Psoriasis Diet?: I am new to having... - Beyond Psoriasis

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Psoriasis Diet?

hbn25 profile image
7 Replies

I am new to having Psoriasis (only diagnosed in the last 3 months) and my GP is useless at helping me manage it and I have seen a dermatologist once for about 5 minutes a month ago and waiting for my next appointment where I am having a biopsy.

Has anyone had any luck with diet? I eat a lot of vegetables anyway and have researched into anti-inflammatory foods and been told it helps to cut down on alcohol, dairy and caffeine. These are my 3 favourite things so naturally I'm pretty miffed about it and someone recently mentioned in a post that it can be linked to gluten, which is another favourite of mine! Has anyone had any luck with reducing things in their diet and it having a positive effect?

Little bit of background: I have Psoriasis on most of my body. Started on my scalp then a month later pretty much covered my body, arms and legs. I've had multiple blood tests and been told my blood count, immune system etc is absolutely fine and also I have found when I have gotten stressed, it flares up all over my body just as it is starting to go down. I am using Dovobet, Eumovate, Diprosalic solution, Cocois ointment, coconut oil, and Alphosyl / T-Gel. Also tried HumanKind Organics shampoo but it makes my scalp tender and dried out but does stop the itching. I've tried Sudocreme on my scalp but just makes my hair clump up.

As I mentioned, I have no idea how I am supposed to be managing this as my only help so far has been this messaging board (Thank you HealthUnlocked) so tips, suggestions, warning and advise are welcome.

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hbn25
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roconnor profile image
roconnor

Buy a book called healing psoriasis on Amazon , I cleared my psoriasis by have no gluten , very Low sugar , lots garlic and leaks and apple cider vinegar ..

worth a try

marram profile image
marram in reply to roconnor

How severe was your Psoriasis? I have joined because my husband had had Psoriasis over his entire body since he was 20, he us now 67 and is suffering dreadfully with alll the stuff he has been given to control it, plus the medication to control the PA as well.

He does not respond very well to many of the things they have tried.

roconnor profile image
roconnor in reply to marram

Hi

Mine is not bad , it just covers a 6 inch by 3 inch patch on one leg .. anyway this has worked for me so why not try it , if it gets better please tell me

marram profile image
marram in reply to roconnor

Wow! My husband would consider himself cured with a patch like that. He is taking Hydroxycarbamide and it STILL covers his back, buttocks, thighs and lower belly, and ears and head, plus his feet and his nails are lifting right off the nail bed on his feet, I will have a look at that book. If it will help....

Paminoz profile image
Paminoz

I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The only thing that has ever made a significant difference to my psoriasis is change of diet. Have a look at Auto-Immune Paleo online. Sarah Bannatyne writes very well about it and has resources on her webpage you can access for free.

It is very restrictive indeed, but AIP is meant as a short-term option whereby you eliminate all potentially problematic foods. Once you see improvement, you can begin to reintroduce different food groups. I notice that you like caffeine, alcohol, dairy and gluten. The diet excludes these, and I found thar hard (I enjoy my food a lot!), but it does make you more creative and there are lots of recipes online for baked foods using flours such as tigernut, cassava or tapioca. Dairy, alcohol and caffeine are a no-no on AIP also, so you may find it easier to cut out one food group at a time. Good luck!!

Hi hbn25.

I think the main issue with endorsing any one approach to managing psoriasis is that it often comes and goes according to it's own incomprehensible pattern i.e. no pattern! So any sudden improvement could mistakenly be attributed to singing opera on the top of a double-decker bus or whatever.

My approach would be to go for the best lifestyle you can bear! And that could mean moderation rather than cutting things out. I know smoking is notoriously bad for psoriasis but I'm not so sure that there are many other 'definites'. Obviously binge drinking, eating way too much sugar, a serious caffeine habit etc. are no way to promote health, with or without psoriasis. (I'm not preaching, I've made every mistake in the book). And also I think many of us have a lacklustre diet, there's usually room for a much bigger intake of vegetables and summer salad season is a great time to address that, if necessary.

Whilst you obviously don't want to dry your scalp with perfumed or very astringent shampoos etc., psoriasis does come from within, it's an autoimmune condition, not an 'allergic' reaction to things that get on our skin. It could be that your dermatologist will consider drug therapy and if he or she does then that may well be worth considering, even though it can sound a bit scary at first.

andyswarbs profile image
andyswarbs

I have had psoriatic arthropathy for over 40 years. I started a whole food plant based diet Easter 2016 after it turned into awful rheumatoid arthritis a year earlier. January this year I was pain, inflammation and skin issue free. I stopped my last drug methotrexate in July and have not had any recurrence.

Addressing "hidden"s reply above, I believe tat I got to the root cause by the process I went through which was eliminating foods, bottom up (ie starting with minimal foods).

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