ECZEMA AND CORRECT NUTRITION
One ought to be aware that correct nutrition goes far beyond the art of selecting the right food and that over-nutrition can be as big a problem as malnutrition. Time and again an almost immediate improvement will be seen when dairy products are omitted from the diet, as these tend to aggravate eczema. Non-citrus drinks are important and it is essential that an abundance of fruit and vegetables, and even their juices, must form the major part of our diet. Nothing can take the place of a piece of fruit, and it is the life force within these living foods that often allows for improvement or cure of even the most chronic conditions. Food must play a major part and in this context I must point out that of equal importance is the knowledge that germs thrive on junk food.
Besides milk, eggs are another frequent source of food intolerance. Some eczema sufferers react almost immediately after eating an egg and its high protein content can easily trigger problems, even in a controlled and stabilised situation. In my book Nature's Gift of Food, there is much more information on this subject and in dietary recommendations I never allow more than three or four eggs a week. In some cases of eczema, eggs may need to be totally eliminated.
Wheat can also cause major problems. In many lectures and publications I have emphasised that wheat, because of artificial processing of the grain, can cause unidentified skin diseases. Wheat, which once may have been considered a superior nutritional source for mankind, has almost become an enemy. Nowadays the most surprising results may be obtained when an eczema patient is prepared to take my advice and change to a completely wheat-free diet. There are plenty of substitutes for wheat and people with persistently chronic eczema are advised to replace wheat with buckwheat, millet, potato flour, rye, rice or soya flour. Wheat is used in many more food items than might be expected and it does pay to read the labels carefully. There are so many products on the supermarket shelves which contain wheat, that at times this may be rather confusing, but will certainly be worthwhile.
It is surprising to see how many people's diets have deficiencies and I dare say that most eczema sufferers are deficient in essential fatty acids. The daily diet is lacking in so much nowadays, that it is not unusual to detect a deficiency at the root of quite a number of health problems. In many such instances it is sensible to use oil of evening primrose, as it is a rich source of essential fatty acids. A series of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in the
Department of Dermatology at the University of Bristol, involving both adults and infants with atopic eczema, demonstrated a great improvement after the use of oil of evening primrose. In the analysis of the blood samples, the improvement was ascribed to the gammalinolenic acid (GLA). The rich source of linoleic acid in evening primrose ensures that three weeks of oral treatment can bring about significant improvement. The reports on this trial were fascinating and the 'before and after' effects with adults and children were carefully recorded.
It may be that you have not heard of evening primrose. I have mentioned this substance in quite a few of my books, and I was one of the very first practitioners in Great Britain who prescribed this food supplement as a remedy, with great results. Until recently evening primrose was unknown in the West and yet it is a healing herb which has been used by the native Americans for at least five hundred years. It is a wildflower which grows along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada, and it is thought that it may have originated in Central or South America.
Essential fatty acids cannot be manufactured by the body and can only be gained from food. There are several theories about essential fatty acids, but it is clear that, like vitamins, linoleic acid has no biological activity on its own. Unless linoleic acid can be converted to gammalinolenic acid, it has no activity as an essential fatty acid (EFA). EFAs are very important for several reasons. They are the constituents of cell membranes in the cell tissue of the body and play a vital role in determining the biological properties of those membranes. A high level of gammalinolenic acid is the precursor for prostaglandins, a significant factor in the control of many biological functions. GLA production in humans can be affected by many factors, such as saturated fats, sugar and alcohol, and is therefore a useful dietary supplement.
I have already mentioned that EFAs are a vital part of the structure of all cells, not least of which are those of the skin. EFAs help to strengthen the membranes of the cells and the tiny blood vessels called capillaries, and prevent an increase in skin permeability, and also moisture loss. EFAs also assist in maintaining a hormonal balance, which is very important, and will help in the regulation of functions such as the digestive and absorption systems. So often eczema and psoriasis sufferers experience problems of excess acidity. There are many theories regarding the 36 acids in the human body, and the explanations of mineral and acid behaviour are very closely linked. Therefore I often advise the use of certain minerals or mineral salts.
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