Getting eczema isn’t fun. The skin condition often causes your skin to become dry, patchy, and bumpy, hindering it from retaining moisture and protecting your body from outside elements. We recently delved into why one may receive eczema often, outside of genetics, which is stress. According to the Cleveland Clinic, eczema is a common skin condition and often affects more than 31 million Americans. Many wonder what the first signs of eczema are, and they are the following: itchiness, dry skin, and a rash. Symptoms of eczema include the following:
- Dry skin.
- Itchy skin.
- Skin rash.
- Bumps on your skin.
- Thick, leathery patches of skin.
- Flaky, scaly or crusty skin.
- Swelling.
Aside from the several factors that are known to cause eczema, like your immune system overreacting to allergens in your environment or your genes, it’s more common for you to have eczema if there’s a history of it or dermatitis in your family or emotional triggers, as your mental health could affect the health of your skin, which can cause a flare-up of eczema symptoms, think stress, anxiety or depression, certain foods can be a factor as well. Although the connection between eczema and food allergies is still murky, several foods people have eczema and food allergies should try to avoid, which are:
However, it’s still important to pay attention to your diet. If you find yourself experiencing an eczema flare-up after you eat a certain food, then you may have an allergy associated with it. However, if you don’t have a food allergy, there aren’t many foods that will cause or make your eczema worse. Since eczema is an inflammatory condition, many healthcare providers believe an anti-inflammatory diet could help manage it. Although it’s not a guarantee of solving eczema, curating a diet of non-pro-inflammatory foods may improve your eczema condition.
Here are several examples of anti-inflammatory foods include to reference:
Fish includes omega-3 fatty acids that can help with inflammation. Like these fish below:
- Salmon
- Albacore tuna
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Anchovy
- Herring
Probiotic foods:
Although probiotic foods naturally may help promote good gut health, proven research suggests that they also can help mitigate inflammation throughout the body.
Some probiotic foods include:
- Yogurt
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Kombucha
Foods high in flavonoids:
Lastly, foods high in flavonoids, like colorful foods and vegetables, can help alleviate eczema symptoms because of their anti-inflammatory compounds.
Examples of flavonoid-containing foods include:
- Tomatoes
- Red peppers
- Soybeans
- Berries
- Citrus fruits
