If you're struggling with this frustrating and debilitating condition, there is hope for relief through dietary changes. This article will explore a low nickel diet for dyshidrotic eczema!
It's difficult to believe that low levels of nickel in the diet can have so much of an effect on a chronic skin condition like dyshidrotic eczema, but research has shown it to be true.
What is a low nickel diet?
A low nickel diet is a diet that limits the intake of nickel-containing foods to low levels. Most foods consumed by humans contain nickel. It is found that it can improve the symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema.
The low nickel diet is often used for people who suffer from low levels of skin inflammation and itchy, scaly patches on their hands or feet as a result of low levels of vitamin B12 in the body. Research has found that low nickel diets can improve eczema.
Today, low nickel dieters have become savvier over the years. Many people who do this diet have found ways to incorporate low-nickel foods into their diets while still enjoying delicious meals.
Can nickel cause dyshidrotic eczema?
Yes, nickel can cause dyshidrotic eczema. This is a form of eczema that affects the hands and feet. Nickel is a metal that is found in many things that we use every day, such as jewellery and clothing.
Some people are sensitive to nickel and develop an itchy rash on their skin when they come into contact with it. The rash can also appear if you touch something that contains nickel, such as coins or keys.
If you have dyshidrotic eczema, you may be more likely to develop a rash from nickel than others who don't have this condition. However, some people with dyshidrotic eczema do not react to nickel at all.
How does a low nickel diet help dyshidrotic eczema?
A low nickel diet for dyshidrotic eczema can be a way to help alleviate the symptoms of this skin condition by limiting your intake of products that contain high levels of nickel, as well as reducing any form of exposure you have to toxins such as inhaling fumes or touching products with high levels of nickel.
People who have an allergy to nickel can develop eczema from low-level contact with nickel, and the low nickel diet helps people with this skin condition by preventing nickel from building up in the skin.
This kind of diet helps with dyshidrotic eczema because low nickel foods such as rice, beans, and potatoes are low-allergy/low-irritant food items. Nickel in the diet is known to be a highly reactive metal that can cause metal hypersensitivity reactions.
Nickel can be found in low quantities throughout our environment, but it is most commonly emitted through metal manufacturing plants or refineries as a result of corrosion.
It is also present on coins and jewellery because this element has no known biological function. Therefore, such objects are not necessary for our health.
Whatever low-nickel diet is the most effective for you, there are certain foods and lifestyle changes to make in order to improve your symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema or other conditions related to low nickel diets.
How do you start a low nickel diet?
A nickel diet helps improve symptoms of dyshidrotic eczema by eliminating or reducing contact with high levels of nickel that may cause an increased level of inflammation and an increased feeling of itchiness. To start your low nickel diet, you should do the following:
- Be aware of what you are eating and drinking.
- Ease into it by making low nickel changes one at a time, such as using low nickel cooking utensils or switching to low nickel canned foods.
- Consult with a low nickel dietitian regarding the low nickel options available to you.
- Consider low nickel medication alternatives, such as topical steroid ointments or medications that can be taken orally.
- Be patient. It can take up to six months for your diet to show results.
- You have a low nickel allergy, be aware of how this may limit some low nickel options that are available to you, such as low nickel canned foods or low nickel cooking utensils.
- Remove sources from your environment that may contain high levels of nickel (e.g., nickel jewellery, low-nickel items in your home).
- Take steps to protect yourself from exposure to high levels of nickel (e.g., wear gloves)
- Consult your health practitioner or dermatologist for specific advice on low nickel diet options.
- This diet is also helpful for people who want to reduce their body's exposure to nickel, which can be found in the environment and foods.
Low nickel foods
The low nickel diet is low in certain foods rich in metal, such as wine and canned food. Dermatologists often recommend this kind of diet for dyshidrotic eczema to avoid outbreaks of this blistering skin condition from reoccurring. It has shown to be an effective treatment when taken seriously.
According to Allergy Consultants, P.A, the following are the lists of foods you can eat in your low nickel diet:
- Peaches, pears, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries
- Apples, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruit,
- and other citrus fruits
- Bell peppers,
- Cucumbers, eggplant, and cruciferous greens
- Milk, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt
- Refined wheat
- Corn
- Pasta, white rice,
- Cornflakes, cornmeal, and white bread
- Chicken, turkey, beef, and eggs
- Alcoholic beverages, coffee, and tea
- Sodas and juices
For people on low nickel diets for dyshidrotic eczema, it is important not to exceed the recommended daily allowance (ADR) of 15 milligrams per day as this can cause side effects such as indigestion low blood pressure.
Prevent eating these foods
Avoid eating the following when you are doing a low nickel diet:
- Raspberries, pineapple, figs, dates, and prunes
- spinach, kale, lettuce
- Legumes
- Dried beans and lentils
- Bean
- sprouts
- Chocolate milk and raspberry or citrus yogurt
- Whole wheat and multigrain
- flours
- Wheat and oat bran, oatmeal, brown rice,
- and flower seeds
- Nuts, seeds, and soy
- Canned meats and fish
- Apple and citrus juices and chocolate
- drinks.
The low nickel diet for dyshidrotic eczema is a good start. It would be beneficial to people who suffer from this skin condition and need an alternative way of cooking food with lower levels of chemicals that can worsen their symptoms.
There are also some things that one should avoid in order to decrease the severity of their low nickel diet symptoms. It is always best to consult a physician or dermatologist before embarking on this diet.
How long does a low nickel diet take to work?
The time it takes to experience the benefits of a low nickel diet depends on the severity of your symptoms, how much time you have invested in removing sources of nickel exposure, and how well you stick with your new lifestyle.
Some people have reported that they have noticed improvements in their symptoms within a few weeks of starting the low nickel diet. Others had said that it took them months before they started feeling better.
Conclusion
Eating a low nickel diet may lessen the severity of dyshidrotic eczema by reducing your body's level of nickel, which is a specific food trigger that aggravates it.
By following a low nickel diet, the symptoms associated with this skin condition are likely to improve, particularly if the diet is adjusted to be low in other reactive foods as well.
