Although there are a few dietary changes for psoriasis there are 2 key dietary changes for psoriasis that we think are worth highlighting. Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition where the person suffering gets issues with scaling and plaque formation on the skin. Most forms of treatment are medical and involve drug therapy or repeated exposure to UV light to assist in vitamin D formation.
The most common form of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis and it affects 80% to 90% of sufferers.
Other types of psoriasis include pustular, guttate, inverse, and erythrodermic, and these are characterised by slightly different forms of lesions on different areas of the body.
Plaque psoriasis is characterised by inflammation of the dermal layer of the skin (the middle layer that appears red) and a rapidly increased turnover in skin cells in the epidermal layer of the skin (the top layer, which appears as a white/silvery scaly plaque layer). Psoriasis can be very itchy but also painful and commonly presents on the back of the elbows and front of the knees.
Psoriasis has also been linked to other disorders or syndromes involving the body’s metabolism of various compounds.
It is also known that the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and the accompaniment of stress, influence the development of psoriasis.
So what naturopathic treatment and dietary changes for Psoriasis can be provided to help?
Dietary changes for Psoriasis: Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and receptors for this are present in the skin cells. The binding of Vitamin D can help to lower the inflammation and the rapid reproduction of the skin cells. There are few food sources that contain Vitamin D, but those that do include fish liver oil and fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna. Vitamin D is also gained from exposure to sunlight.
Dietary changes for Psoriasis: Omega 3 fatty acids
This is known as essential fatty acid and the body is unable to synthesise this on its own. Omega 3 fatty acids have a variety of anti-inflammatory and immune-blocking effects. Dietary sources of omega 3 fatty acids can be found in salmon, tuna, halibut, herring, flaxseeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, soybeans, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Author: Lucy Georgiou
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