How Healthy Chocolate Helps with Eczema

If you've suffered from it, help is on the way!

Eczema, Oh My!     

Eczema is a condition where the skin develops areas of itchy, scaly rashes. Common on the face, scalp, inside of elbows, knees, ankles, and hands.
 

Baby Eczema appears in about 10% to15% of children. The skin is itchy, dry, & rough. Fortunately, most children outgrow eczema before school age.

 Causes of Eczema?

Eczema is caused by a lack of ceramides. Ceramides are fatty cells which help provide a protection barrier to the skin. Not enough & the skin will lose water & become dry. Eczema may be caused by a reaction similar to an allergy & can promote chronic inflammation.  

Dr. Andrew Weil 

Recommends the following: Treat eczema as an allergy. Since most Allergies are ultimately an inflammatory condition, diet can have an enormous influence. 

• Eat more foods rich in essential fatty acids like omega-3s, which help reduce inflammation and allergic reactions. You’ll find these in rich amounts in Omega Healthy Chocolates, walnuts, avocados, salmon, mackerel, and tuna. Another good source of omega-3s is flaxseed oil. 
•  Use Aloe Vera gel, Coconut Oil, & Calendula lotion or creams 
•  Take gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This unusual fatty acid is found in evening primrose oil, black currant oil and borage oil. Take 500 mg twice a day and expect to wait six to eight weeks to see results.

·     Follow an anti-inflammatory diet Healthy Chocolate is a great source for ridding the body of inflammation, raise Omega 3, and add probiotics, which are an important deterrent to skin troubles.

Some experts believe removing cow's milk, peanuts, wheat & dairy may help control symptoms.  And it may be helpful to avoid food dyes & processed ingredients.
Remember, topical remedies do not address the underlying problem that is causing the eczema to begin with & you can’t out supplement a bad diet. 

Things you can do to treat your baby's eczema at home include:

• Bathe your baby for 10 minutes or less in warm water. Hot water can strip skin of its natural, protective oils.
• Use mild, unscented body & laundry soaps. Perfumed, deodorant, & anti-bacterial soaps are rough on a baby's skin.
• Pat your baby's skin dry; don't rub.
• Apply a Coconut Oil while your baby's skin is wet.
• To minimize the irritation of clothing rubbing on the skin, dress your baby in loose clothes made of cotton.
• Always wash new clothes before putting them on your baby.
  
  Naturopaths recognize Probiotics as a beneficial bacteria that promote the growth of friendly microflora in the intestines. Probiotics support digestive health in a number of ways & have been shown to prevent diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and help reduce the symptoms of eczema.
  Some probiotic foods you can find in your favorite grocery store are yogurt, kefir, and kimchi.
   Doctors may prescribe one or more of the following treatments:

• Steroids. Prescription steroid creams & ointments - in severe cases, oral steroid medications - can relieve itching & inflammation of eczema, but they can have side effects such as skin thinning & are not recommended for long-term use.