There are many ways of dealing with eczema entirely naturally.
While the medical profession will almost always point you in the direction of pharmaceuticals such as corticosteroids and antihistamines, there really is no need to resort to potentially dangerous chemical drugs unless your eczema problem becomes so severe that natural solutions are no longer effective.
Apart from the natural substances already listed in the chapter (all of which seem to provide major benefits for eczema sufferers), there are many other herbal remedies that have been reported by many sufferers to help offset the worst effects of eczema.
Most of these herbs should be applied to the eczema affected area of the skin, ideally after making a suitable oil compound with mild baby oil.
These herbs include burdock and licorice root, cleavers, nettles, yellow dock leaves and red clover.
Shitake mushrooms have been used as an integral part of ancient Chinese medicine for thousands of years, while in modern day Japan, they are used to help chemotherapy and radiation patients to recover more quickly.
This is because the medicinal benefits of Shitake mushrooms have the ability to penetrate deep into the bone marrow of anyone who eats them on a regular basis.
Honey is a natural antibacterial substance that is often classified as one of the ‘super foods’ because of its abilities to boost your immune system and increase your natural vitality and energy levels.
Although most people would probably think of honey as something sweet that the bees make, you might be surprised to know that honey is in fact a very complex mix of antibacterial agents, organic acids and a wide array of necessary trace minerals like iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese and zinc.
The full scientific name of the common sage which is most effective for dealing with skin conditions like eczema is salvia officinalis. The fact that we commonly referred to topical skin applications that are most soothing and reviving as ‘salves’ should give you an indication of just how effective this particular herb can be for helping you deal with your eczema problem.
Sage is packed with powerful antioxidants, so it is highly effective in dealing with a condition like eczema. In addition, it has marked antibacterial qualities and is a known immune system stimulant.
The active ingredient in garlic that gives it its familiar pungent smell is a sulphur-rich volatile oil known as allicin. It is this oil that gives garlic its ability to boost your immune system while also stimulating circulation and killing bacteria. In other words, garlic is another natural antibacterial substance that can help to improve the quality of your immune system, strengthening your body’s ability to reduce the severity and frequency of eczema flare-ups.
St. John’s wort or Hypericum perforatum is a plant that contains numerous compounds which have many well documented beneficial medical and psychological effects. While St John’s wort is most widely known for its ability to act as an antidepressant that is every bit as powerful as pharmaceutical antidepressants like Prozac, it is also an herb that has significant benefits for anyone suffering from eczema as well.
Milk vetch or Astragalus membranaceus is one of the most important plants in traditional Chinese medicine, one that has been used for at least 2000 years to strengthen the body.
As far as using Astragalus to combat eczema is concerned, the first thing to understand that it is that it is an adaptogen, a substance that helps the body de-stress both physically and psychologically. Knowing that stress can often play an extremely important part in causing eczema attacks, this ability to reduce stress naturally is extremely important.
There is evidence that eczema is a problem that is caused by an immune system that is not as strong or as robust as it should be. Consequently, using natural treatments and herbs to strengthen your immune system also helps to keep your eczema under control.
There are a multitude of different herbs that are capable of improving the performance of your immune system, making your ability to fight eczema from the inside more marked. By including these herbs in your diet or at least supplementing your diet with them, you increase the chances of dealing with your eczema in a wholly holistic way.
While it was at one time believed that there was only one form of vitamin B, it is now known that instead of just one vitamin B, there are eight vitamins that together make up the vitamin B complex. While all of the different forms of vitamin B have their own health giving qualities, they also work together as a ‘team’ to promote different aspects of essential health.
All of the individual components of the vitamin B complex cooperate with one another to help the body function in many different ways.