Diet and Psoriasis

Since psoriasis (according to numerous observations) may be the result of an energy unbalance and the main source of energy for the body is food products containing fats and carbohydrates, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of foods containing fats and carbohydrates.

Psoriasis diet must have a sufficient energy-value in the contents of fats and carbohydrates.

• It is necessary to try to individualize for each persons food products and beverages, which cause them allergic reactions, and to limit or to completely exclude their consumption.
• It is desirable to increase the number of meals, simultaneously reducing the size of a meal.
• It is important to consume predominantly fresh, boiled, baked, or stewed foods.
• It is necessary to limit or to completely exclude spicy foods, spices, seasonings (mustard, horseradish etc), smoked products, red meat, bouillons and sauces with preservatives etc.
• It is desirable to considerably reduce the consumption of salt and salty products.
• During the flare-up of psoriasis it is recommended to undergo days of a so called "unloading diet"
• It is necessary to limit to a minimum the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• It is desirable to reduce to a minimum the consumption of products containing sugar (candies, jams, honey etc.). The content of easily digested carbohydrates must not exceed physiological norms. In some cases it is a good idea to substitute sugar with natural sugar substitutes.

The thing is that not all sugar substitutes are natural, many of them are synthetic - the so called artificial sweeteners. Some people have an allergy or sensitivity to the sucralose molecule (an often ingredient in the artificial sweeteners). In those people the use of these sweeteners may cause various side-effects including skin rashes/flushing, panic-like agitation, dizziness and numbness, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, and stomach pain. A really prolonged study (more than half a year) of the artificial sweeteners has not yet been conducted and therefore we do not know how the artificial sweeteners affect the rest of us...

Back to carbohydrates - with the decrease of the easily digested carbohydrates the ability of tissues to detain liquid is reduced, and inflammatory processes also weaken, which is great for people with psoriasis.

Special attention must be focused on the consumption of vegetable oils etc. products, in which there are polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eating sufficient amounts of products with polyunsaturated fatty acids is very important with psoriasis, since polyunsaturated fatty acids form in the body biologically active materials (including woven hormones prostaglandins - hormone-like substances that play a part in inflammation and produce pain - which play the role of the regulators of biological processes), render antipyretic (reducing body temperature) and anti-allergic actions, favorably affect the state of skin (since they enter the compositions of cellular membranes) and the walls of blood vessels, and regulate metabolism ( sum total of all processes in the body and its cells, such as when foods are turned into energy, tissue, and waste products) (in particular, metabolism (sum total of all processes in the body and its cells, such as when foods are turned into energy, tissue, and waste products) of the fat in the liver, the metabolism (sum total of all processes in the body and its cells, such as when foods are turned into energy, tissue, and waste products) of a number of vitamins etc.). All this can somewhat decrease the penetration of the allergenic substances through the walls of the intestines, and therefore to reduce psoriasis manifestations.

People with psoriasis may benefit from periodic cleaning of their liver. Good liver function is very important as it participates in the lipid metabolism (sum total of all processes in the body and its cells, such as when foods are turned into energy, tissue, and waste products). Regular emptying of the bowels (pooping) also has a great significance. With the tendency toward constipations they include into the diet the products with a high content of food fibers and with anti-constipation action (salads with vegetable oils etc.). Food fibers possess other important properties: they stimulate metabolism (sum total of all processes in the body and its cells, such as when foods are turned into energy, tissue, and waste products), and they maintain the balance of minerals in the body.

With psoriasis there is often noted an imbalance of vitamins and minerals. Therefore it is important to remember about the inclusion in the diet of the products, rich in the following vitamins: Vitamin E (vegetable oils), Vitamin C (sweetbrier, sweet pepper, currants), Vitamin A - Beta-Carotin (liver, butter, sweet pepper, fish products), the B Group Vitamins (beef liver, croup buckwheat), as well as bioflavonoids - extremely powerful antioxidant (currants, citrus fruits).

Special value has vitamins of the antioxidant group, which support health of the skin and nails. Antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals (chemical compounds that can damage and oxidize cells), they strengthen the walls of vessels, they are important for the synthesis of collagen (natural protein found in the connective tissues that supports the skin) and elastin (stretchable protein found in connective tissue).

B group Vitamins participate in all cellular processes and also help to maintain healthy skin. Furthermore, B Group Vitamins have a good influence on the state of the nervous system, which is very important with psoriasis.

Intensive multiplication of skin cells and their incomplete ripening is typical for psoriasis. It was discovered, that the cells of the upper layer of the skin (keratinocytes - skin cells that make up 95% of the outer layer of skin and synthesize keratin) have high sensitivity to Vitamin D. At present they successfully use medicines with Vitamin D for psoriasis treatment. Medicines with Vitamin D act through the keratinocytes receptors and lead to strengthening of their differentiation and thus normalize the development of the epidermis (outer layer of skin).

The diet of a person with psoriasis should be enriched by products containing Calcium (cheese, milk etc.), which render anti-allergic and antipyretic (reducing body temperature) actions. With psoriasis it is important to introduce with food such micro-elements as zinc. The production of protein depends on zinc, and protein is necessary for the healing of wounds, as well as it increases the immunity and the antioxidant protection.

Diet must also contain products, which normalize lipid metabolism, which contain valuable proteins, and lipotropic (promote the export of fat from the liver) substances: buckwheat grains, cottage cheese, vegetables, fruits, berries and juices made of them.

If the bowels and other secretor systems, (lungs, kidneys) do not keep up with their own functions, than the skin takes it on itself acting as the secretor function. The quality of blood is tightly connected with the work of the gastrointestinal tract (quality and quantity of bacteria and enzymes necessary for digestion, presence of pathogenic flora - staphylococcus etc.). If the quality of blood is lower than standard, then there may develop skin diseases and allergic pathologies such as eczema, dermatitis etc. If both factors coincide, then there arises such a chronic system disease as psoriasis. Therefore it makes sense to start treatment of any skin disease with regulating the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

Different dermatologist indicated the expediency of limiting the consumption of certain foods, including a vegetarian diet for many months and even years in order to improve psoriasis. Many dermatologists propose in particular a diet with the limitation of animal fats.

However, the results are contradictory. Certain positive results were noted with limitation of salt, spices, and carbohydrates. It is also expedient to develop an individual diet depending on the stage of psoriasis and the presence of associated diseases and complications (arthritis, erythroderma etc.).

In the progressive stage of psoriasis for about 2-3 weeks there may be prescribed a diet, which ensures maximum rest of the digestive system, liver and intestines. The fats should be limited to 70-75 g. With dyspeptic phenomena (nausea, inflation, constipation, diarrheas etc.), the fats are decreased to 50 g. Diet in this case should be enriched by products containing valuable proteins and lipotropic (promote the export of fat from the liver) substances - i.e. milk, cottage cheese, as well as vitamins (vegetables, fruits, berries and juices). The content of easily digested carbohydrates (sugar, honey, jam) should not exceed the physiologically needed amount. It makes sense to have 1-2 "unloading" days per weak. Such diet seems to contribute to reconstruction of metabolism and the moving out of the fat from its depots.

Unloading days are also used for the purpose for the creation of rest for an overly excited pancreas.

It is also desirable to enrich your diet with sea products (sea kale, squids). Sea products give especially good results with Coronary Atherosclerosis (ischemic heart disease), and with the tendency for constipation. Products with wheat bran are also very good.

Possible to try a fruit-vegetable diet:

1. 1st breakfast: herbal or fruit tea; salad with lettuce, fresh cabbage, carrots and apples with 10 g of vegetable oil;
2. 2nd breakfast: vegetable puree; 100 ml of fresh fruit juice.
3. Dinner: 250 g of vegetarian soup; vegetable salad with 10 g of sour cream or vegetable oil and 100 g of nuts.
4. Lunch: shredded carrots or beetroot; herbal or fruit tea.
5. Supper: vegetable salad with 10 g of vegetable oil; 200 ml of boiled fruits juice. Salt-free bread made of coarse flour - 100 g per day, sugar or natural sweetener - 30 g per day.

In a number of cases psoriasis leads to the development of arthrosis and polyarthritis. With sufficient changes in joints (joint pain, their increase in size etc.) good effect is render by a diet with the decrease of carbohydrates to 200-250 g (i.e 30 g of sugar) per day, limitation of proteins to 70-80 g per day and decreasing the content of liquids to 1 L per day. Food in such diet should be cooked without salt, and only 3-5 g of salt may be consumed throughout the whole day. Such diet should also be enriched by vitamins in fruits and vegetables and their juices. There should be 6 food intakes per day. There should be an increase in the consumption of valuable proteins and products with the lipotropic (promotes or encourages the export of fat from the liver) substances (cottage cheese, lean meat, fish, sea products, and liver). A quantity of carbohydrates should be reduced (especially sugar). Buckwheat and oat porridges are also very good. Refractory fats such as beef tallow should be excluded. There should be an increased content of potassium (dried apricots, raisins, prunes, fresh vegetables, fruits).

With sub-acute psoriatic polyarthritis it may be useful to have unloading days with eating only fresh vegetables and/or fruits. It is necessary to avoid large meals, and to exclude fatty meat, smoked foods, spices, spicy hors d oeuvres, and puff-pastries. It is better to eat small portions of food 5-6 times a day in order to decrease appetite. This can be achieved by eating between the main meals low-calorie products, in essence fresh vegetables and fruits: cabbage, carrots, turnip, rutabaga, apples etc.

Any alcoholic beverages - beer, wine etc - should be eliminated. Even drinking in small amounts worsens the state of the neutralizing function of the liver and negatively affects the nervous system.

With psoriasis at an elderly age and associated with Atherosclerosis, it may be recommended a diet with limitation of food products which excite the nervous system, stomach, and liver: strong tea and coffee, salt, cholesterol. Simultaneously there should be an increase in the dietary sources of vitamins, especially Vitamin C, as well as potassium, magnesium, iodine, coarse fibers (cellulose tissue, pectins etc.).

With the presence of excessive weight, considerably decrease consumption of sugar and wheat bread. Animal fats in this case should be substituted by vegetable oils. Content of proteins should be at the level of the physiological standards (80-100 g.), 50-55% of which - animal proteins such as skimmed dairy products, fish, sea products.

With psoriasis there often is noted associated chronic gastritis with the increased secretion of digestive juices. With the flare-up of gastritis it may be used diets that give a rest to the stomach, accelerate the emptying of stomach and bowels, and reduce secretion of digestive juices. Food in this case may be in semi-fluid form, puree and paste-like form. Food is first boiled in water and then shredded. Exclude fried, stewed and baked foods; exclude meat, fish and mushroom bouillons and sauces, spicy and salt hors d oeuvres, sour and marinated vegetables and fruits, smoked foods, spices and spicy vegetables, acid fruits, sodas, coffee, and ice cream.

It is good to include into the diet: soups with grounded grains and milk; soups with boiled shredded vegetables; boiled meat in the form of a cutlet or grounded mass (cutlet, souffle etc.), boiled fish; soft-boiled eggs, steamed omelettes; whole milk, cream, fresh sour cream and cottage cheese; porridges with manna, rice, buckwheat and oat grains, puddings made of porridges, boiled pasta, boiled and mashed potatoes, carrots, beetroot, cauliflower, pumpkin; baked apples, ripe sweet fruits, weak tea with milk or cream; not salty butter and vegetable refined oils; slightly dried wheat bread, toasts, dry pastry.It should be done with 5-6 meals a day with smaller portions. 1-2 months after the disappearance of the symptoms of the functional hyper-secretion of digestive juices it is recommended to gradually expand the diet with pieces of boiled meat, boiled vegetables, wholegrain porridges, wholegrain soups with vegetables, once a week - meat or fish bouillon.