Eliminate This 1 Ingredient to Get Rid of Eczema Fast!

I Know How You Feel

Itch, scratch, itch, scratch. I had been caught up in the eczema itch-scratch cycle since birth. I remember my mom rubbing my skin, trying to sooth me and to keep me from scratching my skin raw. I remember her covering my body in calamine lotion and then wrapping me in saran wrap to cool my skin down.

I remember her shuttling me back and forth to dermatology appointments, swapping out laundry detergents for more gentler versions, and limiting the amount of jewelry I could wear. Everything irritated my skin. Summers were brutal and the winters were just as brutal. I would bleed through my clothes from the scratching. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I wanted to wear shorts like the other girls without being insecure about my skin. Swimming was tortuous, even though it was one of my favorite childhood activities. When I played basketball, I always feared sweating. The sweat would irritate my skin to no end. My body felt like one big giant sore.

Doctors told my mother that I had Atopic Dermatitis, or Eczema. Here is what National Eczema says what Atopic Dermatitis is and what may cause it:

"We don’t know the exact cause of atopic dermatitis. Researchers do know that a combination of genetics and other factors are involved. When a substance from inside or outside the body triggers the immune system, it over-reacts and produces inflammation. It is this inflammation that causes the skin to become red, rashy and itchy.

Research also shows that some people with eczema, especially atopic dermatitis, have a mutation of the gene responsible for creating filaggrin. Filaggrin is a protein that helps our bodies maintain a healthy, protective barrier on the very top layer of the skin. Without enough filaggrin to build a strong skin barrier, moisture can escape and bacteria, viruses and more can enter. This is why many people with atopic have very dry and infection-prone skin."

Keep in mind the word "inflammation", I'm going to refer to it at the end of this post.

I hated going to the dermatologist. There was never a cure, only a cream. Or a terrible steroid. Steroids provided temporary relief, but my weight would increase significantly. The dermatologists that I've seen over the years never addressed or provided any other solutions other than the basics: switch laundry detergents, no perfume, no-scented soaps, no nickel, and on and on. But they never addressed food. Not one of the doctors that I saw recommended that we monitor my food and address the eczema from a nutritional standpoint. This went on for years. The creams got more expensive and I became more and more frustrated.

Breakthrough to Healing

I finally reached my wits end, but it wasn't until my late 20's that I began to make the food-body connection. I was sick and tired of my skin running the show. Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead was my introduction to healing my body from the inside-out. I did a juice fast for a few days off and on throughout the year and the results were amazing! I was so excited. I was on to something, so for years I kept at it trying to heal my skin with food.

Fast forward to 2018 and I've finally figured out the solution: eliminate sugar. Prior to this revelation, my diet consisted mainly of high carbs, low fat, and low protein. I was consuming sodas, bread, pasta, and any other tasty treat that contained a bunch of sugar. Combine my bad eating habits with little to no exercise and it was a recipe for disaster. When I began the Ketogenic diet, the healing began. I turned my diet around completely. You can read about my first 30 days on Keto and my results here. For the first time in my life I can use the detergent of my choice, perfume, perfumed lotions, and I can finish a workout with the sweat irritating my skin, but most importantly, my confidence has improved tremendously.

Life After Eczema

It's an amazing feeling to say that I'm eczema free! My mom has been the closest person to me since my struggle with eczema began as a child. She is amazed at just how much a role our diet plays in our healing. I wish I could share this information with everyone because I know the pain they feel and the insecurity eczema can create in both adults and children. You don't have to live a life of blandness! You can heal your skin with just eliminating sugar from your diet for a while.

Since solving the problem to my eczema prone skin, I've been able to introduce a little bit of sugar back into my diet. I know my limits. The American Heart Association recommends 25g of sugar (or 6 teaspoons) for women, but I try to keep my intake even lower than that. Typically I will consume about 10-15g per day. There have been a few times where I've gone over that amount, but I regret it immediately. My skin throws a fit! It becomes itchy, uncooperative, and extremely sensitive to everything.

Sugar & Inflammation

Other than the obvious that too much sugar isn't good for any of us, but especially for those of us that struggle with our skin, sugar is inflammatory. I'm not a physician or a nutritionist, so I won't even attempt to try to explain how sugar can inflame our bodies, but watch the video below for a great explanation. He puts into medical terminology what I've always thought about sugar and inflammation in the body.

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