Page 46 - Fall2010

Substances placed on the skin can penetrate into sistently effective against a variety of skin conditions, except for inconsistent
the underlying tissue and eventually reach the results with psoriasis. In these trials, patients received very high levels of
1
blood stream. Thus topical skin preparations, synthetic vitamin A; it would be interesting to repeat these trials using mod-
vitamin-containing oils, Epsom salts baths and erate doses of natural vitamin A plus vitamin D from cod liver oil.
other traditional topical skin treatments work by In fact, in 1981, a group of dermatologists from Memphis, Tennessee
providing nutrients via the skin rather than through wrote the following letter to the Journal of the American Academy of Der-
the digestive tract. Many toxic substances can also matology: “We have been impressed by the apparent beneficial effects of. . .
penetrate the skin. cod liver oil on a small group of patients with varied disorders of keratiniza-
What determines whether a substance will tion. Our interest in this agent was around when a 14-year-old girl with very
penetrate the skin is the molecular extensive juvenile pityriasis rubra
weight of the substance—the skin pilaris [red, thickened plaques]
will keep out molecules of a larger appeared to improve concomitant
molecular weight. Water soaking with the use of cod liver oil orally.
of skin enhances penetration sev- “We have noticed improve-
eral fold. Many skin preparations ment in three patients who had
contain hydrating substances that lamellar ichthyosis [scaly skin, in
increase the absorption of healing which layers fall off, considered
or fortifying compounds, or of a genetic condition] and in one
toxic ingredients. each with Darier’s disease [dark,
The fact that substances can crusty patches on the skin, con-
be absorbed through the skin sidered hereditary] and pityriasis
is good reason to avoid topical rubra pilaris treated with two
treatments containing hormones tablespoons of cod liver oil daily.
or steroids. These can make their The improvement was slow, tak-
way into the blood stream and ing weeks or months, as has been
cause serious side effects. reported with oral retinoids, but these patients had been previously refractory
to other forms of conventional therapy. The condition of three of the patients
VITAMINS FOR THE SKIN deteriorated when therapy was discontinued and then improved when the
Like any other organ of the body, the skin therapy was reinstituted. . . .” 2
requires the nourishment of vitamins and minerals These findings are backed by numerous testimonials we have received
from food—first and foremost for skin health are about the resolution of skin problems—from infant eczema to severe psoriasis
the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. Rough, dry and in adults—with cod liver oil, often, in the case of adults, at very high doses.
prematurely aged skin is a telltale sign of vitamin Cod liver oil should be considered the front line remedy for skin problems,
A deficiency, which often first manifests as rough, from eczema to psoriasis.
raised skin on the back of the arms. Vitamin A is Severe acne is found in those with low levels of vitamin A in the blood.
3
critical to the repair process, including repair from The standard conventional treatment for acne is Accutane, a synthetic form
sun burn and damage from toxins. Vitamin A in- of vitamin A, but cod liver oil and other vitamin A-rich foods can work just
creases the thickness of the epidermis, especially as well, without the side effects, such as joint pain, hair loss, low energy,
the granular layer (the portion of the epidermis that depression and aggressive behavior.
produces horn cells). Vitamin D is a major contributor in the process of skin cell metabolism
In clinical trials, oral vitamin A has been con- and growth, which may explain why skin texture improves after a sunbath.

ALLERGIES AND THE ANTHROPOSOPHICAL LIFESTyLE

A fascinating study published in The Lancet provides information on how to avoid dermatitis in children. Researchers com-
pared a total of 675 Swedish school children, half of them from Waldorf schools and half from conventional schools in the
same area. They found that those with an “anthroposophical lifestyle” had fewer allergies and skin problems than those in
the other group. Those with an “anthroposophical lifestyle” were characterized by the following:

1. They were given far fewer antibiotics and fever-reducing medicines and fewer vaccinations.
2. They had experienced more infectious diseases, such as measles, German measles and chickenpox.
3. They had eaten a more “ecological” diet, especially lactic-acid fermented vegetables.

The study points to one of the dangers of vaccinations—heightened allergic reactions—as well as to the importance of
allowing children to suffer from fevers. Lacto-fermented vegetables support intestinal health, so intimately associated with
the health of the skin. Source: The Lancet, May 1999
46 Wise Traditions FALL 2010