These inflammatory conditions of the skin are slightly different conditions, but the terms are often used generically for any itchy, red, scaly skin problem.
While psoriasis is known as an autoimmune condition eczema is referred to as an allergic condition. The important thing is that neither of them are actually skin conditions they are both mediated by an imbalance in the immune system and made worse by poor detoxification and elimination by the liver and kidneys.
Conventional wisdom will tell you that these conditions are “poorly understood”, “may have a genetic origin” and that “there is no cure” but with medication (for the rest of your life) & expensive creams that don’t really seem to work your condition “can be controlled”.
Hydrocortisone cream or ointment is the most commonly prescribed conventional treatment for eczema and psoriasis. This is a strong and toxic medicine of limited effectiveness.
Long-term use of steroid creams can result in side effects, such as thin, fragile, dry skin and even suppression of the adrenal glands. For these reasons, medications of this kind can only be used for short periods of time, which is not very helpful to the chronic sufferer.
Naturopathic medicine looks at these conditions with a different perspective. The aim is to find what substances are causing the disruption to the immune system. Treatment focuses on restoring balance to the overactive immune system and supporting the organs of elimination.
While some foods are generally known to make these conditions worse e.g. oranges, chocolate, eggs, cow’s milk, gluten and food additives; the foods that are the direct cause of the immune disruption are completely individual and are identified through Bio-Compatibility Testing.
When food is not digested properly large proteins can enter the blood and initiate an immune response (this is the basis of a food allergy).These large proteins can also cause inflammation and damage to the digestive tract itself which can lead to more proteins entering the blood increasing your allergy potential; both exacerbating and maintaining the skin condition.
The immune response to these proteins results in a release of inflammatory mediators like histamine. When the liver and kidneys fail to eliminate this excess of histamine it can concentrate in the skin causing the rash.