How does alkalising help eczema?

|Karen Fischer

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If you have ever read The Eczema Diet or The Eczema Detox, you'll know that Salicylate sensitivity is the most common chemical sensitivity that eczema sufferers have. Salicylates are a natural preservative made by and naturally present in many plants, fruits and vegetables. It can cause a worsening of eczema in more than 60 percent of people with eczema, and the rates appear to be increasing.  More than 89 percent of people with eczema are sensitive to a range of chemicals including preservatives.

Well, back in the 1950s alkalisation was used as an effective treatment for eliminating salicylates and unwanted chemicals from the body and this research can help to reduce your eczema symptoms (along with Skin Friend which is an alkalising supplement).

According research in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, medical staff at hospitals used alkalisation to treat salicylate poisoning (from aspirin overdose - aspirin is made up of salicylates). Researchers found, when the urine pH exceeds an alkaline reading of 7.5, more salicylates are eliminated than reabsorbed, and three times the amount of salicylates are excreted via the urine. 

What does this mean for eczema sufferers (and people with salicylate sensitivity)?

If you suffer from eczema and/or salicylate-sensitivity, aim for a urine pH reading of 7.5, as this will temporarily increase your tolerance to salicylates so you are less likely to react to them.

Eczema is also an acid-forming condition (caused by excess inflammation) so consistently keeping your urine pH slightly alkaline or neutral, can help to reduce the itch. But you don't want to over-alkalise either as this is not good for you long-term as alkalosis can occur. So you can use a pH test kit to monitor your pH and ensure it's within the range for optimal health. 

What is the ideal pH reading?

If testing your urine pH, aim for a reading between 6.75 and 7.5. If you have health problems associated with excess acids, such as eczema, skin problems, gout, arthritis, or salicylate- or chemical-sensitivity, aim for a urine pH of 7 to 7.5. If your reading is pH 8 or above, modify your diet so it is slightly less alkalising. 

If testing your saliva pH, aim for a reading between 7.0 to 7.5.

Compare your results using the pH cart that comes with your product:

 

My fave pH test kit:

I love Test My pH as it is specially designed for people with eczema and other skin inflammation including TSW, Red Skin Syndrome, psoriasis, dermatitis and hives. And it does not come in a plastic container ... the lovely tin can be reused and refills are also available. I love the idea of minimising landfill and waste. 

The kit also contains an Eczema-Friendly Food Chart which shows you the best foods and supplements to effectively clear up your eczema. 

 

Products 

At Eczema Life, we recommend nutritionist Karen Fischer's low food chemical program (The Eczema Detox) along with additive-free supplements for skin health and wellbeing. Click on the images to view more details:

         

 

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The Eczema Toolkit

the holistic way to clear skin

The Eczema Detox is Karen Fischer's latest best-selling eczema manual designed to help you find relief. Through her work she found some patients needed a special program to identify personal triggers, so the FID Program was created. The Eczema Clear Skin Toolkit combines gut health and nutrition with soothing, barrier repair skincare and supplements to calm the itch and support skin repair, the immune system and more. If you’ve tried everything and nothing has worked, this is the skin calming toolkit you've been praying for.

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Eczema Friend

the itch buster  |  rash cream

The low pH eczema cream that helps to relieve itchy skin, red skin rash and mild eczema and dermatitis. Suitable for all types of rashes. It's the cream you'll wish you had tried first.

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Frequently asked questions

Does food allergy trigger eczema?

Food allergy and eczema are closely linked, and allergies can absolutely make eczema worse, but they're often not what starts it in the first place. In fact, research suggests the reverse may be more accurate: eczema itself may come first and increase the risk of developing food allergies, rather than the other way around (Tsakok et al. 2016). One study found that babies with eczema were up to six times more likely to become
sensitised to foods compared to those without eczema. In children with established eczema, up to 66% showed food sensitisation, with confirmed food allergy in up to 81% of cases (Tsakok et al. 2016).

If you or your child has a diagnosed food allergy, those foods should be avoided for now. For additional guidance, the Food Intolerance Diagnosis (FID) Program in The Eczema Detox book can help identify food intolerances that do not show up in allergy tests (see next FAQ).
Do food allergy tests help eczema?

Skin prick tests and other food allergy tests including blood tests and patch tests can be unreliable on their own, so an oral food
challenge (supervised by an allergy specialist if you are prone to anaphylaxis), is the most accurate way to confirm whether you or your child is reacting to a particular food. For additional guidance, the FID Program in The Eczema Detox book can help you to identify your personal triggers.
About the authors

Ren Karen Fischer is a nutritionist, mother of two, and award-winning author of seven books, including the bestsellers The Eczema Diet and The Eczema Detox. Fischer is also a peer-reviewed published researcher, and is currently undertaking eczema research as part of a Master's by Research at Bond University. Combining clinical research with real-world experience, she is dedicated to advancing evidence-based care for eczema.

Nutritionist Bonnie Taylor holds a Bachelor of Health Science degree and helps people with eczema identify their individual triggers through the FID Program. Taylor has worked alongside Fischer for many years and offers nutrition consultations by appointment.