Working as a naturopathic doctor, I see a wide range of skin disorders. I love treating skin disorders like eczema because the conventional treatments do not get to the root cause. Naturopathic care can help turn around conditions like eczema. I have had patients with severe eczema as patients; they have certainly experienced much pain and suffering due to their condition. The typical treatment for eczema is corticosteroid cream prescribed by a medical doctor. The cream certainly makes the eczema go away temporarily but is comes back when you stop using the cream. When I treat skin conditions I look at the picture more deeply. Any time you are expressing something on your skin (like eczema), you are likely not eliminating your toxins efficiently by your liver, gut or kidneys. The skin is a secondary vs primary emunctory to eliminate toxins.
The first thing I do for a patient when they present with a skin disorder is test them for food allergies. The top allergens I see being synonymous with skin conditions, include either dairy, gluten or wheat, eggs, citrus fruits, and/or soy. I test for food allergies using serum testing for IgG antibodies. The foods that show up as being allergenic must be eliminated to start calming down the inflammation in the picture. It is often recommended to eliminate the foods for three months while taking various supplements including probiotics that can contribute to gut integrity and desensitize the individual to the food allergy.
I also use biotheraeutic drainage when I treat skin disorders. These are homepathic combination remedies that come from Europe. I use the drops to support physiology. I might use a set to support liver physiology to make sure the liver is clearing toxins or I might use a combination to support the gut and elimination of toxins in the stool. I may choose single homeopathic remedies as well to get rid of irritating symptoms like itching. Some common remedies that I use include rhus tox, mezereum, arsenicum album or sulphur. I always dose low potencies to avoid an aggravation.
Skin needs to be supported from the inside as well. Essential fatty acids are necessary to improve the health of the skin. Fish oil, flaxseed oil, borage oil, black current seed oil or evening primrose oil are supports that I might recommend to a patient that has eczema. I might recommend vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin E or Zinc or recommend foods that contain these nutrients to help with skin repair. Fresh vegetables create healthy beautiful skin especially the orange, yellow or red family. These contain carotenoids which prevent cell damage and premature aging. The green family that include spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard, bok choy are high in antioxidants such as zeaxanthin and lutein that protect skin from UV damage. Vitamin C rich foods like red pepper, broccoli, and citrus fruits quench free radicals and help with production of collagen. Drinking plenty of filtered water is essential for hydration of your skin. I also love the antioxidant benefits of drinking green tea or rooibos tea.
These are a few of the things I recommend when I treat skin disorders like eczema. I have a lot of success using naturopathic care to treat these conditions. To book an appointment, call 4032321283.