Natural Remedies for Eczema

Get Some Internal Revenue

• Eat more foods in essential fatty acids like omega-3's, which help reduce inflammation and allergic reactions. You'll find these rich amounts in walnuts, avocados, salmon, mackerel and tuna. 
• Another good source of omega-3's is flaxseed oil. Take up to one tablespoon each day; it won't hold up in high cooking temperatures, so drizzle it on salad, mix with yogurt, or hide it in other foods. 
• Take 400 IU of vitamin E each day to help counteract itchy, dry skin. )Off limits… if you're taking blood-thinning drugs unless you have your doctor's approval.)
• Take 25,000 IU of vitamin A each day for up to 10 days when you're having an eczema flare-up, then reduce the dose to 10,000 IU daily. But check with your doctor first. Long term use of vitamin A can result in osteoporosis, and an overdose of this vitamin can cause thickening and peeling of skin and hair loss. 
• Zinc helps your skin heal and it also helps your body make use of essential fatty acids. Take 30 milligrams of zinc daily. Because zinc can interfere with copper absorption, also take 2 milligrams of copper each day if you continue to take zinc for more than a month. 

Go to Gotu

• The herb gotu kola, used externally, can help ease itching skin conditions. Look for a commercial cream or extract. If you use the extract, dilute it first (5 parts water to 1 part extract). Alternatively, you can make a cup of the tea, soak a cloth in it, and use the cloth as a compress. To make the tea, steep 1 teaspoon of the dried herb in 1 cup of hot water. Steep for 10 minutes, then strain. 
• As an alternative to gotu kola, look for a cream containing chamomile, licorice, or witch hazel. All of them reduce skin inflammation. 

Stop the Scratching

• If the itchy spot is somewhere way too accessible, such as your wrist or the back of your hand, cover it with a small bandage to remind yourself not to scratch.
• Some people scratch in their sleep. if you're waking up with scratched skin, wear thin cotton gloves (or, in a pinch, a pair of socks) over your hands at night.
• Keep your fingernails cut short to minimize skin damage if you do scratch.

The Power of Prevention

• Many experts feel that food allergies play a significant role in eczema, particularly in children under the age of two. In kids, the problems most often come from eggs, dairy, peanuts, soy, wheat, and tree nuts. In adults, the troublesome foods are usually dairy, wheat, eggs, yeast, and citrus products. Eliminate all these from the diet for about a month, then bring one at a time back into your diet for three days to see if the skin reacts. In children, this food-elimination diet may produce a visible change in a short time. Dramatic change is rarer in adults, but still, you might note some improvement. 
• During winter months, use a humidifier in your bedroom to help keep your skin moist. 
• To minimize sweating in the summer, which can aggravate eczema, run the air conditioner. 
• rely on your dishwasher as much as possible to avoid contact with detergents and water. 
• When you do wash dishes, wear a pair of lines rubber gloves. Avoid direct contact with latex, since it can cause allergy reaction-and make eczema worse-in some people. 
• Keep your use of laundry chemicals to a minimum. Use a fragrance-free and dye free detergent. Avoid bleach, fabric softeners, and dryer sheets. 
• Give your clothes an extra rinse in the washing machine to remove all traces of detergent. 
• Consider whether something you've touched has caused a breakout, and steer clear of these substances in the future. Contact dermatitis can be caused by nickel used in earrings and other jewelry, as well as latex, cosmetics, perfumes, and cleaning agents.