My eczema cure...apple cider vinegar

[Happyville]

I have always seen the problem described in reference to the small intestine, if that helps.

Hi Megan... Thanks this was is interesting, a quick check shows this condition is potentially contrary to what we know Raw - Milk does as pro biotic and bringer of macro strains flora!

Soon after birth, the gastrointestinal tract is colonized with bacteria, which, on the basis of models with animals raised in a germ-free environment, have beneficial effects on function of the gastrointestinal tract. There are 500-1000 different species of bacteria that reside in the bowel.[5] However, if the flora of the small bowel is altered, inflammation or altered digestion can occur, leading to symptoms. Many patients with chronic diarrhea have bacterial overgrowth as a cause or a contributor to their symptoms.

So this seems possible an issue with those who's flora is perhaps been more or less mono-cultured for whatever reason - seems possible its not so much of an overgrowth of bacteria per say but a disproportionate amount of variance of flora - the very thing raw milk has been said to enhance with its rich mix of probiotics that nature intended in the correct balance to be used to populate the gut of an infant! Perhaps this is why many celiacs have cured their condition with unsweetened yogurt and Raw-Milk. It does not however automatically fit the former theory of Raw milk being the cause of small bowel overgrowth!

 

[Happyville]

Happyville, why do you keep mispelling Laura's name? At first, I thought it was just a typo, but you keep doing it. It seems like a sign that you are not paying attention. Or, if it's deliberate, it seems like a passive aggressive kind of thing.

I apologize... I have a client at work spelled lara... oversight, and habit - I assure, but none the less I will fix

 

[Alana]

So why eat something that sits and ferments in the digestive tract, keeps it in a constant state of bacterial overgrowth, causes gas (evidence of systems run amok), and actually IRRITATES the organ???

This is quite interesting ? Do you have any material I may read on bacterial overgrowth?

Why don't YOU read all the health related material on this forum, and the recommended health books first instead of asking to be spoon fed? In fact, you are becoming offensive towards Laura for no good reason at all just to defend your addiction, which is quite telling in itself.

Is there a way forward to further this, or do blame it all on something else ( as seems your tendency?) casein mental problems??? Really ??? Seems the fear of β-casein research extinguished the zeal to network and learn from each other... Its unfortunate!

sorry.. Lara is always polite and the golden rule applies .. I was quoting anart!

Both Laura's and anart's feedback comes from their experiences and reading tons of material, and they both came to the same conclusions (like many of us), and they are applying time and effort to reply to you here with what they learned. So why would you be offensive to any of them?

 

[anart]

I was quoting anart!

It's fascinating to me how the people on this forum who are 'raw milkers' have all behaved the same way - as if they are addicts to the stuff. They just won't let it go. It's actually very telling and speaks to the effects of casein on the brain.

 

[anart]

Happyville, I really don't blame you for your behavior in this thread, since you are ingesting dairy, and perhaps carbs, and thus sugar. This turns a person into a reactive automaton who doesn't think clearly. I'm truly interested about the rest of your diet. Are you still eating gluten?

I think it would be best for the forum and for you for you to stop posting until you have at least read the Life without Bread and all referenced articles in that thread in their entirety. At least then you will have a starting point. It's not opinion, it's fact. If you've already read this thread and referenced material and are still arguing your stand, then, I'm afraid there is not much to be done about that and perhaps finding a forum for raw milk drinkers would be more pleasant for you.

You see, the base fact here is that until you get rid of dairy, gluten, sugar and all processed foods -and are free of them for at least six months - you can't think clearly. You think you are thinking clearly, but you're not - we've seen it over and over and over again and those who have already done it are living proof - and your behavior in this thread is also proof that you're reactive and defensive and quick to take offense - not thinking clearly. So, until you've been clear and free of these things for 6 months, please stop arguing that you're right when you cannot know - you can't think about the way you think with the way you think.

 

[Alana]

I think it would be best for the forum and for you for you to stop posting until you have at least read the Life without Bread and all referenced articles in that thread in their entirety.

I would also advice you to read the book: Detoxification and Healing, it describes very well what dairy, gluten and sugars do to our bodies, minds and moods, and answers many of the questions you posted here.

 

[Happyville]

Happyville, I really don't blame you for your behavior in this thread, since you are ingesting dairy, and perhaps carbs, and thus sugar. This turns a person into a reactive automaton who doesn't think clearly. I'm truly interested about the rest of your diet. Are you still eating gluten?

I think it would be best for the forum and for you for you to stop posting until you have at least read the Life without Bread and all referenced articles in that thread in their entirety. At least then you will have a starting point. It's not opinion, it's fact. If you've already read this thread and referenced material and are still arguing your stand, then, I'm afraid there is not much to be done about that and perhaps finding a forum for raw milk drinkers would be more pleasant for you.

You see, the base fact here is that until you get rid of dairy, gluten, sugar and all processed foods -and are free of them for at least six months - you can't think clearly. You think you are thinking clearly, but you're not - we've seen it over and over and over again and those who have already done it are living proof - and your behavior in this thread is also proof that you're reactive and defensive and quick to take offense - not thinking clearly. So, until you've been clear and free of these things for 6 months, please stop arguing that you're right when you cannot know - you can't think about the way you think with the way you think.

Ok Anart... I will take the challenge, ( hopefully I am allowed to post on other threads, while under the influence ;) I only drink raw milk twice a year ( cause its illegal and hard to get ) so that should not be a big issue... no processed food for the past 5 years, so working with a clean slate... Some gluten and honey shall be the focus of this test. I am actually thrilled to test this theory of yours out, which happens to correspond to a lovely person in my life who is also gluten free and dairy free, ( yes the people in my life also avoid dairy/gluten for their own reasons ) so the stars will align to give this a good go... I'll keep a journal about my thoughts on raw milk and see if and how my opinion / thoughts starts to change on it - I am so curious as to what you wrote above... It will also serve as a good variable eliminator should I wish to test the other way at the conclusion of the 6 months...

Thanks, will report back :)

 

[Laura]

Ok Anart... I will take the challenge, ( hopefully I am allowed to post on other threads, while under the influence ;) I only drink raw milk twice a year ( cause its illegal and hard to get ) so that should not be a big issue... no processed food for the past 5 years, so working with a clean slate... Some gluten and honey shall be the focus of this test. I am actually thrilled to test this theory of yours out, which happens to correspond to a lovely person in my life who is also gluten free and dairy free, ( yes the people in my life also avoid dairy/gluten for their own reasons ) so the stars will align to give this a good go... I'll keep a journal about my thoughts on raw milk and see if and how my opinion / thoughts starts to change on it - I am so curious as to what you wrote above... It will also serve as a good variable eliminator should I wish to test the other way at the conclusion of the 6 months...

Thanks, will report back :)

Thanks. You see, as Anart and others have pointed out, we traveled this whole milk vs no milk route some years back, personally... a lot of water under the bridge and over the dam, tons of reading, and DIRECT EXPERIMENTATION, has led us to the most probable conclusion about the matter. And, since it is my personal mandate to promote what our research and experiments suggest is as close to objective as possible, and that is our conclusion, I'm simply not going to allow dairy to be promoted in any way on my forum. What you DO is your business, just don't come promoting it here.

 

[Happyville]

Thanks. You see, as Anart and others have pointed out, we traveled this whole milk vs no milk route some years back, personally... a lot of water under the bridge and over the dam, tons of reading, and DIRECT EXPERIMENTATION, has led us to the most probable conclusion about the matter. And, since it is my personal mandate to promote what our research and experiments suggest is as close to objective as possible, and that is our conclusion, I'm simply not going to allow dairy to be promoted in any way on my forum. What you DO is your business, just don't come promoting it here.

Sounds good Laura. I am sorry if It seemed a promotion. That said I adore your work, your approach and how you inspired me personally - even if we disagree on things. You are bound to have a few rouge "children" that either challenge, build upon or completely fail at things, but I appreciate your always being polite! That said, I am excited to try this experiment!

 

[Laura]

If you are going to try the experiment, do read all the "Life Without Bread" thread and then, when you get your own experiment started, you can contribute your observations/experiences.

I did want to mention a case in the life of an acquaintance of mine. The gentleman's partner was a confirmed dairy, carb, veggie, low fat consumer, and had a glass of red wine every day. That is, she was following the recommended "best diet." Her partner, on the other hand, went dairy and gluten free. She made remarks about it, of course, that were not very nice. She was the picture of health and always held that up as evidence that her diet was perfect.

One day, just a few months ago, she went to the phone to make a call and her arm went numb - like seriously. She got scared, called the doctor who advised her to go to the hospital. There, tests showed that her right carotid artery was 85% blocked. So, she was scheduled for surgery a few days later. It's an iffy operation because a clot can break loose and go directly to the brain and cause a stroke (which is actually what she had, a mini-stroke). On the day the surgery was scheduled, they did another scan and found that the artery was now 100% blocked (that's pretty aggressive action!) and there was no way they could do the surgery without causing a stroke. They said that the left artery would suffice, more or less.

Well, I don't know about you, but I would feel kinda defective knowing that I only had one functional carotid artery and the other one was shut down and the doctors thought it was better not to touch it because it would surely cause a stroke, and knowing that a stroke could happen anyway.

I believe the woman is in her late 30s/early 40s with a pre-teen child.

From what I heard, she drank a LOT of milk and ate a LOT of yogurt and other milk based products.

You might also be interested in reading Dr. Hiromi Shinya's book "The Enzyme Factor." He is convinced that milk is the main cause of nearly all illnesses of modern society - and convinced as well that it killed his wife.

This is the man who invented the colonoscope and has personally peered into about 300,000 colons. He notes that he kept careful records of people's diets alongside his observations of their plumbing and the relationship between milk and death is undeniable.

 

[LexieHewitt]

Foderma serum helps with eczema. It brings back the moisture to the skin so it can begin to heal. I use this serum along with Aquaphor and it works. It will not cure eczema but it does work on my baby's face and body and I think it prevents having sometimes really bad flare-ups and I'm glad I found this serum.

 

[Gawan]

Foderma serum helps with eczema. It brings back the moisture to the skin so it can begin to heal. I use this serum along with Aquaphor and it works. It will not cure eczema but it does work on my baby's face and body and I think it prevents having sometimes really bad flare-ups and I'm glad I found this serum.

to our forum LexieHewitt, seeing as this is your first post on the forum, we would appreciate it if you would post a brief intro about yourself in the Newbies section, telling us how you found this forum, how long you've been reading it and/or the SOTT page, whether or not you've read any of Laura's books yet, etc.

 

[Gwenllian]

In his thread Strengthening the immune system Ollie mentioned Stephen Gundry's book, MD, The Longevity Paradox: How to Die Young at a Ripe Old Age. I am reading this ATM and found some interesting information about skin issues like eczema and skin cancer. I am quoting a few tidbits here, for more information you can have a look at the the above mentioned thread and read the book. BTW, the writer calls the good bacteria on our skin and in our gut buddies.

I have had eczema for about 20 years, and tried all kinds of things (acupuncture, homeopathy, creams), but have never linked it to gut issues and a lack of good bugs on my skin.

What if I told you that the death of our skin buddies and damage to our gut lining are the two predominant causes of skin problems as we age - not sun exposure, genetics, or anything else you've been led to believe? Let's look at the evidence. First of all, when it comes to sun exposure, your skin buddies can actually protect you against skin cancer despite your levels of exposure to the sun. There is a strain of bacteria that's common on healthy skin that can inhibit the growth of skin cancer. It does this by producing a compound called 6-N-hydroxylaminopurine (6-HAP), which kills several types of cancer cells but is not toxic to healthy cells. When mice with skin cancer received intravenous injections of 6-HAP every forty-eight hours over a two-week period, their tumor size was suppressed by more than half. 22 Pretty remarkable, isn't it? What if the current uptick in skin cancers (with more than a million new cases diagnosed in the United States each year) is being caused by the death of our skin buddies and the resulting lack of 6-HAP to protect us against skin cancer?

Furthermore, when patients with eczema, a painful skin condition that causes patches of skin to become read and inflamed, were treated with a type of bacteria that is normally present on the skin, they saw a significant reduction in symptoms. 23 Seeing these results, researchers began looking more closely at the skin flora of patients with eczema and found that they generally have a higher-than-normal population of bad bugs. In fact, an imbalance in skin flora is a sign of disease. Research shows that patients with primary immune deficiency conditions actually have altered skin flora. They tend to have more permissive skin, meaning that their skin flora includes species not normally found on healthy adults. Just like your gut buddies, your skin buddies can trigger an immune response to a perceived threat. [...] Without such an immune system, bad bugs can take over the skin. But just like your gut buddies, sometimes your skin buddies overreact and create chronic inflammation - and skin conditions such as eczema can result. Throughout your entire life, your internal and external skin function as the two front lines, where your gut and skin buddies fight off invaders (as long as you've been treating them right). When the bacteria in your gut are out of balance and allow bad bugs to permeate the gut barrier, your skin flora suffers, allowing bad bugs to take over.

Here is an article from Gundry's website where he explains why wild yam extract is a good supplement against skin problems (he also writes about the benefits of this supplement in his book):

Wild Yam Extract: Amazing Anti-Aging Skincare Ingredient

A potato’s not-really-related cousin (wild yam is not to be confused with sweet potatoes) can possibly help you achieve better-looking skin.

gundrymd.com

Wild yam has a pretty cool make-up that may benefit several different parts of the body.


It’s filled with steroid saponins – which are basically naturally occurring molecules in plants.2 They’re structurally and functionally diverse, allowing for them to be applied to a number of uses.3


Saponins are considered to have a wide range of therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. In addition, they’re able to easily dig into cell membranes, which plays a huge role in allowing the molecule to actually work.4


Wild yam is also known for a compound known as diosgenin, a specific steroidal saponin. Diosgenin is used as an anti-inflammatory.5 It’s also been suggested to enhance DNA synthesis in human skin while restoring skin cells.6


Diosgenin is also believed to be effective as a depigmenting agent in the skin, helping to protect against some serious skin health issues that can arise from sun damage.7


What does this mean for us?


It means that wild yam extract can potentially soothe, treat, and even promote healthier skin.

I started taking wild yam one month ago together with polyphenols (like grape seed extract and trans-resveratrol), which the good doctor also mentions in his section Your Skin Is Your Gut Lining Turned Inside Out.

I am also taking berberine and quercetin to support my liver. Berberine can also be beneficial for the skin, especially in the case of a certain melanomas and pigmentation disorders. I also applied an anti-fungal to a spot of eczema on my lower leg which has helped considerably, my skin appears to be less angry, raised and scaly. Perhaps it is a combination of supplements, a few changes in my diet and this anti-fungal.

My eczema on my hands has become better these past few weeks, but it could also be partly related to the change in the weather (warm and sunny).

 

[Gwenllian]

I have been researching skin disorders/cancers for the past few months now and found this interesting tidbit about eczema which could be useful to take into account. According to a Swiss clinic basal cell carcinoma can be mistaken for eczema.

There is no typical clinical picture for basal cell carcinoma. This type of skin cancer can look very different: Thus, calluses, lumps, ulcers or stubborn eczema can be signs of basal cell carcinoma. Every skin change which lasts longer than usual should be checked by a doctor. The earlier a skin cancer is detected, the better the chances of recovery are.

Patricia Davis in Aromatherapy An A-Z basically says the same thing:

Correct diagnosis is extremely important, for several reasons: firstly because if the conditions is incorrectly diagnosed, treatment with essential oils may cause irritation or inflammation. More seriously, misdiagnosis may lead to potentially dangerous situations being overlooked: for example, various forms of keratosis, which can become malignant, are easily mistaken for eczema and dermatitis. If in any doubt, consult a doctor and ask for referral to a dermatologist. Any skin lesion which does not heal over a period of time should be investigated in this way.

In an article of the Dutch Association of Dermatologists I also read that post-inflammatory hypopigmentation (PIH) which can occur after eczema or another inflammatory disorder, PIH can be mistaken for vitiligo.

Minder zeldzaam, maar soms toch lastig te onderscheiden van een vitiligo zijn een pityriasis alba en een postinflammatoire hypopigmentatie (PIH). De PIHO kan na een eczeem of andere inflammatoire aandoeningen optreden, maar een aandoening die je niet wil missen is de gehypopigmenteerde mycosis fungoides. [7]

Less rare, but sometimes difficult to distinguish from vitiligo are pityriasis alba and post-inflammatory hypopigmentation. The PIH may occur after eczema or other inflammatory conditions, but a condition not to be missed is hypopigmented mycosis fungoides. [7] [DeepL Translator]

FWIW.

 

[Gwenllian]

Red light therapy (an "umbrella term" for both red light and near infrared) is said to be helping against eczema.

Although red light therapy has not been widely studied specifically for treating eczema, thousands of studies and scientific papers have shown it to be a promising treatment for numerous conditions and disorders. This vast body of research includes many peer-reviewed studies on the effects of red light on other chronic skin disorders, which show great promise in reducing symptoms; and more importantly, addressing the underlying causes.

During a 2018 clinical review, for example, researchers observed the results of a small number of trials related to psoriasis, an autoimmune inflammatory disease. The researchers concluded that although clinical trials are still small in number, red light therapy shows promise for treating psoriasis due to its deep penetration and positive effects on the body’s cells.

An early study on 81 patients with the most common form of eczema, atopic dermatitis, found that red light therapy effectively decreased itching in 63 people with the condition and it reduced skin eruptions in 57 cases.

The eczema on my hands and lower leg has recently flared up again (it's wintertime), so I have started using my red light lamp on my leg, but after reading that near infrared may also help, especially against more severe eczema I have switched to using my near infrared lamp (760 and 830 nm), but will alternate between the two. I will report back here if there are any noticeable results. I am also going to skip vitamin B3 and other B vitamins for a while and see whether that has any effect. I read somewhere that a high intake of B3 caused itching and eczema in a woman, but I can't find the source now.

The recommended range of red light wavelengths for the treatment of eczema is between 610 to 700 nanometers (nm), falling in the range of short red light-emitting diode (LED) light. 630nm has been found to be particularly effective for skin conditions such as Psoriasis and Eczema. In more severe cases, near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths of 830 to 855 nm can also be helpful. Frequently, a combination of red LED and NIR light creates the best recipe for success. At-home devices are available in a variety of wavelengths and combinations thereof.

The next bit about a skin protein called filaggrin is interesting and its role in wreaking havoc on the skin?:

An exciting finding from a 2017 study was that atopic dermatitis may have a genetic cause; specifically, deficiency of a skin protein called filaggrin which helps shape individual skin cells and forms part of the skin barrier. A filaggrin deficiency can mean easier access for bacteria; and allowing too much moisture to escape, leading to skin dryness and itching.

Although there are currently no studies on the effects of red/NIR wavelengths on filaggrin synthesis, red light is known to stimulate the synthesis of other skin proteins. This holds promise for future studies in which red light could potentially be used to restore a healthy skin barrier.