Eczema – An Ayurvedic Explanation
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According to Ayurveda, primary driver of eczema is an impaired digestive fire (Agni”), which in turn is caused by unsuitable diet, lifestyle and environmental factors. When the digestive fire is imbalanced, either too high or too low, it causes some food to convert to toxins (“Ama”). These toxins then circulate throughout the body, and are deposited on the superficial fascia, which can leave the skin feeling and looking dry, causing irritation, scaling or inflammation and infection.
Eczema can manifest itself in various forms depending on the type of imbalance, it can be dry and scaly or hot with boils and blisters. The presence of moist eczema means that Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth) are out of balance where as dry lesions generally indicate a Vata (Space and Air) imbalance.
Infant eczema is often preventable and manageable using nutrition and lifestyle adjustment as well as ayurvedic topical treatments to provide relief. Ayurvedic remedies focuses on addressing lifestyle and environmental factors to prevent inflammation and provide relief by addressing topical symptoms through natural herbs that are safe for the infant skin.
Here are some tips for lifestyle and nutrition adjustments that you can begin to make if you start to experience eczema symptoms:
- Avoid the consumption of spicy, bitter, oily, and hard to digest foods, or frozen products, especially if you are experiencing moist eczema.
- Avoid too tight clothes and clothes made of synthetic fabrics.
- Use Yoga/Meditation/Pranayama to manage stress
- Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol, non-alcoholic processed beverages, as well as smoking.
- Choose the fresh food and limit as much as possible the consumption of packaged foods containing preservatives.
- Increase your water intake to ensure the proper digestion and function of the intestines.