What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a long-term autoimmune disease that impacts on millions of people around the world. Despite its widespread presence, there are still many misconceptions about this disease. It is characterized by the formation of red, raised and scaly patches on the skin.

In this blog, we’ll delve into the causes, symptoms, prevention, and lifestyle changes, and offers a dietary approach to using food as a tool for healing that helps in effective management of psoriasis.

It is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that is characterized by accelerating growth of skin cells leads to the formation of red, raised, scaly patches on the skin. It can be itchy or sometimes painful results in scaling and inflammation of skin. Psoriasis may occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks its healthy skin cells causing inflammation and increased skin cell turnover.

Causes of Psoriasis

The exact cause of psoriasis is still unknown, but some factors are involved in its development, including environmental triggers, genetics, and immune system dysfunction. 

Several factors can trigger or worsen psoriasis, including certain infections, stress, and skin injuries like cuts, scrapes, or sunburn can trigger. Other than that, some medications and lifestyle factors including smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and obesity can lead to an increased risk of psoriasis.

Signs & Symptoms of Psoriasis

Its symptoms can vary widely among different individuals but commonly include, red, flaky, crusty patches covered with silvery scales, a burning sensation, nails that appear thicker, pitted, or rigid, and Joints that feel stiff & look swollen.

Types of Psoriasis

There are several types of psoriasis that includes,

Plaque Psoriasis: It is the most common type, causing red, dry, and raised skin lesions covered with silvery scales.

Guttate Psoriasis: It is small, dot-like lesions that develop early in in childhood.

Inverse Psoriasis: Found in body folds such as armpits and groin, causing smooth, red patches of skin. It causes smooth and red patches of skin, mostly found in body folds such as the groin and arm pits.

Pustular Psoriasis: It is characterized as white pustules covered by red skin and often found on hands and feet.

Erythrodermic Psoriasis: It is the most uncommon and severe type that results in a red, raised, peeling rash on the entire body.

Diagnosis

In psoriasis, the main affected areas are skin, nails, and joints so the healthcare provider will look for signs on skin and ask the patient about the symptoms and triggers.

In some cases, a skin biopsy may be recommended by a physician physician for diagnosis.

Prevention

There is no permanent solution/cure for psoriasis but the symptoms can be managed by several treatments that can enhance the quality of a person’s life.

Treatment

The Following solutions can help in its management:

Topical treatments: Tropical treatment involves the direct application on the skin and for this corticosteroids, salicylic acid and, analogues of vitamin D are most often used to slow down skin cell turnover.

Phototherapy: A rarely discussed way of reducing the symptoms of psoriasis could be the exposure of skin to ultraviolet rays that can help by suppressing the growth of skin cells.

Immunosuppressants: Immunosuppressants helps in treating moderate to severe cases with large affected body areas by suppressing the immune system, which includes methotrexate, cyclosporine, and apremilast.

Leaky gut and psoriasis

Psoriasis can lead to a leaky gut that results in increased intestinal permeability that leads the harmful bacterial substances to get into the bloodstream which ends up in aggravating psoriatic lesions by provoking the immune system.

Nutritional Approach for Managing Psoriasis

Following are some specific dietary factors that assist in managing psoriasis by improving gut health.

Zinc: It decreases cell growth and suppresses inflammatory pathways.

Selenium: Selenium is an antioxidant that helps regulate immune system and control psoriasis being getting worse.

Vitamin B12: This vitamin conserves intestinal permeability and controls systemic inflammation.

Fiber: It also helps to ease the symptoms by protecting gut health.

Glutamine: Aids in reducing intestinal permeability by maintaining the integrity of the gut.

What to eat?

• Add a lot of fruits and vegetables to the psoriasis diet
• Add more fiber
• Consume food rich in omega-3 fatty acids
• Add yogurt, and kefir that contain probiotics contribute to the management of psoriasis by maintaining gut health.
• We should emphasize the importance of the usage of premium quality ingredients that are clear of harmful toxicants.

What to avoid?

• Avoid consumption of red meat
• Eliminate food excessive in saturated fat and sugar
• Avoid enriched and preserved food
• Quit smoking and alcohol

Coping strategies for Psoriasis

The Best tip of surviving with psoriasis is to modify lifestyle along with therapeutics.

• Moisturize Regularly: The Best way to lessen the scaling of skin and stop the skin getting drier is to keep moisturizing it.
• Avoid Triggers: Avoid the stuff that provokes the symptoms.
• Practice Stress Management: Practice the techniques that lower the stress in the body e.g. yoga, meditation, and deep breathing that may help.
• Supportive Therapies: There should be stress coping strategies so the one with psoriasis can have emphatic space.

Conclusion:

Living with psoriasis is such a difficult condition but it can be managed through proper dietary and lifestyle modification by eating nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory foods, individuals can take proactive steps toward improving their condition and overall well-being.

The book “Psoriasis” is a valuable resource for anyone looking to manage psoriasis through diet and lifestyle changes. The recipes and meal plan provided in it are delicious, practical and, designed to incorporate the key nutrients. Each recipe is sugar-free, dairy-free and, gluten-free which aim to prevent and treat the symptoms of psoriasis and promote good health. 

References

Kanda, N., Hoashi, T., & Saeki, H. (2020). Nutrition and psoriasis. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(15), 5405.

Garbicz, J., Całyniuk, B., Górski, M., Buczkowska, M., Piecuch, M., Kulik, A., & Rozentryt, P. (2021). Nutritional therapy in persons suffering from psoriasis. Nutrients, 14(1), 119.

Musumeci, M. L., Nasca, M. R., Boscaglia, S., & Micali, G. (2022). The role of lifestyle and nutrition in psoriasis: Current status of knowledge and interventions. Dermatologic Therapy, 35(9), e15685.

Muzumdar, S., & Rothe, M. J. (2022). Nutrition and psoriasis. Clinics in Dermatology, 40(2), 128-134.

Constantin, C., Surcel, M., Munteanu, A., & Neagu, M. (2023). Insights into nutritional strategies in psoriasis. Nutrients, 15(16), 3528.