Vitamin D For eczema and allergies

Here's what you need to know about vitamin D, the immune system, skin rashes like eczema, and allergies.

• Low vitamin D is linked to increased severity of eczema.

• Vitamin D helps inhibit Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. A problem bug for many with eczema.

• Vitamin D can speed up healing of the skin barrier, and stabilize the immune function of the gut and skin.

• Vitamin D regulates the immune system by encouraging the production of anti-inflammatory chemical messengers, and by blocking the release of inflammatory ones.

• Vitamin D cuts down the release of IgE (immunoglobulins present with food and environmental allergies).

And get this, supplementing mom with vitamin D can help colonize the infant gut with important, healthful microbes.

Because gut flora influences the development of eczema and other allergic conditions, supplementing vitamin D in pregnant women and in babies may help reduce these risks in kids!

Get vitamin D levels checked BEFORE supplementing, and work with a knowledgeable practitioner to determine the right dose (for you and your child).

Conventional medicine notes that a level of 30ng/mL is sufficient. From a functional perspective, that is LOW. Optimal levels to shoot for are more likely between 50-75ng/mL.

References

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6518061/

• https://athenaeumpub.com/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-its-relation-to-allergic-diseases-a-cross-sectional-study-among-allergic-patients-from-jeddah-city-saudi-arabia/

“If I could survive without eating, it would be a huge relief”

Has this thought ever crossed your mind?

If you're struggling with rashes, food allergies, food sensitivities, gut problems, or any other health problem that seems to be triggered when you eat, it may have.

This is the title of a research article I came across (reference below), and it stopped me in my tracks.

I've had this thought.

Not because I don't like food, or because I don't like to eat.

Because I've struggled with health issues that seem to be triggered when I eat.

No matter what I eat.

I spent years chasing my food triggers, struggling with fear of food, and disordered eating because of this.

You know what?

Food isn't the problem.

Internal imbalances are.

This isn't just my story, it's the story of so many of my clients.

If you're reading this, it might be yours too. And your child's.

I'm passionate about helping your child AVOID having this thought, and addressing the root cause of the problem NOW. Before they are even old enough to think it.

In case you missed that line above... FOOD ISN'T THE PROBLEM.

It might be a trigger, but there are internal imbalances causing your child's body to react to foods. That's why we need to ID and address those imbalances. Not just to help with the symptoms now, but to help your child grow up and have a healthy relationship with food in the future. 💕💕💕💕

Reference

• Doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105808

Nutrition vs Diet

There's a big difference between nutrition and diet!

Here are 3 ways nutrition is different:

• Nutrition is what we need, think nourishment.

• Nutrition does not restrict unnecessary foods or food groups. Food is the fuel for our engines. Literally.

• Nutrition fosters healthy relationships with food. Diet is how we get nourishment.

Limited diets = less nutrition and less nourishment.

The kind of diet you decide to follow can dictate your child's health and relationship with food... For a lifetime.

I share this so that if you are in a situation where you're struggling to decide if your child should be on a special diet, remember to always think "NUTRITION" first💕

Colic

Does your baby have colic?

• Colic is often associated with eczema.

• Colic is an indication of gut inflammation and dysbiosis (imbalanced gut bacteria and other gut problems).

• Colicky little ones may have fewer Bifidobacilli (a strain of good gut bugs) in their guts.

This isn't a coincidence if your little one is colicky and has skin rashes. Gut health is intimately tied to skin health. If your little one is colicky and doesn't have skin rashes, they may be at greater risk for developing them.

• Colic is also a sign of possible food allergies and sensitivities.

• Colic can be associated with reflux.

Here's what you need to know about reflux: ⁠

• Reflux (and colic) can be a sign of pre-existing gut problems.

• Reflux medications (acid reducers and acid blockers) aren’t an ideal solution.

  • They are associated with nutrient depletion and the development of osteoporosis, depression, and deficiencies of vitamin B12, and a variety of minerals.

  • Acid suppressors can cause SIBO, IBS, an increased risk of gut pathogens, and other gut problems.⁠

  • Reflux can be due to low stomach, not high. Lowering acid levels further with meds makes the problem worse.⁠

  • These medications do not resolve the root cause of the problem.

Step #1 to addressing colic or reflux in your baby shouldn't be meds. While I do not recommend elimination diets, if there is reflux, it makes sense to explore commonly triggering foods and try removing them from baby's diet, and yours if breastfeeding⁠ to see if it helps:

• Gluten⁠

• Dairy⁠

• Caffeine⁠

• Alcohol⁠

• Chocolate⁠

• Garlic⁠

• Onions⁠

• Mint⁠

• Spicy foods⁠

• Fried foods⁠

• Fatty foods⁠

• Citrus⁠

• Tomato-based products⁠

• Highly processed foods⁠

• Junk food⁠

• Carbonated beverages, including fizzy water⁠ ⁠

A diet of whole, real foods, rich in plant foods and high in fiber, often can resolve the problem. ⁠ ⁠

Stop the eliminations if you’ve removed foods for 2-3 weeks and there’s no real improvement. Food isn’t the problem.

If that’s the case… Step #2 is exploring what's happening INSIDE the gut (GI Map comprehensive digestive stool testing is my go-to for this) and resolving those microbiome imbalances! ⁠

References

• https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/84/4/349.full.pdf

• https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/1175207

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30177353

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30177353

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377897/