I have had psoriasis for over four years now, and have read so many books on the subject over that time period.  I have gone from someone who didn’t even know what psoriasis was at the beginning of 2007 to somewhat of an expert on the condition today.  Most of the books I have read agree that people with psoriasis need to make some lifestyle changes.  However, I have a problem with some of the books and their diet recommendations – they are too strict. I don’t mean they are necessarily too strict for me, or for you, but for the majority of Americans, the diet is too limiting for them to follow long-term.  I think it should be obvious to us all by now that most people can’t stick with things they start.  Just look at the facts – over 80% of Americans give up on their New Year’s goals before February is even up.  That is why I think it is crazy to assume that people are going to be able to follow a super-strict diet.  Since I have seen firsthand how hard it is for many people to change drastically, I thought it would be a better idea to introduce some easy-to-implement diet changes that people can follow to help their psoriasis.

Foods to Avoid

I truly believe that the food items and drinks we avoid are more important to helping our psoriasis than the foods we are adding into our diet.  We all know how bad processed foods are for us.  Since we are trying to heal inside our bodies, we need to stay away from as much junk food as we can.  I have read that citrus foods (lemons, limes) can cause some psoriasis sufferers to have a reaction, but I have not personally experienced this.  Tomato products seem to have an adverse effect on my psoriasis.  Whenever I eat pizza or pasta sauce, my skin feels hotter and my scalp gets worse.  It is important to take note of what you eat and how your skin responds, since what aggravates psoriasis in one person might not affect another.

Alcohol is easily the worst thing for many people’s psoriasis.  I was in college when I first found out I had psoriasis, so it was pretty hard to balance the social life and staying healthy.  If I would have too much alcohol, my skin would be very hot the next morning, and the psoriasis would usually spread.  I realized pretty quickly that the only way to avoid this was to abstain from alcohol.  Even a couple drinks will cause my skin to breakout.  If you MUST have a drink when you are out, make it a white wine.

Soda and other high sugar fruit drinks should be avoided as well.  Our immune system plays a huge role in keeping psoriasis in check.  Sugar impairs immune system function, and since we need our immune system to be at optimal level to keep our skin clear, it is extremely important to not over-do it with sugar consumption.

Foods to Add to Your Diet

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for so many functions in our body.   They are related to our brain and heart health, memory, and muscle and joint health. Studies have shown that a large percentage of our society is deficient in Omega 3′s.  Therefore, it is vital for people with psoriasis to eat walnuts and flaxseed, as well as fish such as salmon and tuna, since they are loaded with Omega 3′s.  It should come as no surprise that green, leafy vegetables are nutrient-dense and should be something you eat every single day.  I have heard people complain, saying “I don’t like the taste of vegetables”.  Well, tough luck, but you absolutely need to include them in your diet if you want your psoriasis to improve.  Some of my favorite vegetables are mushrooms, cucumbers, carrots, and broccoli.

Fruit is also incredibly important for psoriasis sufferers to have in their diet.  Apricots and mangoes are always at the top of my shopping list, since they are high in beta carotene.  The body turns beta carotene into Vitamin A, which is promotes healthy skin.  I love apples and oranges as well, since they are so convenient to carry around as snacks.  It really doesn’t matter which fruits you get, as long as you strive to include more in your daily diet.  I try to eat at least four different fruits every day.

While fruits and vegetables should be the focal point of your diet, there are tons of other things to include.  I eat rice and beans three to four times a week;  it is filling and healthy.  I also eat tofu and tempeh quite often when I am trying to eat less meat.  Green tea has an absurd number of different health benefits;  I include it in my diet even though I don’t exactly love the taste.  There are so many other teas out there that are supposed to be great for psoriasis, try a few and see how you like them,

I think it is important to make small changes in your diet gradually.  You are just setting yourself up for failure if you try to implement dozens of new changes overnight.  Start by adding two items and taking two bad items out, and then do the same thing again when you are ready for it.  It takes willpower to stick with new eating habits, but there is no reason you can’t do it.  Soon you will start looking and feeling better, and your psoriasis will be vastly improved.

Author: This Guestpost was submitted by Brian K. For more information on Psoriasis, please visit his site www.battlingpsoriasis.com.

Psoriasis Diet Guide: A Healthy Diet for Psoriasis Sufferers, 5.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings

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