The Eczema Podcast S1E8: Healing Eczema, Root Causes & Eczema in Children with Dr. Jason Lee

Summary

In this episode of the Eczema Podcast, host Abby interviews Dr. Jason Lee, a naturopath who specializes in eczema treatment. Dr. Lee shares his personal journey with severe eczema since childhood and how naturopathic approaches, including dietary changes and supplements, led to his recovery. He emphasizes that eczema is not a disease but a symptom of underlying issues like digestion problems, stress, or food intolerances. His clinic in Oakville, Ontario, has a high success rate in treating eczema by addressing these root causes, rather than just managing symptoms.

Takeaways

• 👨‍⚕️ Dr. Jason Lee, a naturopath, shares his personal journey with eczema and how it inspired his career in natural medicine.
• 🍼 Early life formula feeding in the 70s may have contributed to the development of Dr. Lee's eczema, highlighting the importance of early nutrition.
• 💊 Traditional medical treatments like steroid creams provided temporary relief but did not address the root cause of eczema for Dr. Lee.
• 🌿 A naturopathic approach, focusing on diet and supplements, led to significant improvement in Dr. Lee's eczema symptoms.
• 🔍 The root causes of eczema, as discussed, can include digestion issues, food sensitivities, enzymatic problems, and stress.
• 🍽️ Diet plays a crucial role in managing eczema, with a focus on eliminating processed foods, wheat, dairy, and sugar.
• 🧬 The connection between the gut and skin health is emphasized, with 'leaky gut' being a potential contributor to eczema.
• 🧪 Various testing methods, including food sensitivity tests and enzymatic function assessments, can help identify triggers for eczema.
• 🚫 Long-term use of steroids for eczema is cautioned against due to potential side effects like skin thinning.
• 👶 For infants and children, breastfeeding, proper diet, and avoiding unnecessary medications are recommended to prevent eczema.
• 🌐 Seeking a naturopath with experience in treating eczema is advised, as not all naturopaths may have the same success rate.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the Eczema Podcast?

The Eczema Podcast focuses on sharing tips, products, and natural eczema remedies with the help of Abby, a registered holistic nutritionist, and Dr. Jason Lee, a naturopath who specializes in eczema treatment.

How did Dr. Jason Lee's personal experience with eczema influence his career choice?

Dr. Jason Lee's personal struggle with severe eczema since childhood and the ineffectiveness of traditional treatments led him to naturopathy. His successful recovery through naturopathic methods inspired him to specialize in eczema and help others.

What was the turning point in Dr. Jason Lee's eczema treatment?

The turning point was when Dr. Lee's mother found a naturopath who identified his eczema as a symptom of digestive issues rather than a skin problem. This new perspective led to a change in diet and supplements, which eventually cured his eczema.

What are the three biggest causes of eczema according to Dr. Jason Lee?

Dr. Jason Lee identifies digestion issues, including food intolerances or allergies, enzymatic problems, and stress as the three biggest causes of eczema.

How does stress contribute to eczema according to the podcast?

Stress can cause microinflammation in the gut, leading to a condition known as leaky gut. This allows undigested food particles and other compounds to enter the bloodstream and be expelled through the skin, potentially causing eczema.

What is the connection between diet and eczema as discussed in the podcast?

The podcast discusses that certain foods, especially those that are not properly tolerated or broken down by the body, can contribute to gut inflammation and eczema. This includes foods like wheat, dairy, and refined oils, which can exacerbate eczema symptoms.

What role do antibiotics play in the development of eczema, as mentioned in the podcast?

Antibiotics can destroy the gut flora, which is crucial for a healthy digestive system. An imbalance in gut bacteria can lead to increased gut permeability and potentially trigger eczema.

How does the timing of food intake and eczema flare-ups relate, as explained in the podcast?

The podcast explains that there can be a delay between eating a triggering food and the onset of eczema symptoms, which can range from 2 days to a week. This makes it difficult for individuals to identify specific food triggers.

What advice does Dr. Jason Lee give to parents dealing with their child's eczema?

Dr. Jason Lee advises parents to ensure proper digestion, avoid refined and processed foods, and to breastfeed if possible. He also emphasizes the importance of early intervention and seeking professional help to address the root cause of eczema.

What is the significance of eczema being a 'symptom' rather than a 'disease' according to Dr. Jason Lee?

Dr. Jason Lee views eczema as a symptom indicating an underlying issue, such as digestive problems or stress. This perspective encourages addressing the root cause rather than just treating the skin symptoms.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Introduction to the Eczema Podcast

The podcast begins with the host Abby, a registered holistic nutritionist, welcoming listeners to the Eczema Podcast. Abby introduces her guest, Dr. Jason Lee, a naturopath who helped her overcome severe eczema. Dr. Lee shares his personal journey with eczema, starting from infancy when he was given formula instead of breast milk, leading to the development of eczema. He discusses the traditional medical treatments involving steroids that he underwent as a child, which only provided temporary relief. His condition improved significantly when he switched to a naturopathic approach, focusing on diet and supplements.

05:02

🍀 The Turning Point with Naturopathic Intervention

Dr. Lee recounts his experience with a naturopath who identified his eczema not as a skin issue but a digestive one. Despite initial skepticism, he followed the naturopath's advice, which included dietary changes and supplements. His skin condition worsened temporarily but eventually improved, with the itching stopping after about five weeks and the eczema clearing up in about a year and a half. This pivotal moment led Dr. Lee to pursue a career in naturopathy, aiming to help others understand the root causes of their health issues rather than just treating symptoms.

10:03

🌐 Understanding Eczema as a Symptom

Dr. Lee explains that in his practice, he views eczema as a symptom of underlying issues rather than a disease. He identifies digestion problems, including food sensitivities, enzymatic issues, and stress, as the primary causes of eczema. He also discusses how stress and certain foods can contribute to inflammation in the gut, leading to a 'leaky gut' and the manifestation of eczema. Dr. Lee emphasizes the importance of addressing these root causes and not just treating the symptoms.

15:05

🧬 The Role of Diet and Lifestyle in Eczema Management

In this segment, Dr. Lee delves into the impact of diet on eczema, highlighting the importance of avoiding processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy oils. He discusses how certain foods, like wheat and dairy, can exacerbate eczema due to modifications and processing. He also touches on the importance of proper digestion and the role of good bacteria in gut health. Dr. Lee suggests that patients work with naturopaths to identify food sensitivities and make necessary dietary adjustments to manage eczema.

20:05

👶 Addressing Eczema in Children and Infants

Dr. Lee addresses the special considerations for treating eczema in children and infants. He emphasizes the importance of a mother's diet during pregnancy and the benefits of breastfeeding for establishing a healthy gut flora in infants. He also discusses the challenges faced by children born via cesarean section and not breastfed, and the increased likelihood of developing eczema. Dr. Lee advises on the use of probiotics and the importance of early intervention to prevent the progression of eczema.

25:07

🌟 Final Thoughts and Advice for Eczema Sufferers

In the concluding part of the podcast, Dr. Lee shares his final thoughts on eczema, encouraging patients to see it as a symptom indicating an underlying issue rather than a disease. He advises listeners to understand their bodies and address the root causes of eczema, such as diet and lifestyle factors. Dr. Lee also shares his personal transformation through his journey with eczema, which led him to become a naturopath and help others. He emphasizes the importance of finding a healthcare provider who can accurately diagnose and treat the underlying causes of eczema.

Keywords

💡Eczema

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition characterized by dry, itchy, and inflamed skin. In the video, Dr. Jason Lee discusses his personal journey with severe eczema since childhood and how it led him to specialize in naturopathic treatments for the condition. Eczema is a central theme as it is the focus of the podcast and the reason behind Dr. Lee's career choice.

💡Naturopath

A naturopath is a healthcare professional who specializes in natural medicine and focuses on holistic and non-invasive therapies to promote health and treat illness. Dr. Lee is introduced as a naturopath who helped the podcast host overcome her eczema, highlighting the significance of naturopathic medicine in managing chronic conditions like eczema.

💡Holistic Nutritionist

A holistic nutritionist is a professional who focuses on the impact of food and lifestyle on overall health. Abby, the host, is a registered holistic nutritionist, indicating that the podcast will likely cover dietary and lifestyle approaches to managing eczema, which is a common theme in holistic health practices.

💡Steroid Treatment

Steroid treatments are a common conventional medical approach to managing eczema symptoms. They are typically applied topically to reduce inflammation and itching. The script mentions that Dr. Lee was started on steroid treatments as a child, which did not cure his eczema but rather managed the symptoms, illustrating the limitations of this approach.

💡Digestion

Digestion is the process of breaking down food into nutrients that the body can absorb and use for energy, growth, and cell repair. Dr. Lee suggests that eczema may be linked to digestive issues, such as food intolerances or enzymatic problems, which can lead to a 'leaky gut' and inflammation. This concept is central to his approach to treating eczema.

💡Leaky Gut

Leaky gut, or increased intestinal permeability, is a condition where the lining of the gut becomes more permeable than normal, allowing substances to pass through the gut wall that shouldn't. In the context of the video, Dr. Lee explains that this can lead to inflammation and eczema, as undigested food particles and other compounds can enter the bloodstream and trigger immune responses.

💡Food Allergies

Food allergies are adverse immune reactions to certain foods. The script mentions that Dr. Lee became allergic to various substances, including foods, which can exacerbate eczema symptoms. Identifying and managing food allergies is a critical part of naturopathic treatments for eczema.

💡Stress

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Dr. Lee discusses how stress can impact the gut and skin health, suggesting that managing stress is an important aspect of treating eczema. This highlights the mind-body connection in holistic health care.

💡Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. The script suggests that probiotics are important for gut health, especially for infants, to prevent conditions like eczema. This emphasizes the role of gut flora in overall health and the prevention of atopic diseases.

💡Elimination Diet

An elimination diet is a dietary approach where certain foods are removed from the diet to identify and eliminate foods that may be causing symptoms or adverse reactions. The script mentions that patients may identify their food triggers by eliminating certain foods and observing changes in their eczema symptoms.

Highlights

Abby, a registered holistic nutritionist, interviews Dr. Jason Lee, a naturopath who helped her overcome severe eczema.

Dr. Lee's eczema journey began in the 70s with formula feeding, leading to severe skin conditions and hair loss.

Conventional treatments with topical steroids provided temporary relief but did not cure Dr. Lee's eczema.

A naturopath's intervention changed Dr. Lee's life by linking his eczema to digestive issues rather than a skin problem.

Dr. Lee's skin condition improved significantly after a month of following the naturopath's dietary and supplement regimen.

Eczema disappeared completely for Dr. Lee after a year and a half of treatment, marking a turning point in his career choice.

Dr. Lee emphasizes that eczema is not a disease but a symptom of an underlying issue, often related to digestion.

Common causes of eczema according to Dr. Lee include food intolerances, enzymatic issues, and stress.

Dr. Lee explains the concept of 'leaky gut' and its role in exacerbating skin conditions like eczema.

Proper digestion and the avoidance of refined and processed foods are crucial for managing eczema.

Dr. Lee advises against long-term use of steroids for eczema due to potential side effects like skin thinning.

The importance of early intervention in treating eczema in children is highlighted to prevent chronic conditions.

Breastfeeding and proper diet during pregnancy are recommended to reduce the risk of eczema in newborns.

Dr. Lee discusses the role of sugar in exacerbating eczema and the need to reduce its consumption.

The 'Allergic Triad' of eczema, asthma, and allergies is explained as a progression if the root cause is not addressed.

Dr. Lee shares his experience with patients, emphasizing the need to treat the cause rather than just the symptoms.

The significance of finding a naturopath who specializes in eczema and understands its underlying causes is discussed.

Dr. Lee encourages patients to see eczema as a symptom indicating an issue that needs to be addressed.

The podcast concludes with advice on finding the right healthcare provider and the importance of treating the root cause of eczema.

Transcripts

hi and welcome to the eczema podcast

where you'll learn tips products and

natural eczema remedies from Abby

registered holistic nutritionist and

founder of prime physique nutrition.com

here's your host of the eczema podcast

ABY so hey guys welcome to the eczema

podcast today I'm here with a really

special guest uh Dr Jason Lee he was

actually my naturopath who really helped

me on my journey with eczema and really

help me to overcome severe eczema so I'm

super excited to have him as a guest on

the show today and um I'll just let him

talk more about how he got into um

naturopath and uh what made him

specialize in eczema as well yeah well I

guess for me my journey began a long

time ago um when I was born I was born

in the 70s and in the 70s it was sort of

like you know breastfeeding wasn't

really right and they really push

formula feedings so when I was born my

mom had difficulty getting me to launch

and there was a open opportunity to say

well don't worry we have formula so uh

try the formula out and it's Superior

anyway to breast milk it has all the

vitamins and nutrients and things like

that in it so my Mom jumped on the

opportunity put me on the formula and

that's when everything started so within

about a week of being on the formula the

um eczema started coming out um it

started coming out my face first the

neck and it just kind of moved down the

body um my mom didn't really know what

to do so she took me to the doctor and

the doctor said well you know eczema is

a condition it's a disease it's genetic

um you don't really know why it happens

but um here's a treatment for it so I

was started on steroid treatment so they

started topical steroids on the face

initially and then it moved to the rest

of the body the thing is that that it

never fully went away it would disappear

maybe in some areas got worse in other

areas but in the end it got so bad that

probably by the time I was about 1 or

two um I was covered head to toe and

eema I was losing my hair um cuz where

the ex would form on the scalp the hair

would fall out but the worst was mainly

the Torso especially the hands and feet

um so I was like that for a long time

I've seen many doctors my mom got

different prescriptions for different

types of steroid creams some creams for

the body some creams for the face um I

remember very being very young and my

mom would like L me in in Corone and

then because I was itch at night she

would wrap Saran wrap around my body and

then put me in the bed and eventually my

mom just got plastic sheets because it

was just I just itched a lot at night

and the bleeding would happen um this

went on for many years and over time I

developed other disorders like I started

getting asthmatic um I had breathing

problems I became allergic to things

like dust and dogs and cats and trees

and pollen and and everything i' go

everywhere I was allergic to something

so I had this like utility belt with all

my you know like Batman with all my

creams and and cortisones and my asthma

inhalers and the veent and the ventalin

and then my allergy pills and that went

on for a while um when I was about 11 um

or 12 um in my mom's desperate search

she was able to find um a naturopath to

take a look at me and that's when

everything changed I still remember

going to see the naturopath and she

looked at me and I was covered in skin

lesion and still taking all these

medications and she looked at me and

said you know you don't have a skin

problem you have a problem with your

digestion and I looked at her I was like

what do you mean problem with my

digestion I mean I don't have digestive

problems I go to the bathroom fine I

have a skin problem she goes no I no you

don't you have a digestion

problem and uh I didn't understand it it

didn't make any sense but I was so

desperate I thought okay you know it

sounds crazy but I told her I said I do

whatever you want you just tell me what

to eat what to do

um and we'll see this through so she

changed the diet I went on a few

different supplements and the skin

actually got worse oh it got worse and I

thought oh man I made a mistake and my

mom was like so desperate she goes just

Jason you get just try this out just try

it out um so I said okay I'll stick

through it my skin aggravated for about

a month it just got worse and worse and

worse it started getting more cracking

more bleeding um but then something

happened after about a month it just got

better it stopped itching within so

about 5 weeks into it the itching went

away and it never happened to me before

it was always itchy like I don't

remember it ever not being itchy um and

and that was amazing I thought okay

something's happening and then it

started healing slowly so it took about

a good 6 months but by then it was

probably about 80% better W and after

about a year and a half it totally

disappeared the last remnants were on my

hands and that took the longest time to

get but I was happy by then I one of the

most amazing memories I have of having

go away it sounds really trivial so I

went and washed my hands and I didn't

have to rush to apply cream of some kind

because you know they were just I just

dried them like an average person and it

was fine because if you have any eczema

if you know anybody eczema when your

hands get wet the itching just goes

crazy right and you have to apply cream

right away so that was amazing to me so

after that I I made a decision I said

you know instead of being really happy

actually I was kind of upset because I

thought if someone had told me this

information like 11 years ago I probably

wouldn't have been in this state I

wouldn't have suffered for so much

because people didn't understand eczema

in the 70s and 80s people thought I was

dirty or I just had an itching problem

or there's something wrong with me or

you know um a whole bunch of things and

very few kids had eczema at that time so

I thought there was something really

messed up um no one really could provide

answers I had answers coming from bad

luck to like genetic to um a Sunday

school teacher told me that I'd sin that

really all these things happen there was

all these reasons why eczema was there

but no one actually said it in a way

that made sense to me and I mean if the

creams really did work then it would get

rid of the eczema all together it

wouldn't have to keep applying them

forever so that started my journey and

after that it was like I I had to do

this as a profession because it was

something I believed so strongly in

because I think people need to

understand what's actually causing their

problems not just treating the symptom

itself and eczema I still to this day do

not even view eczema as a disease I view

it as a symptom of something it is a

symptom it's not a condition or disease

it's just a symptom yeah so and most of

the time do you feel like it's a

digestion problem or has other root

causes as well in my practice there's

many causes but the three biggest ones

I've seen is is digestion and that could

be a whole bunch of things it can be

foods that you're eating that you can't

tolerate either a sensitivity or an

allergy of some kind it could be how you

break down the food that could be an

enzymatic issue um when you eat food you

have enzymes that break down the food if

you're not producing those properly you

can't break down the food properly and

hence it aggravates the gut um or it

could be stress related as well um even

now for myself if I get really stressed

I don't feel stressed on the outside it

doesn't change my disposition a whole

lot but my skin might flare up a little

bit um and it's interesting because all

those things still relate back to the

bowel when you eat food food or can't

digest food or a stress it causes

inflammation in the bowel not

inflammation like Crohn or colitis but a

microinflammation in the Villi which is

the lining of the gut um what happens

when that occurs is the cells swell and

it puts pressure on the on the system

pretty much so it causes a leaking of

material they call that leaky gut or

medically semi-permeable membrane

syndrome so you have material that leaks

through the bowel line it could be

undigested Foods or antigens or even

compounds in the gut that feed off food

that the body hasn't been able to break

down properly such as yeast or fungus

compounds and things like that um and

that enters into the bloodstream now

because it enters into that system it

cannot be eliminated through normal ways

of elimination like the liver the kidney

which is how we get rid of our waist

right we have poop it out through the

bowel or repeat out through the liver

through the kidney and out of the body

you can't get it out those main um areas

which are called amies it will flush

through a secondary amount which is the

Skin So then to the skin that's why it's

tough for people cuz sometimes they'll

eat a food and they'll aggravate on the

food but it'll show as eczema 2 Days

Later 3 Days Later up to a week later

it's not like you eat the food and right

away have an eczema attack although that

happens but it can happen later like a

lat reaction so it's hard for people to

track sometimes did I eat something that

bothered me or not yeah right so um

those I find are the biggest causes of

eczema and you're seeing it a lot too

because of people taking things like

antibiotics and whatnot destroy the gut

Flora not that anti are horrible I mean

there's a place for them but over

prescription can lead to a lot of

problems too so is there a way to figure

out if it's digestion problem or whether

it's enzymatic or stress related there

are tests that people can do like

sensitivity tests food allergy testing

and things like that um there's many

ways of testing whether it be through

electrodermal testing or laboratory or

blood work or a patient can just do

elimination like sometimes patients will

come in and say you know what I found

out what bothers me because when I

stopped eating this food it just my skin

got so the biggest ones are usually

wheat compounds and the wheat in North

America is very different than the wheat

that in the rest of the world is quite

modified um it's modified a lot most of

the modification happened probably after

the '90s so some people that that you

know say all this wheat and gluten thing

is not really right because people been

eating it for years um so why is there

such a big hype about it now there is a

big hype about it now because the wheat

is very different than what used to be

modified um so people will take that

away it's going to get better other ones

can be Dairy and dairy products as well

the dairy and can is is largely

unpasteurized and when you pasteurize

the dairy destroy all the enzymes in the

dairy so you can't break it down

properly um plus the dairy's you know

grain fasm was the grass feds the whole

story but anyway Dair is a big one uh

sometimes oils patients are taking the

wrong kinds of oils they're not cooking

with the right kinds of oils um

basically all the oils that industry has

made us believe are really healthy like

you know can oil corn oil all these

sunflower oils those are horrible to

cook with I mean sunflower oil yeah you

can take it raw but most of the other

ones do not cook with them the best oils

to cook with are sadly not the ones that

people have been training that are bad

for us like ghee which is a clarified

butter it's solid at room temperature

coconut oil solid at room temperature

people get scared even uh grass-fed

types of um lard and animal fat people

think fat makes you fat I can't eat the

fat cuz it'll CL out my Aries and make

you fat that actually not true um it's

process oils that cause more of the

inflammation and cannot tolerate high

heat so oils can be a big deal refined

oils and of course the number one thing

is sugar I mean yeah Sugar's huge North

Americans love sugar and we love it in

lots of food we don't just love it in

candy and chocolate like most people

seem to get sugar it comes in so many

forms right like it most of the packaged

Foods out there you know the number two

or three ingredient will be sugar and

they always list the ingredients most to

least so the number two ingredient is

sugar you know it's a big part of that

compound um people love sugar right and

sugar is really harsh on the body cuz

the average North American Now consume

somewhere between 140 to 160 PBS of

sugar a year whereas back in 1920 you

know the sugar consumption was like

maybe 10 to 20 pounds so it's

significant and sugar is not one of

those things that just cause diabetes

like it really bothers the body because

the sugar we take in it feeds other

organisms in the bar that aren't really

supposed to be getting that level of

sugar like East candida and other kinds

of bacterial compound that comes out

through the skin too so how do you know

if it's a Candida causing the problem or

parasites and which one do you treat

first digested it begins with testing as

well like here's the thing in reality

like there's no point in killing a

parasite or even doing any work with

yeast if you're not treating the

digestion first because there's no point

in killing the mouse with a mouse trap

in the house if you haven't plugged the

hole in the wall and the cheese in the

floor that brought the mouse in in the

first place right you can chop the mice

all you want but if you don't deal with

that hole on the cheese they going to

keep coming back right yeast and and and

bacteria they're not evil like they are

supposed to be in the G in small amounts

and the gut keeps it at B based upon the

environment in the gut but when we

change that environment that's when it

feeds and it comes out kind of thing so

usually the first key thing you want to

see is is the patient going to the

bathroom every day I mean some people

like yeah I go to the bathroom you know

I think everything's fine and you find

out they go once a week you know even

even even once every other day is still

not acceptable ideally it's one minimum

and you should be going you know up to

two or three times a day to eliminate

cuz food comes in people say I should go

three times a day I'm like you eat three

times a day something in something out

kind of thing um but people don't

eliminate properly um they're not

digesting properly and the foods are

eating aren't right either so fix those

first and then you can start going in a

potentially dealing with yeast or fungus

or other kinds of things in the body

later on right so um yeah these

organisms are designed to basically

decompose you when you die but the

problem is we're eating food that's so

horri Ric and our diet so poor that we

start to become slightly acidic while we

are alive not it's enough not we going

decompos while you're alive but it's

enough to aggravate the system enough to

cause some of the issues that people see

right and the eczema is just a

manifestation of that just like a light

on your dashboard that tells you the car

is running low on oil it doesn't have

anything to do with the light it has

everything to do with the oil so don't

be focus on the light focus on the oil

the eczema is just a symptom right so

one of my professors said something that

I never D he said when you treat

something externally you will treat it

eternally and he is right if you treat

the eczema externally with just topical

steroids you'll be treating forever and

ever and ever and if it does happen to

go away it will just move to something

deeper so the Triad all this goes like

this it goes eczema asthma allergies so

if you suppress it it'll start with

eczema then it becomes asthma if you

suppress that with steroid inhalers it

becomes allergies and the allergic Triad

yeah right so it's interesting you can

see almost the progression of these

things and allergies are very common

with people so they may have no eczema

now cuz they grew out of it but now it's

formed into a different type so it comes

out as allergies or asthma which is

basically eczema type issues in other

tissues right right so interesting

that's a a big thing so um the things

that you use to treat your patients

usually you find that usually it works

um especially with treating digestion

yeah we have very high success story

with with eczema um of course it depends

on how willing the patient is to follow

some of the changes you make I mean you

know I find it's interesting when I

treat children parents will do anything

to get rid of their eczema but some

adults will come in and you'll tell them

to do things and they'll hum and ha

about it but it depends on how severe

the issue is I mean I have patients that

come in I tell them is what you have to

do for a little while and they're like

sure like whatever it takes you get rid

of this and they'll do it and see the

results fast right so but it depends of

course on how long the patients have

eczema how long it's been suppressed

meaning if they have eczema for 20 years

they've been on steroids for 20 years it

might take up to a year or so to get rid

of it whereas if they had it for like a

few years I mean it might take a few

months so it totally depends but I love

treating children that come in because I

always see myself in them and I see them

itching and I look at them and I

remember but if you can treat them young

you can halt the progression before it

gets worse right so that's the key is to

get it early don't wait deal with it

early so you can deal with the problem

so you don't have to keep dealing with

the other manifestations of the problem

that come up over and over again plus

long-term steroid use is not ideal not

good at all it can thin the skin I have

even areas on my body that are thin

permanently I don't think they'll ever

change um there's no eczema there but

the Skin's not quite the same um that's

because the stirs have a thinning effect

on the skin if use for long term um

there's other conditions that can happen

too because whether you take something

topic people don't realize it absorbs

right into the blood as well so it's

like almost like I was on steroids um

for like over 11 years I mean that's a

formative years during you know puberty

and and hormones and everything like

that so I don't even know the damage is

fully been done to me I still think I'm

probably trying to work through but in

the 70s they told my mom like just put

this stuff on forever like get bathed in

it they didn't realize there was such uh

side effects to it yeah right what about

for babies cuz I get a lot of emails for

people asking me like oh their son or

daughter can't eat like a whole list of

foods and they've tried everything to

help them get better what starts it off

is usually the the very like right when

you're doing the um uh like right in

utero pretty much like what the mother

eats when she's carrying the child is a

big deal right a lot of parents you know

I think or moms I guess when they're

when they're when they're pregnant

they're they're hungry and they have

cravings and sometimes they really

indulge those Cravings which usually

aren't particularly great they're not

like I'm craving broccoli today it's

usually something quite sugary or

whatnot so they kind of go to town on it

um that creates almost like a yeast

issue in the body while the child's

Still In Utero and that can affect the

body um a lot of case now are cesarian

section they're not vaginal birth when

you pass through the vaginal Canal you

pick up the mother's good bacteria to

populate the gut and the breast feeding

activates the bacteria to regulate the

bowel so put child's born um cesarian

and not breast fed it's kind of like a

double whammy it's almost a given

they're going to have some sort of

eczema reaction so a lot can be done

prior to actually um giving birth okay

but once birth happens I mean try and

get them on the breast as fast as

possible breast is always best just the

milk that the baby's designed for um try

to hold off on formula but I mean some

of them just can't produce enough milk

or there other issues that are going

have to go on formula um which is tough

cuz patients always asking what's the

best formula I take and it's always my

answer is like trying to the best of the

worst they're all crummy like a lot of

them have um High fructus corn serup as

a sweetener in there I don't know why

but they put that even the organic ones

it doesn't make sense it's a very

glycemic compound to be in there so

getting your child a good probiotic is

key even having the mother take a probio

during um pregnancy very very important

um and then watching diet very very key

as well and as soon as the ex comes up

learning taking the somebody to deal

with it is is best as opposed to

suppressing it cuz right away people put

cream on and think okay I'll just try it

out the cream works we we'll see how it

goes and sometimes it does work they put

the cream on and it works but then 2

days later you got to keep applying it

if you have to keep applying the cream

over and over again it tells you that

it's not treating the actual issue it's

just covering it and you don't want to

cover for very long right that's when it

goes more systemic so true what can

people do I mean the best things to do

is to eat properly I mean stay away from

refined food stay away from processed

foods stay away from junk regardless of

the cravings and I know they're probably

crazy but I mean they're not great um

and then try to get them on the breast

as soon as possible if you have to get a

lactation consultant to come in or

whatnot that's key okay that's awesome

um do you have any last minute uh words

of advice that you want to

leave I guess yeah I don't know a good

question um you know one thing is to

understand how the body works the body

is not stupid it will not produce a

symptom for fun it will not produce a

symptom to ruin your life or cause you

grief the body creates these symptoms as

a warning light to tell you something's

going on asthma's a warning eczema is a

warning allergies are a warning so

instead of saying forget it I'm just

going to cover that warning and get on

with my day try and find out what is it

about what I do that causes that problem

and deal with it at the source as

opposed to covering it eczema is not the

devil it is basically a symptom you have

to find out what causes it and for some

patients I mean eczema can be a blessing

in many ways I know it sounds kind of

crazy and this is a positive way to look

at eczema is that usually the patients I

see that have eczema their children have

a strong Vitality they will not hold

toxicity when stuff comes in it comes

out right away it comes out it doesn't

stay in the body cuz some patients will

say well my friend's kids eat the same

as my kid how come my kid has ex they

don't that's a dispositional thing mhm

right some people everybody's a weak

spot right if I blow up a balloon the

balloon will get larger and at some

point it'll pop where does the balloon

pop at the weak spot it's dependent on

the balloon patients have weak spots as

well they will show their illness

through the weak spot eczema for me and

for you is our weak spot so we're what

they call atopic disposition it will

show through asthma allergies eczema so

that's what we show some people when

they have toxicity or can't tolerate

things they get headaches some people

get digestive disorders some people get

fatigue some people get like there's a

whole bunch of different things people

get right so look at the the illness or

the symptom not as the end but as a

beginning as a lesson to help you

because that's say eema while I hate it

as a child it really has changed my life

because it's helped me look at illness

in many different ways and when I have

patients that come in that have eczema

it's giving me great Insight because I

know exactly what they're feeling I know

exactly what they're going through and

they tell me they're itching and they

just want to tear their skin off and and

they people don't understand and people

told them to put cream on it and and

just stop itching I mean I get it you

can't stop itching when it comes it's on

right so um the best piece of advice I

can give is to realize that eczema is

not a disease it is a symptom of

something and the key is to find out

what is that something yeah that's true

right uh one last question I had was one

email I get a lot is that people see

naturopaths but they don't really notice

a difference so is that because some

naturopaths just aren't experienced in

knowing how to treat eczema it totally

depends I mean you know Different

Strokes are different folks right like

some people maybe the natural is not

testing properly or maybe not getting

the right testing um or the patient's

not following through what they're

saying or they don't want to follow

through it totally depends I mean

success rate in this Clinic is quite

high but I mean I demand a lot from my

patients I will tell them you have to do

this and they'll say well I don't know

if I can I'm like well let me help you

with that but you know you're going to

try okay like I do push them because

they have high expectations I have

expectations for them um it's a two-way

street kind of thing so it's like in

every profession you're going to have

people that that resonate well and some

that don't I mean medically some people

take the steroids and they feel great

and call it a day um and some people

don't right but it depends on how you

approach the thing um just because some

people may not have success with a

naturopath doesn't mean that's the right

naturopath for them or the treatments

don't work it's natural practice very

different as well um they have different

approaches to things different ways of

dealing things although the key in natur

medicine is to treat the underlying

issue that caused the problem in the

first place so whatever natur you see

it's important to do some level of

testing to at least determine what's

causing the ex as opposed to just saying

well try fish oil or try this because

the patient can't tolerate fats and you

put them on a fish oil it will aggravate

oh if the patient goes on the liver

cleanse for example to deal with eczema

like you might put an adult on but their

Li is compromised in some way shape or

form or they're not breaking out Foods

properly that will aggravate or if the

patient goes on a yeast Clans for

example but they're not dealing with a

digestive issue then that will aggravate

them so it's like I haven't seen results

because you know I'm aggravating but you

know it's hard to tell right sometimes

the aggravation could be a detox in

itself sometimes it could be the wrong

treatment but it's up to the practician

to be able to determine that the patient

themselves so you know Ching might we're

not we're not God we can't fix every

single person that comes in the office

but definitely try my best and I'm sure

other doctors always try their best as

well so

yeah thanks so much Jason cool thanks

for your time anyway uh if you are

interested in uh seeing Jason he does uh

practice in Oakville Ontario in Canada

and I know that people do fly in from

the states and elsewhere in Canada to

see him so he is in high demand and um

he's you know one of the smartest

naturopaths I know and he's helped me a

lot too so I really look up to him so um

yeah please uh check out his site is it

Dr Jason www. drjason le.com okay

awesome I mean the key is to find the

best match I might not be the best match

about for everybody and and you know all

I want people do is to feel better so

whatever rout they pick whoever they see

it doesn't matter as long as they

realize that EA is a symptom not a

condition in my opinion like of course

medically is diagnosis a disease but it

really isn't on the outside thanks so

much

thanks thanks for listening to the

eczema podcast and stay tuned for our

next episode if you like what you just

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