eczema diet.

In an effort to help my body heal as quickly as possible from the symptoms of "topical steroid withdrawal" (or "red skin syndrome", or "severe whole body eczema", or whatever you want to call it), I have been following a very strict diet for the past 2 months, with very few exceptions.  This diet is meant to promote "detoxification" and "building up of the immune system" (I'll take both, please).  Though the healing is slow (very, very slow), I do believe that this diet is helping my body to heal more quickly than it would otherwise, because of the nutrient-dense nature of the foods.

The outline for this diet was originally found on the website Eczema Natural Healing (where you can find an explanation of how the digestive system functions + the benefits of each food).


DAILY BREAKFAST (raw):

In the mornings, either a piece of whole fruit or (more likely) a whole fruit smoothie.

The smoothie ingredients often vary according to what we have on hand, but usually they're made up of:

• strawberries
• raspberries
• blackberries
• an apple
• a peach
• lemon juice 
• some kale or spinach 
• (I've been avoiding bananas because I've had some mild allergic reactions to them in the past)

In addition, we have been adding Vitamin C-Complex Powder, Green Super Food Powder, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, coconut oil, and some vanilla and/or almond extract for taste.



LUNCH (cooked):

Lunch is when I get to have a cooked meal (!).

Usually this just means fish and some steamed vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, or red peppers.

A lot of days, the "fish" usually just ends up being sardines in a can (which are surprisingly yummy, just so you know), because they're easy and I can't handle even the most basic cooking in my current condition.  But on happier days, Christopher will make us some salmon or another delicious fish.



DAILY DINNER (raw):

Green juice, green juice, green juice.

After a month of making green smoothies, we finally gave in and bought a juicer, so I could follow this diet more vigorously.  I must say, green juice is waaaayyyy more tasty than green smoothies.  At first, I felt like I was starving at night because all that I had for "dinner" was juice, but my body has gotten used to it for the most part (although I'm still looking forward to the day that I can sink my teeth into a thick, juicy burger again....)

Here are my basic juice ingredients (often with other additions):

• 2 stalks celery
• 2 carrots
• 1/2 bunch of parsley
• 1/4 bunch cilantro
• 2-3 leaves of kale
• a handful of spinach
• a handful of dandelion greens
• 1/2 bell pepper
• 1 beet
• small shoot of ginger
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• an apple (to sweeten)

In addition to food, here is a list of my current vitamins/supplements:

• NOW Foods Eve Multi-vitamin
• Fermented Cod Liver Oil & High Vitamin Butter Oil
• Biokult Probiotic
• Vitamin D3
• Milk Thistle
• Nettle Root Extract
• Quercetin with Bromelain
• Butterbur with Feverfew
• Vitamin C (mixed in smoothies)
• Green Super Food powder (mixed in smoothies)
• Proboost Thymic Protein A
• Lauricidin (Monolaurin supplement)
• Intenzyme Forte enzymes

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food." 
-Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine"