Living without eczema: three new perspectives you didn't know about
Eczema is often labeled as a chronic skin condition. Something you just have to learn to live with. However, in recent years, there has been increasing room for a different perspective.
A few years ago, I developed the "Life without Eczema" training, stemming from a long personal search for the underlying causes of eczema. Through targeted lifestyle changes, the symptoms significantly decreased. These experiences formed the basis for an e-book that combined both personal findings and insights from guiding clients within Werk Atleet.
That e-book is now several years old. In the years since, I have encountered numerous new discoveries about how eczema can arise and how it can be resolved. This has shifted the perspective: eczema is increasingly seen not as an isolated skin problem, but as a signal of processes occurring deeper within the body.
This blog shares three insights that have emerged in recent years. Not quick fixes or symptom suppression, but perspectives that invite a broader view of eczema and an awareness of what lies beneath the surface. You probably won't like one of these causes, but I'm going to mention it.
1. Parasites
When most people think of parasites, they think of distant, tropical trips. Yet, parasites also occur in the Netherlands, particularly in the intestinal tract. In theory, they even belong there. But as soon as they grow too large or are present in excess, they can form a constant stressor for the immune system. And a continuously activated immune system? That often manifests in the skin. Chronic immune activity can perpetuate eczema, even if your diet and lifestyle seem 'in order'.
What can you do?
It is important to test before acting. A parasite test through a reliable provider (for example, via GetTested.nl – parasite test) can provide insight into what is happening. From there, guidance from a therapist or doctor is important to correctly interpret the results.
In addition, there are natural supportive remedies, such as herbs (wormwood, black walnut) and substances like allicin from garlic. With a mild infestation, a simple approach can sometimes already be supportive, for example:
One clove of raw garlic combined with raw honey daily. You swallow this (do not chew) to limit bad breath.
Important: this is not a substitute for medical care, but a possible supplement. And perhaps the most important lesson here: you cannot resolve eczema by applying something to the skin if the cause is internal.
2. Histamine
Histamine has a bad reputation, but it is not an enemy in itself. It only becomes a problem when your body cannot break it down properly. Then an overreactive system develops, with symptoms such as itching, redness, a burning sensation, and sudden eczema flare-ups. This can sometimes even happen after consuming foods that are considered healthy.
Often, this is not a classic allergy, but rather a disturbed histamine breakdown. The key usually lies with: the DAO enzyme and the health of the intestines.
The DAO enzyme (diamine oxidase) is responsible for breaking down histamine from food in the gut. When this enzyme is insufficiently active, histamine can accumulate in the body and cause complaints. The production and function of DAO are highly dependent on a healthy intestinal wall and a balanced gut flora. In cases of intestinal inflammation, increased intestinal permeability, or dysbiosis, this breakdown system becomes overloaded more quickly, which can lead to an increase in histamine-related skin reactions (1)
What can you do immediately?
A short elimination phase is often the quickest way to discover if histamine plays a role. Temporarily avoid histamine-rich products such as:
- fermented foods (kimchi, kefir)
- tomatoes
- spinach
- leftovers
- bone broth
Instead, opt for simplicity:
- breakfast: meat broth
- lunch: fresh fish
- dinner: meat with well-prepared seasonal vegetables
It is also crucial to avoid DAO inhibitors. These are mainly found in:
- green and black tea
- alcohol
- matcha (Yes, avoid that "grass in a glass" for three months as well. If you want to delve deeper into this: it's about the substance EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate)
No matter how healthy these foods sound, if you want to reduce eczema, temporarily stopping (at least three months) is often essential. Without this step, the underlying cause will persist and symptoms will continue to recur.
Support for the DAO enzyme can be obtained through food (such as kidneys) or kidney supplementation, but ultimately, one basic rule applies here:
Better gut health = better histamine breakdown = less skin reactivity.
3. Aloe vera: more than a soothing gel
We mainly know aloe vera as something you apply to the skin. But its true power lies within.
The active substance acemannan, derived from the inner leaf gel, has properties that are particularly interesting for eczema:
- supports immune regulation
- helps suppress inflammatory reactions
- stimulates skin repair
- contributes to the restoration of the intestinal wall
And it is precisely this intestinal wall that plays a key role in chronic skin complaints.
However, an important caveat: most aloe vera products on the market contain hardly any active ingredients. Through heating, dilution, or additives such as alcohol and perfume, acemannan is lost or can even irritate.
However, high-quality aloe vera is difficult to find. It requires critical scrutiny of origin, processing, and composition. It is difficult to find real acemannan in the Netherlands, but with some Google research, we came across this brand: Premier Aloe. For those who want to seriously test this, I recommend using it consistently for at least 6 to 8 weeks, so you can truly assess what it does for you.
Finally
Eczema is rarely just a skin problem. It is often a sign of internal imbalance in the immune system, the intestines, or the way the body processes stimuli.
Not every approach will be the solution for everyone. But for some, one missing piece of the puzzle can make all the difference. And perhaps that is the most important message I want to convey:
Life without eczema is possible!
It requires curiosity, patience, and the willingness to look beyond symptom management.
References
- Cucca, V., Ramirez, G. A., Pignatti, P., Asperti, C., Russo, M., Della-Torre, E., Breda, D., Burastero, S. E., Dagna, L., & Yacoub, M. (2022). Basal serum diamine oxidase levels as a biomarker of histamine intolerance: a Retrospective cohort study. Nutrients, 14(7), 1513. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14071513
