Managing Chronic Skin Problems Through Elimination Diet

A chronic skin condition such as psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea are auto-immune, lifelong diseases, and they are not caused by one’s food intake. However, some people find that certain foods can trigger symptoms such as skin flare-ups.

Your body’s response to certain foods can be medically tested and measured through various clinical tests, however the medical and laboratory methods currently being offered often look out only for allergens.

Finding out what you are allergic to is all well and good, but there are some foods that you may not necessarily be allergic to but can cause some form of reaction of intolerance or sensitivity all the same. Aside from being non-conclusive, these clinical methods can be expensive as well.

A food sensitivity or intolerance happens when the body has difficulty digesting a particular food (or food group). Unlike food allergies that involve the immune system, food sensitivity occurs when the gut reacts poorly to specific foods and can involve a wide variety of reactions categorized into these two types:

• Local reaction: when the digestive system finds it difficult to properly break down foods leading to bloating, stomach pain, gas, or diarrhea.
• Systemic reaction: when specific foods irritate the gut and manifest throughout the body in different forms such as skin rash, fatigue, migraines, or headaches, among others.

Clearly, our digestive system does a lot more than digesting food since scientifically speaking, a big part of our immune system can be found in our digestive tract. With this, we can infer that food sensitivity and intolerance can contribute, whether directly or indirectly, to many health issues including chronic skin conditions.

As such, for a person suffering from a chronic skin condition such as psoriasis or eczema, it is important to know what food can trigger flare-ups or other symptoms. One typical and inexpensive method for finding out food triggers to chronic skin conditions is an Elimination Diet.

How Elimination Diet Works

An elimination diet is a relatively straightforward food plan and you will typically only need two things: a whole lot of discipline and thorough journaling. Simply put, it is a diet that involves systematic removal and then reintroduction of specific food groups over a set time.

This structured diet plan aims to methodically identify the body’s reaction to certain foods, one at a time.

Since the food testing is done successively, the whole process may take 3-4 weeks, depending on how meticulous and comprehensive you want to go about it. There are many different ways to do an elimination diet, and here is a typical one:

Phase 1: Preparation

To begin with, list down all of the food groups that are typically known to be allergens such as:

• Gluten
• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Fructose
• Soy
• Corn
• Nuts and seeds

Every person will have different reactions to certain food and you are the best measure to finding out your food triggers. As such, you may skip or add other food groups according to your sound judgment.

Those who spend time getting prepared do far better than those who jump right into it.  Keeping a food journal is necessary to help keep you on track during the next phases. During your prep and planning, also take note of recipes, finding groceries, organizing your kitchen, and so on.

Elimination diet involves identifying food groups that trigger skin condition symptoms

Phase 2: Removal

Once your list has been sorted out, you then start the elimination phase by totally avoiding the identified foods for 3 weeks. You can stop eating 1 or more food groups at a time. Depending on how many foods you eliminate, you might begin to feel better pretty quickly

During this period, your body will tend to adjust to the absence of the food components, and you may be able to notice changes to your body. Within days to weeks, you might notice clearer skin, heightened energy, more regular bowel movements, better sleep quality, and other improvements.

Do take into consideration though that not all food traces can be “flushed out” that quickly from our system so the result may not be incontestable. It is also important to note that not everyone feels better right away. Some people even feel worse before they start to feel better.

Phase 3: Reintroduction

After elimination, the next step is the reintroduction phase when you will begin to slowly bring the once eliminated foods back into your meal plans, one food group at a time. During this phase, start to incorporate a certain food group over 3 days, and jot down all reactions and symptoms that you will notice thereafter such as rashes, acne, stomachache, bowel changes, headaches, and the like.

If a certain food group garners no bodily reactions whatsoever, then it is probably safe to assume that they are accepted by your body and do not act as triggers to your skin condition.

Elimination Diet As The Answer To Skin Problems?

If in the course of your elimination diet you have self-identified one too many food groups triggers to your chronic skin condition, it is best to consult with a board-certified doctor or nutritionist before you embark on a too restrictive diet.

As good and effective as you deem it to be, there may be more to an elimination diet than just the way to have better skin.

This particular diet involves hefty risks, and one of which is nutritional deficiency. Too much elimination of certain food groups would mean that your body may not be able to get the food nutrition that it needs to fully function.

An elimination diet can also backfire such that it may lead to heightened intolerance or sensitivity once you begin to reintroduce certain foods that you have not experienced before.

Undergoing elimination diet is best consulted with a doctor to avoid health risks

Besides, keep in mind that there are many other triggers for chronic skin conditions such as your environment, topical medications, the amount of sleep you are getting, and even stress.

There is no single diet that has been proven to entirely eliminate chronic skin problems. However, being conscious of which food types can trigger your skin flare-ups, will certainly help in managing the symptoms and provide relief.

The 3HX™ Solution For Better Skin

Although an elimination diet works for some people, its effectiveness varies with each individual. The risks involved are also not to be taken lightly, and it is always recommended to consult with a medical professional prior to doing major changes in eating habits.

If the elimination diet does not seem to be the best option for your skin problems, consider a long-term approach with Medovie instead.

Medovie offers a unique holistic solution to your chronic skin condition by helping your body achieve balance from the inside.

Our groundbreaking 3HX™ formula is used in skincare products namely the 3HX™Capsules, 3HX™ Scalp Care Shampoo, 3HX™ Scalp Lotion, and the 3HX™ Derma Cream. All are 96% natural and are clinically proven to have beneficial and recognizable results to chronic skin conditions.

In Medovie, we aim to help customers through every step of their skin healing journey with us. Schedule a consultation with our scientific founder or a member of our team through this contact form. You can also send us an email at [email protected] or through our Facebook or Instagram, whichever is more convenient. We can recommend the best plan suited to your condition.