If you suffer from eczema, you will be familiar with the dry, scaly patches of skin that appear all so frequently all about your body, and that deep seated itchiness that no amount of scratching seems to help. Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions experienced by both the young and old all around the world, and can be extremely unpleasant to deal with. While most people who suffer from eczema when they are younger usually see their symptoms ease as they grow older, this is certainly not true for everyone. In fact, many continue to suffer from eczema throughout their entire lives. In Singapore, surveys have indicated that 21 per cent of children and 11 per cent of adults suffer from this skin condition, and that half of eczema sufferers experience it throughout their lives — a sizable and significant number indeed. Especially with the hot and humid weather here, having such a skin condition can be even more unbearable, as heat simply adds on to and exacerbates the itch. If you currently suffer from eczema, or have a loved one who is battling this condition, read on, as we will be sharing some natural ways you can try to overcome the itch.
What is eczema?
Eczema is an inflammatory skin condition that often presents itself as causing dry and itchy skin. Those suffering from severe eczema will often find flakey patches of red and irritated skin, and over time, the condition also results in your skin becoming weaker, thinner and more fragile. The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis, and is believed to be caused by immune dysregulation and environmental factors. Every patient’s eczema experience is different— some would go by with topical medications, while some might need to regularly take immunosuppressive medications to cope with their eczema. Eczema is a chronic disease, and hence, eczema sufferers find themselves on an ongoing battle with no end. It is a condition that has to be consistently managed and cared for throughout one’s life.
Using Natural Supplements to Manage Eczema
The potential long term side effects of prescription medications for eczema are still unknown, and given the chronic nature of this skin condition, patients will often have to be on these medications for prolonged periods of time to manage their eczema and continue with their daily lives. Hence, natural supplements are increasingly popular in the community of eczema sufferers. Natural supplements are, as its name suggests, derived from naturally occurring sources, so you know that they are safe for long term use and consumption. Hence, there has been growing interest in the use of these natural substances to manage eczema. If you are looking into using such supplements to manage your eczema, and do not know where to start, we will give you a review of the alternative natural options that have been gaining widespread interest and adoption in the eczema community.
1. Colloidal Oatmeal
Colloidal oatmeal is made from oats that are ground into a fine powder. It is also available in the market in a cream form for easier use. Colloidal oatmeal can be used topically to ease the itchiness and dryness from eczema. To use it, you simply have to dissolve the powder in lukewarm water before soaking your problem areas with the mixture. Of course, if you get it in cream form, you just have to apply it directly on your skin, which is a much more convenient option.
2. Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil is an extract from the evening primrose plant. It can be used both topically by directly applying it to irritated skin, or can be consumed orally. Evening primrose oil claims to work as it contains both omega-6 fatty acids and gamma-linolenic acid, which may help to reduce the levels of inflammation in the body and provide eczema sufferers with some relief. Evening primrose oil is commonly taken to improve overall skin health, and hence can be easily found as an oral supplement in pill form at major pharmacies or health supplement shops. However, the efficacy of evening primrose oil for patients suffering from eczema is mixed, and not everyone who tries it sees improvements in their skin condition. If it works for you, it is definitely worth sticking to, but for those who do not see improvements to their skin with the use of evening primrose oil, you really are not alone.
3. Vitamin D
For some patients suffering from eczema, vitamin D supplements work to ease their skin conditions. Vitamin D can act as an anti-inflammatory substance by reducing inflammatory cytokine production in your skin tissue layers, hence strengthening and repairing your natural skin barrier. This allows your skin to be more resilient to environmental and inflammatory stresses, reducing eczema flare ups. You can increase your intake of vitamin D by consuming more foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D, such as egg yolks and fish with high oil content— for instance, mackerel or salmon. Alternatively, vitamin D tablets are also available in the market, which are an easier way to up your vitamin D intake. If you are trying out vitamin D tablets for your eczema, vitamin D3 tablets are your best bet, as they are the closest match to the vitamin D that is naturally produced by your body.
4. Probiotics
Many eczema patients see a bacterial imbalance on their skin, and probiotics can help to tackle that. There are mixed research results on the efficacy of using probiotics to treat eczema or other chronic skin conditions, but it is definitely an option that you can try. The most common probiotics are lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. These probiotics can be found in natural foods such as yogurt and other fermented foods, so it is easy and accessible to all. If you are interested to incorporate probiotics as part of your eczema treatment strategy, you can either choose to up your intake of foods rich in probiotics, or seek out a probiotic pill at your neighbourhood health supplement store.
5. Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptors (PPARs)
PPARs are a group of nuclear receptor proteins that play integral roles on regulating cellular differentiation, development and metabolism. They can direct the amount of nutrients required in your body, making sure that all the systems in your body work in unison to perform their functions and processes in the most efficient way possible. As a result, your immune system will also be at its optimum all the time. By improving your immune system and response, PPARs directly target the root cause of eczema— inflammation. Unlike other natural solutions that might soothe the symptoms of eczema, PPARs address the very cause of eczema, and treats it from the very root of it. Besides that, while PPARs sound extremely technical, they are found in natural sources, such as algae, and is extremely safe to consume. In fact, even those who are perfectly healthy can choose to consume PPARs supplements to make sure that their health is kept at its optimal.
If you are looking to get yourself a PPARs supplement, SimplyNature has a great option for you. Our PPARs products contain PPARs extracts from microalgae— an all-natural, superfood source. The PPARs supplement by SimplyNature is not synthetically made, but is completely derived from a whole food. We also do not use any additives, binders, fillers or artificial substances in their supplements, so you do not need to worry about consuming these synthetic substances that might exacerbate your skin condition and affect your overall health. If you are on a plant-based diet, this supplement is perfect for you too, as the PPARs used in the supplement is completely plant based. It is highly digestible as it contains nutrients that are 95% Bio-available, which means that they can be rapidly absorbed and fully utilised by your body. It is also high in plant protein, as the protein content of the micro-algae that they use is an astounding 60%. The supplements from us are also halal, so they really are perfect for everyone.
If you are interested in getting yourself some PPARs supplements for your eczema condition, our SimplyNature PPARs Extract Softgel Capsule is a great option, especially for anyone with a busy and hectic lifestyle. These capsules are easy to take, and because they are in a softgel form, they are easy to swallow too. They can be taken with you on the go, so you will never have to find yourself skipping your daily supplement. Of course, if you prefer having your PPARs supplement in any other form— such as in powder or liquid form (which you can then add to your morning juice before consuming it), SimplyNature has your back, as we produce PPARs supplements in all these different forms too. Regardless of what form you are looking for, you will be able to find it at our online store here.
Eczema is a condition that many silently suffer from, and can drastically affect your daily life. It is a condition that has to be carefully managed over time, and synthetic medication might not be the best option if you have to be on them for the long term. If you are looking for a natural way to treat and control your eczema condition, we hope that this has helped you by giving you an idea of what to start trying and where to start looking for these natural supplements. Our SimplyNature PPARs supplement is an all-natural way to target the root cause, and not only the symptoms of your eczema condition. Talk to us if you have questions either through our Facebook Page or drop us an email and we will get in touch with you.