The Supplements That Helped Me Heal Eczema

I always was fairly to very healthy. I was lucky enough to grow up in a very family as intent on being healthy than on eating delicious food together. Both parents were already aware of the impact of nutrition on our health. We also grew healthier according to family members’ health issues. But my own gut healing journey really began when I started having eczema, in my early 30s.

Eczema was not my only skin issue. I grew up with quite a few. The logical conclusion was that had I not been healthy, dealing with them could have been much harder. I quickly learned that some of my issues were also very stress related. Later on I found that eczema is very much nutrition related.

This post is my about my personal investigation on the cause of my eczema, and my discoveries on what helped me heal it. My hope is that this story may shed light on your own issues. I hope it can inspire you to investigate. Perhaps it will provoke a dialogue with health professionals that will help getting it under control. One caveat to keep in mind: my discoveries are based on my own body, my own circumstances of being pregnant and breastfeeding, and my own health history. It is NOT a treatment recommendation nor protocol. In any decision you make, make sure to check with your physician.

Where does eczema come from ?

According to the Cleveland Clinic’s website:

Eczema is a skin condition that causes dry and itchy patches of skin. It’s a common condition that isn’t contagious. Symptoms of eczema can flare up if you contact an irritant or an allergen. There are treatments available to help you manage symptoms, but there isn’t a cure.

The key of that definition is : 1) there is only agreement on the symptoms, not on their origin; 2) there is no cure.

But does that mean you can’t get it under good control? I do believe so, or at least it is my own experience.

When it comes to origins, it is like treatment. The medical community advanced hypothesis like molds, parasites or bacterial infections like staphylococcus aureus, or fungal infections, depending on the type of eczema. However, there is widespread agreement that it may be linked to a bacterial imbalance in the gut called dysbiosis.

In my experience, both hypothesis make sense. Even with a staph infection, restoring bacterial balance in the gut would decrease the impact of staph bacteria in the gut, and restore the immune system’s capacity to fight existing parasites. Finding the real cause of your eczema can be a long quest, I am not sure I found the cause of mine. However, I know when it started.

I am here to share with you my eczema story and how I got it under control.

First caveat I will repeat: I am not a doctor nor your doctor. Therefore, what I write here is not a treatment protocol for anyone.

Second, you have to know that your doctor can only find the right “treatment” for eczema by trial and error. I tried the conventional route and the doctor simply prescribed the typical hydrocortisone cream, which helps taking the problem under control if it isn’t serious. However the doctor did not make any swab, and did NOTHING to find what triggered it. He only hoped it may work, relieve my pain for a bit, before we would try to find a more aggressive route. Of course when I saw the path it was going to take, I just didn’t go back.

I was lucky I got good information on nutrition before I saw my doctor: his treatment barely helped – i.e. it just calmed down symptoms – long enough for me to find better, long lasting solutions.

No Cream Helped

Because eczema is primarily linked to inflammation in the body, bacterial imbalance, and nutrient deficiencies, using cream to relieve the dryness of your patches of eczema does only that: relieve. But it may also not even work.

The problem with eczema creams is that trying to find the right one for you can be a lifelong quest. Unless you know what triggers it, all eczema creams have different ingredients and some of them can inflame you. Once you start a cream, you can’t return it, so provided it works, it is wasted money. I tried a few, none really worked.

What worked the best to improve my skin health was lowering inflammation and increasing missing nutrient intake, while making sure my gut was in the right shape to take up these nutrients.I also noticed a very direct link between flare severity and stress levels: deep breathing helped me a lot too.

NB: if you ever go the cream route, be careful that coconut oil will dry your skin even more ! It is very healthy but can also trigger some reaction in some people, so try on a little area first.

What triggered my eczema: My Birth Story

I grew up fairly antibiotic free, so tracking my trigger was fairly easy. 9 years ago, I gave birth to my first child. Like many moms in the US, I was recommended antibiotics IV on account of the dangers vaginal bacteria could cause my child.

the trigger: Antibiotics

In the United States and most western countries, medical protocol demand that vaginal strep B above a certain concentration is treated by injecting the mother with bags of antibiotic IV throughout labor and delivery. So if like me and many mothers, your first labor lasts for over 22 hours, you may have to undergo non stop antibiotic treatment in your bloodstream for that long. For me, it was at least 4 bags of IV. My gut bacteria was mercilessly wiped out. Restoring it took a very long time!

When I think that a mother passes down her gut bacteria to her newborn, I wonder what I could have been transmitting my son this way, if he had not been born by Cesarian section on top.

Eczema started only a few weeks after birth, while I was battling to recover from a large blood loss, and and facing breastfeeding struggles. Basically, baby was pulling all the nutrients he could from me, while I was trying to recover. Logically, it did deplete me from a lot of my nutrients. Nutrients responsible for skin health, vitamin E, zinc and omega 3 specifically, probably got pulled away from my body into my milk for the sake of my son’s needs. This included building a baby’s brand new gut’s healthy microbiome from a mom’s wrecked microbiome ( and I don’t regret that!). As a consequence, my skin rash could not heal.

Silver lining; what I personally regard as a tragic story – the traumatic birth, the ruthless antibiotic treatment and the traumatic C-section – taught me much about gut health and how to heal. I hope it helps your own understanding and your path to health.

Do doctors even know what impact streb B antibiotic treatment can have on moms?

Giving antibiotic treatment during birth is devastating. It wipes out mom’s vaginal flora, making it impossible for her to pass down her own flora to baby’s skin after birth. Baby inherits his mother’s microbiome at birth, which is her inheritance for health purposes. Consequently, having a healthy vaginal flora is critical not only for moms, but for babies.

In my case, not only did I not have the privilege to pass down healthy microbiota to 4 of my children, but it triggered eczema, every time more severe, because I got treated for Strep B every time. I would have assumed that the first treatment would solve the strep B issue for good. Not so! It took me months, years after each birth to improve my skin condition and resolve my problems. But I finally realized what nutrients helped me build my flora back, and my body’s capacity to take up nutrients my body was seeking. Two years after my last strep B treatment, my 5th child was born antibiotic free, and my hands were the healthiest they ever were

what I wish doctors would have done during pregnancy

• I never found out what are the threshold at which strep B warrants antibiotic treatment. I wish they had told me.
• I wish I was told by doctors in advance how to take preventive measures to arrive on the day of testing with a healthy vaginal flora so as to avoid this kind of infection and subsequent Strep B treatment during birth, if I could.
• Doctors did not give me a second chance of taking care of my flora on time and renewing their bacterial sample closer to birth to avoid antibiotic treatment at birth. It was regarded at too probable that step B was going to remain present in high numbers. They would not even do more labs.

I tried and enquired, heard of garlic use during pregnancy. Although I was informed by a holistic physician of kind of probiotic strain could help me restore vaginal balance, it was just too late.

Nevermind that so many women are Strep B carriers and that antibiotics could cause many other health problems in the long term. Although I understand doctors’ concern for the health of babies, I think this practice needs to be revised.

Do Obstetricians know the harm antibiotic treatment cause to women?

I do sincerely believe most obstetricians do not know of the impact such heavy antibiotic IV can have on the mother’s health postpartum. If I had a chance to tell mine, it’s after it happened to me a first time and I had to struggle with it. I did not get a sense they felt they could do anything about it, or were interested in taking measures to prevent antibiotic treatment during labor for other moms.

The probable cause:Environment irritants

bacteria

My eczema started under my ring finger. It is possible it was from a bacteria in the water, since I was washing the dishes a lot. It is possible I got some bacterial or fungal infection from the water. No doctor did any samples to find out.

After moving the ring from one hand to the other hand, eczema moved to the second hand. My only conclusion was that some bacteria or something on my ring was my trigger. Since then strangely, my original eczema location healed and didn’t relapse. The other hand did not.

hand washing and detergents

I love cooking and therefore, I need to wash lots of dishes. Besides, my first house didn’t come with a dishwasher. Constantly washing dishes did not help my hands: soap tends to remove the oils on your hands, and make your hands even more dry.

After cutting out many foods, and getting better soaps for my hands, wearing gloves and the like, my eczema calmed down but didn’t heal. I realized by body was too depleted because of nursing, and that I needed to supplement heavily to heal both my gut and build my son’s gut. So I studied the nutrients that would help.

My conclusions (in my own case)

Immune system weakness and nutrient deficiencies

Probiotics

Our immune system is located in our gut. Good bacteria in your gut to take up nutrients is critical to take up nutrients in your food. Therefore, supplementing nutrients without the good and diverse bacteria is wasted time (and money). Especially if your gut has grown increasingly leaky over the years of exposure of antibiotics, pesticides and other chemicals and environmental toxicity.

Pregnancy depleted me nutritionally. I was acutely aware of this because it happened to my own mother after my birth. And what helped her I knew was a heavy dose of oyster pills, rich in many trace minerals. Within a few months, it replenished her to even rebalance her cycle. So I knew I had to find a supplement that would replenish me with trace minerals. But probiotics had to be included to make sure the trace minerals would be taken up.

From the moment I understood this, I decided to start taking care of my gut health.

Nutrient supplementation

I also supplemented. And it took time to discover what supplements would be the most impactful. I once read the book “Period Repair Manual” by Lara Briden, a Canadian naturopath explaining normal and abnormal cycle from young girls to women going through menopause. It made me realize that gluten, dairy, soy and alcohol were the first inflammatory agents of eczema, which I had to stop eating. I also learned that the best “treatments” were supplementation of trace minerals like zinc, omega 3, and vitamin E, all critical for skin health. But finding the supplements that my body would absorb was a tricky thing!

Note: I really recommend the read of “Period Repair Manual” (for all women) as well as “Hormone Repair Manual” ( for women 40 yo and up) by Lara Briden. Both are excellent resources to explain the woman’s cycle and its evolution, finding out what is normal and what is not. It also has excellent tips on how to care for certain types of symptoms that can affect women of all ages.

Saving my skin

The first steps for saving my skin was to make sure to wear gloves to wash the dishes. Of course, some of them got water in them and grew mold, so I had to change them regularly. Changing the dish detergent to something milder also helped. However, until we know what triggers our eczema, even the gentlest dish detergent can be a problem. Placing a good water filtering system under the sink also helped.

What helped me heal: My Personal Protocol

Vitamin D3 for immune support

If you spend too much time indoors and live in the north, it’s a good idea to check your vitamin D3 levels with your physician, then adjust your nutrition and supplementation to make sure you have enough. Spending more time outside and not covering too much with sunscreen is also a good idea. Sunscreen will protect us from harmful UV, but it will also shield us from the benefits of the sun: Vitamin D3. So I think strategically about what my skin needs are and when I want to protect my skin from sun UV: when it’s the most harmful!

Zinc from Grass fed beef Liver

When I realized I needed zinc, I researched the forms that would be best absorbed by my body. I landed on supplement ionic zinc. But It was hardly enough ! So far the best form I have found is beef liver extract (that link goes to the very supplement I do take), since liver is so packed with trace minerals like iron and zinc, and as a food source, it is absorbed best by our bodies.

Taking that supplement made a huge difference for me. My body absorbed it much better than ionic zinc. Of course, ionic zinc is a good option for vegans and kids. I have NOT been feeding my kids liver extract, and I would check with my physician if they were in need. I only give them chicken liver pâté when I make some.

Omega 3

Of course, omega 3 DHA has a very strong impact on brain health but also skin health ! And for a nursing mom especially, a good source is critical. Of course I love sardines and bigger fish, but I can’t eat enough every day and I don’t live by the sea, where the best sources would be available. The one that has worked well for me is Nordic Naturals ( they don’t sponsor me! But I earn a commission through Amazon links at no cost to you!)

I took omega 3 orally , but on one episode where my rash was very severe, a family member suggested dipping my fingers in omega 3. I used organic cold press canola oil (people of North Carolina, you can find it at your local Lidl as well! ). Cold or expeller pressed canola is very rich in omega 3 and vitamin E, and it had a dramatic positive effect on my skin. Eczema flares quickly calmed down and came under control within 48 hours. Until then, I had no idea omega 3 could have such a positive effect topically.

Improving Nutrient absorption with probiotics and prebiotics

How Can I find The Right probiotic Strain for Skin Health?

Of course, taking care of my gut was critical after such aggressive antibiotic treatments. So I researched strains that help skin health and vaginal health specifically, and strains that help heal the gut. In his book Brain Maker, Dr Permuttler lists the most important strains to look for in a complete probiotic (under his guide to supplements chapter). Taking the list of strains along, and with my experience of reliable probiotic brands, I purchased Klare Labs Synbiotic and noticed a clear difference within a few days. The strain that is purported to make a difference for gut inflammation and skin health specifically is Bifidobacterium Longum. In the following academic paper, the effects of Bifidobacterium Longum are listed for children, adults in the elderly. They include seasonal allergies and skin health improvements. And my experience confirms the results of these papers.

What is the right stain for vaginal health

With regard to vaginal health, my general practitioner recommended the Sacro-B probiotic. I wish my OBGYN had recommended that long enough before doing the test!

Will a complete probiotic do the trick?

Taking a good complete probiotic containing strains that are gut health and skin health friendly was my focus. And my research payed off ! I also passed along my research on essential probiotic strains to many family members who did not have eczema issues but either gut issues generally, or different skin issues. They reported improvements in digestive and skin health, or with energy levels. So, if you are not looking to improve skin health or not only skin health, do your research: a good probiotic improves many aspects of health. Just make sure to 1) work with a license health professional, 2) introduce probiotic intake slowly.

Once again, there is one caveat: this worked for me, it may not for you. But I hope my research may assist yours on your skin health journey.

Do I need prebiotics with my probiotic?

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that in order for good bacteria to populate your gut, they need prebiotic fibers to feed on. Unprocessed raw or gently steamed produce will provide good amounts of fibers. If you overcook your food, vitamins and fibers will break down and prebiotic fiber be lacking. The steamed cuisine lifestyle is a great complement to effective probiotic intake!

Reading “Super Gut”

Last year, I read William Davis MD book “Super Gut”.

Dr Davis is best known for his best seller “Wheat Belly”. In this book, he makes it very clear that modern wheat is at the core of leaky gut syndrome, and so many digestive issues today. In “Super Gut”, he provides strategies to heal your gut and alleviate very common digestive symptoms. It is a fascinating book. Best of all, he provides recipes to make your own targeted probiotics from high quality strains. The result is a home made probiotic with much higher potency and efficiency than store bought probiotics.

Making the Super Gut Yogurt

I started making my “Super Gut yogurt”, despite the fact that I always was cow’s dairy intolerant.

This yogurt, which ferments for 36 hours at 106°F is very easy on me to digest. Better, it actually does have a great impact on my gut. Best of all, I can feed the yogurt to my kids and no longer need to buy expensive probiotics !

I decided to make the yogurt with one of the most impactful strain for gut health, the Reuteri strain. But I also wanted to replace my daily complete Klare Labs Synbiotic probiotic and give it to my family. So I mixed the right amount of pills I would need to make a quart of yogurt with each strains, and made two quarts yogurt combining all strains.

As recommended by Dr Davis, I used Biogaia Gastrus Reuteri strain to make a first yogurt, and I made one batch of Klare Labs Therbiotic Synbiotic yogurt. After that, I decided to mix them together and the yogurt was great too! So I used two tablespoon of each yogurt to make 2 quarts of a mixed Reuteri and Synbiotic Yogurt according to Dr Davis recipe. It has now been a year and this yogurt has had a fantastic impact on our family’s health. Thank you Dr Davis!

I make it with my Instant Pot Pro that I bought special to make yogurt and bone broth. It is very easy to make and I will share a video to show you soon.

These days, I use it for every need I have where the yogurt is not cooked: smoothie, with home made granola, mixed with fruit to make Popsicle, and if really necessary, in fermented bread recipes, for example in my biscuits recipe (coming soon!)

Conclusion

You are your best health detective!

Your body will carry you throughout life. Its care is in your hands. Do not consent to any treatment before having researched what impact it can have on YOU in the future. Doctors with the best intentions do not always realize the negative impact one perhaps lifesaving treatment can have on you. You are the one that needs to weigh the pros and cons of treatments. From there on, find what you can do to prevent the need for a treatment or restore your health afterwards.

When it comes to pregnancy, asking your doctor a calendar of tests that she will perform throughout the pregnancy is a good idea. Then, you can research the steps you can take to experience a healthy pregnancy. Armed with this tools, you can show up at your best before testing. May be then you can avoid my mistakes.

If you already consented to damaging treatments, don’t be desperate. You really can be your own detective and research what can help you. Nutrition and choosing simple and few ingredients to put on your skin are probably the best choice. Having a short list of topical ingredients will ease narrowing down what your skin reacts to.

My wish is that my story can provide hope. If it helps you find a way to deal with your own skin issues, that’s a good day for me. Meanwhile, do your own research, think and act for your health!

P.S. Along with this guide on eczema health, use this blog as a source of prebiotic dense, healthy recipes you can use with your family to improve your gut health. Many of these recipes are kids favorite in my family. You will find many tips in there to feed your kids healthy foods they LOVE!

Such as:

• Parsley Apple Olive oil Veggie dip
• Mediterranean Rice and Tuna Salad
• Savory Intense Hummus, With A Steamed Cuisine Twist
• Fried Rice, Steamed Cuisine Style
• Pineapple Chicken over Basmati Rice
• Chocolate & Olive Oil Almond Cake
• Steamed Fruit Spreads ! among many others.

Bon appétit!