The list of prohibited foods for psoriasis includes table salt. Its consumption is limited, since it not only irritates the digestive tract, but also "attracts" water, contributing to the appearance of latent edema, weight gain and aggravation of pathological processes in the metabolism.
Spices and spicy dishes are excluded, which, in addition to adversely affecting the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system, negatively affect the skin (aromatic substances and essential oils), provoke itching and inflammatory reactions in the skin.
Digestible carbohydrates (sugar, honey, sweets, etc. ) also cause inflammation and also contribute to weight gain. It is necessary to exclude products containing preservatives, dyes, stabilizers and flavor enhancers: they cause allergic and inflammatory reactions.
You should refrain from eating fatty foods, which aggravate lipid metabolism disorders, "add" extra pounds, "inhibit" the work of the digestive tract.
List of prohibited products:
- pastries, especially fresh, white bread, butter biscuits;
- rich meat soups;
- fatty meats (especially pork), lard, sausages;
- smoked fish, meat, canned food;
- seasonings (garlic, horseradish, vinegar, pepper, cloves, nutmeg);
- fatty dairy products;
- citrus fruits (controversial issue, some nutritionists welcome them, others forbid them);
- seafood (lobster, crab, shrimp, mussels, oysters);
- highly allergenic fruits and berries (strawberry, pineapple, melon, strawberry, blueberry, mango, cranberry);
- vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, squash, legumes, aubergines, peppers);
- coffee, cocoa, chocolate;
- protein and butter creams, jams, honey, sweets;
- nuts, especially roasted and salted;
- eggs;
- easily digestible cereals (semolina, barley);
- offal.
The need to follow a diet
A patient who follows a psoriasis diet will soon notice a significant improvement in the condition of the skin, a decrease in the frequency of relapses and the disappearance of itching and discomfort. In addition, nutritional therapy helps normalize weight and digestive functioning, improves the appearance of hair and nails, and stimulates the immune system.
Why you need a psoriasis diet
After eating the food, complex biochemical processes are activated to break it down and assimilate it. The pH in the body depends on the composition of the food. When proteins are metabolized in tomatoes, eggplants, meat and fish, the environment becomes acidic. This is what often predisposes to the next recurrence of psoriasis. Therefore, the elimination of these products will help to avoid the appearance on the skin of the characteristic pink plaques covered with silvery scales. Compliance with a diet for a long time leads to a significant improvement in the body. How does this happen:
- metabolism is normalized;
- increases the body's immunity to the effects of external and internal negative factors;
- sleep quality improves, vitality increases, apathy and fatigue disappear.
There is a certain allergic component in the pathogenesis (mechanism) of the development of psoriasis. Its symptoms are also similar to typical signs of sensitization: the skin becomes inflamed, irritated and rashes form. Therefore it is advisable to exclude foods that cause allergies from the diet. For example chocolate, strawberries, citrus fruits.
Healthy foods
For psoriasis, any fermented milk product is useful, but only low in fat. Nutritionists recommend that patients more often use soft cheeses without spices, varenet, fermented cooked milk, yogurt, kefir. The diet of children should definitely include cottage cheese and yogurt to drink without dyes and flavors. In addition, the following products should be present in the weekly menu:
- boiled eggs or omelettes;
- lean meats - turkey, rabbit, chicken breast, lamb;
- fatty fish - salmon, Norwegian herring, sardines;
- dried wholemeal bread;
- cereal porridge - buckwheat, millet, wheat, corn;
- salads of white cabbage, parsley beets, dressed with any vegetable oil;
- zucchini, vegetables and celery roots, carrots.
Food does not have to be fried or deep fried. They should be boiled in a little water or in the oven. Steamed vegetables, meat or fish retain the maximum possible amount of nutrients, macro and microelements, fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins.
Nutritionists recommend eating fruits and nuts as a dessert. Especially useful is the daily use of figs, dried apricots, pineapples, grapes, cherries, peaches, dates. Of the citrus fruits only grapefruit is allowed. The dense peel of the fruit must be cut off. Don't forget the nuts (walnuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts), pumpkin and sunflower seeds. They perfectly alkaline the body, minimizing the risk of psoriasis recurrence.
Basic nutritional guidelines
Goals following a psoriasis diet are:
- reduce the number of exacerbations of the disease;
- reduction in the frequency and intensity of skin rashes;
- normalization of metabolism;
- stimulation of the body's defenses;
- improve the work of the digestive tract.
According to the classification, the psoriasis diet does not have "its own table, " which means that one should adhere to the general diet or treatment table number 15.
In case of exacerbation of the disease for several days, a low-calorie diet with past food is recommended. Its daily energy value is 1800 kilocalories, protein content - 50-70 grams, fat - no more than 40-60 grams, carbohydrates - about 250-300 grams. The exclusion of allergenic foods is also shown.
Each person's body is individual and therefore there are no clear restrictions on the consumption of a particular food. There are many dietary methods developed for psoriasis, the most famous of which are the Pegano diet and the Fire diet. They are similar in that they try to regulate the acid-base balance in the body to stabilize the disease. That is, it is recommended to consume up to 70% of the daily diet of alkali-forming products and about 30% of acid-forming products.
General principles of a psoriasis diet:
- drink liquids; Free fluid intake should be no less than 2-2. 5 liters per day. Drinking plenty of fluids removes toxins from the body, normalizes kidney function, prevents the development of constipation and increases skin turgor.
- weight; Excess body weight indicates a profound metabolic disorder, especially lipids and carbohydrates. It is important to normalize weight, not overeat and exercise, as obesity destroys the digestive tract and cardiovascular system. Normalization of weight improves the condition of the skin, as the content of C-reactive protein in the blood decreases, which increases with obesity.