by e-va

Created on: February 07, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

The saying is "there is no cure for eczema". Well, I don't believe it. There is always a reason for a health condition and it can be corrected. But of course it's not so simple because sometimes we just don't know the cause. As for excema I think there is a lack of appropriate research. The simplest thing is to prescribe some ointment. Steroid creams will suppress the immune system and thus reduce the symptoms. But it doesn't correct the underlying cause. Besides, suppressing the immune system will start a new host of problems.

So many people turn to alternative remedies. More natural creams, herbs, baths and dietary changes as environmental and food allergies have been shown to have an effect on the severety of excema. Many people have seen success with just topical treatments such as oatmeal baths, baking soda or epsom salt baths, application of coconut oil (it has antimicrobial properties) or flax seed oil, even evening primrose oil. However, in my opinion these treatments only help to alliviate the symptoms and do not do anything with the underlying cause. My experience is that allergens do affect the condition but they are not the cause.
Many women have observed that their excema symptoms are worse during the luteal phase of their cycle, and gets better after the first day of their period. I have also observed this: so hormones also affect it.
There is some research indicating that excema is just one of the many symptoms caused by the overgrowth of bad intestinal flora, mostly candida albicans. Again, many people have found relief (including me) when they targeted this tenacious organism by a sugar/grain-free diet. The diet definitely helped but didn't cure me. Saying that eczema is caused by candida overgrowth is also simplistic. But I'm pretty sure it's part of the chain reaction. You know: bad diet, bad bacteria/fungi, leaky gut, allergies, histamine reactions. Even if you think you've found the answer (which I don't think at this point), it's not easy to get rid of it. Treatment has to involve major dietary changes, a home-makeover and lifestyle changes. This will cost a lot of money! Natural household products, healthy food and supplements cost 2 or 3 times more than the "normal" stuff.
So I do believe excema is curable if you have the right information, perseverence (you have to experiment -what works for one person might not work for you), a ton of money and support.

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