Psoriasis and Diet

Is There a Connection Between Food and Psoriasis?

Is there really a connection between psoriasis and diet? If you are plagued with the painful itching and scales that come with chronic psoriasis, you may find it helpful to know that there is some hope for reducing your psoriasis symptoms!

It has indeed been proven that there is a direct relationship between psoriasis and the foods you eat. Although it isn’t necessarily possible to eliminate your psoriasis simply by changing your daily diet (there is no absolute cure for it), there are significant improvements that will be seen if you stop eating certain foods while adding others to your daily intake.

Psoriasis is a painful and aggravating skin condition that results when the body’s immune system over produces skin cells. When this happens, the skin reacts with thick patches of red skin.

Some people even experience painful blisters or skin that is painful to the touch. Still others have reported suffering from symptoms that mimic arthritis such as join pain and swelling.

Diet for Psoriasis - Avoid These Foods

These dietary suggestions are simply guidelines, as your own unique body may or may not be aggravated by these foods. A helpful diet for psoriasis is very similar to most whole foods, high alkaline diets that are recommended for overall good health.

The following foods are attributed to psoriasis outbreaks, so do your best to avoid the foods and drinks on this list.

Foods high in acidity
Dairy products such as cheese
Red meats
Food with a high oil content
Soda (both sugared and those with artificial coloring)
Foods high in sugar
Refined carbohydrates and flour products
Berries and cranberries
Fast food (those quick burgers, french fries, pizzas are loaded with chemicals, salt and sugar)
Foods containing MSG
Spicy foods
Tomatoes

Some people call the psoriasis diet a psoriasis sugar free diet because it recommends avoiding sugar, which is one of the major dietary contributors to chronic inflammatory skin problems.

Psoriasis and Diet - Eat More of These Foods

Psoriasis and diet and the relationship between the two has been researched and studied. The foods on this list have been helpful in reducing the symptoms and outbreaks of psoriasis, so include as many of these as possible in your diet.

It is recommended that you make dietary changes gradually so your body has time to adapt. If you move very quickly from a highly sugared and chemical laden diet, filled with refined food to a whole grain diet with lots of fruits and veggies, your body may go through a period of "detox" as it begins to release many of the toxins that have accumulated.

If this happens, you may see your skin problems temporarily worsen, and so it is best to go slowly, and to develop a good relationship with your body by taking not of what foods your body responds well to.

It is important also to be gentle with yourself and not obsess over eating the absolute right foods. Our bodies are complex and mysterious. Some people with psoriasis say that they can trigger an outbreak no matter how good they eat, simply by getting too stressed out.

Dark, green, leafy vegetables (fresh whenever possible)
An abundance of alkaline vegetables and fruits
Fiber supplements
Plenty of pure, clean water
Olive oil
Protein in small amounts – fish, chicken
Small amounts of whole grains
Cooling and alkaline foods

For more dietary tips on making gradual and long lasting changes to your diet, please see my free eBook Clear Any Skin Problem Naturally

More Psoriasis Diet Tips

Overall, psoriasis seems to respond best to a healthy, balanced diet. However, be sure to track your food intake and your symptoms to see if there might be a food not listed here that either helps or hinders your outbreaks. A food journal is an excellent tool for figuring out which foods are beneficial for improving skin conditions.

A skin cleansing and detoxifying regimen can also be helpful when treating psoriasis outbreaks. Options for cleansing the toxins and chemicals from your skin might include:

Dry skin brushing
Hydrotherapy
Steam and sauna treatments
Aromatherapy
Alternating hot and cold water "plunges" (very quick baths)
Using gentle botanical free hypoallergenic products which are free from the irritating chemicals or allergy producing plants that are present in most skin care products.

For more about why this is important please see our safe cosmetics page.

Drinking plenty of water and eating healthy foods in conjunction with these detoxification remedies will help even further reduce the possibility of a future skin rash.

Relaxation techniques are also a great way to reduce stress and in turn, help reduce your psoriasis outbreaks. Yoga, meditation, stress reducing exercises, stretching, and deep breathing are also wonderful ways to help you gain control over your symptoms (and really your life!)

Psoriasis and diet are undeniably connected, so why not try eliminating some of these trigger foods from your diet and see what happens?

It’s easy to make these small changes over time and the benefits of clearer skin would be well worth the small sacrifices you’re making in the area of food. The relaxation techniques will help reduce your stress, which is healthy in so many other ways in addition to preventing uncomfortable outbreaks!

Psoriasis and Diet - Natural Psoriasis Treatments

Even if medical treatments for psoriasis are not helping your condition, this does not mean that there is no hope for you.

Our bodies are amazing in their ability to heal, and sometimes they need a more natural approach that address the root of the problem.

One book I especially like that offers a natural approach to treating psoriasis is Psoriasis Free For Life by Katy Wilson. She shares the exact process that she used to free herself from the pain and embarassment of psoriasis. I hope you find this book helpful. Her readers "before" and "after" pictures are quite amazing!