Not sure if diet can help your eczema? Although eczema is usually hereditary, having the best diet for eczema may significantly calm skin redness and itching. In addition, your environment and skin products may improve your skin barrier, to help seal in moisture.
Diet cannot ‘cure’ eczema, but it can often help to manage symptoms so it no longer impacts your life. The ideal diet for eczema has a healthy balance, including anti inflammatory foods to calm your skin, while limiting aggravating foods.
A balanced diet rich in vitamins A, C and E (colourful fruits and vegetables and seeds) and protein is key to give your skin what it needs. As a nutritionist, one of the most common issues I see with my clients is a restrictive diet. As a result, this often leads to deficiencies, making it difficult for your skin to heal. To avoid these issues, I recommend real delicious food, not just a detox diet for eczema and juicing (although this is ok in moderation if you like)!
Nourishing your skin with plenty of omega-3 fats and antioxidants is key to calm redness and improve your skin barrier. I therefore focus on ADDING nutritious foods back into your diet, providing an anti inflammatory diet for eczema.
Nutrition supplements are not needed for everyone (if your digestion is good and your diet is varied and healthy). Although, most of us find it hard to eat a wide array of nutrients to provide the optimum levels for our skin. Supplements such as zinc can therefore can make a huge difference if you have low levels. Individuals with eczema may also have issues with metabolising fats, including an omega-6 fat found in evening primrose oil.
You may be able to get a skin prick allergy test from your GP, which can measure common allergens. If you would prefer a single blood test with a wider range of allergens tested, I can recommend a food allergy test and an inhalant allergy test (e.g. dust mites).
I also recommend testing fatty acid levels, including omega-3, 6 and 9 to determine issues with fat metabolism. Tests can be ordered at your first nutrition consultation.
This really depends on how long you’ve had eczema and how severe it is. If your diet can be improved significantly, you may start seeing results after 3-4 weeks, however most of my clients see most benefits after 3 months.
Choose from one of the 2 options below to start your journey to calmer skin.
If you simply want to try recipes at your own pace, you can start off with my 14-day meal plan for clear skin. Alternatively, if you would like in-depth and personal one-to-one nutritionist advice, you can book nutrition consultations.
Eat your way to youthful glowing skin with a simple PDF guide, including over 50 delicious recipes online to nourish your skin back to health. Includes vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free options.
✔︎ Suitable if you are new to healthy eating
One-to-one nutrition consultations are provided via video or phone call. Get personalised advice on your diet, supplements and skin products, and stay on track with ongoing messaging support.
✔︎ Suitable if you have more complex health issues