Basic Health checkup, and... Eczema.

Notes on Mothering magazine article on eczema:
#1 gut flora
#2 GLA (spirulina, evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant seed oil, 1-2 grams per day child)
-nutrients for the fatty-acid-converting enzymes to work: zinc, mag, B6
-noted that children with eczema may be low in zinc and GLA supp may compensate for the deficiency. [I read this as: supp some zinc AND GLA, don't just sup GLA. You may need the zinc for other things to work well.]
#3 Comfort measures and prevent skin damage from itching:
-Cream for itching: Florasone (Cardiospermum)
-Keep fingernails short.
-Apply cool compress or press on area to avoid itching. (I teach van about rubbing with palm instead of nails.)
oatmeal bath for itch: 10 minutes, powder in bath should be fine enough to not sink to bottom.
-Calendula tea rinse for skin healing.
This article also listed other herbs and homeopathic remedies for the itching.

Next, from westonaprice.org:

"Evening Primrose Oil, Borage Oil or Black Currant Oil: These oils contain a fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid or GLA, which the body produces from omega-6 linoleic acid by the action of special enzymes. In many individuals the production or effectiveness of this enzyme is compromised, especially as they grow older. Malnutrition, consumption of hydrogenated oils and diabetes inhibit the conversion of omega-6 linoleic acid to GLA. GLA-rich oils have been used to treat cancer, premenstrual syndrome, breast disease, scleroderma, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and cystic fibrosis. They have been shown to increase liver function and mental acuity."

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/gamma-linolenic-000305.htm
From that link:

"Much of the GLA taken as a supplement is converted to a substance called DGLA that fights inflammation. Having enough of certain nutrients in the body (including magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C, B3, and B6) helps promote the conversion of GLA to DGLA."

"Many experts find the science supporting the use of omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation and prevent diseases to be much stronger than that supporting GLA."
Rachel note: omega-3 would be fish oil.


Rachel's notes:
Van's eczema has responded well (over the past 6 months or more) to a couple of factors that I see as key:
1. Reducing Dairy. He still eats yogurt at least 5 times per week, but he doesn't eat other forms of dairy. He was eating dairy at most meals. He does eat butter (not moderated) and feta (I moderate this to 1x per week).

2. Vitamin C with Bioflavanoids. He learned to take a capsule. Thorne Research brand from vitalbee.com. Or if you want powder, one I just got from Vitacost is TwinLab Super Ascorbate C. I started giving this to him for bloody noses. It worked. It also coincided with the skin improvement.

3. At the same time as the above, we reduced our fish oil. This is a tricky one. Omega-3 supplementation is great if you have a deficiency. But, after you correct the deficiency and change the diet, it can cause inflammation. So, without having a clear plan or even knowing that, somehow my lack of planning, laziness (or intuition?) may have been helpful here. We reduced our fish oil in total. This coincided with the improvement in Van's skin and #1 and #2 above. (see below for more on this)

4. We also added some Vit B-complex supplementation. I was/am supping high amounts of B's for trying to regain my own health. In my reading about B's, it just seemed a good idea to give my kids a little, too. There again, it may have been helping the eczema. Now, the kids don't get a B supp every night, but I think it helps to take before bed if they have been sleep deprived at all (are getting hyper or cranky). I have seen a VERY clear response in my body to sleep deeper/harder when I take my B supps before bed.

Omega-3: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

I think that the overall picture about fats is: balance. True balance of the omega-3 and -6 as well as saturated, etc. I don't measure, track or figure this out. I just use the traditional foods knowledge that I have and do the best I can in my modern hybrid diet.

I work at getting a little fat in their diet. Butter is best, coconut too. If he wants olive oil on bread, that happens once in a while, too. We do not shirk the fat in my house (but low fat when you're in a restaurant is a good measure).

After this little bit of reading today, my new plan will be...

-I was considering adding Evening Primrose Oil for the GLA. I even have some here to use. But, I'm not going to add it now. You might consider if if you are in the beginning of dietary fats course correction, but at this stage for me and my kids, I think our fats are fairly balanced. We did a couple of years of CLO and it's feeling like it's time to back off a little, and we have, and we still feel good.

Add more Omega-3 foods:
-ground flaxseeds on porridge (will probably happen 1x per week)
-continue CLO for in small amounts, not every day. Since Van doesn't eat fish ever, I'll just treat this like a serving of fish a couple of times per week.
-Try to remember those sardines once a week.
-Continue having Kale Krisps a couple of times per week (my kids won't eat very many vegetables, but they do eat this).
-Homemade Summer squash chips, organic only. Good for omega-3 AND zinc!
-Try walnuts in their lunch muffins.
-Add cauliflower once per week.
-Cabbage soup for me once per month.
-I already eat roasted broccoli a lot, squash.
-I will continue with my daily spinach smoothie and my daily spirulina, but I will recommit to one smoothie per week for the kids and add a smidgen of spirulina and spinach. In the summer we do more smoothies. We can use strawberries and raspberries once each per week.
-I have already committed myself to increasing the kid's like of vegetables. This may also mean finding them a dip they like.


Add zinc foods
-Primal Hummous once per week, heavy on the tahini (sesame seeds)
-Tahini, what other ways? Mixed into Van's nut butter truffles, apple dip, etc.
-zinc supplment once in a while
-Maple syrup once per week (on french toast)
-Give a choice between green peas and roasted broccoli.
-Bake a turkey breast once or twice per month.

Magnesium
Peter Gillham's CALM Magnesium supplement on days when the kids are hyper or constipated. I don't take regularly now, since I'm off dairy.

B Vitamins
Continue with a B complex supp before bed a few times per week, esp. when under stress, lack of sleep, hyper, cranky.

If you are not taking a B Complex, I recommend doing some reading. I take therapeutic level of Biotin (Pure Encapsulations) and B6 (Allergy Research Group: Pyridoxine P5P) and folate (Thorne Research: Folacal), in addition to Thorne Research B Complex #5 (which has additional B5). I carefully looked at the overdose amounts and created a spreadsheet of my chosen products to make sure that this daily dose of once capsule each would not put me over in any nutrient (had to add the amount in the complex capsule to the amounts in the other capsules). The Biotin is good if you have yeast overload (candida, candidiasis)