Five All-Time Best Products for Eczema (you haven't tried yet)
If you have eczema, here are five healthy and natural eczema products you'll wish you had tried yesterday.
The causes of eczema include nutritional deficiencies, digestive problems, poor liver detoxification of chemicals, allergies and chemical/food sensitivities, and the first product on this list addresses all of these issues.
1. Skin Friend
Originally formulated for children suffering with eczema, Skin Friend AM works by combining anti-inflammatory nutrients, anti-histamine vitamins and alkalising minerals. It's not steroid-based, it's not a drug and it's not a skin cream; it's a vitamin and mineral supplement. But here's the difference where other supplements can fail - Skin Friend is certified free of salicylates, which is a natural chemical that worsens eczema.
It's also non-GMO and free of many common irritants that can worsen eczema. It's histamine-free, soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, seafood-free (it's vegan) and free of artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives.
Why use supplements for your eczema? Skin creams are helpful to lock in moisture within the skin but if you have stubborn eczema you are going to have to treat it from the inside out. This makes sense as your skin is literally made from the foods you eat.
As it is a pure powder it's ideal for children age one and over, as well as teens and adults. After ten years of research and testing with eczema patients from around the world, Skin Friend is now available without prescription. Available at Eczema Life >>
2. Calcium Matrix PM
Calcium Matrix PM is a fine powder supplement that contains calcium, magnesium and silica (to improve calcium absorption) – and nothing else. But why does it make the top five best products for eczema? Here's why ...
5 surprising facts about calcium
- Calcium can increase the skin’s ability to protect itself against dust mites and infections as it boosts the acidity of the skin’s acid mantle.
- Calcium helps to maintain the right amount of moisturising lipids in the epidermis layer of the skin by triggering lipid production.
- Calcium deficiency can cause insomnia or poor sleep.
- Calcium deficiency signs include eczema, anxiety, hyperactivity, depression, heart palpitations and food sensitivities.
- Calcium carbonate is highly alkalising and it helps the body eliminate excess salicylates when the urine pH reaches 7.5 (see the pH info at number 4).
However, not all calcium supplements are created equal.
Choose a product that is free of hidden additives - so this means avoiding calcium with added vitamin D (as vitamin D usually contains hidden GMO soy, sugar, maltodextrin and other additives) and avoid those flavoured/coloured gummies and chewable calcium as colours and flavours worsen eczema symptoms. Calcium tablets and capsules contain tabletting agents and other non-nutritive ingredients to help the powder flow through the machines during manufacturing.
There are also different types of calcium and some may worsen your eczema. Look for calcium carbonate because it is the most alkalising of all the types of calcium. Eczema is an acidic condition so calcium carbonate offers a salicylate-free way to alkalise the body. Also avoid calcium citrate as it has an acid added to it (citric acid) and some eczema sufferers are sensitive to citric acid and they find it worsens their eczema.
Calcium Matrix PM is a pure, super-fine, flavourless powder so when you mix it into your foods and drinks it is smooth and undetectable so your child won't know it's there (most calcium products have a gritty texture). It’s child-friendly, vegan-friendly and you can even add it to baked goods to boost the mineral content of your meals. It is also sold with Skin Friend in the Skin Friend kit.
3. Baking soda
Also known as bicarbonate of soda, the humble packet of baking soda is another product to have in your home if you have eczema. But don't eat it - add it to your bath. Baking soda is a proven itch remedy if added to your bath, and while it won't eliminate your eczema, it can give temporary itch relief. It also helps to neutralise some of the chlorine in tap water as you bathe. Ensure the baking soda is free of aluminium.
- Baby's bath - use a heaped tablespoon
- Regular bath - use 1/2 a cup of baking soda
Bath recipe for itchy eczema
You can try this bath combo' for itchy skin relief:
Method: combine all ingredients in a warm bath. Ensure the bath is not too warm. Soak briefly. If you have topical steroid withdrawal syndrome you may want to soak in the tub for longer.
Available at your local supermarket (here is an Australian supplier) >>
4. Test My pH
If you are using Skin Friend AM and Calcium Matrix PM, you might want to test your pH to see how they are helping to alkalise your body.
Alkalising is good for eczema for several reasons: Back in the 1950s alkalisation was used as an effective treatment for eliminating salicylates and unwanted chemicals from the body. This research (although long-forgotten), can help to reduce your eczema symptoms because salicylate-sensitivity is the most common chemical sensitivity people with eczema have, according the RPA Hospital Allergy Unit, in Sydney, Australia.
The catch is you don’t want to alkalize your body with salicylate rich greens including spinach, kale, broccoli and wheatgrass because they can worsen eczema (read itchy dozen worst foods for eczema). Whatever you choose to do, Test My pH also comes with a popular Eczema-Friendly Food Chart which you can use as a shopping guide.
5. The Eczema Diet (Exisle Publishing)
The Eczema Diet outlines the best and worst foods for eczema based on research published on eczema over the past 60 years. The Eczema Diet is a 12-week program that allows you to identify food sensitivities and gradually expand your diet. It can be used in combination with the Skin Friend supplements.
The new and revised Australian/UK edition of The Eczema Diet is available at www.eczemalife.com >>
The American/North American version is published by Robert Rose Publishing and is available at www.amazon.com >>
Amazon book review: “I was desperate enough because of my eczema to follow the diet--as doctors had only offered steroids. It takes time-- you have to be patient-- but after a few months, I am eczema free, and slowly adding other foods back in… Changed my life!”
So they are the Five All-Time Best Products for Eczema (you haven't tried yet). You may have tried other products that helped your eczema but these are the ones I have seen help hundreds of eczema patients, TSW and dermatitis patients at my clinic.
You can also read the Skin Friend reviews from eczema patients at the Eczema Life Clinic here >>
About the author: Nutritionist Karen Fischer runs the Eczema Life Clinic in Sydney, Australia. She has worked with hundreds of patients with eczema, dermatitis, TSW, red skin syndrome and psoriasis. She is a frequent guest nutritionist on Nine Network's Today Extra.
This article may not be reproduced without written consent from the author.