I do go on about this quite a lot, and anyone who has talked to me about my skincare products, particularly the ones relating to eczema, will know that I do make a point of this…. The health of your skin is only partly what you put on it. What actually matters is what you put in it, i.e. what you eat. I see nutritionists blogging and facebooking all the time saying pretty much any illness you have can be improved, if not eradicated by eating better.
This is most certainly true of eczema. In my own personal battle against eczema, (which I won 10-0 btw) food was important. Firstly finding out if you have any food intolerances then secondly eating all the things that make your skin glow. I was delighted to find an article about the best foods to eat when you have eczema, and I’m going to summarise it here so it is really very easy for you to start improving your own skin (or your children’s or your other half etc.) TODAY (providing you are not allergic to any of them).
1. Salmon: full of omega-3s and astaxanthin both of which reduce inflammation associated with eczema. Try to have it twice a week. In pasta, in a sandwich. Yum.
2. Watercress: It is blood cleansing and anti-inflammatory, tastes fab in a salad (have it with the salmon) or in a soup.
3. Apples: FULL of quercetin which is antioxidant, anti-histamine, and anti-inflammatory. Get organic ones, eat one a day, go on, it takes about 10 minutes. The best fast food there is. I’m eating one now.
4. Sweet Potatoes: They are one of the foods that are least likely to cause allergic reactions. And they are full of vitamin C and beta-carotene as well as unique root proteins which have antioxidant properties. Bake them, make a soup, chop and roast with some olive oil and rosemary.
5. Carrots: Again, full of beta-carotene — a nutrient that is known to help protect the skin, vitamin C and a wealth of other nutrients. Buy organic! I grate mine onto salad, put them in soups, stews you name it, carrots go with everything.
About 6 years ago during a particularly bad face-eczema-explosion I looked about 40ish (I was 33). This year I actually turn 40 and people say to me regularly that I look like I’m only 30, sometimes younger. So come on, go to your fruit bowl, grab and apple and enjoy. And if you need some external help, go to www.lj-natural.com and get yourself some scratchy balm to help you along the way.
