberry and Caroline....I have included more fruit in his diet, he wont eat kiwi but am trying with some satsumas to see if he is ok with them..i will see which food are VitB5....

Im going to try the VitE capsule too, many thanks...wouldnt have thought of trying that before.

much appreciation,

anna

Hi again,

Many thanks Amlaberry and Caroline....I have included more fruit in his diet, he wont eat kiwi but am trying with some satsumas to see if he is ok with them..i will see which food are VitB5....

Im going to try the VitE capsule too, many thanks...wouldnt have thought of trying that before.

much appreciation,

anna

A great way of including fruits that someone doesn't particulary like is putting them in a smoothie with other fruits. Takes out the taste of the individual fruit.

If you cook fresh there are many recipes where you can "hide" the fruits/vegetables.

All berries are good sources of vitamin C also. Nutritional Yeast is good for b vitamins pending that he isnt allergic to yeast.

Thanks both, great ideas, will do

are naturally dried fruits as good?

Remove the chlorine from your shower or bath water

Most skin conditions react to chlorine in the water in our homes,so if anyone suffers from a skin condition such as Eczema the first thing to do is fit a chlorine removal filter on your shower or bath.
The best are the Vitamin C filters as they actually condition the skin a little but more important they work in both hot and cold water where as most of the general models available are only efficient in cold water and we dont normally shower or bath in cold water.

Thanks Valencia.

Have noticed the dryness from the water and am going to get one of these when have the money.

many thanks, anna

I think skin condition is effected by what you eat, what you put on your skin including what you wash your clothes in, and your health including your mental health. Obviously some people are more sensitive than others and also sensitive to diffrent things.

It can be a bit of a nightmare to identify what is triggering. Biological detergent effects me as does dust. My son is effected by certain foods. If I am stressed then I seem more sensitive.

Last year I developed an eczema type skin condition on my face (self diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitis). It itched like mad and looked ridiculous - very red with lots of skin peeling.

After a bit of internet research I applied some manuka honey to the skin which gave instant relief (that lasted for a couple of days). I also started taking vitamin B tablets which seems to have stopped it altogether.

I think the condition was stress induced (we had new born twins last year) and my guess is that stress must deplete certain B vitimans in the body (this is only a guess)...

I don't know if this approach works for general eczema conditions but it worked well for me...

Hi again,

Just thought I'd share on here what the cause of my sons excema was....took him to a Chiropractor/Kinesiologist/Healer last week and he told me he has an inherited toxicity from his father smoking which he prescribed Sulphur 12x(we had tried Sulphur before in different potencies but he said a 12x is for inherited stuff) He now has another 3weeks left of this, one a day for a month.

Also there was only one allergy to bananas.By using The Emotion Code found out he was picking up on my anger towards his dad and this accounted for the redness. The anger was cleared thru the use of magnetic therapy and now the redness is going.

So in the end it was 3causes, one inherited, one food and one emotional.

After he has suffered with this badly for a year it has now begun clearing within one week...so I would really reccommend to anyone suffering with excema to try a kinesiologist/therapist who offers Emotional Clearings to find out the deeper causes and get well

Love w*w

Dear White Willow,

I have severe Eczema...

Thanks for this suggestion for Kinesiology and Emotional Clearing.

Can you recommend one in the UK?

The Food Hospital

Hi All

I joined this forum with my life coaching hat on but the more time I've spent here, the more intrigued I am by all the new ideas, approaches and beliefs I didn't even know existed.

I would be really interested to hear some of these different ideas and perspectives in relation to eczema. Obviously, I'd like to find out about gettng rid of it but I've got an open mind about how that could happen. I'm hoping you might want to share some thoughts.

Thanks

Sophie

Hi,

I am currently working on a brand new television series for Channel 4 called ‘The Food Hospital’ (working title). The idea of the programme is to explore the possible health benefits of everyday foods in targeting a wide range of medical conditions and symptoms. I am hoping this will be of interest to you.

There’s plenty of evidence to say that our health and our diet are closely linked and current scientific research shows that certain foods can be used to treat some illnesses and / or their symptoms.

Patients attending ‘The Food Hospital’ will be advised by our team of medical professionals, including a GP, a specialist medical Consultant and a leading Dietitian. Using evidence-based, cutting-edge scientific research, the team will prescribe specific diets for the treatment of the patients’ conditions or symptoms.

The team will welcome patients with serious illnesses and everyday ailments alike. The treatment that the Food Hospital will offer is intended to be followed in conjunction with the patient’s existing medical regime, and the Food Hospital medical team will endeavour to work collaboratively with the patient’s current medical advisors.

We are currently looking to speak to people who might be interested in knowing more about ‘The Food Hospital’. This could be people who are living with a condition which affects their life, or people who have recently started to experience symptoms they wish to address.

Please don't hesitate in getting in touch: @betty.co.uk">edd.buckley@betty.co.uk

With many thanks,
Edd Buckley
'The Food Hospital' - Researcher