Adventures of Eczema - Beatrice the Biologist

My new year’s resolution isn’t so much a resolution as it is a commitment to solving a mystery. Last year I started getting eczema on my wrist, and in the last few months, it has started taking over my arms and legs. I have resolved to go on an elimination diet to see if there is a dietary trigger for this angry skin of mine.

Suspect #1: Nightshades

I thought nightshade was just something Sally the rag doll used to poison her big-brained creator in The Nightmare Before Christmas, but it turns out they are also a real group of plants that for some people can cause inflammation. For the month of January, I will not partake of these: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers.

I love all of these guys, so this will be quite a challenge for me. And I’d like to think that the potatoes I won’t be eating will be just as depressed about this.

It can be really frustrating to wade through information about nutrition research. Bad science and conflicting information abound. And even if you stick to reputable sources, it can seem like this:

So wish me luck on my nightshade-free January. I figure I win either way. If my eczema improves, I’ll have found its trigger, and if it doesn’t improve, I can eat French fries and spicy stir fry again without worry.