Eczema is a condition of the skin where the skin is usually dry, flaky, scaly, itchy and red. If this is not treated it becomes severe with the skin crusting, bleeding and weeping. In the UK, almost 1 in 5 children and 1 in 12 adults suffer from eczema.
If a person has eczema then one should make sure that irritants and triggers are avoided as these can flare up the symptoms of eczema. It is observed that even certain food might act as triggers. Common foods that trigger the symptoms of eczema are eggs, nuts, soya, wheat and cow’s milk.
You can identify whether the food you consumed triggers the eczema if symptoms develop immediately or within two hours of eating food. Usually scratching and itching worsen and there is presence of swelling, redness, irritation and urticaria. In some cases symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, sneezing and itchy eyes might develop.
Here is a list of 10 foods you can eat when you have eczema.
These promote the healing of skin, lessen the inflammation and are considered to be safe to eat when you have eczema.
Potato: This is rich in vitamin C, potassium and fibre. This is also alkalizing.
Banana: This contains nutrients which lower the histamines, vitamin C and magnesium. This is also high in potassium.
Green onions: This is a rich source of vitamin C and contains quercetin, which is a histamine lowering anti-inflammatory agent. Green onions are believed to be very good for a healthy skin.
Chicken or beef broth: These provide the amino acid glycine which repairs the skin.
Rice milk: This is low on chemicals and is safe to be had when suffering from eczema
Buckwheat: This also has quercetin which lowers the histamine as it has anti-inflammatory effect.
Mung bean sprouts: These have a strong alkalizing effect
Omega 3s: Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids give the body the ability to create new skin, reduce and prevent inflammation and ward off conditions like eczema.
Yogurt: Yogurt has beneficial bacteria which help the immune system and the cells of the intestinal tract. The probiotics or the good bacteria produce antibodies and growth factors which calm the body from overreacting to allergens.
Oolong Tea: This is a Chinese tea and is more of a cross between the green tea and the black tea. People with eczema find relief from scratching in a week’s time.
However, the only way to check whether certain food cause the triggers is to give a miss to the common food for 14 days and then reintroducing them in diet one by one to see which food triggers a reaction.
Also, if the natural method does not work then you can seek assistance online. The GPs available online can prescribe medication for eczema, which you can order online and is delivered within 24 hours.