The Link Between Eczema and Gut Health: A Root Cause Approach
Does any of this sound familiar?
Your skin flares up unpredictably, leaving you itchy, inflamed, and uncomfortable.
No cream or lotion seems to provide lasting relief.
Eczema flare-ups seem random—you’ve tried changing your diet, but nothing makes a real difference.
Stress, certain foods, or seasonal changes make your symptoms worse.
You feel frustrated, self-conscious, and exhausted from managing your skin every day.
If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Many people with eczema struggle to pinpoint the cause, endlessly trying new creams, elimination diets, and medications with little success. But what if the missing piece isn’t just on your skin—it’s in your gut?
The Gut-Skin Connection: Why Eczema Starts from Within
Your skin is a reflection of what’s happening inside your body. Eczema is an inflammatory condition, meaning that something is triggering an immune response. While genetics play a role, research increasingly shows that gut health is a major factor in eczema flare-ups.
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that help regulate your immune system. When this delicate balance is disrupted—a condition known as gut dysbiosis—your immune system becomes more reactive, increasing inflammation throughout the body, including the skin.
How an Unhealthy Gut Can Trigger Eczema
Several gut-related factors contribute to eczema:
✅ Leaky Gut (Increased Intestinal Permeability): When the gut lining becomes compromised, undigested food particles and toxins leak into the bloodstream, triggering inflammation and immune responses that manifest as eczema.
✅ Dysbiosis (Imbalance of Gut Bacteria): A lack of beneficial bacteria and overgrowth of harmful microbes can cause systemic inflammation and skin conditions.
✅ Food Sensitivities and Intolerances: Poor gut health can lead to immune overactivation against certain foods, worsening eczema symptoms.
✅ Histamine Intolerance: An unhealthy gut can struggle to break down histamine, a compound involved in immune responses. High histamine levels can lead to skin itching, redness, and flare-ups.
Comprehensive Testing: Identifying the Root Cause
To truly understand what’s driving your eczema, we need to go beyond guesswork. Functional testing can pinpoint underlying gut imbalances, these tests include:
🔬 Comprehensive Stool Testing: This can reveal bacterial overgrowth, parasites, leaky gut, and signs of inflammation that may be contributing to your skin issues.
🥑 Food Sensitivity Testing: Identifying foods that trigger inflammation can be a game-changer. Many people with eczema have hidden intolerances that worsen flare-ups.
By addressing these root causes, we can create a targeted plan to heal your gut and improve your skin.
Eczema in Babies: The Role of Mum’s Gut Health
Eczema is increasingly common in infants, and research suggests that a mother’s gut health during pregnancy can significantly influence a baby’s skin and immune system.
A baby’s microbiome is seeded during birth and through breastfeeding. If a mother has dysbiosis, leaky gut, or food sensitivities, these imbalances can be passed on to the baby, increasing the risk of eczema, allergies, and gut issues.
This is why working on gut health before conception is so important. By restoring balance in your gut before pregnancy, you create a healthier environment for your baby’s developing microbiome, potentially reducing the risk of eczema and other immune-related conditions.
Client Success Story: Healing Eczema by Healing the Gut
“I've struggled with eczema flare-ups for 20 years and have tried every cream there is. I’ve used countless steroids, which have caused their own problems. And I’ve worked with 3 different dermatologists. With Ellie, I did a stool test and food intolerance test, and we found that I had two parasites and a bacterial infection. We also found out I had some surprising food sensitivities! I changed my diet to reduce inflammation and followed Ellie’s protocol to get rid of the parasites and infections. It’s taken a bit of time but my skin is so much clearer, and I feel so much more confident. I’d always thought my eczema was caused by stress or heat - never did I think about my gut. I’m amazed at the transformation!’
How to Heal Your Gut and Improve Eczema
Rather than just managing symptoms, addressing gut health helps target eczema at its origin. My approach focuses on:
✔ Identifying Gut Imbalances: Functional testing uncovers dysbiosis, leaky gut, food sensitivities, and histamine issues that may be fueling your eczema.
✔ Personalised Nutrition & Supplements: Removing trigger foods and supporting gut repair with targeted supplements to restore balance.
✔ Restoring Gut Bacteria: Tailored probiotics, prebiotics, and fermented foods to rebuild a healthy microbiome.
✔ Reducing Inflammation: A nutrient-dense diet rich in omega-3s, polyphenols, and antioxidants to calm the immune response to keep your skin clear.
Take Control of Your Skin from the Inside Out
If you’re tired of struggling with eczema flare-ups and endless creams, it’s time to look deeper. Healing your gut could be the key to long-term relief.
👉 Book a free 15-minute call with me today to if you think I can help you
