Holistic Eczema Specialist (Me!) Answers Top Questions About Eczema

If you’re curious about what causes eczema from a holistic perspective, this article is for you. It will answer some of the most common questions you may have about eczema causation and how to treat and reverse it effectively.

Unlike the medical industry that treats and suppresses symptoms with medication, holistic eczema specialists look at the whole person’s lifestyle, diet, and health history to understand where imbalances occur and how to proceed with an individualized protocol.

Now, let’s dive into your most pertinent questions!

How does a holistic approach to eczema differ from conventional treatment?

This is one of the most frequent questions I get and one that requires a mindset shift! Traditional approaches to eczema reversal view the skin as the culprit, whereas the holistic approach views eczema as an internal problem that manifests on the skin. These are very different perspectives that result in very different prescriptions for eczema reversal. 

Dermatologists work from the medical perspective of taking symptoms at face value and suppressing them with medication. They medicate the skin and attempt to lower the body’s inflammatory response with steroids and antihistamines. This is done to make the patient see quick results in symptom alleviation. However, because the root cause of eczema has not been addressed (which we’ll get into!), the symptoms will come back eventually and often with greater force. 

Instead, a holistic eczema specialist not only understands eczema from a personal experience (most of us have had chronic eczema ourselves and have gone through the journey of healing!) but they also recognize the impact of diet, emotions, and mental health on eczema formation and healing.

Is eczema a sign of deeper imbalances in the body?

Yes! Eczema is not really a skin problem (although it does involve certain skin weakness components in its formation) - it is an internal inflammatory issue. When the body is under acidic waste strain, its healthy response is inflammation, which sends more immune cells and fluid to the affected area. Inflammation is not the culprit but the body’s protective response. 

If we think of the skin as the third kidney, we can pinpoint most skin issues as deriving from poor waste elimination. The kidneys are the body’s major waste elimination organs. If they’re not filtering properly or are weak, the body will attempt to use the skin for the brunt of the waste elimination. 

So, with eczema, we always have to get back to what is causing the inflammatory response in the body. Is it our diet, the way we manage stress, or our overall lifestyle? We also have to understand that certain weaknesses in the body have to be in place (either genetically or environmentally) for body acidosis to be expressed as eczema and not other diseases. And, that’s what I’ll talk about next!

What causes eczema from a holistic perspective?

From my own learning and expertise in body elimination systems, as well as how disease forms and heals, these are the puzzle pieces that I put together concerning biological eczema causes. 

Now, keep in mind, emotional and mental health can weaken or improve these biological weaknesses and are oftentimes “the” triggers that instigate eczema in the first place.

That means that even though some individuals can have these weaknesses, but are balanced emotionally and mentally, they may never experience eczema!

So, in my opinion, the following weaknesses are most pronounced in individuals with eczema but only develop into eczema after a long, stressful period or emotional/mental toll. 

• poor function of the lymphatic system (immunity) - which causes allergies

• weak skin membrane (the skin is the third kidney)

• poor kidney function (kidneys not filtering waste properly) 

• weak thyroid function (hypothyroidism)

• endocrine system weakness (especially the adrenals and the thyroid)

All of these weaknesses can be traced back to genetics, lifestyle (diet and emotions), and most often, both. Given these perspectives, let’s get to the next section that explores why I don’t think eczema is really a gut or liver issue (although the body is holistic and certain weaknesses can impact the body as a whole.

Is eczema really a gut and liver issue? 

While eczema is systemic, from my own detoxification training and understanding of the body, I have to disagree that eczema is solely caused by gut and liver issues. Instead, since the skin is mainly involved, we have to look at other systems of the body that deal with elimination, mainly the kidneys, the lymphatic system, and the endocrine system (which regulates all the organs). 

If this skin is an important elimination organ that eliminates waste through sweat, and if eczema pus is “the” acidic waste the body is trying to eliminate, the problem lies more so in the main detoxification pathways of the body. 

While the gut eliminates food waste, the kidneys eliminate metabolic and water-soluble toxins present in the interstitial cellular spaces. This is the lymphatic waste that we see oozing through eczema skin.

Now, let’s look at the liver. Contrary to popular belief, the liver is not a detoxification organ but an alchemical factory that converts toxic compounds to less-toxic chemical chains so that they can be handled safely and even utilized for certain purposes. It does filter the blood, which can never get too acidic, but not the body’s waste system (the lymphatic system).

That is just one of the thousands of actions that the liver performs…but waste elimination is not one of them!

Can eczema be healed naturally without steroids?

Absolutely! Steroids can never heal eczema, but simply suppress the symptoms by providing the body with an artificial alternative for what it should be able to make on its own. 

Steroids not only prevent the body from healing naturally, but they also suppress inflammation without reversing it. Therefore, when one stops taking steroids, the eczema will inevitably come back full-force because of steroid withdrawal and because the root of the inflammation has not been addressed but covered up. 

At this point, the body has become dependent on artificial steroids, which have prevented it from making its own adrenal steroids. This will make the withdrawal phase of eczema recovery even more difficult.

The solution then is to always go with the natural route of healing since the body operates under the laws of nature (we are nature!). A holistic eczema specialist can help you on this journey by pinpointing which dietary and lifestyle changes need to be made long-term for healing to take place.

What are the best natural remedies recommended by holistic specialists?

Holistic eczema specialists usually focus on herbal, dietary, and lifestyle practices to help individuals see tangible results without the side effects of medication (such as steroid withdrawal).

However, keep in mind that treatments can only go so far in helping to alleviate symptoms. To truly heal eczema for good, you’ll have to detoxify your body of acidic waste and regenerate the weakest areas that act as catalysts for eczema (both usually done with diet and herbs).

Undoubtedly, on the path to healing, eczema management is also essential. It improves one’s quality of life and the capacity to manage eczema emotionally. 

That being the case, these are some of my favorite eczema treatments (true and tried!):

1. Salt and baking soda (used in a bath): Salt, especially sea salt, is very cleansing and nourishing to the skin. It is mineral-rich and helps remove dead skin cells and waste, while improving the symptoms of redness, itchiness, and ooziness. It acts as a natural antihistamine and soothes the skin's feel and appearance. Aluminum-free baking soda is one of my favorite uses for the skin. It is highly alkaline, meaning it neutralizes the acidic waste that is oozing out of eczema skin and balances its pH. It also gently exfoliates and disinfects flare-ups, making it one of the best natural tools to manage flare-ups.

2. Shamanic skin wash treatment and herbal medicine: When I was in Peru, I worked with a respected female shaman and herbalist to reverse my eczema. She picked local herbs directly from the edges of the Amazon at dawn (when the herbs are most potent) and boiled them into "medicine" an hour later to ensure that they were used at their peak vitality. Then, she massaged my whole body with them and left the herbs on my skin for some time before washing them off. She also provided me with "blood cleansing" herbs that I was to take first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. While these treatments really helped, they were still treatments, and so much more had to be done "internally" in addition to them to see long-lasting results. 

3. German chamomile essential oil (organic): This was one of my favorite essential oils that I tried for eczema, with great results for my flare-up management! German chamomile contains a compound called chamazulene, which is proven to reduce redness, swelling, and itching, making it wonderful for eczema relief. I diluted it with olive/coconut oil and applied it to my flare-ups directly (gently massaging the area). It was incredible how fast the skin responded and looked better in minutes!

4. Freshly squeezed juices and smoothies: This is my favorite treatment, since it addresses internal inflammation directly (and doesn't focus only on the skin) by providing the body with cleansing and healing chemistry (cellular fuel). Juicing and berry smoothies have been indispensable on my eczema-healing journey, and alongside long-term diet and emotional shifts, they have provided me with the most concrete results. 

5. Saunas: Since the skin is an eliminatory organ, the body uses it as a detoxification pathway to remove waste and acids. Saunas help to open up the skin when we have a hard time sweating because our thyroid is not functioning optimally (a factor for many people who have eczema) or because our skin is underperforming genetically. Overall, doing regular saunas helps your body detoxify more efficiently and lowers the toxic/acidic load in the body.

What diet changes can help clear eczema?

The best diet for eczema (from my professional experience), is a raw vegan diet. Why? Because the body needs the most electrical, hydrating, and nutritious food to open up the elimination channels and detoxify. 

To repair the body takes plenty of energy, and raw foods (uncooked or unadulterated) provide the body with the right fuel to rebalance and repair. Raw foods are also known as alkaline foods, meaning they offset the acidity in the body and ignite repair. 

Other foods like meat, dairy, grains, and highly cooked foods (no matter if they’re “healthy”) are acidic and burden the body with more waste. They weaken organs and tissues, take many energetic resources to digest, and create obstacles to healing.

When it comes to food and eczema, my advice is to keep it as raw and simple as possible (complexity of ingredients also burdens the digestive tract) and eat small portions. This alone will help you see enormous results over 1-3 months. 

How long does it take to heal eczema naturally?

I healed my chronic eczema (up to 95% of it) in about 90 days and know what it takes to get the body to the place of healing for most people to see concrete results in that time. It truly depends on the type of program and the eczema sufferer’s commitment to the protocol. 

However, many natural programs that have dietary and lifestyle components can help individuals see concrete results within a year. Always go with the one that speaks to you the most! 

What should I expect when working with a holistic eczema specialist?

A holistic eczema specialist will want to know about you from a holistic perspective - your traumas, your dietary habits, and your thinking patterns. This health and lifestyle deep dive will ensure that each individual has a personalized protocol that works with their unique case and challenges. 

Everyone has different eczema triggers, and helping to navigate healing with these unique differences is one of the biggest strengths of holistic eczema specialists. 

The right specialist will guide you through the journey with support and will provide you with key information you’ll need as you start healing. This healing process is often emotionally charged, and having the right person beside you can make all the difference!

Ready to Work With a Holistic Eczema Specialist That Understands Body Detoxification?

If you’ve tried all types of treatments, diets, and even natural solutions for your eczema but nothing has worked long-term, the reason is that you haven’t addressed the root of the cause - internal inflammation. This “state” of the body cannot be repaired overnight and cannot be reversed through treatment-based thinking. 

What WILL ignite healing and reverse your eczema for good is to address your physical, emotional, and mental health holistically for a good 3-6 months. In health, doing the right things daily over a longer time frame generates the most results. 

If you’d like to learn more about how to heal your eczema naturally, check out my Empowered Eczema Healing YouTube channel, where I share stories about my healing and teach you how you can completely reverse eczema through self-awareness and physical, mental, and emotional regulation. 

💚🌿🍇 If you're looking for a qualified holistic eczema specialist to help you explore your unique eczema journey, support you in healing, and work on you 1-1 though the uncertainties and difficulties, my 90 day Eczema Mind-Body Healing Program may be right for you. Reach out to see if we can work together <3!