INTRODUCTION.

A word first about Eczema, sometimes called Dermatitis. It is a skin condition that causes disruption of the smooth working of this the largest organ of the body. The skin is called the epidermis and one of the functions it performs, the one we are concerned with here, is to excrete toxic fluids from the body. If these toxins are excessive and repetitive, they cause irritation and inflammation to the skin.

TYPES OF ECZEMA.

Causes of Eczema may vary and some authorities think they can be hereditary, but for practical purposes, there are two basic causes.
1. Those that come from within the body and trying to get out; Atopic. This type can also be associated with Asthma and Hay Fever.
2. Those that come from outside the body, External or Contact.

In the mildest form Eczema symptoms are dry, itchy and hot skin which will become raw with scratching. In the worst cases the skin is raw, broken and bleeding, both very distressing to the sufferer.

CAUSES OF ECZEMA.

Atopic Eczema is the immune system of the body reacting to the toxic content that needs to be eliminated through the skin and that comes from what we eat, drink and breath in normal everyday life. Some things are obvious to us as being harmful and we instinctively avoid them but what of the elements of diet that are not readily recognised as being toxic to us and might affect one person and not another? These toxins are called allergens.

Things like, pesticides on food, additives to food or drinks,

fertilisers in the growing process, particular foods to some people, (shellfish or nuts) contamination at processing or storage, moulds, or just past the useful date.

Contact Eczema is the skin reacting to an external stimulus either direct contact or airborne contact, and again may affect some people and not others.

Things like, soap and detergents, chemicals, rubber, metals, and solvents; from the air, smoke, diesel fumes, chemicals, pollen, perfume, house dust, onion juice and deodorants.

TESTING.

Using one of the natural body functions, called the Fight or Flight response, we can test ourselves for the body reaction to any given toxin and we do this with muscle testing.

The principle of the Fight or Flight response is that when we are threatened by danger, we have the choice to stand and fight or turn and run. Either way the body naturally weakens all non essential muscles and concentrates energy to all the essential muscles for running or fighting.

We can take advantage of this natural phenomena by threatening the body with anything that may be toxic to us and testing a given muscle. There will be three possible results, if the muscle is strong then the food or drink being tested is safe for that particular body; if the muscle is slightly weak, then the food or drink is mildly toxic to that particular body and should be taken sparingly; if the muscle gives a weak response, then that food or drink will produce an allergic response, either immediately or over a period of time, and should be avoided.

This form of natural testing, utilising the fight or flight response, is very reliable and can be done for single items or groups of items. Samples of the suspected toxins can be tested within containers, having tested the containers themselves first, and similarly a group of like suspect toxins can be tested together to save time. If the group is tested strong then the individuals in the whole group are safe, if the group fails then you would test the individuals of the group.

CONCLUSION.

When the elements we eat drink and breath are safe, the body will not have toxic waste to excrete through the skin and the Eczema will heal naturally over a period of time, anywhere from two weeks to three months, depending on the severity of the condition.

One final word of warning, using this approach may mean that the Eczema gets worse to start with, because, free of the toxic stimulus the body will want to clear the Eczema as quickly as possible. The traditional approach is to try and suppress the symptoms, which can bring temporary relief but rarely solves the problem, unless the diet is also altered to non-toxic elements.

Donald Moody, Ivybridge Devon.