Ancient Wisdom’s Remarkable Impact: Eczema Vanishes, Weight Drops by 30 Pounds in Just 1 Month

TCM treatment of eczema can prevent steroid side effects. namtipStudio/Shutterstock

Eczema is a common skin disease, and while it can’t kill you, the itching, redness, and swelling it causes can be unbearable. The condition can even lead to comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, severely compromising quality of life.

Yuen Oi-lin, a registered traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner in Hong Kong, shared one successful case of TCM treatment of eczema on the program “100 Diseases and 100 Cures.”

A 22-year-old college student had been suffering from eczema since childhood. He didn’t believe TCM could cure his eczema. When Ms. Yuen suggested that he give TCM a try, he said he would discredit her if it didn’t work. He then underwent TCM treatment, and after receiving acupuncture and taking Chinese medicine for three months, his skin became smooth, and he lost 30 pounds simultaneously.

Eczema is a general term for a variety of skin diseases. One of the common conditions is atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis affects about 13 percent of children and 7 percent of adults in the United States. Western medicine often uses steroid ointment to treat eczema. However, long-term use of steroid drugs has many side effects, including acne, weight gain, and insomnia.

Young Man Challenges TCM Eczema Treatment

TCM eczema treatment avoids the side effects brought on by steroids. It also may be effective for people who find conventional steroid treatments ineffective.

The young man had severe eczema all over his face and body. He explained that he had suffered from eczema since he was a baby. Over the years, whenever he had mild symptoms, he always went to a specialist, and each visit cost several thousand Hong Kong dollars (a few hundred U.S. dollars). Initially, the treatment was quite effective but became less effective over time. Eventually, the steroid drugs no longer worked.

The young man was skeptical that TCM could cure his eczema.

“You can try TCM treatment once, and you don’t have to believe in it if it doesn’t work,” Ms. Yuen told him.

“He said, ‘Then, let’s bet: If you can’t cure me, and if it doesn’t work, I will take down your signboard [discredit your name].’”

Acupuncture and TCM Prescription Work Wonders

The following day, he arrived at the clinic before the doctor. The first round of acupuncture proved effective, and he slept very well. After that, he came for acupuncture every day; because he was a college student and had to go to class, he was the first in line every morning.

At first, the man received only acupuncture but soon began taking Chinese medicine, which also worked immediately.

“I didn’t sweat before, but after receiving acupuncture and Chinese medicine, I started to sweat,” he said.

Why is sweating a good sign? Ms. Yuen explained that sweating can help the body detoxify. If eczema patients fail to sweat, toxins will accumulate inside the body and worsen eczema.

“It’s as if the whole person is isolated and cannot exchange air with nature. The pores of the human body are meant to communicate with nature and serve the function of breathing, too,” she said.

The man received TCM treatment for more than three months. During this period, he received acupuncture daily, with 10 days constituting one cycle and a short hiatus between cycles. Three months later, his skin was smooth, and he seemed to have no more worries.

He also lost 30 pounds in one month, likely in relation to the withdrawal of steroids. Studies have also found that acupuncture and moxibustion can regulate endocrine and energy metabolism, thereby treating obesity.

TCM Restrictions: Avoid Raw and Cold Food

Ms. Yuen said there are only a few restrictions when treating eczema with TCM. You can shower normally, except when you’ve gotten needling done in certain areas. As for diet, you should only avoid eating raw or cold food.

The young man once asked, “Dr. Yuen, why didn’t you ask me to stop eating lobsters?” Other physicians had told him to avoid seafood. Ms. Yuen replied, “except for cold and iced drinks, you can eat whatever you like.”

Ms. Yuen also said that only when doctors and patients work together can they achieve twice the result with half the effort. Success or not, the patient must first have confidence in the doctor; the effect will be better once that trust is established.

TCM Diet Therapy, Daily Wellness Routine Equally Important

If even modern medicine is unsure about the cause of eczema, how can TCM treat it? In TCM theory, abnormalities in the six factors of “wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and fire (heat)” can lead to disease.

These factors can be interpreted using modern methods, although the meanings don’t exactly line up. For example, water retention is an excess of dampness, and fever and inflammation are excesses of heat.

Ms. Yuen said TCM believes that skin diseases are mainly caused by excessive dampness and heat, and the lungs and skin are closely related in energy terms. Therefore, in this case, TCM treatment focuses on clearing heat and dampness and employs Chinese medicinal herbs such as Corydalis bungeana, Lemna minor, and Cimicifugae rhizome, which can disperse moisture accumulated in the body through the pores.

Modern medicine has learned that many Chinese herbs have the properties they’re described to have. For instance, Corydalis bungeana is a known anti-inflammatory.

Others, such as dried Rehmannia rhizome, Scrophulariae radix, Ecliptae herba, and the like, invigorate yin and dispel heat. In terms of Western medicine, they’re anti-inflammatory.

TCM divides the energy inside the human body into yin and yang. When yin is deficient, too much heat is generated. Therefore, Chinese medicine that nourishes yin can also help clear heat, thereby improving eczema.

Ms. Yuen emphasized that there’s a saying: “If you don’t take care of your health today, you take care of the doctors tomorrow.” People with eczema should maintain good life habits, avoid staying up late, and not put too much pressure on themselves so they can allow the body to heal their eczema.

Job’s Tears Water Improves Eczema, Effective for Those Who Must Stay Up Late

If staying up late is unavoidable, diet therapy can help. The simplest method is to boil water with Semen coicis (coix seed), also known as Job’s tears, which is known to have antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Drinking this will clear away heat and dampness.

Ingredients: 50 grams (1.8 ounces) raw Semen coicis (for one person)

Preparation: Add about 1 to 1.5 liters (2.1 to 3.2 pints) of water to raw Semen coicis, bring to a boil, then let it simmer on low heat for about one hour before serving. You can add a little lemon and honey according to your personal preference.

Ms. Yuen also suggested that if you want to sleep well, you can put your legs up on the wall and lie on the bed in an “L” shape for 15 minutes before bedtime. After standing all day, doing this will help regulate blood circulation. She has recommended this to many people, and it has proven very effective for improving sleep.