What can I do about dermatitis?

Dermatitis simply means skin inflammation. However, there are many different types of dermatitis � and even more potential causes. Contact dermatitis is exactly as it sounds � a skin inflammation that can be caused by cosmetics, plants like poison ivy, and hundreds of other agents. Atopic dermatitis (also called eczema) is by far the most common type in relationship to food allergy. Particularly in infants who are not breastfed (or who are breastfed very briefly), atopic dermatitis appears related to food intake more often than not. Neurodermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, stasis dermatitis, and perioral dermatis are other patterns where there is inflamed skin.

Obviously, with this wide range of possibilities related to dermatitis, there is no single list of foods that we can provide you to help with your skin inflammation. And while offering you treatment advice or recommendations is beyond the scope of our website, there are some information about the role of nutrition in skin health that you may find helpful.

Some general suggestions for healthy skin in general including good hydration (lots of filtered water), plenty of B vitamins and plenty of vitamin E as well as the essential fatty acids. The essential fatty acids we were particularly referring to are the omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fish like salmon and sardines. You can look up any of the essential nutrients above on our website, http://www.whfoods.com/nutrientstoc.php, and at the bottom of each nutrient article. you will find a list of foods which provides the richest source of that particular nutrient.

Additionally, have you explored whether there is a link between your dermatitis and food allergies/sensitivities as skin symptoms are one of the leading symptoms? We have articles on this subject on our website, including one on food sensitivities and one on the allergy avoidance diet. If you think that there is a potential link between your skin condition and adverse reactions to foods (this link would be especially likely in the case of atopic dermatitis), you may want to discuss this with your physician. If they are not sufficiently knowledgeable in nutrition, you may want to consult with a nutrition-oriented healthcare practitioner (such as a dietitian, nutritionist or naturopathic physician) who may be able to help you by exploring this area with you.

For more information on this topic, see:

• Food sensitivities
• Allergy avoidance diet

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