Have you been having any skin issues? Rashes, hives, eczema, bumps, blisters, psoriasis, rosacea, itching, etc.?
And maybe you’ve been to your doctor or dermatologist who treated you with topical antibiotic or corticosteroid cream. And maybe that helped …. for a while…. But then it stopped. And your symptoms returned, and you’re not sure what to do.
Now please note – no judgement if you need to use the creams to help. I’ve had eczema in the past on my stomach and had to use it temporarily to relieve the symptoms. But I do know that the cream is simply addressing the symptoms, not the underlying cause. And if you don’t want your skin issues to re-emerge another time, figuring out the root cause is what is needed.
Sometimes symptoms may be due to external factors such as:
New products like soap or shampoo
Washing clothes using a new laundry detergent
Household cleaning supplies
Maybe you’re sleeping on new sheets
Wearing new clothes with a new fabric
New makeup, lotion, skin care?
Or even your “normal” products but perhaps the ingredients have changed
You were out in nature – gardening or hiking and inadvertently touched a plant and later skin symptoms develop
But did you know that your skin issues may be caused by internal factors such as:
Foods
Genetics
Hormones
Infections
Medical Conditions
I’m sure your medical practitioner asked you questions about external factors and maybe one or two of the internal factors.
But did your medical practitioner also ask you to complete a food journal?
Unfortunately, many of my clients say their doctor told them their skin rash, hives, bumps, irritations is not due to food they ingest. And it might not be. However, with some people food is a trigger. And you do need to be a detective to figure out what may be causing your inflammation and your symptoms.
Because after all when you have skin issues, flares, rashes, itching – it’s a type of inflammation. Your body and immune system are overreacting to this internal or external factor in a hypersensitive manner. Similar to what I talked about in our histamine series. It may be due to topical irritant such as a new product, laundry detergent, new clothes or fabric, new skin care or makeup, or a plant that is causing those issues.
But it may be a food. And yes, it may be a food you’ve always enjoyed, but it seems like all of a sudden if affecting you. That can happen.
It did to me regarding shrimp and all shellfish. I grew up in south Louisiana where I ate shrimp and crab with no problems. But in my 20s I developed a sensitivity and then a severe allergy; red bumps, hives, swollen eyes, and gastritis were my symptoms. Allergy testing currently shows a severe allergic reaction so I cannot eat any shellfish. (Bummer, huh?)
Some of my doctors have said it’s a tolerance or histamine overload. Others just don’t know.
Now my children had another issue. They both had eczema when really little. Eczema is dry, red, and inflamed skin, itchiness, sometimes bumps and swelling. We knew it was hereditary because my husband has had it on and off. Many years later I developed it as well on one occasion.
What did we do? After testing for food allergies and sensitivities in one child, we found gluten caused a big reaction.
So we began a gluten free diet and did it with both children. We followed that protocol for about 7 years. Then as the primary child grew older, had not had any eczema for years and became weary of the diet, we started to reintroduce gluten for the children. Now both seem fine with eating it.
But the only way to know if you have a food sensitivity is to try a food elimination program. And sometimes it’s a temporary way to get to the root cause and allow your inflammation to calm down. Then later you can reintroduce the food into your diet and you may be fine.
Please note: I am not talking about an allergy where you experience shortness of breath and closure of your throat which means you could go into anaphylactic shock. In these cases, you need to get to the Emergency Room as soon as possible. And carry an EPI pen all the time. I am talking about food sensitivities or intolerances.
Now just so you know – gluten is one of the top inflammatory foods. In fact, gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and soy are the most common foods that trigger an immune system response that may show up in skin issues such as eczema, redness, bumps, itching, etc.
This is a surprise to many people. When you have a gluten sensitivity, it may not show up with any digestive issues like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, or pain. Instead you may have a skin reaction such as a rash, itching, hives, bumps, red angry flushing of the skin, etc.
What Can You Do?
First, see your medical practitioner if you’ve had the skin reaction for a while to get a diagnosis.
Second, keep a food and product journal and see if you notice any patterns of foods or new product additions for your skin reactions. (Read the labels on foods and products always.)
Third, because gluten may be the offender, I do help clients in my one-on-one program figure out if gluten is one of their food sensitivities. In this program you will learn why a gluten-free diet might help you, what reactions may be caused by gluten, what foods and other products have gluten in them, and how to begin and follow the program successfully. Some people only need to do a food elimination only temporarily and others might need a longer time frame. But I do provide strategies, cheat sheets, recipes, dining out tips, and guidance so you don’t feel alone.
You can set up a free 20-minute free consult with me by clicking here, and we can talk to see if this would be a good fit for you.
Leah Cheshire is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She works primarily with women over 40 who have brain fog, digestive symptoms, fatigue, autoimmune and hormonal issues, weight problems, and pain. Having Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and IBS as well as having a child with ADHD spurred her onto a holistic pathway to health and wellness using nutrition and lifestyle factors besides the conventional medicine strategies. You can get a free 20-minute consult to see if you’d be a good fit to work together as well by clicking here.
