Elimination Diet Day 1

Back from vacay and it's about time to get back on track. Have been reading a lot of articles about healing eczema naturally by focusing on my gut health. It is worth a shot.

I plan to go on a 2-3 week elimination diet, which entails cutting out common allergens like dairy, soy, red meats, raw meats (eg sashimi), caffeine (may still drink green tea), gluten, and refined sugars as much as possible. Foods that I have already been abstaining from as much as consciously possible, according to the TCM doctor I used to visit, include chicken (unless kampung), tree nuts, peanuts, crustaceans, chocolate, and spicy and deep-fried food. I will also cut out nightshades like potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and citrus fruits like grapefruits, oranges.

I have stopped taking dairy for a couple of weeks now, until recently when I was overseas for approx 4 days. I have also stopped my consumption of coffee since I stopped dairy.

However, somewhere mid-june, I had a UTI and took a course of antibiotics over 5 days. Simultaneously, I was working at a cafe and dishwashing caused a flare-up on my fingers, back of my palms and wrists. Skin overall started to deteriorate drastically and I turned to chinese medicine, anti-histamines (which I realised were expired only after consuming for several days) and probiotics. Lo and behold my skin went haywire and I started developing huge boils all over my body. They were concentrated on my back (had 4), neck and thighs, with a few on my arms and shins, one on my eyebrows. Visited a recommended and rather renown western dermatologist, who concluded that it was the result of incorrect prescription of chinese medicine/mixture of western and eastern medicine. No one could be sure. I hit my all-time low then and I took all of this out on my then boyfriend. It was bad, and its something I wish not to be part of my memories. The boils started out painful and grew excruciating. I had to visit the doctors again for a quick fix - another round of antibiotics over seven days and oral steriods over three days (much to my displeasure). But I was desperate. My boils subsided eventually, and I was left with a pretty serious case of eczema.

That was mid-July. I knew I had to be patient this time. Stick to what I believe, no anti-histamines, no hydrocortisone creams - nothing suppressive for my chronic condition of autoimmunity would ever be effective in the long run. I returned to my (relatively) clean diet. Continued probiotics to restore the gut flora and flax oil for the daily dose of healthy fats. Laying off chinese medicine and all prescribed medicine for that matter. With that, my skin itched less, but the inflammation was still active (red). This was also when I parted ways with my then boyfriend. It broke my heart and it broke my heart more when he felt that we were beyond salvage. 

Now, I just want to focus on healing my insides - physically, the gut, emotionally, and most importantly spiritually. It is not easy, but I am not alone. I would like to document this down for easy reference, something to look back on in the future, and even perhaps, help one helpless soul through my experience.

Here goes.

What I ate today:

Breakfast - Overnight oatmeal with flax, chia and sunflower seeds. Rice milk. A banana and a date.

Lunch - Boiled bittergourd, enoki and shimeiji. Quinoa and muesli (with dried fruit). An apple.

Dinner - Yongtaufoo, solely vegetables.

How my skin feels today:

Rash is concentrated on my face and neck area. Have some boils/pus situation going on, but trying my best to contain it with Lucas' pawpaw ointment. My left eye has been growing a cyst-like growth for the past 3 days. Skin is particularly drier than normal, perhaps a sign of healing from weeping. Possibly due to the seafood and refined sugar overload from the food consumed overseas and prolonged exposure to air condition. Fingers crossed that gets better soon. 

What I applied:

As per usual, cetaphil restoraderm and pawpaw ointment. Started using dilute tea tree for face rash.

Additionally, I ordered hydrolysed collagen peptides online. Will be giving ACV wellness shot a try to improve my gut and skin health. Also ordered hemp seeds, chai roobois and acai powder (yay excited!!), together with a manuka honey salve. Decided that to see change I need to change the regime and mindset.

Grant me the discipline, patience and wisdom, Lord and the joy in our sorrow. Work Your healing through these right foods, supplements and creams. You are greater than any medicine. And through it all, use me to let Your glory shine through. I trust you and I thank you. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Lets go.