Learning About Psoriasis

Though we do not see it, the skin is constantly in action, shedding away its old cells and replacing them with brand new ones.

In some people though, that process becomes accelerated, resulting in too many new skin cells being pushed up top, which in turn leads to a condition called psoriasis, and it manifests itself in the form of small and thick skin patches that can appear anywhere on the body, but mostly arms and legs.

Though it is not contagious, painful or itchy for most people, in 15% to 20% of cases the condition does become debilitating with the onset of joint pain and inflammation. It affects men and women equally and typically manifests itself between the ages of ten and thirty.

We are not a hundred percent sure yet, but a number of factors contribute to the development of psoriasis, with the most important ones being one’s genetic predisposition and diet. As you can guess, though fighting the condition may be an uphill battle, there are ways you can make the climb easier, and one of them is making sure that you are eating the best foods you can to destroy psoriasis.

Using Foods to Help

There is still some research to be done on the subject, we know without a doubt that a diet rich in antioxidants (mainly gotten from fruits and vegetables) is one of the best ways of ensuring that you have a healthy and functional skin. Also, foods with plenty of vitamin C can help to protect your skin against radical damage caused by the environment, not to mention it contains a fair amount of antioxidants as well.

In addition, people with psoriasis are commonly observed to have low levels of vitamin A, zinc and selenium, meaning you should definitely try to cram some of them into your daily diet. You may also want to increase your beta-carotene intake as it is converted to vitamin A in the body.

Omega-3 fatty acids can also help with psoriasis, mainly by reducing the inflammation which may accompany it. As a matter of fact, a study demonstrated that people who have higher levels of leukotrienes (an inflammatory agent) are more likely to develop psoriasis, and you can get rid of most of them with the above-mentioned fatty acids.

Finally, it ought to be mentioned that even though further studies on the subject are necessary, so far it was observed that patients who have a gluten-free diet and are not overweight have an easier time getting rid of the condition.

To conclude, psoriasis may not be the worst condition you could get out there (far from it), but it is unsightly and if left untreated, it can end up making your daily life something akin to a real nightmare. Having the right diet is the first step on the road to recovery from it, and if you are lucky and dedicated enough, it may very well be the last one as well.