Eczema & Psoriasis - Part 2
Healing Eczema & Psoriasis
In this part, I’m going to take you through some of the ways to find your unique triggers so you can know your body better and get a better handle on E&P.
If you’re in the midst of a terrible flare up, you might want to scroll down to the “immediate relief” section first and once you’re feeling better you can go through the trigger section :)
Look for Triggers
This will take some trial and error and I’m going to put the different things to try into a general order of easiest -> hardest. But, you don’t need to follow this order, feel free to try the one that feels easiest to you.
1. Remove external irritants –
Are there things in your life that are triggering your symptoms? Like creams, soaps, or is your skin super duper dry? There are more ideas in the lifestyle section :)
My two main triggers are dry skin (especially on my hands) and nickel. I keep a thick, luxurious lotion on hand throughout the winter and it makes a huge difference. This winter has been particularly dry and my mother-in-law made an amazing body butter that has helped a ton!
For my nickel sensitivity, this only happens when my histamine is high…but it causes an incredible amount of itching. Most of my jewelry is now nickel-free and I put clear nail polish on nickel that’s hard to avoid (backs of watches, rivets in jeans, etc).
Look for things in your life that might be triggering a flare up and see if there’s an easy switch. There are more ideas below in the lifestyle section. I can help if you’re struggling to find an alternative, just post it on our Private Facebook Page :)
2. Lower Histamine (impt for eczema)
I believe high histamine is one of the most potent causes of eczema, and research backs this up. Research has directly connected high histamine with increased symptoms (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19197542/).
This is actually good news – lowering histamine isn’t overly difficult and we have a whole masterclass on it :)
Click below to learn more about high histamine, the other symptoms that can go along with it, plus a guide to reduce your histamine levels. You may notice a difference in the itchiness of your skin after just a few days on a low histamine diet.
https://www.yourbeautifullife.ca/masterclasses-all/month-44-intro
3. Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet (impt for psoriasis)
Psoriasis is an inflammatory condition and following an anti-inflammatory diet can be really helpful. And, happily, we have a whole masterclass on this topic :)
https://www.yourbeautifullife.ca/masterclasses-all/month-25-intro
4. Elimination Diet to look for food sensitivities (consider esp. for psoriasis)
There are times, due to leaky gut, that your digestion doesn’t fully break down the protein you eat. This undigested protein can slip through any broken spots in your intestinal lining and it’s greeted by the immune system.
80% of your immune system lives around the gut and is watching for any invaders trying to sneak through the gut lining. The problem is, that undigested protein looks just like a virus or bacteria to your immune system…so it launches a full-scale attack.
But, it’s not a virus, it’s a bit of undigested gluten. And tomorrow you might eat a bit more, so the immune system is always on high alert. This can be why your immune system is overactive/overstimulated. It has been constantly triggered by a mild food sensitivity in your diet.
There are a few ways to find your food sensitivity:
You can get an IgG blood test through a naturopathic doctor to find the foods you have antibodies to. WARNING – these tests can be helpful but they’re overwhelming, and you still need to find out which food on your list is triggering your symptoms.
Elimination diet – this can feel more difficult than just getting a blood test, but it will tell you exactly what food is causing your symptoms. I recommend starting with an elimination diet and seeking out a blood test only if you can’t find your offending food.
If you’d like to try an elimination diet, here’s your guide (from the inflammation masterclass):
https://www.yourbeautifullife.ca/masterclasses-all/month-25-part-4
Get Some Immediate Help
If you’re in the midst of a nasty flare up, here are things that can help you today :)
Topical Helpers:
Aloe Vera –
You can get this as a gel or cream from a health food store or keep an aloe plant on hand. Apply as much as needed, at least 2 – 3 x per day.
Natural Eczema creams –
Thick, natural body butter is full of healthy fats help soothe the skin and speed up healing. Often, they also calm down the itchiness.
Here are a few options:
Body Butter by Joyous Health
Joy of Joyous Health is an eczema sufferer herself and it looks like this body butter was formulated for dry eczema-prone skin
https://shopjoyoushealth.com/body-butter/
Goodbye Eczema Cream by Back to Earth
I’ve tried this one and it works really well. It’s helpful just for super, mega dry skin.
https://getbacktoearth.com/collections/canadian-kisolite-clay/products/goodbye-eczema-cream
Moisturize CONSTANTLY
If you get E&P on your hands, be sure to moisturize your hands as often as possible. Keep some lotion by your sinks so you can reapply every time you wash your hands.
Skin Healing foods:
WATER!
Yes, just regular H2O is really important for your skin. Dry skin is a potent sign that your body is dehydrated. And dry skin can trigger a P&E flare up.
Every day your water needs may change because it’s affected by the water in the food you eat, the amount you’re talking, and how humid the air is. Always look to your urine to see if you’re hydrated. If it’s pale yellow or clear = you’re hydrated! If it’s dark yellow = drink more! If it’s crazy bright yellow = you just had some B vitamins, check back later.
Bone Broth-
This glorious and traditional food is a great gut healer, and for the same reason, it’s a great skin healer. The type of cell that lines the gut is the same as your skin (epithelial cells), so it makes sense that gut healers also help your skin :)
Bone broth is very high in gelatin which is the healer. To get a broth with a lot of gelatin, you need to simmer it for a long time (24 – 72 hours). But, it’s very easy to make. Here’s a recipe
https://lisakilgour.com/articles/2017/2/13/recipe-bone-broth
The cruciferous family of veggies, esp. Broccoli and Broccoli Sprouts
The whole cruciferous family is wildly healthy (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc). These foods are really high in sulforaphane, which the body uses for many things, including detoxification and healing the skin.
Broccoli sprouts are extra high in sulforaphane, 50x higher in fact! They can be found in some grocery stores or you can grow them yourself :)
Apples
I love a crunchy gala apple, it’s my favourite afternoon snack. Apples are extra high in the natural antihistamine quercetin. It’s also high in pectin fibre which is wonderful for the gut.
But, some with high histamine get an allergic reaction to all raw fruit. If this is you, just skip this one (and head to the histamine masterclass to help reduce your symptoms).
Hemp seeds and Hemp Oil
These foods are high in antioxidants and essential fats. Hemp oil has a glorious green colour and I’ve used it topically to reduce my eczema symptoms (and it worked SO WELL!).
When we eat these foods we help increase the essential fats in our body, especially GLA, which is wonderful for the skin.
A small tip – if you can find hempseed butter, it’s pretty glorious. Or, at least I really like it :). But it’s hard to find these days.
Pumpkin Seeds
They’re super high in zinc which is great for the skin. Zinc is highly concentrated in the skin and can help reduce redness in the skin and helps the skin heal faster. Zinc also protects our important lipid (fat) layer in the skin, which helps strengthen your skin’s barrier.
Lifestyle Helpers
Digestive Habits
Man, if I had a nickel for the # of times my first recommendation to solve a health condition is good digestive habits, I’d be rich.
Good digestive habits are extra important for E&P. When we eat quickly, chew poorly, and rush through a meal, we don’t digest the proteins in our meal properly…and it’s undigested protein that’s at the heart of a food sensitivity.
So, for the sake of your skin – be relaxed while eating, eat slowly, chew your food well, and limit liquids with meals. These are really hard habits, but they make a world of difference!
Use a Humidifier
As you may have noticed, I’m spending the winter in an RV and humidity is an RV killer. The walls are so thin that they get really cold and condensation builds…and that can grow nasty mold.
So, to borrow the best description I’ve ever heard from a fellow RVer – it’s drier than a popcorn fart in my place right now. And my skin is SUFFERING!
For those of you living in a proper house, condo, or apartment, a humidifier can make a huge difference (I can’t wait to pull out my humidifier again). Indoor humidity around 50% is much kinder to your skin, but, if you live somewhere moldy, it’s best to keep it under 40% (which feels very dry).
Hang out with some trees –
Nature is wonderful for your microbiome and trees give off negative ions and essential oils (like terpenes) that calm your nervous system and put you into a relaxed state. So, go play with some trees and get dirty :)
Sunlight (esp for Psoriasis)
The sun is a wonderful source of Vitamin D and UV therapy is a potent natural treatment for psoriasis. Get about 15 mins of mid-day sun on as much skin as possible. You can get upwards of 15,000IU in just one 15 min sunbath :)
Take short and preferably lukewarm showers (and get a chlorine filter if possible)
Those hot showers may feel wonderful at the moment but they wreak havoc on your skin. Shorten your showers to 5 mins or so and cool them down a bit…it really helps.
If you can add a chlorine filter on your shower as well, your skin will be so much happier :).
Supplements
These supplements can be helpful to both heal and prevent a flare up :)
Borage Oil – 3000mg per day
Borage oil contains GLA, which is an essential fat that’s particularly good at helping the skin. Fish oil is also great and can be taken instead or with borage oil (they each contain different essential fats).
Low levels of these essential fats can make it harder for your immune system to clean up your inflammatory response and they help your body create the natural oil barrier on your skin. This helps to reduce the effect of outside irritants. Borage oil also helps to hydrate the skin and helps bring out a natural glow :).
Vitamin D – 2000 – 5000IU per day
Vitamin D is essential for the immune system to stay in balance and keep inflammation in check. Your skin makes Vitamin D when exposed to the sun and Vitamin D helps to strengthen the barriers of your skin.
The connection between low Vitamin D status and eczema has been found in research. Low Vitamin D levels in pregnant women have shown to be connected to higher rates of eczema in their babies.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27145360/
Quercetin - 1000mg - 3000mg per day
This is a natural antihistamine and makes a world of difference if your flare ups are connected to histamine. There’s more on it in the histamine masterclass, and I take it every day to keep my histamine levels down.
Turmeric – 2500mg per day (or ½ tsp of turmeric powder)
Turmeric is on many supplement lists I create for good reason. It’s a very potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and both properties are good for E&P.
If you’re tired of taking pills, a delicious mug of turmeric golden milk each day can be a very absorbable way to get your dose of turmeric. Here’s a recipe:
https://minimalistbaker.com/5-minute-vegan-golden-milk/
Chaga and/or Reishi mushroom
Medicinal mushrooms are potent immune balancers, and chaga is especially good at helping the skin and gut heal. Reishi is particularly good at calming down auto-immune conditions and is a good choice if you’re dealing with psoriasis.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the world of medicinal mushrooms, check out our masterclass:
https://www.yourbeautifullife.ca/masterclasses-all/month-40-intro
Long-term Solution – Rebalance Microbiome
We don’t often think about the microbiome on our skin. Most body bacteria conversations center around the gut bacteria, but our skin houses about 1 billion bacteria per square centimeter! (for our US friends, that’s less than ½ inch square).
We have bacteria all over our skin (and even on our eyeballs) and they love to hang out in warm spots, like the bend of your knee, skin folds, and groin.
Every time we wash our body (incl our hands) we remove some of that bacteria and change the ecosystem. This is one of the reasons there’s a bit of an anti-shower movement going on (something my husband kinda joined during the lockdowns :).
Playing in the dirt, kissing, and petting an animal are ways to rebuild your ecosystem. Time in nature is particularly helpful. Our ecosystems originally developed surrounded by nature, this city life many live is a very new concept.
Also, an imbalance in your body’s microbiome (including the gut) can increase inflammation, which can trigger symptoms.
Once you’ve found your triggers and reduced your symptoms, head over to the microbiome rebuilding masterclass to rebuild your gut and your skin’s microbiome.
https://www.yourbeautifullife.ca/masterclasses-all/month-38-intro
Please note – this masterclass is all about the gut, but the gut bacteria influence the skin, so you’re doing double duty. Get outside into nature to speed that process up :)
In Conclusion
Finding your triggers and healers for your skin can be an individual journey and I hope this masterclass has given you some guidance and helps you on your way.
You don’t need to follow all of the advice laid out here either, just pick a few that seem interesting to you and let your intuition guide you. If you’re struggling and you don’t know where to start, send me a message or post it on our private facebook group, I’m happy to help :)
And I send hope for many itch-free days ahead! ❤️
Got any questions or comments? Jump to our private Facebook Group or the Ask Lisa page :)