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Eczema


LaLissie

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I have had eczema probably since birth, but definitely since I'm, 12.  Through the years I've tried eliminating this and that, but the eczema remains.  This is my first W30, day 17.  I'm female, 66 years old, still working 27 hours a week at a lovely, low stress, moderately physical job.  I hike in the mountains twice a week, cross country ski and snowshoe in the winters.  Since starting W30  my chronically high (medicated) blood pressure has dropped 20 points, and my energy is rock solid, and well sustained through the day.  I think I sleep deeper, and maybe a little less (I was a chronic 9+ hours sleeper, sometimes even 12).  So pretty happy and NO COMPLAINTS.

But wondering and hoping to hear from others. The eczema is having a field day.  I don't itch on this program, but the breakouts just keep coming.  I would love to hear from others, and hopefully get some encouragement regarding finally conquering this stuff, which is mostly on my face, behind my ears, and on my scalp.  I know to "hang in there", and I will.  Would just love to hear others' experience with this program, whether their eczema improved, got worse, was eliminated, and so on.  All comments welcome.  Thank you.

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My eczema is minimal when I am eating Whole30. Within about a week or so of starting the current round, my existing patches cleared up. I did have one tiny breakout on my thumb recently, but I find that my eczema tends to be triggered by stress as well, and I'm in a high stress time of year in my job. It could take some extra time for yours to fully clear up, depending on how you were eating pre-Whole30, as well, or there may still be food groups within your Whole30 that are aggravating the condition. For me it tends to be a case of trial & error.

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Thanks very much.  Makes a lot of sense.  After our Canadian Thanksgiving, I am going to start again, this time trying a round without night shades.  Trial and error, I've experienced a lot of that (mostly error I'm afraid).  At least with W30, the rest of me is feeling great while I'm  exploring :)

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Thanks for the feedback.  I think giving up  night shades, nuts and eggs pretty much leaves you with a Paleo AIP, right?  I have been researching, and come to the conclusion that eliminating what you suggest, is necessarily the next move.  Well I am on day 23 of my first ever Whole 30, which I will finish a few days before our Canadian Thanksgiving.  No time for proper re-introductions, so I plan to cook a Paleo type Thanksgiving dinner with a dessert, and drink a little organic wine.  And then I will start what you suggest.  Do you think 30 days will be enough to see a change, or, in your experience, was it more like six months?  

And could you help me here?  What do you eat for breakfast??   I can't face meat for breakfast.  Often it's been a banana and a few nuts.  Or a couple of eggs.  I have to eat protein and fat with my carbs or my blood sugar tanks......so now what?  Thanks very much for any suggestions you may have.  

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You could make salmon cakes (just play around with other flours to get the right texture/consistency or even google an AIP recipe) for breakfast. I don't like eggs. I loooooove salmon cakes. And speaking from personal experience eating a template meal every meal every day will help with leveling blood sugar. That means fats veggies and proteins. You can do it. 

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I will usually eat something that I call - my morning hash - seasoned ground meat, cooked, seasoned sweet potatoes, and a couple of good handfuls of greens cooked/wilted down.  I used to throw a couple of eggs in there - which I occasionally do now - but now I am mostly egg free - my skin is relatively clear (occasional eczema flare). 

I second the salmon cake recipe - there's a good one from NomNom Paleo that uses coconut flour (not a nut BTW).  You could try a gelatin substitute instead of eggs. (I have not tried this)

In order to help you skin heal - try making and drinking bone broth. I have found personally that consuming gelatin in any form (whether it be bone broth, gelatin or Collagen Hydrolysate) extremely helpful for my multiple skin issues.  You can consume bone broth through soups and stews too.

By any chance are you cooking/eating a lot of ghee?  If you are extremely dairy sensitive (which I know I am now) even ghee can cause problems for skin issues.  So if you are using it - I would suggest to drop it for a bit and see if things clear up.

 

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Hi Carla, Karen and Purplepadres.  Thanks for the suggestions.  You guys are awesome.  

So I think I can manage a salmon cake for breakfast.  Actually today, Day 25, is the first day I woke up hungry, and I wanted more than a banana and a handful of nuts.  Good sign, generally.  (I've been off the nuts since Carla wrote, as well).  

I'm going to be making/trying the bone broth.  Bought some bones, will use the slow cooker.  

I am not drawn to the collagen hydrolysate, but if Carla's found it helpful, I'm going to try it anyway.  As I said, for now I will ride out this W30, then start again mid October, by then I will have some.  (I live in Northern British Columbia - Amazon is my friend.)  

I have sure learned a lot. And though my skin is still not glowing or clear, I have to admit, it's better.  Quite a bit better.

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It's on my order list for Amazon (as is plain magnesium, which I couldn't source locally)!   Also, haven't had nuts or seeds in maybe 4 days, and am seeing improvement.  So stoked for my mid-October W30 :)  The help and suggestions are really appreciated!

 

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  • 3 months later...

Hi...I had excema when I was growing up. It disappeared for many years and came back with a vengeance when I turned around 45 (I'm 55 now). I never went to the doctor b/c I knew there wasn't much to be done about it; however, at my husband's urging, I finally went to a dermatologist, who informed me I had something called MCF - mycosis fungoides (not a fungus)...it's a type of T-cell cancer, but not dangerous nor does it spread internally. I just started with phototherapy and after 3 treatments, I already see improvement!!!! Please see a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis...just in case.

 

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  • 1 year later...

I have had mild eczema all of my life. I am doing whole30 to find the culprit and it appears salicylates are the cause. I read about it on another whole30 forum where others had extreme flare-up while on whole30. If I eat pineapple or sweet potato I itch, so by eliminating and logging my food I believe i have finally figured out the cause. By avoiding high salicylate foods and drinking kombucha I make (probiotics) I don't itch. 

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  • 4 months later...
On ‎1‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 11:47 PM, bec222 said:

Hi...I had excema when I was growing up. It disappeared for many years and came back with a vengeance when I turned around 45 (I'm 55 now). I never went to the doctor b/c I knew there wasn't much to be done about it; however, at my husband's urging, I finally went to a dermatologist, who informed me I had something called MCF - mycosis fungoides (not a fungus)...it's a type of T-cell cancer, but not dangerous nor does it spread internally. I just started with phototherapy and after 3 treatments, I already see improvement!!!! Please see a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis...just in case.

 

Hi bec222, I'm hoping you're still around. I am looking at the possibility of an MF diagnosis (I'm 30). Can I ask what your presenting symptom(s) and stage were/are? What kind of tests were done to diagnose?

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