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Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes cells to build up quickly on the skin’s surface. Anywhere from small patches to large areas of red and white scales is common. The severity varies person-to-person and can be controlled with medication and a modified diet. Psoriasis has many triggers, including stress, skin injury, certain medications, and dry skin. It is advised that people living with psoriasis inspect their diets for possible triggers. Dietary modifications have been found to help patients with their symptoms. A balanced diet can help to prevent flare-ups and help to improve the symptoms of psoriasis. Let’s know about psoriasis and how diet management can help psoriasis.
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a noncontagious condition that affects the skin. It may appear in different forms but often appears as red patches of thickened skin with silvery scales on top. Psoriasis tends to flare up periodically and then disappear entirely or almost completely. Five types of psoriasis affect people. Differently, it includes plaque psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, inverse psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, and erythrodermic psoriasis. The most common psoriasis are thick red areas (plaques) covered with silvery scales on the lower arms and the knees or elbows. A type known as guttate can show up as small red dots on the trunk, face, and arms. The patches are made up of new skin cells that show up before they have matured.
What are the triggers for psoriasis?
Psoriasis is not contagious, nor is it an inherited disorder. Psoriatic also don’t have an increased chance to develop other conditions over others with the general population. Psoriasis risk factors include the following:
Family history of psoriasis:Â If anyone in your family has had psoriasis, you may be more likely to develop it as well. This does not mean that everyone who has a family member with psoriasis will get it, too, just that there may be a genetic link involved.
Mental stress:Â Although no one knows why this happens, studies have shown a correlation between stress and psoriasis flare-ups.
Injury to the skin:Â Any damage to the skin, such as a cut or a scrape, can trigger a psoriasis outbreak.
Dry skin:Â Dryness of the skin can cause itchy patches that may trigger an outbreak in some people. This is especially common in the winter months when humidity is lower, and temperatures are colder.
Certain medications:Â An estimated 20% of people with psoriasis report adverse reactions from certain medications, including lithium, beta-blockers, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
What are the symptoms of psoriasis?
The most obvious signs of psoriasis include the following:
Red patches with silvery scales The patches may itch or be uncomfortable. In some cases, they can even cause pain. In rare instances, a person may have pustular psoriasis, which accounts for up to 10% of all patients and causes pus-filled blisters to form. This type is very itchy and painful as well – just like the other forms of this condition – but it is much more severe than any other form because these blisters resemble insect bites, and their appearance alone can cause a great deal of anxiety in those who suffer from them. These blisters should always be treated right away by your doctor as they can develop into serious infections. However, some treatments and medications can help control or reduce the symptoms of this condition. You should see a dermatologist to determine which medicine will work best for you and when to use it. Here we know about dietary modifications in psoriasis management.
What would diet modification be good in Psoriasis?
Avoid alcohol:Â Alcoholic beverages contain yeast which aggravates psoriasis by getting worse when alcohol enters the bloodstream. Avoid all alcoholic foods and drinks, including wine, beer, and liquor. Alcohol also raises levels of stress hormones in the body, so avoid alcohol consumption in your daily life if you want healthy skin without patches.
Addition of herbs:Â It is also good to add more critical herbal ingredients like Haldi, tulsi, and cinnamon in your daily diet to get rid of psoriasis. Haldi is a very effective natural ingredient for curing different skin problems and helps reduce the inflammation on the affected part of the skin.
B Vitamins:Â B-complex vitamins such as thiamine (Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), niacin (Vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), pyridoxine (Vitamin D), and biotin (a Vitamin H). Liver, seafood, beans, and whole-grain cereals can help you to increase these important nutrients. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) also enhances the antioxidant potential of the body.
Avoid refined foods:Â Refined sugars such as in pastries, donuts, and candy; white bread and refined grains such as pasta, rice, and cereals make up a diet that’s high in carbohydrates. These foods cause your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, triggering insulin release, which converts excess sugar into fat for storage in body cells. Excess weight can lead to inflammation of the skin called psoriasis.
Add more meat:Â Protein helps cells function correctly; it is an essential building block of numerous body chemicals. It also helps produce antibodies that boost immunity against disease-causing organisms like bacteria or viruses. You should eat lean meat like chicken or lamb because red meats like beef contain saturated fat linked with heart diseases.
Avoid saturated fats:Â Red meat, butter, and ghee are high in saturated fats. Avoid all fried foods because they contain high levels of trans-fatty acids that increase your risk of heart disease. You can use olive oil or non-hydrogenated vegetable spreads instead.
Limit salt intake:Â Too much sodium causes your body to retain water, contributing to joint pain, swelling, and other symptoms commonly associated with psoriasis. Using iodized salt will help prevent iodine deficiency but limit how much you use each day (about 1/4 tsp.) Salt substitutes like potassium chloride, potassium lactate, and sodium-free salt are also acceptable.
Consume whole grains:Â Whole grain bread, cereals, and pasta can reduce the risk of diabetes because it helps regulate the conversion of sugar to starch in body cells. You can replace refined grains with whole grains by using 100 percent wheat or oat flour instead of all-purpose flour for baking. Oatmeal is a good source of B-complex vitamins, which, combined, help to reduce psoriasis symptoms.Â
Drink plenty of water:Â Drinking enough water will also help you flush out excess fats from your body that may be produced during the digestion process or due to inflammation. Avoid caffeine drinks like coffee, tea, etc., as they dehydrate your skin, so drink lots of water if you want to get rid of psoriasis.
Take essential fatty acids:Â Psoriasis patients should take more omega 3 fatty acids found in flaxseeds, fish oil capsules, soyabean oil, walnuts, and olive oil as they reduce the symptoms of psoriasis, including inflammation. Get your daily dose from food instead of supplements because too much fish oil can increase your risk of bleeding.
Vitamin D, calcium, and psoriasis:Â Vitamin D helps break down calcium, making the skin cells divide faster. Higher calcium levels are linked with psoriasis, so you should avoid vitamin D supplements if you want to get rid of psoriasis.
Dairy products:Â Dairy products such as milk, cream cheese, or feta cheese may increase symptoms of psoriasis when consumed in large amounts. People who are affected by this condition must avoid all types of dairy products. If you suffer from an overactive bladder, try to avoid high-calorie food; it will help overcome your problem.
Eradicate high-sugar foods:Â High sugar content or refined food is not suitable for health. Refined foods are the cause of many diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and psoriasis. Patients with psoriasis must eradicate their diet with all types of sweets, including desserts, cakes, cookies, etc.
Eat more vegetables:Â Vegetables contain vitamins that help improve complexion and reduce redness in the skin. Carrots, spinach, celery, vegetable juice, beetroot can be included in your daily diet to balance your body.
Avoid packaged foods:Â Processed foods contain many chemicals that can trigger psoriatic flare-ups; examples include monosodium glutamate or MSG, artificial sweeteners, and food additives. It would help if you always read the labels on processed foods before purchasing them for this reason.
You can use natural home remedies for psoriasis treatment:
If you are suffering from itching caused by Psoriasis disease, then try these tips to prevent psoriasis:
1. You can use coconut oil to moisturize your skin regularly because it is very effective in curing itching and scaling of psoriasis disease.
2. You should not scratch or rub the affected area. If you do so then, this will lead to permanent redness and irritation on your skin due to irritation.
3. Do not use synthetic detergent while washing your clothes as these fabrics soak the sweat from your body, promoting the growth of fungi that causes psoriatic disease.
4. Go for natural herb-based products instead of chemical ones.
5. You can also try aloe vera cream to cure psoriasis; apply it on your skin regularly to get relief from itching and scaling.
6. Drinking lots of water will help you flush out excess fats from your body that may be produced during the digestion process or due to inflammation.
7. You can try applying aloe vera juice directly on your skin 2-3 times a day. It will help reduce the redness and itchiness associated with this condition while moisturizing your skin at the same time.
8. Cover your body correctly before going outside in cold weather; exposure to cold weather may also increase your skin scaling.
9. Use sunscreen lotion to protect your skin from UV rays. It helps in preventing itching and other symptoms associated with psoriasis.
10. Before going to bed, apply the entire body moisturizer over your body after taking a bath or shower because it can help prevent dryness-related problems like itching, flaking, etc., that may occur due to psoriatic disease.
11. Keep your home dry; dampness on your skin may trigger psoriatic disease.
13. You can also use green tea bags on the affected area if you suffer from this condition. This remedy provides relief within a few minutes, but it does not give long-lasting results like moisturizing cream.
14. You can also use sea salt on the affected area because it helps dry the patches by taking away all types of moisture from your body, so here are some natural home remedies for psoriasis treatment that you can try at your home.
10. Ginger juice applied on the affected part of the body helps treat psoriasis symptoms and prevents future flare-ups, so here are some home remedies for psoriasis treatment that you can easily do at your home.
13. Hibiscus flower tea bags are removed from the hot water and then cooled down before applying onto patches of your skin. This will help in reducing redness and inflammation associated with psoriatic disease.
14. Olive oil can also be used to treat psoriasis by applying it to the affected areas of your body regularly but make sure that you do not have any side effects from this because olive oil may worsen redness, so you should not use it if you are suffering from the same condition. Rashes, you can also use egg white as a home remedy for psoriasis treatment; these eggs contain sulfur and protein that help flake and scale skin, so here are some simple yet effective home remedies for psoriasis.
15. Homeopathic treatment for psoriasis is also one of the best treatments. Homeopathy doctors provide an effective natural remedy for this deadly skin disorder. Homeopathy treatment for psoriasis takes care of the root cause and offers a long-lasting natural cure for this disorder. Homeopathy doctors can provide safe homeopathic medicine therapy in India. The best way to treat psoriasis is by taking medical care along with your day-to-day activities like eating, sleeping, exercising, etc. You should consult a registered homeopathy doctor for more information. You can book an appointment through OHO Homeopathy now!