Children Eczema Review

Eczema is a skin condition that affects an estimated 1.5 million children in the United States, According to The National Eczema Association. This skin condition results in dry, patchy or even oozing lesions on the body. The lesions are actually influenced by itching. Itching is brought on by an inflammatory immune response. There are many things that can trigger this response, such as the environment, stress and diet. The foods that trigger a histamine reaction vary for each individual person. Some children outgrow eczema as they get older, while others continue to suffer with the symptoms for their entire lives.

Common Trigger Foods
1. Eczema is heavily influenced by food allergies. The most common trigger foods are eggs, nuts, milk, cheese, soy and meat products. There also are other foods that may trigger eczema, but the ones listed are the most common. Some children may also experience eczema if they have asthma and allergies.

Other foods that may cause flare-ups are processed and sugary foods. Sugar has a negative effect on the immune system because it promotes inflammation in the body. Children with eczema should limit their sugar intake, in addition to avoiding trigger foods. Keeping a food diary will help you identify what foods are causing your child to break out.
Beneficial Foods for Eczema
2. Just as there are foods that can bring on a negative immune response, there also are foods that are beneficial for treating eczema. These foods have specific key nutrients that strengthen the immune system and improve overall skin health. Give your child foods that are high in bioflavanoids, as they help reduce histamine reaction in the body. Bioflavanoids are the color found in vegetables and fruit. Foods with more color have higher concentrations of bioflavanoids. Focus on feeding your children whole foods. Taking additional vitamin C supplements can also help to reduce inflammation.
High Mineral Diet
3. Children with eczema should consume a diet rich in minerals, in addition to taking a whole-food vitamin and mineral supplement. Dr. Linda Page, author of Healthy Healing says, "a high fiber, higher mineral diet with lots of vegetable protein is a key factor in clearing and preventing eczema." Many children who suffer with eczema are unable to drink milk because it often is a trigger food. These children may become deficient in calcium, so it is important to give your child calcium supplements or alternative options such as almond milk or raw carrot juice.
Super Foods
4. Include super foods such as spirulina in your child's diet. Spirulina is a high-quality vegetable protein that can be taken in pill or powder form. It is a blue-green sea algae that is a good source of protein. This sea vegetable also contains a high level of minerals and vitamins that also are beneficial to the skin.
Beneficial Oils and Fats to Reduce Inflammation
5. Eating a good diet loaded with minerals is very important, but it is also important for children with eczema to consume the right types of fats and oils. Certain fats found in fried foods can promote flare-ups. However, the right kind of fats and oils will dramatically improve your child's health in addition to preventing eczema breakouts. Avoid margarine or anything hydrogenated. If your family likes to spread butter on toast or certain dishes, choose real butter.

Cook your food with coconut, extra-virgin olive or grape seed oils. All of these oils contain omega-3 fatty acids that improve skin health and reduce inflammation. Coconut oil is also the best oil when it comes to cooking because the chemical structure of this oil does not change when exposed to heat.

In addition to cooking with the right types of butter and oil, supplement your child's diet with other potent oils that contain omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to vitamins E and D. Give your child 1 tbsp. of cod liver oil, salmon oil or another type of purified fish oil. Flax oil also is very beneficial, but fish oils contain additional nutrients such as vitamin D to boost the immune system.


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