PSORIASIS: Role Food and Diet

Menu for people with psoriasis Usually skin cells grow and migrate every 28 days to the upper layer of the skin where they replace the dead cells that are shed.

However, when skin cells grow too fast, they accumulate on the surface in thick plaques, causing a chronic condition called psoriasis.

WHAT IS PSORIASIS?

Psoriasis is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory disease , therefore, it reappears in outbreaks over time with a variable duration. It mainly affects the skin, but it can also occur in nails and joints. In any case, it is not contagious .

It is characterized by the appearance of erythematous papules, frequently accompanied by silvery-white plaques, that is, you will see reddened, inflamed skin and, almost always, covered by a layer of rough, shiny white skin that peels off.

It is suffered by between 0.2 and 4.8% of the world's population, in India we find 11.3%. In addition to the significant prevalence in India, it is worth noting the magnitude of its consequences both physically (pain, itching, psoriatic arthritis, fatigue ...) and psychologically (lowers self-esteem, sadness, discouragement ...). 

INFLAMMATION IN THE SKIN

The visible part of psoriasis is its appearance: the inflammation, redness, and whitish plaques. All this is caused by an immune response and an exaggerated dermal process with respect to normal functioning .

In this case, our defender cells, the T lymphocytes, are activated to a great extent and trigger a series of reactions whose end is the overproduction of other defender cells such as cytokines , responsible for inflammation.

The cytokines, in turn, wake up the keratinocytes , which multiply faster than normal. This process, together with a malfunction of the epidermal basement membrane, produces an accumulation of the horny layer (hard) on a skin that is inflamed and reddened. 

Diet In PSORIASIS

As I mentioned at the beginning, one of the factors that influence this disease is diet. What we eat has an impact on our body and in this case, there are foods that can produce greater activation of cytokines, and its consequent negative effect on this disease.

SHOULD BE AVOIDED

• Meats : saturated fats cause more inflammation, among other negative nutritional aspects.
  • Red meats and also processed ones (this not only in psoriasis)
  • Grilled and charcoal.
• Large fish that may have mercury (shark, swordfish, marlin ...).
• Milk : in a person with a revolutionized immune system, such as psoriasis, the casein in milk leads to a greater release of histamine, which further increases the immune response.
• Coffee
• Egg yolk : contains arachidonic acid which is a precursor of cytokines.
• Gluten : not in all cases, but there are studies in which psoriasis appears related to a greater susceptibility to gluten without the person being diagnosed as celiac.
• The corn , corn syrup: corn all derivatives increase the production of cytokines.
• Sugar : its abuse (conscious or not) does not suit anyone, least of all people with psoriasis.
• White flour : as in the case of sugar, in general the entire population should avoid it, but with psoriasis it is even more important.
• Fruits: some studies link the high consumption of citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit) with relapses of this disease.
• Processed : both prepared food, fast food, pastries, snacks ... all of these are of low nutritional quality, high caloric content and the worst are its ingredients, additives, which cause an exaggerated increase in the production of inflammatory molecules.
• Alcohol : releases more histamine and as I said before, a greater immune response.

WE MUST TAKE

• Vegetables and vegetables:
  • Anti-inflammatory: artichoke, beans (green, yellow), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, onion, spinach, pumpkin, turnips, beans and zucchini.
  • With beta carotene (provitamin A) that favors the good condition of the skin: carrots, apricots and mango.
  • With psoralens that improve the skin's response to sunlight: lettuce, celery and green leafy vegetables.
• Cereals :
  • Amaranth: in the form of flour, in seeds ...
  • Buckwheat: cardiovascular protector thanks to its flavonoids
  • Quinoa: contains the nine essential amino acids, especially lysine so necessary for tissue repair.
• White meats : natural, not processed, without skin.
• Blue fish : provide ω-3 fatty acids that improve skin lesions.
• Fruit: fresh, unpackaged or processed, well washed. 

DIET PROFILE 

Excess protein and spicy food, so common in our Indian society, aggravates psoriasis symptoms. There is a direct relationship between the appearance of psoriatic relapses and greater consumption of foods with saturated fats. In areas where more fish are consumed, the incidence of psoriasis is lower.

Therefore, a diet low in protein and saturated fat and, at the same time, high in linoleic acid is associated with clinical improvements. This is because linoleic acid helps to better maintain the state of the skin (corneal layer and hydration), as well as vegetable and fish fats are inhibitors of inflammatory substances.

In addition, fiber, in vegetables, fruits and cereals, helps to control the level of endotoxins produced by intestinal bacteria, whose overgrowth causes worsening of psoriasis.

Finally, the adequate consumption of vitamins and minerals is important. Low levels of retinol and folates have been seen in patients with psoriasis. The external contribution of vitamin D , together with sun exposure, notably improves the symptoms of the disease. 

METABOLIC SYNDROME AND PSORIASIS RELATIONSHIP 

And since I am a Homeopathic Doctor, a health worker who aims to improve the health of the patient, I want to draw attention to the importance of having an adequate, healthy diet, accompanied by healthy habits (physical activity , no smoking, no alcohol, a bit of relaxation).

You may wonder, what is this about now if we are talking about psoriasis? Well, it has been shown that there is a direct relationship between the severity of psoriasis and the metabolic syndrome.

The metabolic syndrome is a combination of diseases that are related and accentuate each other, leading to heart disease and diabetes. This syndrome includes: obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidemia.

Therefore, take care of your health, not only for weight or aesthetics, but also to prevent preventable chronic diseases. But if you also have psoriasis, you should take care of your diet both to avoid cardiovascular problems or diabetes, and so that these do not aggravate the symptoms of psoriasis.

 

Your skin is your outer soul

Feed it like it's your heart

It has a life of its own, pamper it.

Despite psoriasis, do not become sick.

Tips # 1 Spend 15 to 30 minutes outside in the sun in the early morning or late afternoon. According to research, sunlight reduces the activity of T cells in the skin that start the inflammatory cycle, which helps fight psoriasis.

However, you should not forget to protect burns by using sunscreen, with an SPF of at least 15, on healthy areas of the skin.

Tips # 2 Take a bath for 10 minutes and then, 5 minutes before going out, add 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the water to conserve the moisture of the skin.

Tips # 3 Use coal tar shampoo twice a week if you have psoriasis on the scalp. After applying, leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing it off.

Tips # 4 Blend half a cup of ordinary oatmeal to a fine powder; then sprinkle in the tub water. With this remedy, the itching is reduced.

Recommendations

Eat a high fiber diet . Fiber helps bind intestinal toxins that increase the growth rate of skin cells. More than half of the food you eat at each meal must be raw.

Detoxify your gut with a cleansing fast

Eliminate alcohol from your diet . Studies have shown that alcohol worsens psoriasis symptoms.