Distinctive Skin Conditions
Some less common (but still highly impactful should you experience them) skin conditions include:
PRURITIS
This is chronic itching, which accompanies most skin conditions but can also be the result of hormonal changes (in pregnancy or during the Menopause) or as a condition in-itself, often increasing with age when the skin naturally becomes drier.
Nutritionally the old favourite strategies can be deployed; avoid foods which inflame or dry the body such as refined sugar, excessive caffeine, alcohol and processed/overly-salty foods and try to include at least two daily food sources of Vitamin C (as an antioxidant it is anti-inflammatory and acts as an natural antihistamine to quell allergic reaction symptoms) into your diet such as berries, broccoli, oranges/satsumas, or (if you are not on medication) a pinch of turmeric/curcumin ‘hidden’ in your meals.
ICHTHYOSIS
This condition is more-often-than-not genetic and is the result of a faulty filaggrin gene (incidentally the same gene that controls the expression of Eczema!) inherited at birth. It manifests as thickened, dry, ‘fish scale’ skin. This is due to skin cell turnover/shedding being too slow, or new skin cells being produced at a much faster rate than old/dead skin cells can be shed. Remember the psoriasis blog post … it is not too dissimilar to that in mechanics and appearance.
There are twenty different forms of ichthyosis, the most common being; x-linked ichthyosis, autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, harlequin ichthyosis, lamellar ichthyosis, congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, non-bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma and bullous ichthyosiform erythroderma. Acquired ichthyosis (ichthyosis vulgaris) may also occur, although it is slightly different as it appears in adulthood often as a result of other existing health conditions or detrimental environmental exposures.
Topical (cream/ointment) remedies are the most frequently deployed to ease ichthyosis symptoms, for which you would need to contact a registered Dermatologist. Nutritionally, ichthyosis symptoms are best eased with a balanced, nutrient-dense & diverse diet, but as always everyone is different so the Nutritional Therapy programme would be tailored to the individual. A decent starting point would be to pay particular attention to foods high in Vitamin D and healthy omega fats. So unless other allergies are suspected/confirmed, foods such as avocadoes, eggs, nuts, olives & olive oil and oily fish e.g. mackerel/salmon/sardines are typically recommended.
VITILIGO
This condition manifests as pale, white patches appearing on the skin as a result of the skin’s melanocyte cells having died or just stopped producing the colour pigment melanin.
There are three types of vitiligo; general, segmental and mucosal.
Research on this condition is in its infancy and there is no known cure, however a lack of vitamin D has been observed in people with vitiligo. Removing gluten (in wheat products) from the diet, in addition to increasing foods rich in Vitamin B12 and the antioxidants vitamins A, C and E are also considered important in this condition, therefore a daily dietary inclusion of foods such as spinach, peas, sweet potato, (oily) fish, meat & poultry, eggs, yeast extract and milk may help; not just for this skin condition but for systemic health too.
LICHEN PLANUS
Lichen Planus is an autoimmune skin condition therefore there is not (yet) a known cure. Having said this, its external appearance may subside after a few months or a few years, and Nutritional Therapy can help ease symptoms.
Symptoms manifest as raised red spots/pustules on the external skin or the internal oral cavity, so the first port of call is to minimise systemic inflammation, (triggered by a mistakenly over-active immune system).
Initial dietary tips to support the healing process include limiting the quantity of inflammatory foods in your diet, therefore try to minimise refined carbohydrates, (yep, that means sugar!), highly processed foods and potentially those ‘spicy’ foods that make your tongue tingle. Coincide this with trying to include two-three Vitamin D food sources (oily fish – mackerel/salmon/trout), egg yolk, mushrooms, milk/yogurt/tofu) in your daily diet would be very good starting points. And on the lifestyle recommendations, pay a visit to the Dentist and/or Hygienist as they are in the best position to spot the early signs.
NOTE the aforementioned foods are not an exhaustive list and not all foods will be suitable for everyone depending on their current health status or medication requirements. Please contact EAT DRINK THINK NUTRITION® for further, bespoke information & assistance.
REMEMBER: if you are taking any medications always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist as well as your Doctor before making significant dietary or lifestyle changes. This blog post is written for educational purposes only and in reference to ‘food’. It is NOT advocating taking dietary supplements. It is very important to please always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist or your Doctor before introducing any dietary supplements into your health regime as these qualified professionals will be able to offer personalised recommendations.
If you are struggling with any of these skin conditions and you want to discover the inspiring & sustainable diet & lifestyle programmes offered by Nutritional Therapy, get in touch via the Contact Me page on this website, or directly on info@eatdrinkthinknutrition.co.uk for more information about 1:2:1 Consultations with Eat Drink Think Nutrition®.
