Infantile Eczema - helping it from the inside out

When you're trying to conquer eczema on the scale that we are you look at all options. No matter how far fetched they may seem you just need to try them all just in case one would work. One mans waste is another mans treasure, the same goes for health and remedies I think. One person swears by homeopathy, the other by reiki, and some don't like looking further than textbook western medicine..etc. 

In our efforts to learn more I heard about Dr. John Pagano and his work healing people with psoriasis. (Link to book on Amazon.co.uk) Psoriasis isn't the same as eczema, but he has a chapter dedicated to eczema, and states that by following his regimen patients that he has had that suffer from eczema are now free from their troubles provided they stick to it. 

I won't quote everything from the book, I'll just share with you in my own words what I found relevant for us, and the actions I'm taking. 

Some people think Dr.Paganos research and work is unfounded and disagree with it. I read and absorb books like his with a pinch of salt, and intend to keep my wits about me. I believe in 'You are what you eat' so whether Dr. Paganos theories are correct or not, I am inclined to believe the majority of his book and am willing to give it a go as his methods can only make us healthier. Eating better and learning how & why can't be a bad thing. I have since shared my findings with our family doctor and public health nurse and they also agree for the most part. 

Leaky Gut Syndrome which is linked to both psoriasis & severe eczema has different names and can be understood slightly differently by different medical professionals. Some call it Malabsorbtion Syndrome, and say it's the failure to absorb the right nutrients needed..either way whether the gut lets toxins through or doesn't absorb nutrients properly, both boil down to the same thing. A problem with the gut, with too many toxins in the body, that shows itself in many ways including eczema. For the purpose of this blog entry I will call it Leaky Gut Syndrome. 

Also, seeing as I don't want to bore people I will break this post up into a few parts. I'm gearing this towards people like myself and Tom who are desperate to help their sick child and I know its difficult enough as it is to find the time to research and read. I strongly recommend getting a copy of the book though if you are interested in this topic. 

Part 1:

One if the first things I learned from Dr. Paganos book is that both psoriasis and eczema occur due to certain areas of the intestinal tract being too thin and porous. Instead of passing along the intestinal track and being eliminated, toxins leak into the bloodstream and lymphatic system. Mr.T's lymph nodes in his neck have been swollen since day one. No doubt ones kidneys and liver are then overworked and can't do their job properly so the skin and lungs come to the rescue and try help purify the body and get rid of toxins. 

There are a lot of reasons why Mr.T could have acquired Leaky Gut Syndrome, one of which could be me having to take antibiotics when pregnant, another could be that I was very depressed in his pregnancy making my body acidic, it could be a sensitivity due to genetics, or even environmental pollution. I have had kidney and bladder problems for the last ten years and when I was pregnant, both times my kidney infections were chronic and though I tried to stay away from them, I had to succumb to antibiotics in the fear that my overloaded kidneys may fail with such a severe array of infections and the added work of looking after an unborn baby. 

Improper elimination of toxins also makes the body more acidic, which in order to be healthy should be relatively alkaline. My goal with Mr.T is to try stop more pollutants getting into his bloodstream, to strengthen his gut, and to cleanse and rebalance his body. One way I am already keeping pollutants away from Mr.T is going detergent free (which has made a big difference!)

The first step in Dr.Paganos regimen is internal cleansing. Having enemas, colonic irrigation, laxatives and apple diets would not suit a baby as I feel there is no need, it is invasive, and they need a balanced diet but I'm sure any mother reading his book would come to the same conclusion using common sense. I am however putting more effort into making sure he always has water at hand. Drinking enough water is the major factor in eliminating toxins. Of course you also have to bear in mind that the quality of the water needs to be good. Fluoride, chlorine, & chemicals are not good. We are lucky enough to have our water connected to a well on the bottom of an uninhabited mountain. Our water has been tested and is better than mineral water apparently. :) luck!

Also I try make sure Mr.T has fiber in his diet. He is still on dairy free formula, but mainly on solids. I'm sure the formula doesn't help but right now I need to weigh up the odds and at his age a bottle of balanced milk is still needed. When I make him organic rice milk pancakes (he's allergic to dairy, goat & soy milk) I always use organic wholemeal spelt flour. I also give him organic unsalted rice cakes as a snack. 

He also gets plenty of fruit and veg (excluding nightshades & citrus) with skin on if organic. If not organic I peel the veg due to spraying of pesticides. Almonds are high in fiber and highly alkaline but I haven't tried him with nuts, almonds, or almond milk just yet in case he's allergic to them. 

So that's what I've done so far in the internal cleanse process. Pretty easy really if you have access to good water.  Not only will Mr.T benefit, but also the rest of the household. Living to the best of our ability and being happy is all down to the information we receive and how we receive it. I am enjoying our venture to happier healthier us :) This last year has been one of the most difficult I have ever experienced, and myself and Tom are utterly exhausted but I have high hopes for our future. Winter is settling in and I'm loving it. 

Crisp frosty mornings with fires lit and misty fog over the mountains. Warm snuggly clothes and cold nosed walks in golden hour sunshine. I just love it. 

In my next 'Healing from the inside out' post I will cover the next few steps we are taking in Mr.T's process. At least this is a start. I apologise for the lack of posts, I have yet to master the challenge of finding time to write and think at the same time as being a mum to two young kids :) 

Thank you guys for all your support!