Constant itching! How your diet and your gut can improve psoriasis

Jane is a client who came to me with lots of symptoms. She had digestive issues, struggled to maintain a healthy weight, and had regular headaches. She was frustrated by the weight and wanted help to create the best eating plan for weight loss. She didn't even mention, at first, that she had been diagnosed with Psoriasis. She was taking medication and it was currently moderately under control. But she had gotten so used to the symptoms that she didn't even really think of it as something related to her digestive upset and weight challenges. And, of course, didn't think about coming to a Dietitian for a skin disorder. She saw her dermatologist for that. 

Psoriasis seems like a skin disorder. And it is, but also, it is an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune disorders occur when your body attacks it's own tissues, causing damage. Environmental triggers contribute to the development of autoimmunity and diet can play a big role. 

Evidence suggests that the health of your gut may play a significant role in the development of autoimmunity. Your diet will support the health of your gut, or it won't. When you can nourish well, like Jane learned to do, you can heal your gut and eliminate your symptoms. 

What is Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease in which inflammation results in skin cells growing on overdrive. The natural shedding of skin doesn’t happen at the same rate as this rapid growth, so instead of the old skin cells sloughing off, thick flaky patches form. Flare-ups can be the result of logical triggers: your body wants to naturally heal scrapes, cuts, and itchy skin (like from dryness or bug bites), but due to haywire immune system signaling, your cells overdo it. Other triggers don’t have as clear direct connections. Suffering from any illness (strep throat, for example) which causes inflammation in other parts of your body can also cause a psoriasis onset.

Many people with psoriasis also have serious diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. In a study published in a 2014 Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology issue, researchers found that among people with higher BMIs, there is a higher prevalence and severity of psoriasis. The study further indicated that individuals who are overweight or obese could reduce triggers by losing weight. It is evident that for sufferers of psoriasis, their overall health picture could be improved by creating the best eating plan for them. 

Change your diet to change your health

For those who want to take steps towards improving their health through diet, it is important to first remember that diet doesn’t just refer to a temporary change in eating habits. When we talk about eating a nutritious diet, we are talking about making long-term changes to our overall lifestyle. In addition, the right diet for you may be different from others. There are good places to start to increase the nutrition in your diet. But if you do not experience improved health, consider other triggers such as food sensitivities or environmental exposures. 

Where can you get started? Begin by using a journal or an app to track what you eat. While you are logging what you eat, also log why you eat. Are you actually hungry? Or are you bored? Stressed? By doing this gut check, you are bringing awareness to your current habits. This will help you to best identify what eating habits you need to change.

Start by limiting foods that actually cause or increase inflammation, such as fatty red meats, dairy, refined sugar, excess salt, and alcohol.

Emphasize foods that are high in nutritious vitamins that improve your overall immunity, such as fruits and vegetables. Try to eat the full rainbow: red (berries), orange (oranges, carrots), yellow (summer squash, mangoes), green (spinach, broccoli), blue (blueberries), and purple (cabbage, figs).

Include low-fat proteins, such as poultry, fish, and beans. Avoid frying the foods, as this introduces unhealthy fats to the food. Instead, consider baking or broiling them.

Finally, introduce foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to reduce inflammation. These include cold-water fish (such as albacore tuna, herring, lake trout, mackerel, and salmon); flaxseeds; olive oil; and walnuts.

Making a lifestyle change can be daunting, but we can help! Get in touch today to learn more about how we can help you prevent and minimize psoriasis flare-ups with a nutritious diet.