By Martin Ruffell
BEFORE turning to a fruit based diet this woman says her eczema was so severe that it smelt like ROTTING FLESH and left her bedbound.
Model, Paula Adamczyk (22), from Taunton, Somerset, UK, switched to a fruitarian diet in 2018 consisting solely of raw fruit and vegetables to cure her eczema – a skin condition which had blighted her since birth.
Born in Krakow, Poland, Paula suffered from a protein intolerance and as a result, was prescribed soya milk as a child; something she believes contributed to her developing eczema from a young age.
Moving to England in 2017 to study beauty therapy, Paula found that her skin condition was only getting worse and the antihistamines and steroid creams that she had previously used to manage her symptoms were proving to be ineffective against her deteriorating condition.
With her dry skin peeling away, leaving oozing wounds that stung with every movement, Paula spent days on end in bed crying and used food to drown out her sadness. Often spending consecutive days bed bound unable to perform simple tasks like showering and cooking, Paula became isolated and depressed as social interaction with friends simply wasn’t possible.
With nothing to lose, Paula looked for advice on the internet and discovered a vast number of videos and blog posts from people who swore that a raw food diet – consisting primarily of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds – could cure skin complaints like hers.
Moving to a fruitarian diet and cutting out gluten, sugar, and starchy foods – such as potatoes, oils and grains – has cured Paula’s eczema entirely and she has even lost four-stone in the process taking her weight from 13st 2lb to 9st 2lb.
Paula’s new diet consists of exotic fruits including pineapple, passionfruit, and watermelon as well as salads, raw sushi, courgette noodles and avocado. Every morning she drinks a large glass of celery juice – something widely touted as a potential cure for eczema.
“I have suffered from eczema since birth, with my stronger attacks being treated with antihistamines and steroid creams,” Paula said.
“Two years ago, my eczema attacks got worse. I tried taking hot showers to relieve the itching, but nothing seemed to work. The skin was dry and would flake off like snowflakes. My skin was literally everywhere and my sores would then scab over and ooze.
“It felt like my body was burning and the smell was awful, like rotting flesh.
“I didn’t feel like doing anything so I just lay in bed for hours and cried because every movement hurt me. I was plunging into a deep depression which I drowned out with food. I was desperate and hopeless.
“I started looking for help on the internet, where I found the profile of a lady who cured her daughter of eczema with a raw food diet. I started reading and watching videos and gradually started to eliminate harmful products from my diet.
“I began with a vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free diet and then I got rid of mucus-producing food like oils, starches, potatoes and grains.
“Every morning I drink celery juice, which is the number one treatment for eczema.”
As a result of the drastic changes she has witnessed, Paula has been able to pursue the modelling career that she says always seemed out of reach due to her skin condition and her weight.
Having more energy than she has ever had in her life, alongside a sharper mind and stronger hair and nails, Paula is fully onboard with the fruitarian lifestyle going forward. However she confesses that it has not been without its challenges, due to the temptation of slipping back into old habits and the lack of restaurants that cater for a raw food diet.
“I always wanted to become a model since I was a little girl, so it wasn’t a new dream, but having skin problems and being overweight meant that it wasn’t possible before,” she said.
“At first I noticed the increase in my energy levels. I am now active throughout the day without an unnecessary reliance on my bed.
“My mind has become clearer and my senses have sharpened. My nails have got stronger and instead of feeling depressed, I have faith in the future.
“I even have developed an aversion to television and my desire to be with nature has increased.
“Going from a traditional diet where I ate a lot of sweets, gluten, and dairy, to suddenly going vegan and now fruitarian was a challenge. I have failed a few times to get to where I am now.
“There were times when I ate chips and drank beer and one time, I even went to my favourite restaurant and ate everything, including the prawns that I used to love.
“It can also be pretty difficult to find good quality vegan restaurants but I feel as though I am at the beginning of the road and there is still a lot ahead of me.
“My desire to develop is growing and I am constantly learning and developing. Every day I am trying to be a better version of myself.
“If you decide to start a fruitarian diet, you will probably stick to it for the rest of your life because you won’t like to feel the way you did before.
“On a fruitarian diet you feel so much energy and happiness.”
