Eczema & The Ketogenic Diet

(Jamesthomasryan) #1

So, a few years ago I ended up getting raw, red itchy hands. What started with a few bumps on my fingers, spread like wildfire to a full on rash on both hands. At some points it looked (and felt) like a chemical burn. I was so embarrassed and the pain/burning/itching was unbearable at times. I tried every topical and homeopathic treatment with little to no result.

Well, I finally went keto back in January and am astonished to report that I have had ZERO outbreaks since. I want to shout this from the rooftops. I was miserable for over 3 years, and now it’s just gone. I’m convinced the type of eczema I had was brought on by my own actions leading to a very sick gut, and has been eliminated with getting my carbs and gut microbiome in control. Anyone else have a similar experience? Eczema sufferers, there is a cure!

(E.O.) #2

When you had the issue, were you deficient in healthy fats? I’ve heard several physicians claim skin issues are related to a lack of healthy dietary fat–so if that’s true, perhaps it explains your results. I’ve also heard of people having reactions to the chlorine in the water, triclosan in the soap, etc–but it is unlikely you’ve changed any of those factors.

(Jamesthomasryan) #3

It’s possible I could have been deficient in healthy fats, though I’ve cooked with olive oil/coconut for a long time and ate a lot of avocado and tuna as I used to be a pescetarian, until very recently. Certainly now I use actual butter (thank God).
I wouldn’t say I’ve changed anything about my water or soaps. It all feels like a bad dream, and I’m so blessed to have some relief! I’ve read a lot about “leaky gut” and it’s relation to eczema, and while I don’t have any proof myself, it makes a lot of sense to me that when you fix your body’s digestive system, that your body stops having terrible reactions to the way you’re treating it. I wish I knew of more people who have had a similar experience, and could speak about it with more knowledge than what I have.

(E.O.) #4

Glad that worked for you–even if you don’t know exactly what fixed it. Maybe it will never reoccur so you won’t have to worry about it.

(Karen) #5

No eczema when I drop dairy. Keto ya, maybe, but likely dairy for me. Sigh. I love cheese.

K

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #6

I get some kind of dermatitis on the backs of my hands as soon as the humidity drops for the winter, and it never goes away until spring. Cortisone cream helps, but never banishes it entirely. The past winter was my first in ketosis, and I was hoping . . . oh, well. At least the itching doesn’t make me drop my cheese, lol!

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #7

I feel your pain.
I have a type of dermatitis that appears as small blisters, they get itchy and when you scratch them they pop and spread. The skin then dries out and cracks. With years of abuse of steroid cream the skin on my hands has thinned out, which makes the process in repairing them more difficult.
Since starting Keto 36 days ago they have cleared up immensely, not entirely but they have stopped itching and I no longer have breakouts. It’s great.

(Bunny) #8

No Choline in the meat probably? No Fat Soluble B? Not enough? Organic-Non-GMO-Grass-fed (not grass finished livestock or GMO fed poultry e.g. eggs)? Organic-non-GMO Vegetables?

Choline is the Vitamin for a Fatty Liver & Can Prevent Keto Rash Dr. Berg talks about keto rash and a fatty liver. You can also get a rash (keto rash) from autophagy, a conditon whereby the body is recycling old damaged proteins and cleaning up microbes in the body - a type of detox. But when the liver is fatty it loses the capasity to detox, clean the body and things can back up. Choline, one of the B-vitamins can help prevent a fatty liver. Choline is high in egg yolk, beef liver, and cruciferous vegetables. Your intestinal flora (friendly bacteria) have a lot to do with absorbing choline so if there is an inbalance you may not even absorb choline. Choline works closely with purified bile salts to break down fats.

DATA:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1253434/
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22134222
  1. http://www.jbc.org/content/120/2/647.full.pdf+html
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16745949
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22780848
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2051633/pdf/brmedj03649-0003.pdf
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1394737/
Unusual swollen finger condition - Suggestions required
(Jay Patten) #9

I have it on my hands, mainly between my fingers. Its not red, but does get bumpy at times. Luckily it isn’t very noticable but the itch… OMG! Especially when I wash my hands in hot water…

I haven’t yet noticed a change (6 months for me) but this gives me hope.