Eczema Home Remedies

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a skin inflammation.  The skin becomes unbearably itchy, red, dry and scaly, sometimes oozing!  Eczema is one of those problems where lifestyle choices can make a huge difference in how badly you suffer.  In this article I will share the most important natural remedies that I know for treating eczema at home.

If your skin problem is bad enough that you get weeping sores, oozing and crusting, make sure to see a doctor, especially if you also have a fever – its too late for just these home remedy tips.  However if your condition is milder and more chronic, then I feel the following guidelines are essential for you to know and memorize!

1. Identify YOUR triggers.

Common triggers include any of the common household chemicals, fragrances, wool clothing, wintery dry weather, and even some medications.   Your diet can be filled with triggers, or sometimes certain foods have a part in maintaining a state in your body where you’re easily triggered.

Foods which increase body tissue acidity will make eczema worse.  The main problem/trigger foods are:

• Citrus
• Seafood (especially oysters, shrimp, herring)
• Alcohol
• Coffee and black tea
• Sugar, candy bars
• Spicy hot food
• Fried food.
• Meat and dairy

2. Most ‘good’ food is your friend in fighting eczema.  Natural foods are good foods.

Some specific foods for fighting eczema:

• Carrots
• Pumpkin
• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, chard, watercress)
• Seaweed
• mung beans, aduki beans, and water chestnut.  Watermelon and cucumber especially during acute phases.

3. Put some micro-algea into your diet.  Chlorella and Spirulina, are filled with chlorophyll which helps to cleanse your blood.  Chlorella is also an intestinal and skin cleanser.   They are both packed with great nutrition and have immune enhancing properties.

4. Also try some flax seed oil.  It helps to reduce inflammation.

5. Clothing: watch out for wool, silk, or polyester clothing which could stimulate your skin.  Wear loose cotton only underwear.

6. Don’t stay in the bathtub too long, and don’t take too many baths.  Adding 1/2 cup of ground oatmeal to bath water might help relieve itching.
Avoid overusing soap and cosmetics.

7. Topically you can try all or just one of these treatments and see which one works for your itch:

• Potato (peel and then directly on, or blend to make a paste and put in bandage changed 3 times a day)
• Papaya,  and its ground up seeds
• Daikon radish
• Apricot (the meat)
• Aspirin if you’re not allergic (grind to fine powder, add water to make a paste, apply to area twice a day)

Chinese medicine with acupuncture and herbs can go a long way to not just alleviate the itch, but also help get rid of your eczema.  Regardless of whether your situation is acute or chronic, Chinese medicine can help.  How much it helps depends on the skill of the practitioner.