Diet for Psoriasis: Foods to Avoid & Foods to Include in Your Daily Diet for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a non-contagious skin condition which causes the skin cells to form layers, thus resulting out into scaly and itchy dry patches. This condition often occurs on elbows, knees and scalp. It is one such skin health hazard, which most physicians have deemed as incurable. But, science is a never ending journey and there have been studies that have shown that if a person follows healthy diet, by excluding foods that elevate this skin condition from their daily diet, psoriasis can be controlled. It has also been found that obesity has a direct link to an increased risk of psoriatic disease.

So, to keep away from psoriasis, here are some foods you should include or avoid in your daily diet.

Psoriasis is categorized under the group of inflammatory diseases. So consuming anti-inflammatory food items can benefit people suffering from this skin condition. Many individuals have been seen responding well to psoriasis treatment by following a restorative diet. Here are some foods to avoid when suffering from psoriasis or other skin inflammations:-

Vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes and peppers are known to worsen psoriasis and that is why it is recommended to cut off these vegetables from your diet as soon as you see the symptoms of psoriasis.

Other food items that induce inflammation are fatty red meats, full-fat dairy products, processed foods and fatty foods.

Other than these vegetables, refined sugars are harmful if you have symptoms of psoriasis as it further increases the rate of inflammation on the skin.

Some people claim that including dairy products in their diet induces skin inflammation or worsens their psoriasis. Yet, it is not necessary to completely stay away from dairy products unless you have lactose intolerance.

Alcohol and psoriasis are not directly associated, but staying away from alcohol certainly makes a good difference on people skin. Study states, non–alcoholic patients respond well to their treatment when compared to an alcoholic patient. If you stop consuming alcohol you can find a good difference in the rate of healing of psoriasis. Be cautious and stay away from alcohol when you are on medication such as acitretin and methotrexate.

The studies regarding psoriasis state that consuming anti-inflammatory foods help in speeding up the recovery process as psoriasis is a type of inflammatory skin condition. One needs to take foods that are rich in vitamin E, vitamin c, beta-carotene, selenium and fatty acid. Following are the various types of food that should be a part of your healthful diet plan to treat psoriasis, efficiently:-

Fish containing omega 3 helps in reducing the inflammation and builds up your immune system. Psoriasis is also associated with heart attack and therefore the fish varieties like salmon, mackerel, sardines and albacore tuna reduce the possibility of getting a heart attack as well as lead to speedy healing of the skin suffering from psoriasis.

Certain vegetables like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and broccoli contain anti-inflammatory property and therefore are recommended for subjects suffering from psoriasis.

Rather than fatty red meat, try including lean meat in your diet for psoriasis because fats in the red meat increase the inflammatory effect in the body.

Citrus fruits and vegetables like blueberries, strawberries, figs, and mangoesare rich in vitamin C are ideal for patients to include in their diet for psoriasis.

Fats like saturated fats and trans-fats tend to increase the inflammatory effect in the body. So try to consume more polyunsaturated fats in order to heal psoriasis efficiently. They are found in nuts and seeds like walnuts, soybeans oil, flaxseed, and avocados. Fats from the sources like nuts, seeds and olive oil are best to have during psoriasis.

Herbs that are rich in anti-oxidant like cumin, thyme, ginger and sage are very essential anti-inflammatory food items for healing psoriasis.

Grains like barley, wheat and rye are gluten rich foods. Many scholars claim that psoriasis gets better if you take gluten-free foods but this has not been scientifically proved.

Experts claim that maintaining proper weight is vital for the treatment of psoriasis. One can achieve it by following a healthy diet which encompasses fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy products.

Stay away from processed foods, refined sugars, saturated fats, trans saturated fats and full-fat dairy products. If you are a non-vegetarian then choose lean meat, poultry, fish and eggs instead of fatty red mean

• Choose fish like albacore tuna, mackerel, salmon, herring and lake trout because they are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
• Limit or avoid taking processed foods, full-fat dairy and saturated fat.
• Take small meals at frequent intervals.
• Increase the portion of vegetables and pulses on your plate
• Watch your plate and keep track of the nutritional values of the food you eat.
• Do not skip breakfast. If you do so, you will be starve and end up taking unhealthy food during the day.
• Opt for boiled or steamed food over fried and processed foods.
• Include more fish, lean meat and poultry in your diet.
• Limit the intake of alcohol. If possible completely avoid it.
• Increase the portion of fruits on your plate
• Add more whole grains to your diet
• Include food sources that are rich in polyunsaturated fats

A consistent approach involving a healthy diet and a lifestyle shall help you in healing psoriasis soon. Always remember the fact that every cloud has a silver lining.

It has been scientifically proven that heart attack and stroke are associated with psoriasis. If your body weight is more, then you have higher chances of developing psoriasis. Though anyone can suffer from psoriasis however obese people have a higher rate of getting psoriasis. Fat cells in your body secrete a certain type of protein called as cytokines which triggers inflammation and thus increases the chances of Psoriasis. So you can make your skin happy by shedding few pounds of weight. You can lose weight by changing your diet strategy. Below are the tips to shed few pounds:-

• Eat small meals at frequent intervals
• Stay away from fat and carbohydrates
• Take more fruits and veggies.

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• Eczema Vs Psoriasis: Differences Worth Knowing
• What is Plaque Psoriasis & How is it Treated?
• Guttate Psoriasis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prognosis, Diagnosis
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