I battled eczema until recently when I started to make some changes to my lifestyle. This has been quite a learning process for me—and everybody is different; what is best for my skin and health, might not be what’s best for you. But here’s what worked for me.*
*Always talk to your healthcare provider before trying new self-care routines.
4 Ways I Healed My Eczema
The first thing I concluded: my diet was awful. The journey of starting PurelyB helped me to really dive into my healing. My diet changed in gradual stages and I learned more and more about my body with each passing month.
For my diet, I tried eliminating things, supplementing things. And for me, I found the culprit when I did an elimination diet—it was meat (I don’t consume beef/lamb in general).
So, when I started cutting down meat, my body healed tremendously. And eventually, I learned enough about my body to know what I needed to avoid and what my body needed to thrive.
Having said that, what I learned from this journey is that many eczema flareups are not caused by foods, so it can be difficult to determine the specific foods you're sensitive to. But if you suspect food is the instigator, an elimination diet is one of the best ways to discover specific foods that trigger eczema. I strongly suggest anyone with eczema go for this test. Additionally, it’s generally best to stay away from inflammatory food like sugar and sweets, wheat and dairy to avoid flareups as well.
In order to get the full benefits of a healthy diet—and to have hydrated skin—it’s important to stay hydrated with lots of water. If your urine is any shade of yellow you need to drink more water. I like to start my day with Pegaga by PurelyB and apple cider vinegar. When I started taking Pegaga by PurelyB, I also realised I was less prone to eczema when I ate meat. Which means I can occasionally enjoy my favourite chicken dishes.
Detergents and other soaping agents can dry out the skin. I recommend looking for gentler, fragrance- or colour-free laundry detergent to help improve eczema symptoms.
As for beauty products, I pay a lot of attention to the ingredients of each of these products to understand what’s in there. Try using a gentle, no-lather, fragrance-free cleanser. Avoid products with rough particles for scrubbing or exfoliating, as these can further irritate the skin.
I do admit, there are days when my eczema flares up even when I'm very diligent and careful with my food because eczema does constantly change day-to-day and week-to-week. It can be difficult to pin down precisely what causes triggers, but I do believe holistic methods, like a healthy mindset, can be highly effective at offering relief and managing eczema, sending it into remission for the long term.
This article has been republished with permission from PurelyB