Treating Psoriasis with home natural remedies. Foods and habits to avoid.

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a recurring autoimmune disease characterized by red, itchy and flaky patches built up on the skin. The areas usually affected are the elbows, knees and scalp. 

Albeit affecting your skin direct, psoriasis actually starts deep inside your body in the immune system.

It comes from your T-cells, a type of white blood cell. These cells function to protect the body from infection and disease. However, when these cells mistakenly become active and set off other immune responses, it can lead to the symptoms of psoriasis.

Although there cure is yet to be found by modern medicine, many treatments exist to ease the psoriasis symptoms. 

Please bear in mind that no matter what treatment you'd find for external use, the symptoms will persevere if you forget to address the internal causes. One of the theories connects psoriasis with the leaky gut syndrome. This is when your gut lining walls are penetrated easily with food particles activating your T-cells on a find-and-kill mission which results in the gut inflammation.

So what are the 10 ways to manage mild symptoms of psoriasis from the comfort of your home?

1. Take dietary supplements

Dietary supplements may definitely help ease psoriasis symptoms when applied internally.

Fish oil, vitamin D3, milk thistle, aloe vera, Oregon grape, and evening primrose oil supplements have all been reported to help ease mild symptoms of psoriasis, according to my personal experience and as suggested by the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Please ensure to consult your doctor before taking any supplements as combining them with other health conditions you may have or medicines you're taking may increase the risk factor. 

2. Prevent dry skin

Simply use a humidifier to keep the air in your house or office moist. This can certainly be a helpful preventative remedy to help your skin not to start getting dry.

Sensitive skin natural moisturizers are also useful at keeping your skin soft and temporary preventing skin plaques from the unpleasant overgrowth.

3. Avoid fragrances

Most of our soaps, shampoos and perfumes have dyes and other toxic chemicals in them that may irritate your skin. Indeed they would make you smell great, but they also could inflame your condition of psoriasis.

If possible, try to avoid such products or choose those with “sensitive skin” and "organic" labels. Here's a therapeutic and Anti-Dandruff Shampoo to get long-lasting relief from itching and flaking natural ingredients shampoo that helps gently removing flaky scalp.

4. Eat healthy foods

From my personal experience, diet has proven to play a major role in managing psoriasis.

Eliminating red meat, soy products, glutenous bread and pasta, dairy products and fatty snacks may help reduce psoriasis flare-ups triggered by such foods. 

The following foods can be helpful for managing psoriasis symptoms:

• Cold water fish,
• most seeds (chia, sunflower, pumpkin etc.)
• certain nuts (avoid peanuts - they're not nuts but a fungus)
• omega-3 fatty acids are well known for their ability to reduce inflammation.

Organic olive oil may also have soothing benefits when applied topically to the skin. Try massaging a few tablespoons on your scalp to help loosen troublesome plaques during your next shower.

5. Soak your body

Who would've thought I would say this but this is my favourite treatment as it combines visual benefits with prolonged relaxation effect. Despite hot water being an irritant for psoriasis affected skin, a lukewarm bath with Epsom salt, mineral oil, coconut milk, or olive oil can soothe the itching skin and help shed scales and plaques build ups.

Moisturize your skin immediately after your bath for double benefits.

6. Get some UV light exposure

Light therapy involves exposing your skin to ultraviolet light (UV light) under the supervision of a medical practitioner.

The UV light can help mediate the overgrowth of skin cells triggered by psoriasis. This kind of therapy often requires consistent and frequent sessions.

Please beware that regular sunlight tanning beds aren’t a means of achieving UV light therapy. Exposure to too much sunlight can actually worsen psoriasis. In particular, the countries where the ozone layer has shrunk so much there's a hole in the atmosphere allowing extreme levels of UV light radiation ie. Australia. 

Ensure UV light therapy is always done under the supervision of a doctor.

7. Reduce stress. Stay calm. 

Any chronic condition like psoriasis can be a significant source of mental and body stress. However, this can often become a vicious cycle because stress itself can and will worsen psoriasis symptoms. 

Individuals working in stressful industries like hospitality and customer service particularly are in the hazard zone. 

Whatever means you choose to utilise to reducing stress whenever possible, I recommend incorporating stress-reducing practices such as yoga and meditation.

8. Avoid alcohol

Alcohol consumption is a definite trigger for many psoriasis affected people.

A scientific study in 2015 found an increased risk of psoriasis among women who drank moderate alcohol strength beer. Those who drank at least 5 units of alcoholic beverages per week had nearly a likelihood to develop psoriasis doubled when compared to women who didn’t drink alcohol.

9. "Turmerify" yourself!

Native plants and herbs are commonly used to treat many conditions. Turmeric has been found to help minimize psoriasis flare-ups. Take it in a pill or supplement form, or powder sprinkled on your food. It has potent anti-inflammatory agents that help soothe the irritated walls of the gut lining in the digestive tract

You may wish to ask your doctor about the potential benefits for you. However, FDA-approved dosage of turmeric is 1.5 to 3.0 grams per day.

10. Quit smoking

Tobacco containing products will exacerbate your body reaction to psoriasis.  Besides, smoking is linked to an increased risk of psoriasis.

Besides, if you already have psoriasis, having a ciggie can also make your symptoms more severe.

VERDICT

From trying on every one of the ten remedies I've concluded that there isn’t a single answer for keeping the symptoms of psoriasis at bay. What would work for one person may not totally work for another.

Some of the treatment options may and could have negative side effects for preexisting conditions other than psoriasis.

Remember that while these home remedies for psoriasis may help with mild cases, elimination diet, detoxification and deep cleansing therapies are required for more severe cases.

PS: So happy you've read the article and hope you'd found it useful. Please leave a comment answering the question on what are your own way of keeping psoriasis condition at bay?