How to Use Raw Food Diet to Treat Eczema
Maya had eczema since she was a baby. She had a lot of flare-ups in which her body was covered entirely with large red spots.
She tried many treatments throughout the years: steroids treatment, replacing cow’s milk with goat milk, naturopathy, eliminating gluten and milk, sugar free diet – all these helped her, but the steroids had side effects, and the other methods yielded results only for the short term.
By the time Maya was 7, her eczema returned worse than ever. She was also diagnosed with candida and parasites. She tried a new diet which caused her to feel even worse. Her mother was so desperate, that she was willing to try anything to help her daughter. She decided to try a vegan high-carb, raw foods diet.
For the next few months the family ate mostly fruits, leafy greens, vegetables and healthy fats like avocado, coconut, nuts and seeds. After 3 months Maya’s skin started to heal, and after another 3 months she had just a few tiny dry spots on her skin, which continued to fade more and more every day. The mother also reports that the rest of the family felt fantastic and had a great energy.
As you can see from Maya’s story, suffering with eczema can be very frustrating and uncomfortable. Often, dermatologists will treat eczema using topical steroids, which can be absorbed through the skin and interfere with natural immune function even as they clear away the skin problem on the surface.
However, if you have eczema, you’ll be glad to learn more about the natural, healthy way that Maya tried to tackle eczema from the inside out – a raw food diet.
How raw food diets can help skin disorders such as eczema
Sometimes, skin disorders like eczema can be caused by allergens, whether due to mold or contact irritants like commercial soaps or laundry detergents. Skin problems can arise from a number of things that many people are allergic to.
Another potential cause of eczema and other skin problems is an allergy to food—specifically, dairy, wheat, eggs, soy products and sometimes even nuts and seeds.
Eating a raw food diet that consists mainly of fruits, leafy greens and other vegetables can help clear the skin and heal your body from the inside out.
Results can be seen as quickly as two weeks from beginning the dietary change, and proponents of raw veganism to heal eczema have stated that the full benefits were realized within six months of making the change.
Why raw vegan diet can be suitable for many people
Even people without skin disorders can benefit from “going raw”, although if you have a health condition, you need to check with your doctor before going raw. People who have adopted a raw eating lifestyle often tout its many benefits, including increased energy from the high-carb content and noteworthy weight loss due to the low calorie content of these natural, raw foods.
A diet that is big on fruits and veggies can be delicious and nutritious, and it’s also low-effort—after all, raw vegans don’t have to slave away over the stove cooking for hours to make their meals!
How to stay nourished when going raw
Be sure to eat a variety of foods that can help you keep your protein levels high as proteins are one of the most important nutrients in building the body. Many people who switch from omnivorism to veganism experience drops in protein levels, as complete proteins are not found in a single fruit or vegetable.
Therefore, you may wish to use vegan supplements to keep levels of methionine and lysine up to par, as these two nutrients in particular can be lacking in raw vegan diets.
Also be sure to monitor your vitamin B12 levels. This is one of the essential vitamins for the human body, and is found mainly in meat and its products.
This vitamin is very important for brain function and nervous system, to build hemoglobin and prevent anemia. Plant food sources include relatively small amounts of this vitamin and its availability is small. It is therefore recommended that raw vegans be tested occasionally by physician, and will receive supplement of this vitamin if needed.
Read more in my article about warning symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency and how to correct it.
Iron is another very important mineral to watch out if you go raw. Iron is used for building hemoglobin and its absence can cause anemia, fatigue and damage growth. Usually the amount of iron and its absorption rate are lower in plant food sources in comparison to animal food sources, so vegans are more prone to iron deficiency.
Iron exists in plant food sources is called nonheme and is very influenced by other substances that enhance or decrease its absorption. Effective absorption enhancer is for example vitamin C, if it appears in the same meal that contains iron.
In this case the vitamin C significantly increases the iron absorption in the blood. However caffeine found in coffee and tea, inhibits iron absorption, so it is recommended not to drink them soon before or after meals. You can find more information in my article top signs of iron deficiency and how to increase iron levels in your blood.
Avoiding dairy products requires to complete calcium from other sources. Calcium is abundant in leafy vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, spinach, etc.), in different seeds such as sesame seeds, flaxseed, nuts and almonds (read my article about better sources of calcium than dairy products). Also it is advisable to consume products fortified with vitamin D that may also be missing in a raw vegan diet. Find more information in my article about vitamin D deficiency.
Not eating animal food sources such as fish and eggs may lead to a lack of essential fatty acids, especially omega-3. It is therefore recommended to use alternative sources such as algae and seaweed, walnuts, chia seeds and ground flaxseed.
Stay well-hydrated when eating raw by drinking plenty of water with and between meals, and by eating lots of hydrating foods like watermelon and cucumber on a regular basis. If seeds and nuts do not cause issues, feel free to incorporate them into your diet, as they are chock full of protein and healthy fats.
Other natural treatments for eczema, psoriasis and other skin disorders
- You can use these 11 natural treatments for eczema.
- There are a number of essential oils that you can use for eczema.
- This natural face mask can be useful for treating eczema.
- There are 12 natural ways to relieve psoriasis.
- Use this vitamin for treating psoriasis.
Here is a video about Maya’s story: