The phrase “heartbreak of psoriasis” is an accurate description of the life of many people with psoriasis. The rash of psoriasis alone can greatly impact a person’s quality of life. The irritation, soreness, pain, burning sensation, and bleeding can at times become almost unbearable.
There is also the emotional aspect of psoriasis. Studies have shown that people with psoriasis have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and anger. In one study, 75 percent of participants reported that psoriasis undermined their confidence and decreased their quality of life.
Psoriasis [sore-EYE-ah-sis] is a non-contagious chronic skin condition that causes skin cells to grow too quickly. This overgrowth of cells results in thick, white, silver, or red patches of skin that typically occur on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, or lower back.
According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7.5 million Americans suffer from psoriasis. The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but many scientists believe that the immune system plays a major role in its development. For that reason, psoriasis is categorized as an autoimmune disease.
Autoimmune disease is often referred to as the ‘disease that causes the body to attack itself.’ Although the causes of most autoimmune diseases are unknown, researchers suspect that a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors may contribute to a person’s risk of developing these diseases.
The immune system, like most of the body, requires balance to function properly. T-helper 1 (Th1) cells and T-helper 2 (Th2) cells help regulate the body’s response to foreign invaders. Th1 cells use white blood cells to go after viruses and cancer cells. Th2 cells use antibodies to go after bacteria.
Normally, the body strikes a balance by switching back and forth between Th1 and Th2. In a person with an autoimmune disorder such as psoriasis, one dominates and suppresses the other. Things known to disrupt the Th1/Th2 balance include: trans fats, mercury and other heavy metals, sugar and processed foods, alcohol, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, and stress.
Both Th1 and Th2 cells make a protein substance known as cytokines. Cytokines are a necessary part of our immunity. Their role is to produce inflammation as a temporary response to injury or infection. It is the overproduction of certain small cytokine molecules that leads to the invasion and inflammation of an organ or body system.
In the brain, too many cytokines can cause behavioral changes. They can either prompt or worsen depression, anxiety, or anorexia and may cause a person to become withdrawn. Overproduction of cytokines creates fatigue and interferes with sleep patterns. Cytokines are also responsible for what has been termed “brain fog.” Cytokines play a major role in making your psoriasis symptoms better or worse. The good news is cytokine production can, for the most part, be controlled through proper nutrition.
Nutrition and Psoriasis
Your diet plays a major role in activating or suppressing cytokine production. This cannot be stressed enough, as cytokines are either making your psoriasis symptoms better or worse. Nearly everything you allow to pass through your lips will have a negative or positive consequence on your psoriasis condition.
As your body metabolizes food, beverages, dietary supplements or medications, it sends a signal to your immune system instructing it to increase or decrease inflammation. The following are groups of foods that send a signal to your body to produce more inflammatory cytokines. Remember, higher cytokine production equals an increase in psoriasis symptoms.
Most Meat: Most meat, especially red meat, can produce an intolerable number of cytokines and bring on psoriasis symptoms. The way that meat is prepared also makes a difference. Charbroiled and grilled meats of any kind are much worse for you and should be completely avoided. People with psoriasis should also avoid prepared meats, sausages, pre-spiced meats, most cold cuts and pâtés.
Fish is the exception to the meat rule. Fish does not raise cytokine levels. It actually decreases them. The problem is that much of our fish is contaminated with toxic mercury. Unless you are sure that your fish source is mercury-free, you should limit your fish intake to two 4-ounce servings per week and supplement with mercury-free fish oil supplements instead.
Milk: Besides increasing cytokine production, milk can aggravate autoimmune symptoms because of its casein content. When the protein of another animal is introduced into the human body, the immune system responds with an allergic reaction. Casein is a milk protein and eating it causes your body to produce histamines, which results in increased inflammation and excess mucus production.
Coffee: Caffeine is a toxic chemical whose purpose in plant life is to act as an insecticide. In humans, caffeine suppresses the enzymes needed for memory making. It also raises blood sugar and insulin levels, which causes cytokine production and leads to inflammation.
The Nightshade Family: You may be surprised to hear someone tell you to not eat your vegetables, but in the case of psoriasis, certain vegetables may worsen your symptoms. Vegetables in the nightshade family include white potatoes, tomatoes, all peppers, cherries, tobacco, and eggplants. Research indicates these vegetables produce pain and inflammation in certain individuals. The only way to know if nightshade vegetables affect your psoriasis is to avoid them for a period of several weeks, then reintroduce them into your diet.
Egg Yolks: Egg yolks are high in arachidonic acid — the same substance that makes meats so inflammatory. If you are going to eat eggs, you should only eat the whites. On a food label, eggs are listed as albumin, globulin, ovamucin, or vitellin.
Gluten: Gluten is a component of grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and rye. Besides being inflammatory, studies show that many people with psoriasis are allergic to gluten. Experts suggest complete avoidance of gluten for at least one month to see if benefits occur.
Corn, Corn Oil, Corn Syrup (Fructose): Corn and its by-products, promote cytokine production. People with psoriasis should avoid corn, corn meal, corn oil, corn syrup and all other corn by-products. Fructose from corn syrup inhibits copper metabolism and decreases mineral availability; two factors in autoimmune disease. Fructose also breaks down into a substance that weakens your body’s natural anti-inflammatory molecules. Additionally, the body does not metabolize fructose the same as other sugars and converts it to fat more than any other sugar.
Sugar: Sugar makes it more difficult for your body to absorb vitamins and minerals; a major contributor to the cause of autoimmune disease. Sugar also suppresses immune function, leaving us open to infection. Just eight tablespoons of sugar, which is the equivalent to the sugar in less than one 12-ounce soft drink, can reduce the ability of your immune system to kill germs by up to 40 percent.
White Flour: White flour contains alloxan, which is the chemical used to make flour look clean and white. Alloxan causes free radical damage to the DNA in the pancreas and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells. Alloxan is so potent that researchers who study diabetes use it to give diabetes to lab animals. While not everyone who eats white flour will get diabetes, it is clear that alloxan causes diabetes in those genetically susceptible to the disease.
Spices and Condiments: Certain spices and condiments are known to cause inflammation within the body. Spices to avoid include: pepper, cloves, cumin, anise, cinnamon, paprika, mustard, pimento, nutmeg, candied orange, lemon peel, and curry. Condiments to avoid include: commercial mayonnaise, ketchup, Tabasco sauce, bouillon cubes and gravies, wine, vinegar, and herb vinegar.
Processed and Junk Foods: If you are a simple carbohydrate lover, the next sentence is going to be painful. If you want to get rid of cytokine inflammation, you must give up processed foods. This list includes most breakfast cereals, muffins, breads, crackers, cookies, and doughnuts. While it may be painful to read, these foods are responsible for a great deal of the pain you are experiencing and may very well be responsible for psoriasis outbreaks. Isn’t it worth giving them up for 4 to 6 weeks to see what benefits may develop?
Alcohol: Not only is alcohol pro-inflammatory, it breaks down into a toxin called aldehyde. Aldehyde accumulates in the brain, spinal cord, joints, muscles and tissues, where it causes muscle weakness, irritation and pain. Alcohol may be a trigger factor in psoriasis. In tests, alcohol consumption in people who developed psoriasis was twice that of control groups without the disease.
What on Earth Can I Eat?
While it may appear that you must avoid everything on the planet, there really are many foods you can eat. Foods that are healing, nourishing and anti-inflammatory include:
Vegetables: Anti-inflammatory vegetables include: artichokes, beans (green, wax or Italian), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, greens (collard, mustard, turnip and kale), cauliflower, leeks, okra, onions, spinach, summer squash, turnips, water chestnuts, wax beans and zucchini.
Carrots, apricots, mangoes, and green leafy vegetables are high in beta carotene. The body converts beta carotene into vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin. Research has revealed that people who eat large amounts of these foods have less risk of psoriasis than those who have low intakes. This could be due to the vitamin C, beta carotene, and other antioxidants present, which improve the strength of the immune system.
Grains: Amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa are three grains with multiple health benefits. Amaranth can be cooked as a cereal, ground into flour, popped like popcorn, sprouted, or toasted. Amaranth seeds can be added to soups or stews as a nutrient dense thickening agent. Amaranth flour is gluten-free and can be used to make pastas and baked goods.
Buckwheat is a grain that promotes cardiovascular health. It has a rich supply of flavonoids that offer protection against disease. Buckwheat is energizing and nutritious and can be served as an alternative to rice or made into porridge.
Quinoa is known as a “super grain” because not only is it high in protein, the protein it supplies is a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa provides an abundant supply of the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. When cooked, quinoa has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor.
Meats: Skinless, boneless chicken, water-packed tuna and oily fish are meats that decrease cytokine production. It is highly recommended to purchase organic meats and seek out “mercury-free” fish whenever possible. If you are unable to locate mercury-free fish, limit your consumption to no more than two four-ounce servings per week.
Oily fish contain the omega-3 fatty acid known as eicosapentanoic acid (EPA). Studies have found that people with chronic psoriasis who consumed 150 grams of oily fish per day were able to reduce the use of steroidal creams without experiencing a decline in their condition. Good sources of oily fish include: salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna (fresh only), anchovies, swordfish, carp and orange roughy.
Seeds and Nuts: Consumption of seeds and nuts should be limited to one ounce per day. This is equal to approximately 12 whole almonds or one tablespoon of sesame or sunflower seeds. Flax seeds are a valuable source of omega-3 fatty acids and may have a similar effect to oily fish.
The red, itchy patches of psoriasis often respond to the essential fatty acids in seeds and nuts, which have anti-inflammatory actions and overall skin-soothing properties. People with psoriasis generally see an improvement in their symptoms when adding seeds and nuts to their diet, due to the essential fatty acids present in them.
It’s important to note that Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans and peanuts may worsen psoriasis symptoms and should be avoided by those who suffer from the disease. If you simply cannot give up these nuts, try eliminating them from your diet for 4 to 6 weeks, and then reintroduce them to determine how they affect you.
Fruit: Consume fresh fruit instead of canned, and choose organic whenever possible. The vast majority of commercial fruit is sprayed with toxic chemicals, many of which cannot be washed off. Additionally, fruits imported from other countries may be sprayed with chemicals that have been banned in the U.S., but permitted in other countries. These man-made toxins promote inflammation and cause the liver to work overtime in its attempt to remove them from the body.
Some experts recommend that people with psoriasis avoid citrus fruits (grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange), fruit peels, orange marmalade, and prepared or concentrated citrus fruit juices. To determine if citrus fruits affect your psoriasis, eliminate them from your diet for 4 to 6 weeks, than reintroduce them to see if they affect your psoriasis.
Digestive Enzymes: Last, but not least, it is important to understand that if your food is cooked instead of raw, you must supplement with digestive enzymes. Enzymes are proteins and without them your body can do almost nothing.
The pancreas and other glands produce digestive enzymes. They are also present in raw foods. Although the body can manufacture digestive enzymes, it is strained to produce enough if we are not getting them from our food sources, or if the food is not chewed properly.
Unfortunately, cooking and processing foods destroys enzymes and most people only chew their food about 25 percent of the amount that is required. Hydrochloric acid (HCL), also known as stomach acid, is ineffective at breaking down food that hasn’t been chewed properly. To add to the problem, 50 percent of people with psoriasis don’t have enough HCL in their stomachs in the first place. Digestive enzymes, taken with each meal, are a good idea for everyone. For people with psoriasis, they are a necessity. Digestive enzymes can be found at health food stores.
While it may seem overwhelming to eliminate inflammatory foods from your diet; it is recommended that you make changes gradually. Start by eliminating the worst offenders first; i.e.; red meat and processed foods. Keep a food journal and record your results. As you begin to understand which foods make your psoriasis symptoms better and which foods make them worse, it will become easier to develop a diet that works for you.
Sources:
National Institutes of Health – http://www.nih.gov
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine – http://nccam.nih.gov
Autoimmune Disease Master List – http://healthydivas.com/autoimmune_disease_list.html
