Elimination Diet

I have been an eczema sufferer since age 17, and I am now 44. The eczema started on the inner elbows of my arms. Then my hands were affected; I would get these very small blisters that intensely itched, and then my fingers would swell and weep. In a Scratch Pad letter, a gentleman suggested going on an elimination diet. This meant eating nothing but chicken, broccoli, and cauliflower for about a week, then adding certain foods back in to the diet to see what was causing the itch. This was a very difficult thing to do! But after three days I noticed the itching on my hands was gone. After thinking the problem was wheat for a while, I finally pinned it down to tomatoes/tomato sauce, and soda pop/coffee. Pinpointing a food was  difficult since my itching usually started the morning after eating an offending agent. A food diary can be helpful. The other thing that has really cleared the cracks on my hands just lately is Burt’s Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Crème in a lavender-colored tube. Good luck on your journeys.

Ann Lee

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The recommendations contained in the Scratch Pad are those of the contributor.  NEA provides health information from a variety of sources; this information is not intended as medical advice.  Persons with questions regarding specific symptoms or treatments should consult a professional health-care provider.

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