Natural Treatments for Eczema and Psoriasis

Interviewer: You touched on, I think, eczema and psoriasis. But we see a lot of commercials for certain products on TV. What can be done to help those conditions naturally?

Jeanette Jacknin, M.D.: Naturally? Well, I guess, let's take one at a time because they have a different ideology.

Interviewer: Okay.

Jeanette Jacknin, M.D.: But for all of this, the diet is very important.

Interviewer: Mm-hmm.

Jeanette Jacknin, M.D.: In eczema, a lot of food sensitivities and food allergens can be flaring up the eczema. So you have to go back to square one and do a food diary, and try to figure out if there's some foods that seem to be flaring up your eczema.

Interviewer: Mm-hmm.

Jeanette Jacknin, M.D.: And food sensitivity, though, can be delayed 24 to 48 hours. So it is very difficult. Or you can go the other way, and take out one thing that is a common allergen, like corn, dairy, or wheat and see if that makes a big improvement. That might be an easier way to know. You know, just go with some of the common allergens and see if that helps.

The eczema also is very calmed with the omega-3 fatty acids in evening primrose oil orally, and then topically; very calming, very anti-inflammatory, and very soothing. So that's also excellent for that.

Interviewer: Okay. And psoriasis?

Jeanette Jacknin, M.D.: Psoriasis has many things tried; and actually for eczema, too. A lot of herbs are mentioned in my book, many different treatments. With psoriasis, it has been shown that diet's important, but it's thought that maybe a little more limited protein intake is good for psoriasis; there have been studies to suggest that.

Also, a very alkaline diet with a pH of about 7.4, or something like that. Because the acidic diet is not good for your body in general, but especially flares psoriasis. There's been studies that show vitamin D is actually linked. A study in 2003 linked vitamin D to how well your psoriasis does. And also eating a lot of tomatoes and carrots; they've shown with higher beta-carotenes, better psoriasis.  All of these anti-inflammatory vitamins; A; beta carotene; all the Bs; especially folic acid; C, D, and E; all shown to help people with psoriasis.