How a Patient Cleared Eczema and Chronic Fatigue by Healing Her Gut and Reducing Inflammation
Today you’re going to learn how a patient cleared up her eczema and chronic fatigue by getting to the root cause of her inflammation and healing her gut.
My name is Dr. Tom Rofrano from the Natural Medicine Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and I’m the author of the FreeDiet®. I’ve been blessed to have seen over 100,000 patient visits over the last 38 years, many involving gut and thyroid issues. This patient was no exception.
Her Symptoms: 12 Years of Chronic Health Issues
A 38-year-old woman came in with:
- Constant abdominal pain
- Bloating and gas
- Diarrhea
- Eczema and rosacea
- Insomnia
- Neck and back pain
- Brain fog
- Chronic fatigue
For 12 years, she struggled with these symptoms. For two of those years, she spent most of the day in bed. She could work on the computer for only about an hour before becoming exhausted. She also had severe PMS and menstrual cramps.
One Month Later: Significant Improvements
After comprehensive testing, I put her on an anti-inflammatory diet and the proper supplements. One month later, she returned with major improvements:
- Eczema was better
- More energy
- No longer needed to stay in bed all day
- Could work 3 hours on the computer without fatigue
- Improved mental clarity
- Less bloating, gas, and abdominal pain
- Sleeping better
- Reduced PMS and anxiety
Her lab results also showed dramatic changes:
- CRP (inflammation marker) dropped from 4.6 to 0.5 — an 89% improvement
- Low cortisol improved by 19%
- IGF-1 (related to growth hormone) improved 72%
Step 1: Proper Testing to Identify Root Causes
Most doctors run only basic labs like CBC, metabolic panel, lipids, and TSH. But to truly understand what’s going on, you need deeper testing.
Minimum Recommended Testing
- CBC, CMP, Lipids, TSH
- Ferritin and iron panel
- CRP
- LDH
- GGT
- Insulin
- A1C
- Uric acid
- Free T3 and Free T4
- ANA
- TPO and thyroglobulin antibodies
- Reverse T3
- DHEA
- Cortisol
- Hormones
- Vit D, RBC Mag, B12, Folic acid
- Urinalysis
Functional Testing for Root Causes
I look at five main categories:
- Deficiencies
- Toxins
- Infections
- Hormonal imbalance
- Food reactions
Her Root Causes
Inflammation:
- High CRP
- High insulin
- High ferritin
- Low thyroid function (TSH)
- Low cortisol
- Low IGF-1
Deficiencies:
- Glutamine
- Vitamin A
- B vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Omega-3 EPA
- Vitamin D
Toxins:
- Very high mercury
Infections:
- Candida yeast overgrowth
Food Reactions:
- Gluten sensitivity
- Leaky gut
- Sensitivity to grains, dairy, eggs, legumes, seeds
Hormonal Imbalance:
- Below-optimal thyroid
- Adrenal dysfunction
Inflammation was the common thread. Eczema is an inflammatory condition, and while steroid creams or medications can temporarily reduce inflammation, they don’t address what’s causing it.
Step 2: The FreeDiet® — An Anti-Inflammatory Healing Diet
The next step was an anti-inflammatory diet. I call it the FreeDiet®, a diet I developed years ago while healing my own autoimmune Hashimoto’s thyroid condition, rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, fatigue, and skin issues.
The FreeDiet® is free of:
- Gluten
- Grains
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Soy
- Legumes
- Nightshades
- Processed foods
These foods are the most common triggers for inflammation, gut issues, thyroid dysfunction, and chronic health problems.
What She Ate
Breakfast: A smoothie with clean protein, essential fats, fruits, vegetables, and fiber. (I’ll include a link to the recipe below.)
Lunch & Dinner:
- High-quality meat, chicken, or fish
- Plenty of vegetables
- Healthy fats
This is Phase 1 of the FreeDiet®. As patients improve, we gradually add foods back in during Phases 2 and 3.
Step 3: Targeted Supplements for Gut Healing and Inflammation
Along with the FreeDiet®t, I used the proper supplements.
The Functional Five (Foundational Nutrients)
- Multivitamin
- Fish oil
- Vitamin D with K
- Magnesium
- Probiotic
Gut Support Supplements
Inflammation Support
Adrenal Support
Nutrient Repletion
- Vitamins A, C, E
- B-Complex
- Glutathione with NAC
Detox Support
- Metal Cleanse™ (due to high mercury levels)
Her Transformation
With the FreeDiet® and targeted supplements, she was able to:
- Clear up her eczema
- Resolve chronic fatigue
- Heal her gut
- Reduce inflammation by 89%
- Improve sleep, energy, and mental clarity
- Reduce PMS and anxiety
- Start enjoying her life again
The body has an incredible ability to heal itself when you identify the root causes and provide the right solutions.
Go here if you would like a free copy of the FreeDiet® phase 1 food chart.
