What are the natural ways to reduce eczema symptoms?

I've been there.  

Surprised to see angry-red, itchy skin patches on my neck, arms, and even on my eye area.  It was embarrassing to go out in public with these eczema flares front and center on my face.  The problem is, there were so many root causes.  

People think eczema is just one thing that happens on our skin.  But it is actually an umbrella term used to describe different types of skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, dry skin, seborrheic dermatitis, sometimes even acne and psoriasis.  

Eczema treatments are usually skin creams or topical ointments that treat the external symptom.  I, however, believe that in order to address these symptoms, you must manage more than just the itching of the skin and find, through a little research, the root cause so you can prevent any more eczema flares in the future.

Before any kind of remedy is used, looking for your triggers is essential in healing eczema.  I use my Eczema Triad as a lens to look for the root causes of eczema.  

The eczema triad includes internal, external, and emotional angle.  To prevent eczema means addressing not just the physical triggers but also the internal and emotional reasons.  It can be your diet that is problematic or your immune system having a hard time due to nutrient deficiencies. These wreak havoc and contribute to inflammatory skin.  

Maybe it's all about the foods you eat or the stress you're experiencing because of work, being a homeschool parent, or relationships. There are factors under the surface to fully address the symptoms and the triggers of your eczema. 

Sometimes using that skin cream is not enough to manage your eczema symptoms (plus prolonged use can be detrimental to your overall health).   

What can you do now?  

Here's a roundup of natural remedies you can do to prevent further eczema flareups.

1. Get your Light on a.k.a Photobiomodulation.  Vitamin D, which you can get from sunlight, is beneficial in signaling your body to produce hormones such as the melatonin that you need for a good night's sleep.  You can use lightboxes that simulate sunlight during wintertime so you can continue reaping the benefits of Photobiomodulation. 
   
   
2. Be a Gut Guru.  Taking care of your gut microbiome is very important when addressing skin issues.  Inflammation that happens inside can manifest outside too.  Start a food journal so you can monitor which foods seem to cause skin itching or flareups.  Consider your genetics by considering family history first. Genes help tell an enzyme how well to work.  Be mindful of how you use antibiotics.  Wiping out the good bacteria along with the bad bacteria in your stomach is detrimental to your health as much as bacterial and fungal imbalances that rob B vitamins to make you tired and foggy. 
   
   
3. Boost your body's defense.  Dry, itchy skin may be an effect of having fat-soluble nutrient issues.   You may want to add a bit of supplementation to your daily routine.  Fat-soluble vitamins include B Vitamins, A, D, E, and K.   For vitamin D, it's always better to get your dose of this vitamin from the sun but some don’t manufacture Vitamin D efficiently due to their genetics.  If you're going through a stressful time (who isn’t??), you might add more B5 or Magnesium as these nutrients are compromised when the body goes through a lot of stress.  Vitamin E enhances the immune system and is considered an antioxidant.  
   
   
4. Ohm, your itch away. Just kidding. You don’t have to Ohm. But you can take 2 minutes each day to FOCUS ON BREATH.  Mindful breathing and meditation help manage your emotional responses to less than ideal situations that cause you to sweat and break out in rashes.  Controlling your breath means controlling not only your mind but also your body.  Practicing meditation also improves our mindfulness.  Living a more mindful life means paying close attention to what we eat, what we wear, our environment, and how all these affect us. 

These are just a few things you can do to manage your eczema.  By making small changes that compound, we can help ourselves heal our skin issues at a much quicker rate. 

 Check out the eczemanutritionist.com for more resources for decoding your eczema.