Photo credit: Katherine Ung
Is psoriasis giving you a scaly, itchy time? Well you may be part of the 2-3% of the population that is suffering with this frustrating and recurring condition. If so then your skin will be erupting with inflamed, red, itchy patches covered with dry scales. Not pleasant and not comfortable.
Unfortunately for those of you already suffering with psoriasis, 5% of you will also have a condition called psoriatic arthritis meaning that your poor joints are also suffering and inflamed.
The good news is that there is a lot you can do to help these conditions so you can start feeling more comfortable in your own skin and joints soon.
I am going to share with you some simple tips that you can start including as part of your diet and lifestyle, starting right now.
1. Stay away from the pub
Photo by Elliott Brown
Alcohol is your ex best friend and has been making your body acidic and an acidic body is one that is prone to illness and disease. Beer in particular contains gluten which is causing inflammation in your gut and is making your psoriasis intolerable.
2. No cows allowed
Cow..maybe not the smartest one by Niels Linneberg
Dairy products are a common food intolerance that are infuriating your skin. Step away from the milk and cheese aisle or psoriasis may arrest you.
For more detailed information read “How to Resolve Food Intolerances”.
3. Get juicing!
Pulp Beet Carrot Cucumber juice by Food Thinkers.
No not that supermarket pasteurised stuff. Why would you want to drink boiled juices that have lost all their benefits? Make your own fresh vegetable juices each day such as carrot, beetroot, celery, parsley, coriander, cucumber, fennel and watercress.
Even better, do a 7 day vegetable juice fast in a supportive and nurturing environment. My first pick is Anne-Lise’s detox retreat in France.
4. Get Fat!
10 healthy fats by Next Twenty Eight
Yes the “food industry” has been scaring you all, telling porky pies that fats are bad for you.
What they haven’t clarified is that Trans-fats are your real enemy! So avoid fried foods, commercial chocolates, cakes, biscuits and cookies, margarine and non cold pressed vegetable and sunflower oils.
Instead dose up on Good Fats such as Krill oil, raw Coconut Oil, Chia seeds, Avocado and Hemp seeds and these awesome fats will help to soothe your skin lovingly.
5. Enjoy a serving of small, wild, oily Fish
Baked sardines by Alpha
Stick to small fish that haven’t had enough time or energy to swim around the oceans and seas eating up heavy metals and then passing them on to you.
Make sure your fish is cooked properly as raw fish (eg. In sushi/sashimi) contain parasites and we don’t want these opportunistic scavenger invaders living in your digestive tract, weakening your immune system and irritating your skin.
Sardines, mackerel, herrings and anchovies would be skin smoothingly good choices.
6. Eat your Greens
Green Vegetables by Martin Burns
Green means Go! So go and get yourself down to your local market today and buy some green vegetables. Chicory greens in particular will aid you in your mission to banish psoriasis.
7. Calm down, have some Tumeric
Tumeric by Melanie Cook
Tumeric will help you do just that with it’s anti inflammatory properties. Add fresh tumeric to your vegetable juice each day or stir up a yummy turmeric curry to help calm down your angry psoriasis.
8. Get some Sun
sun vs cloud by Aitoloakarnania
Time to ask the boss for some time off? Perhaps so. Sunbathing and getting enough Vitamin D is essential for healthy skin. So is a bit of R&R for that matter. That’s ‘rest and relaxation’ for you overworked, overstressed, adrenal fatigued pour souls out there.
9. Warning: Deadly Nightshades may cause Skin Rage
There’s more than one way to scratch an itch! by Marin
Are they deadly? Well some would say. So best to avoid the deadly nightshades if you are suffering with itchy or inflamed, scaly skin.
The deadly nightshades include potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and aubergines. Instead swap your ratatouille and potato roasties for leafy greens and some oh so comforting sweet potato, pumpkin and butternut squash.
10. When in Germany, eat Sauerkraut
Home made sauerkraut by mokapest
The Germans are on to a thing or two when it comes to sauerkraut. I would suggest eating fermented foods whether or not you are in Germany. Fermented foods are good for your bowels and good flora means good skin. Don’t be shy now, add some raw sauerkraut to your lunch and dinner.
11. Relax and Breathe
Stress is a huge factor in psoriasis. It’s important to take time out to work on practical ways to reduce stress such as EFT or Qi Gong or just taking regular strolls in leafy green parks for that matter.
12. Clean out your gut
Bowel cleansing
The gut is called your second brain after all and did you know that 95% of the body’s serotonin, which regulates digestion as well as mood, appetite and sleep patterns is actually produced in your gut? So a cleaner gut will literally keep you smiling! In addition good bacteria can grow in a cleaner colon and these little friends will help to look after your skin.
Home enemas can help and gravity colonics by a certified therapist will give a far deeper cleanse. Make sure your therapist practises gravity closed system colonics with fully disposable equipment for the best results.
13. Clean out your liver
Feeling angry and resentful? Your psoriasis seems to think so. Your liver and gallbladder store emotions of anger and resentment that may have built up over the years. Dumping negative emotions as well as old bile and gallstones will help to clear up your skin and mind. Liver and gallbladder flushing also ensures that parasites that are taking advantage of you and living inside your digestive tract, naturally diminish when you cleanse your liver and gallbladder. So let’s clean out these critters and create great skin.
Conclusion: Relax, Breathe and Alkalise
Now that you understand how important diet and lifestyle is to controlling and combating your psoriasis, do make sure you stay hydrated with daily, alkalising, cold pressed vegetable juices.
An alkalised body is one that is free of disease, vibrant and energetic and generating you healthy skin. Eat plenty of good fats with omega 3 such as chia seeds and small, wild, oily fish to soothe your skin and keep your bowel flora balanced with raw sauerkraut or kimchee. Chill out and make it your priority to take time out for a sunny holiday or walks in the park for sunshine rays and oodles of Vitamin D.
Inflammation in the gut is linked to inflammation in your skin so reduce inflammation with turmeric and eat your greens for vitamins and minerals. Vegetable fibre will keep your bowels moving and Colonics and liver and gallbladder cleansing will help you kick psoriasis to the sidelines as a happier liver and colon equals happier, chilled out skin.
