Foods to Eat and Avoid for Eczema

The old saying “you are what you eat” is actually true! Especially when you consider the intimate connection between our gut health and our skin health called the gut-skin-axis.

Foods that are more inflammatory in nature (think sugar, gluten, dairy) lead to inflammation and damage to the cells of our gut. Over time, the tight connections between the cells that are so helpful in keeping bad things like harmful bacteria out of our body, become to weaken, and allow in pathogens that can lead to more inflammation and even infection! This phenomenon is referred to as leaky gut.

In eczema, the skin barrier becomes disrupted and leads to pathogens worsening the inflammation, and also in many cases, leading to a secondary bacterial infection of the eczema, making it more difficult to treat. Leaky cells of the gut are often correlated with leaky cells of the skin in eczema, and eczema has been dubbed a “leaky skin” condition.

The foods we eat directly affect our gut health, which in turn, affects the health of our skin. Studies have shown that there are different types of food that can either be helpful or harmful to the disease process of eczema, and below, we’ll break them all down for you!

Foods to Avoid for Eczema

Here are some common foods that can trigger eczema flares:

1. Dairy in all forms, yes that includes cheese! (sorry)

2. Refined carbohydrates like white bread, white pasta, and white potato

3. Eggs- this is a common food trigger I see in my kiddos

4. Processed foods, these are anything that comes pre-made in a package

5. Gluten in breads, pastas, some salad dressings, and soy sauce!

6. Sugar and citrus like lemons, limes, oranges, etc.

While most people agree that dairy and sugar are inflammatory, meaning that it contributes to chronic inflammation in the body that can worsen disease, other foods might not be as well known.

The National Eczema Association lists citrus as a food that can worsen eczema flares, which is one that many people might not consider. Others include eggs, which is a common one that I see in practice with my kiddos.

If you are trying to avoid these foods, watch for common hidden sources like gluten in salad dressings or soy sauce!

In my practice, I like more to focus on foods to incorporate more of instead of foods to avoid, so lets move on to the foods to eat if you’re suffering from eczema.

Foods to Eat for Eczema

Here are some foods that can help support your skin health if you’re struggling with eczema:

1. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring

2. Dark green leafy vegetables, my favorite is kale!

3. Healthy fats like walnuts, almonds, and avocado

4. Probiotic foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or miso

5. Dark berries like blueberries and strawberries

6. Flax and chia seeds- think chia seed pudding!

All of these foods are whole foods, meaning that they are not a pre-packed artificial food stuffed in a box. Whole foods are healthy because they contain great amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, but also packed with fiber and antioxidants. All of these characteristics make them anti-inflammatory foods that can support our gut and skin health in eczema.

Fatty fish like salmon, healthy fats, and flax and chia seeds all contain omega-3 fatty acids that are anti-inflammatory powerhouses and help support our skin barrier in eczema. In fact, a study done in Sweden found that introducing fish to babies before 9 months of age, significantly decreased their risk of getting eczema! If that isn’t a reason to start eating more fish, I don’t know what is!

These are some foods to avoid and eat for eczema! If you’re interested in other lifestyle tips to reduce eczema flares, check out our blog here, or want to learn about a food that you can use on your skin to heal eczema naturally, click here!

Have you tried all of these and are still struggling with eczema? If you need more personalized support with dietary interventions to help heal your eczema, we can help! Let’s connect! Click here to book your complimentary Discovery Call to see how we can help you heal your eczema naturally from the inside-out. Ready to heal your skin for good? Click here to book your New Patient Visit today and heal with us!

Dr. Ashley Dumont, ND is a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Portsmouth, NH at Coastal Thyme Holistic Skin + Wellness and specializes in holistic skin health and wellness from the inside-out. She is accepting new patient visits.