Helping Kids with Eczema: Practical Tips from a Functional Medicine Pediatrician

founder of Way2HealthMD and DocBMD
Dr. Broyles shares highlights from a presentation by functional medicine pediatrician Dr. Ana-Maria Temple, author of Ending the Eczema Epidemic, at the annual Synergy Integrative Medicine Conference in North Carolina.
In this video, she discusses simple nutrition tips that may help kids with eczema, including reducing sugar, limiting dairy and gluten when appropriate, and encouraging a wider variety of fruits and vegetables through Dr. Temple’s “plant bites” approach.
Contact Dr. Broyles: https://way2healthmd.com
About the conference: https://ncintegrative.org/our-events/synergy-2026
More on Dr. Ana-Maria Temple: https://www.dranamaria.com
Full Transcript
Conference Takeaways and Speaker Introduction 0:00
Hello, Lisa Broyles here with Way to Hello, Lisa Broyles here with Way to Health MD. I have just been to a Health MD. I have just been to a Health MD. I have just been to a fabulous weekend conference I go to fabulous weekend conference I go to fabulous weekend conference I go to every year called Synergy put on by the every year called Synergy put on by the every year called Synergy put on by the North Carolina Integrative Medical North Carolina Integrative Medical North Carolina Integrative Medical Society. I absolutely love this Society. I absolutely love this Society. I absolutely love this conference. I learn so much every year conference. I learn so much every year conference. I learn so much every year and it really helps me to stay on the and it really helps me to stay on the and it really helps me to stay on the cutting edge. So, there was a few topics cutting edge. So, there was a few topics cutting edge. So, there was a few topics that I feel like you have to know that that I feel like you have to know that that I feel like you have to know that really do revolutionize even how I am really do revolutionize even how I am really do revolutionize even how I am practicing and managing my patients. So, practicing and managing my patients. So, practicing and managing my patients. So, one of them was the coolest lecture by one of them was the coolest lecture by one of them was the coolest lecture by Dr. Ana Maria Temple. Okay, she is a
Dr. Anna Maria Temple and Her Eczema Book 0:31
Dr. Ana Maria Temple. Okay, she is a Dr. Ana Maria Temple. Okay, she is a functional pediatrician, guys. A functional pediatrician, guys. A functional pediatrician, guys. A holistic pediatrician. She practices holistic pediatrician. She practices holistic pediatrician. She practices near Charlotte, North Carolina. She was near Charlotte, North Carolina. She was near Charlotte, North Carolina. She was amazing. She's funny, she's smart, she's amazing. She's funny, she's smart, she's amazing. She's funny, she's smart, she's got to be a great doctor for her got to be a great doctor for her got to be a great doctor for her patients. You would absolutely love her.
patients. You would absolutely love her. patients. You would absolutely love her. So, she wrote a book called Ending the So, she wrote a book called Ending the So, she wrote a book called Ending the Eczema Epidemic. I got it signed. Yay! Eczema Epidemic. I got it signed. Yay! Eczema Epidemic. I got it signed. Yay! But, I have to just tell you a few But, I have to just tell you a few But, I have to just tell you a few important points. Read her book, go see
Diet Tips for Managing Childhood Eczema 0:57
important points. Read her book, go see important points. Read her book, go see her, but I have a few tips that I wanted her, but I have a few tips that I wanted her, but I have a few tips that I wanted to share with you today. First of all, to share with you today. First of all, to share with you today. First of all, when we're talking about food affecting when we're talking about food affecting when we're talking about food affecting eczema, I do think it's important to eczema, I do think it's important to eczema, I do think it's important to avoid all processed food. And when it avoid all processed food. And when it avoid all processed food. And when it comes to sugar, she kind of blew my comes to sugar, she kind of blew my comes to sugar, she kind of blew my mind. So, she said if your child has mind. So, she said if your child has mind. So, she said if your child has eczema and is under the age of two, zero eczema and is under the age of two, zero eczema and is under the age of two, zero sugar. Zero. She's even talking about sugar. Zero. She's even talking about sugar. Zero. She's even talking about honey and syrup. Like, no sugar for kids honey and syrup. Like, no sugar for kids honey and syrup. Like, no sugar for kids with eczema. You also have to look at with eczema. You also have to look at with eczema. You also have to look at additives in their food. Sulfites, additives in their food. Sulfites, additives in their food. Sulfites, nitrites, um dairy and gluten can be a nitrites, um dairy and gluten can be a nitrites, um dairy and gluten can be a problem. We highly recommend that problem. We highly recommend that problem. We highly recommend that children children children ideally don't eat dairy and gluten.
ideally don't eat dairy and gluten. ideally don't eat dairy and gluten. Okay, you need to give them as many Okay, you need to give them as many
Plant Bites and Gut Diversity 1:44
Okay, you need to give them as many different kinds of fruits and vegetables different kinds of fruits and vegetables different kinds of fruits and vegetables as possible. And this is difficult, I as possible. And this is difficult, I as possible. And this is difficult, I know, in picky eaters. So, there's know, in picky eaters. So, there's know, in picky eaters. So, there's something super cool, if nothing else, something super cool, if nothing else, something super cool, if nothing else, that I want you to remember from today that I want you to remember from today that I want you to remember from today and it's called plant bites. So, she and it's called plant bites. So, she and it's called plant bites. So, she recommends that your child eat one bite recommends that your child eat one bite recommends that your child eat one bite of different colored fruits and of different colored fruits and of different colored fruits and vegetables as many bites as possible.
vegetables as many bites as possible. vegetables as many bites as possible. And she often does challenges. Maybe you And she often does challenges. Maybe you And she often does challenges. Maybe you could do a plant bite challenge in your could do a plant bite challenge in your could do a plant bite challenge in your home or with friends of your children or home or with friends of your children or home or with friends of your children or is maybe a little sibling rivalry for is maybe a little sibling rivalry for is maybe a little sibling rivalry for how many plant bites they're eating each how many plant bites they're eating each how many plant bites they're eating each day. She recommends that you eat 32 day. She recommends that you eat 32 day. She recommends that you eat 32 plant points per week. And a plant point plant points per week. And a plant point plant points per week. And a plant point is like one strawberry. A whole bowl of is like one strawberry. A whole bowl of is like one strawberry. A whole bowl of strawberries is still one plant point strawberries is still one plant point strawberries is still one plant point according to Dr. Temple, okay? So, a according to Dr. Temple, okay? So, a according to Dr. Temple, okay? So, a fruit salad is going to have a bite of fruit salad is going to have a bite of fruit salad is going to have a bite of banana, a bite of grape, a bite of banana, a bite of grape, a bite of banana, a bite of grape, a bite of blueberry, right? You get my point. One blueberry, right? You get my point. One blueberry, right? You get my point. One bite is one plant point. You need 32 per bite is one plant point. You need 32 per bite is one plant point. You need 32 per week. This increases gut diversity. When week. This increases gut diversity. When week. This increases gut diversity. When you have different flora in your gut you have different flora in your gut you have different flora in your gut that like to eat different things, that that like to eat different things, that that like to eat different things, that helps your body not have eczema. It helps your body not have eczema. It helps your body not have eczema. It calms inflammatory cytokines. So, the calms inflammatory cytokines. So, the calms inflammatory cytokines. So, the same thing is true for vegetables. One same thing is true for vegetables. One same thing is true for vegetables. One bite of spinach or kale, one bite of bite of spinach or kale, one bite of bite of spinach or kale, one bite of cauliflower, one bite of broccoli, those cauliflower, one bite of broccoli, those cauliflower, one bite of broccoli, those all count as one plant bite. So, we can
Micronutrients, Stress, and Final Advice 3:03
all count as one plant bite. So, we can all count as one plant bite. So, we can do this, guys. Fruits and vegetables, do this, guys. Fruits and vegetables, do this, guys. Fruits and vegetables, even your picky eaters can start with even your picky eaters can start with even your picky eaters can start with one bite of something. Okay? And as they one bite of something. Okay? And as they one bite of something. Okay? And as they get used to it, their gut biodiversity get used to it, their gut biodiversity get used to it, their gut biodiversity helps their brain actually say, "Hey, I helps their brain actually say, "Hey, I helps their brain actually say, "Hey, I like this food." Because like this food." Because like this food." Because bacteria that feed on bacteria that feed on bacteria that feed on carbs and sugar, bread and sugar, which carbs and sugar, bread and sugar, which carbs and sugar, bread and sugar, which is a lot of what kids like to eat, is a lot of what kids like to eat, is a lot of what kids like to eat, right? Bacteria that feed on that are right? Bacteria that feed on that are right? Bacteria that feed on that are very inflammatory, make the skin go very inflammatory, make the skin go very inflammatory, make the skin go crazy, make the kid go crazy, okay? With crazy, make the kid go crazy, okay? With crazy, make the kid go crazy, okay? With ADHD kind of behavior. And yeast makes ADHD kind of behavior. And yeast makes ADHD kind of behavior. And yeast makes those things worse, too, okay? And yeast those things worse, too, okay? And yeast those things worse, too, okay? And yeast feeds on sugar and bread. So, when you feeds on sugar and bread. So, when you feeds on sugar and bread. So, when you cut out the sugar and bread, you kill cut out the sugar and bread, you kill cut out the sugar and bread, you kill off the yeast and the inflammatory off the yeast and the inflammatory off the yeast and the inflammatory bacteria that is driving your kid to bacteria that is driving your kid to bacteria that is driving your kid to crave those foods, and their taste crave those foods, and their taste crave those foods, and their taste change. Things that used to taste bitter change. Things that used to taste bitter change. Things that used to taste bitter don't anymore. So, I promise you taste don't anymore. So, I promise you taste don't anymore. So, I promise you taste buds turn over, the brain gets different buds turn over, the brain gets different buds turn over, the brain gets different signals according to gut microbiome. So, signals according to gut microbiome. So, signals according to gut microbiome. So, a picky eater does not have to stay a picky eater does not have to stay a picky eater does not have to stay picky. Okay, so plant diversity is picky. Okay, so plant diversity is picky. Okay, so plant diversity is really important. She also talked about really important. She also talked about really important. She also talked about two micronutrients that are so cheap and two micronutrients that are so cheap and two micronutrients that are so cheap and so important to decrease IL-6, other um so important to decrease IL-6, other um so important to decrease IL-6, other um basically inflammatory cytokines that basically inflammatory cytokines that basically inflammatory cytokines that affect eczema. And that is vitamin D and affect eczema. And that is vitamin D and affect eczema. And that is vitamin D and zinc. Get your kid on a zinc gummy. The zinc. Get your kid on a zinc gummy. The zinc. Get your kid on a zinc gummy. The best form is zinc bisglycinate.
best form is zinc bisglycinate. best form is zinc bisglycinate. So, zinc bisglycinate gummies, one a day So, zinc bisglycinate gummies, one a day So, zinc bisglycinate gummies, one a day for your kids. Get them on vitamin D as for your kids. Get them on vitamin D as for your kids. Get them on vitamin D as a gummy or uh liquid drops, whatever you a gummy or uh liquid drops, whatever you a gummy or uh liquid drops, whatever you need to do. Uh I can't go into this need to do. Uh I can't go into this need to do. Uh I can't go into this during this video, but I can't during this video, but I can't during this video, but I can't overemphasize the importance of stress overemphasize the importance of stress overemphasize the importance of stress on kids' eczema. The better their stress on kids' eczema. The better their stress on kids' eczema. The better their stress levels, the better their skin's going to levels, the better their skin's going to levels, the better their skin's going to be. Okay, so Dr. Anna-Marie Temple, get be. Okay, so Dr. Anna-Marie Temple, get be. Okay, so Dr. Anna-Marie Temple, get her book. Go see her. Ask me if you have her book. Go see her. Ask me if you have her book. Go see her. Ask me if you have any other questions. Thank you.
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