My itching eczema seems to be responding to the dietary changes I am instituting into my daily routine. It seems that the biggest culprit affecting my condition has been sugar. I am day 3 without refined sugar, and the itchiness is much reduced, as well as the redness. The size of the patch also seems to be shrinking. It may be a combination of the lotions and creams and the diet, but whatever it is it seems to be working.
Here is my regime for creams. First thing in the morning I put on Aveeno Eczema Therapy on the patch. Within about 6 hours, I put my first application of oil and vaseline. First the baby oil, then about 5 minutes later I put on the vaseline. At supper I put on more of the Aveeno, and during the night, if I find myself itching the area, I put on another application of oil and vaseline. The burning I used to get from my prescriptions no longer occurs.
Now for my diet. I did not totally go macrobiotic, but I had a leftover soup from Thanksgiving so I used it. It is called Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque, and I pulled off the recipe from the Two Rivers Country Club. Here is the recipe, with a few changes that I added.
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ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE From Two Rivers Country Club Ingredients: 2 butternut squash (approximately 4 pounds total) - halved and seeded 6 tablespoons unsalted butter Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper Fresh ground nutmeg (about ¼ teaspoon) 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup finely diced onion 1 cup finely diced leek 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or ¼ teaspoon dry ginger 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock ½ cup of heavy cream or ½ cup crème fraiche Instructions: Preheat oven to 375°. Cut each squash in half and discard seeds. Brush the cut sides with 6 tablespoons of the butter. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place the squash cut side down in a baking dish and bake until tender, approximately 1 ½ hours. Cool, scoop out the pulp from the skin. Puree the squash in a food processor. Reserve. In a large saucepot, heat the olive oil and add the onions and leeks. Sweat over low heat. Do not brown! Add the puree of the butternut squash, cinnamon, ginger and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, if desired or ladle in serving bowl and add small dollop of crème fraiche.
The two changse I made was adding a 3 oz jar of pimento to the soup, and using sea salt. To keep a primarily macrobiotic recipe, use a homemade vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, as I did.
Link to the recipe
Since this was a leftover, I had some of my Savory Brown Rice left from the previous night. So I added it to the squash soup, and it was postively magnificent.
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Main Course - Spinach And Goat Cheese
Mini Quiche
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped leeks
1 10 oz package fresh spinach
1/2 cup non fat organic plain yogurt
3/4 cup skim milk
3 large eggs
1/4 tblsp ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp Dulse granules (available at natural food stores)
1/2 pound raw goat cheese
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning
large cupcake pan
olive oil
Wash spinach. Do not drain. In a large sauce pan on high heat, place raw spinach and stir until spinach starts to wilt. You may need to do this in steps because you don't want to have too much spinach in the pan at once. After spinach has wilted, transfer to a colander and let spinach cool. After the spinach is cooled, squeeze dry and chop coarsely.
Combine mushrooms, garlic and leeks in the same saute pan with 1 tblsp olive oil. Add Dulse granules and saute for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add spinach. Divide the mixture evenly in your six holes in the large cupcake pan.
Take your goat cheese and divide it into six, and place a dolop on each spinach cup in your pan.
In a medium bowl whisk the yogurt, milk, eggs, pepper, and garlic and herb seasoning. Combine well, then pour in equal amounts over the spinach/cheese mixture in your cupcake cups.
Bake for about 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees until eggs are set and tart is browned.
These are so good that you will probably want to eat two, so this recipe makes 3 servings.
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Flourless And Sugarless Oat and
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
A handful of raisins (maybe 2 or 3 tblsp)
A handful of walnuts
3 tblsps raw honey
1/4 cup Polenta Cornmeal
1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2 tblsp organic butter substitute (available at health food stores)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well until batter is blended evenly.
Portion cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I actually picked up about a tablespoon, and with my hands tried to compress the batter as much as I could, then when it was on the cookie sheet I pressed down to flatten.
Bake cookies for approximatey 12-15 minutes.
Makes about 12 cookies.
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My journey into healthier eating continues, though I am currently looking at Entenmann's chocolate covered doughnuts. It is taking everything in my power to remember what sugar apparently does to my eczema, but so far I have been okay. The cookies are actually very tasty, and hopefully they will satisfy my sweet craving. Tonight, though it isn't macrobiotic, I will be making beef stew for the family. My recipe for stew includes an onion broth that I cook the meat in, then I add carrots and potatoes in the last 20 minutes or so of cooking. It is simple, hearty, and the family loves it.
Here is my regime for creams. First thing in the morning I put on Aveeno Eczema Therapy on the patch. Within about 6 hours, I put my first application of oil and vaseline. First the baby oil, then about 5 minutes later I put on the vaseline. At supper I put on more of the Aveeno, and during the night, if I find myself itching the area, I put on another application of oil and vaseline. The burning I used to get from my prescriptions no longer occurs.
Now for my diet. I did not totally go macrobiotic, but I had a leftover soup from Thanksgiving so I used it. It is called Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque, and I pulled off the recipe from the Two Rivers Country Club. Here is the recipe, with a few changes that I added.
=================================================================
The two changse I made was adding a 3 oz jar of pimento to the soup, and using sea salt. To keep a primarily macrobiotic recipe, use a homemade vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, as I did.
Link to the recipe
Since this was a leftover, I had some of my Savory Brown Rice left from the previous night. So I added it to the squash soup, and it was postively magnificent.
==================================================================
Main Course - Spinach And Goat Cheese
Mini Quiche
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped leeks
1 10 oz package fresh spinach
1/2 cup non fat organic plain yogurt
3/4 cup skim milk
3 large eggs
1/4 tblsp ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp Dulse granules (available at natural food stores)
1/2 pound raw goat cheese
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning
large cupcake pan
olive oil
Wash spinach. Do not drain. In a large sauce pan on high heat, place raw spinach and stir until spinach starts to wilt. You may need to do this in steps because you don't want to have too much spinach in the pan at once. After spinach has wilted, transfer to a colander and let spinach cool. After the spinach is cooled, squeeze dry and chop coarsely.
Combine mushrooms, garlic and leeks in the same saute pan with 1 tblsp olive oil. Add Dulse granules and saute for about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add spinach. Divide the mixture evenly in your six holes in the large cupcake pan.
Take your goat cheese and divide it into six, and place a dolop on each spinach cup in your pan.
In a medium bowl whisk the yogurt, milk, eggs, pepper, and garlic and herb seasoning. Combine well, then pour in equal amounts over the spinach/cheese mixture in your cupcake cups.
Bake for about 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees until eggs are set and tart is browned.
These are so good that you will probably want to eat two, so this recipe makes 3 servings.
=================================================================
Flourless And Sugarless Oat and
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
A handful of raisins (maybe 2 or 3 tblsp)
A handful of walnuts
3 tblsps raw honey
1/4 cup Polenta Cornmeal
1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
2 tblsp organic butter substitute (available at health food stores)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well until batter is blended evenly.
Portion cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I actually picked up about a tablespoon, and with my hands tried to compress the batter as much as I could, then when it was on the cookie sheet I pressed down to flatten.
Bake cookies for approximatey 12-15 minutes.
Makes about 12 cookies.
=================================================================
My journey into healthier eating continues, though I am currently looking at Entenmann's chocolate covered doughnuts. It is taking everything in my power to remember what sugar apparently does to my eczema, but so far I have been okay. The cookies are actually very tasty, and hopefully they will satisfy my sweet craving. Tonight, though it isn't macrobiotic, I will be making beef stew for the family. My recipe for stew includes an onion broth that I cook the meat in, then I add carrots and potatoes in the last 20 minutes or so of cooking. It is simple, hearty, and the family loves it.
