4 Steps to Beat Eczema

Most eczema sufferers believe that there is no cure for their eczema. If you define "cure" as a magic pill that you take one time and you will never have any symptoms ever again, then you're right, there is no cure. If you define "cure" as simply having no symptoms, then yes, there is a cure. You can put your eczema symptoms into permanent remission.

The first step is to get to the root cause of your symptoms. Most sufferers just address their symptoms. They keep their skin moisturized, they use creams to relieve itching, they take short, warm showers instead of long hot baths, and do many other things to keep their symptoms in check. There is nothing wrong with this, and if you are doing this now you should continue to do it until you have discovered the root cause of your eczema and made the changes to stop them forever.

Allergies, both food and environmental, and chemical sensitivities play a major role in causes of eczema. You might want to get a battery of allergy tests. Look at the products you use every day around your house. Does a particular product cause you to wrinkle your nose a little more than others? Does a particular product dry your hands when you use it? Does your eczema seem to be just a little worse after you have used a product? You may not be allergic to these products in the classic sense, but if they cause a reaction, you should replace them with products that don't irritate you or cause an eczema flare up.

The second step is to change your diet. Of course, eliminate any foods that you are allergic to, but you will also want to eliminate as many processed foods as possible from your diet, and start to eat organically raised produce and meats. Cut down or eliminate things like white flour, snack foods, and soft drinks from your diet. Organically raised foods don't contain pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, and antibiotics that non-organic foods do. Every time you eat non-organic foods, you are ingesting trace amounts of these poisons, and some of them remain in your body.

Step three is to detoxify your body. This flushes the toxins out of your body that have accumulated in your cells over the years because of exposure to chemicals in your environment and a less than optimum diet. A wise course would be to consult a naturopathic doctor before you start a detox cleanse. For the first few days of the cleanse you might feel slightly ill. This is normal. The toxins that have built up in your body over time in minute amounts are now being flushed in relatively large amounts and your body is reacting to these poisons. After a few days you will start to feel better.

The last step is to rebuild your immune system. Whether you knew it or not, your immune system has been compromised by exposure to toxins and allergens, and a lack of optimum nutrition. With your immune system at peak health, you will be able to fight off any eczema factors that could lead to a re-occurrence of your symptoms. Again, a naturopath can help you with the proper supplements.

If you take the time to identify the root cause of your symptoms and then apply these four steps, you will find that your symptoms will disappear. It won't happen overnight - but it won't take months either - but you will find that you have beat eczema, and that's the end goal.

By Hal Hendricks