Is Eczema A Gut Problem?
Is eczema a gut problem, autoimmune, or some other disorder? It is essential to understand what the underlying problem is so you can tackle the root and not just the symptoms. That way you'll have a better understanding of how to cure your eczema.
If you ask a dermatologist about the cause of eczema, more often than not, the explanation will be something like this: “We still don't know what causes eczema. it could be a reaction to some environmental allergens, predisposing genetic factors, or an overactive immune reaction.”
Most dermatologists explain that eczema is characterized as a condition of skin inflammation. There are several types of eczema but the most common is atopic eczema which can be triggered by allergens such as food, personal hygiene products, fabric, stress, dry air, etc. There is no cure to this skin disorder but there are treatments to deal with the symptoms.
However, there are a few medical doctors who think that there is a cure to eczema. This takes us back to the question, is eczema a gut problem? In other words, is there a leaky gut that’s causing eczema?
As a GAPS Diet coach (and previously a patient) I came to the understanding that most likely the answer is yes. As someone who has studied and is trained in the GAPS Nutritional Protocol, when an individual has a leaky gut and gut dysbiosis (abnormal gut flora), there will be a constant flow of toxins, pathogens, and partially digested foods leaking into the bloodstream.
The body has to deal with these toxins by getting rid of them and the skin is one of the detoxifying organs that will help to do that. This leads to the next question...
Is Eczema an Autoimmune Disease?
When someone has a leaky gut then autoimmune disease is inventible. Some of the toxins that were leaking through the gut into the bloodstream will come out of the skin a few things will happen:
- The toxins themselves are causing physical damage to the skin.
- The skin microbiota will interact with toxins which also result in skin damage.
- The immune system will try to neutralize these toxins and use one of its offensive tools, inflammation.
So the answer is yes, eczema is a gut-centered problem which subsequently leads to autoimmune disease.
The Gaps Diet and Eczema
Treating eczema naturally can be very effective in curing it or subsiding it significantly. One natural remedy is to follow the GAPS Diet.
This diet targets the source of this disease by doing the following:
- It repairs the digestive system by sealing and healing the gut using food nourishment.
- It Balances the gut flora which leads to balancing the skin flora (aka skin microbiota).
- It replenishes the body's strength to detoxify itself from all toxins inside and outside of the body.
This will lead to balancing the immune system cells, thus getting rid of autoimmunity at the end.
Final Words
According to Dr.Natasha Campbell-McBride’s book, Gut and Physiology Syndrome, people who suffer from eczema have a surplus of toxicity in their bodies. These toxins are coming from imbalanced and overgrown microbes, a leaky gut, and any undigested food.
Therefore, eczema medications are only treating the symptoms. The person will need to use these medications repeatedly, if not indelibly, while also dealing with side effects from the medication itself. While on the other hand, the GAPS Diet treats the source of the issue.
