Now if this is all new to you you’re probably wondering what in the world are salicylates and amines and all these weird food categories that aren’t on the food pyramid. Don’t worry, I was the same.
So the definition of a salicylate is;
‘Salicylates are a group of chemicals derived from salicylic acid. They are found naturally in certain foods and also synthetically produced for use in products like aspirin, toothpaste and food preservatives. Both natural and synthetic forms can cause adverse reactions in some people.’
And an amine;
‘Biogenic amines (amines in food) are naturally occurring chemicals that are caused by the bacteria that break down amino acids. They’re particularly high in foods that are overly ripe, over cooked, grilled/charred, processed, fermented or decomposing.’
The easiest way I got my head around it was to have a look at a salicylate food chart. You can find these online, in the books or also on The Eczema Life website. Or if you’d prefer one on one coaching through this process you can book a Skype consult with someone from the Eczema Life clinic in Sydney. I’ve been using this and have loved it as it was really easy to put my plan together and they were able to help me find alternatives to the foods I was really sad to lose – think yummy carob protein balls instead of my daily dose of chocolate (very high in salicylates).
“Think leek instead of onion, carob instead of cacao…”
Eczema Friendly Alternatives
Now this may be very different to the ‘norm’ when it comes to healthy eating as some of the most beautiful, healthy foods can be an itch creating disaster if you have an intolerance or overabundance of these foods chemicals. There are plenty of ways to incorporate ‘eczema safe’ foods into your current healthy recipes and use them as alternatives to the norm, think leek instead of onion, carob instead of cacao.
Sometimes the body just needs a rest to digest. It may not be forever, but it’s worth trying to limit these food chemicals if you think your Eczema is triggered by foods and see if it makes a difference. I worked for us so I hope it may help you too.
Websites
The Itchy Kid 