Carnivore & Eczema

zero-carb-carnivore

#1

Hello,

New to this forum. I started carnivore zero carb with strictly beef, water, salt, and black coffee for the last 30 days. I had enough positive results to keep me going long term. My eczema, located on my arms and neck cleared up within 3 days. However, at day 20 it came back, and has been stable to slightly worse for the last 10 days straight.

I have not changed the diet, the places I purchase the meat or coffee, no medications, no new lotions/bathing products, no weather changes, and stress is normal to lower than before. I consume 1.5-2 pounds of beef a day, fatty cuts I do not trim or high fat ground beef, and collagen bone broth that I make. I am at a loss.

Any ideas and recommendations? Thank you!


#2

Were you keto before going carnivore? Some people get a rash when they first go low carb - could be a variation on that. Not saying it isn’t eczema, only that it might have flared up due to the change in body chemistry that can sometimes cause keto rash in people.


(Edith) #3

You may want to do some research on oxalates. Oxalate is found in certain plants, particularly spinach, chocolate, nuts (especially almonds), berries, and many others. (I can’t think of any more at the moment.) It is a toxin that can build up in our bodies over time. When we stop eating oxalate in our diet, by dropping all plants and going carnivore for example, our bodies start excreting the oxalates. It can be very painful and debilitating for some people and just annoying for others. There are many symptoms when one dumps oxalate including skin problems. Peeling skin is one of them. Psoriasis flares is another.

Two to three weeks in to lowering oxalate is about the time that dumping begins. I’ve been going through on and off oxalate dumping since I started my carnivore experiment six months ago. For me symptoms include: sore teeth, diarrhea, crusty eyes, inflamed lower back and other joints, headaches, cloudy urine, peeling lips. @FrankoBear has also had oxalate dumping problems switching to carnivore.

My brother has very bad psoriasis. When he switched to carnivore his psoriasis actually worsened at first. I believe from oxalate dumping. He went through several months where his psoriasis started healing and improving and then he started dumping again and his psoriasis flared up again. Now, it is back to healing.

So, long story short, research oxalates and oxalate dumping. It could be an explanation to your eczema acting up.

Here is a quick little intro:
https://realfoodcarnivore.com/what-to-do-about-oxalate-dumping/


#4

Hello,

Thank you for the quick responses!

I had not done keto in the past. I suffered from GI distress, insomnia, eczema for years prior to and throughout graduate and medical school. After exhausting all of the medications and lifestyle changes regarding those illnesses I tried a modified paleo diet then the autoimmune paleo diets last year with no help. Eventually my diet became chocolate, blueberries, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, chicken, carrots, and Japanese yams in massive quantities for about the last year with little improvement.

Oxalate dumping fits the timeline especially given my prior diet. I had lower back and joint pain previously but that has improved since starting carnivore. No other negative symptoms thus far, in fact, nearly everything has resolved except for the skin.

Thanks again for your input, I’m grateful for the ideas and detailed explanation.


#5

HI and yea, adaption time. It can vary for each of us on how our bodies react while dumping toxins. Toxins of all kinds and one of the biggest things that can be effected is our skin, biggest organ on the body :slight_smile:

Your very early on changing and healing so you could have wiped out the offending foods that triggered your eczema but thru adaption and changes your skin could be reacting again.

Time. You need more time before you worry :slight_smile: It is sometimes hard to keep the faith that more great improvements will come but it is what needs to happen. Time on the plan changes us alot. So hold the course, eat clean carnivore and more time and then re-evaluate.

sending great healing vibes your way :slight_smile: :slight_smile:


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #6

Try not to give up on eating carnivore until the six-month mark. It often takes people that long to get over previous problems.

If you do an Internet search for Dr. Annette Bosworth, her site has a lot of information about oxalate dumping, and how to cope.

When I first joined these forums, a lot of members were experiencing unpleasant symptoms from massive Candida die-off, and several learned the hard way that returning to their previous high-carb way of eating might ease the symptoms temporarily but was more problematic than simply gritting their teeth and getting through the unpleasantness. I suspect that if you can get through the difficulties you are currently experiencing, you will fee a lot better in the long run.


#7

@Ishimura I was wondering how your eczema has been. I have been doing a 30-day carnivore trial for fibromyalgia and joint pain that is most likely auto-immune related. I think eczema also has roots in immune dysfunction so just wondering if the diet started working for you again. I think immune dysfunction is one of the most challenging conditions to heal. My latest thought is that my pain is correlated with my level of GI distress and possibly microbiome upset. I was doing well on carnivore except for about 5 days when my intestines were definitely not functioning properly.


#8

Hi @wendy198 - Eczema is fully resolved through just diet. No moisturizers, creams, steroids… it was gone about 10 days after I posted and has not returned.

Eczema certainly does have an immune component. I was reading an article on breathing techniques helping with fibromyalgia, unfortunately it was on my phone and I don’t have a link as I closed the tab. Perhaps look into Wim Hof or similar to assist as well? Not medical advice and not related to carnivore but it sounded relevant.


#9

That’s amazing! I noticed on your other thread you are very strict, which I’m sure helps. Thanks for the breath exercise suggestion. I will check it out. Best of luck to you.