Eczema and other chronic inflammatory skin conditions, aren't just caused from surface level irritants but is triggered by a variety of internal imbalances. While topical treatments can provide short-term relief, long term healing has to be done internally.
Research links eczema to immune dysregulation, gut dysfunction, liver congestion, and chronic inflammation which can all be addressed with diet, lifestyle, and targeted therapies. This guide explores the most common root causes and science-backed strategies to help you support your skin from the inside out.
Address Root Causes: Mold, Parasites, and Toxin Load
If your liver is overburdened, toxins have to exit another way, often through the skin. A growing body of research suggests that environmental toxins, including mold and pathogens like parasites, can contribute to chronic inflammation and liver stress. What to do:
- Mold Detox: Mold produces mycotoxins, which can impair liver function and the immune system. When detox pathways are overwhelmed, the body often pushes toxins out through the skin. We suggest getting your home inspected for mold.
- Parasite Detox: Intestinal parasites can disrupt the gut lining (leading to leaky gut), affect nutrient absorption, and increase immune activation
- Supportive Protocols: Castor oil packs, beloved by Edgar Cayce, help support lymphatic drainage and detoxification.
Support the Liver + Gut
Your skin reflects the health of your gut and liver, they process everything from environmental chemicals, to hormones to the food and drink you put in your body. Studies have linked impaired elimination pathways with skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne where toxins try to escape through your skin.
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Liver-Loving Foods: Beets, dandelion, bitter greens, milk thistle, and turmeric.
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Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Ditch seed oils and fried foods. Focus on whole, nutrient-dense meals rich in omega-3s, saffron (a powerful anti-inflammatory), wild-caught fish, and organic veggies.
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Tallow + Internal Fats: Grass-fed tallow is rich in skin-healing nutrients both topically and internally.
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Supplements to Explore: Ion Skin Support and Juna's Chlorophyll Detox Drops can support detoxification and barrier repair from the inside out.
- Phase 1 & 2 Liver Detox: These pathways convert fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble waste for excretion. Nutrients like B vitamins, sulfur-containing foods (garlic, onions), and antioxidants support this process.
Heal the Gut-Skin Axis
Your gut and skin are deeply connected via the immune system. Over 70% of your immune cells reside in your gut, and gut inflammation is often reflected externally on the skin.
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Leaky Gut: When the intestinal lining becomes permeable (due to processed foods, stress, or infections), toxins and undigested proteins can enter the bloodstream, triggering immune responses that show up on the skin.
- Dysbiosis: Imbalances in gut bacteria have been directly linked to eczema severity in both children and adults (Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2016).
- What to try: ION Gut Support is proven to strengthen the gut lining, improving overall gut function.
Focus on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Inflammation is at the core of eczema. A low-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diet helps calm the immune system and reduce flare-ups.
- What to Avoid: Industrial seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower), processed sugar, gluten, dairy, and fried foods are highly inflammatory.
- Gut Friendly Foods: Focus on nutrient-dense, gut-friendly foods that calm inflammation and support skin repair. Prioritize omega-3s (wild-caught fish, chia seeds), zinc (pumpkin seeds, shellfish), vitamin A (sweet potatoes, liver, leafy greens), and polyphenol-rich herbs like saffron. Support the gut lining with collagen and L-glutamine, and incorporate fermented foods, high-fiber vegetables, bone broth, and a high-quality probiotic to nourish the gut-skin connection and promote immune balance from within.
Spinal Adjustments + Nervous System Support
The vagus nerve, which regulates digestion, detox, and inflammation, originates in the brainstem and travels down the spine. Edgar Cayce’s philosophy aligns with this as well: spinal misalignment and nervous system dysregulation can impact the body's healing capacity.
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Osteopathic Adjustments or Chiropractic Care can support the nervous system and encourage better organ function.
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Massage + Lymphatic Drainage can improve circulation and help move toxins through the body.
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What to Try: Gentle chiropractic care, craniosacral therapy, or massage to encourage nervous system and detox support.
Emotional Healing, Energetic Connection & Mind-Body Practices
Chronic stress increases cortisol, which impairs skin barrier function, suppresses immunity, and disrupts the gut microbiome. Emotional trauma or dysregulation may also show up somatically through the skin
- Mind-Body Evidence: Studies confirm that stress management, meditation, and emotional regulation reduce eczema severity and recurrence
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Energetic Insight: Emotional healing, prayer, and belief in the body’s ability to heal are not just spiritual — they regulate the autonomic nervous system and influence inflammatory pathways.
- What to Try: Daily meditation, breathwork, or gentle yoga. Prioritize emotional release, journaling, and nervous system regulation. Practice self-trust and affirm that your body knows how to heal when given the right support.
Topical Support
While internal healing is foundational, gentle topical care can soothe symptoms and protect the skin barrier.
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Tallow: Rich in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K, E) and similar in composition to human sebum — deeply nourishing and non-irritating.
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Castor Oil: Anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and shown to support lymphatic flow and wound healing when applied topically.
- Avoid harsh steroids and petroleum products — let the skin breathe and heal
Skin Healing Is Whole-Body Healing
True healing takes time, patience, and a willingness to go deeper. If you're dealing with eczema, try shifting the question from "What can I put on my skin?" to "What’s my body trying to tell me?"
When you are having skin flareups, it's your body's way of trying to tell you it needs support. When we support the gut, liver, nervous system, and emotional body, the skin naturally follows.