Psoriasis is a chronic variant of dermatopathology, characterized by the formation of reddish-silver papular eruptions on various parts of the body. It forms most often in the age category of children, but can initially manifest itself after 20-35 years.
Causes of the event:
- metabolic disorders;
- pathology of the gastrointestinal tract;
- dysbiosis;
- chronic stressful situations;
- presence of negative habits, for example alcohol abuse.
Since the skin is a single giant organ, the appearance on it of various rashes, including those of a psoriatic nature, requires diagnostic studies and an integrated therapeutic approach.
Diet therapy is a significant factor on the way to getting rid of unsightly formations. The correct diet in combination with drug therapy are the main directions of modern methods of influencing the disease.
The most important thing that will need to be monitored while maintaining proper nutrition for psoriasis is to drink a sufficiently large amount of water per day, seven to ten glasses. The liquids used must be of high purity and, in case of consumption of juices, it is advisable to cook the freshly squeezed ones.
The basics of proper nutrition
Each person's body is unique, so a specialist must select a suitable diet in each case strictly individually - there is simply no single menu for all people with psoriasis.
The main task of diet therapy in identifying pathology is to maintain an adequate acid-base environment in the patient's body. The balance should lean in favor of an alkaline environment, as an acidic one only aggravates the course of the disease. Experts recommend including 2-4 times more alkaline foods in the diet.
Basic principles:
- eat fractionally - in small portions, 4-5 times a day;
- consume 2 - 2, 5 liters of liquids per day;
- adjust the diet so that the intestines are not overloaded;
- timely emptying of the intestines is the basis of health, carefully monitor the timeliness of the release of toxins;
- at the time of exacerbation of pathology, it is recommended to enrich the body with mineral acids and organic elements: no more than 20%, the rest should be alkaline products;
- maximum refusal of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products;
- reduce the amount of table salt in the diet;
- minimize the use of preservatives, emulsifiers, dyes, stabilizers and disintegrants;
- avoid as much as possible all citrus fruits in the diet - in addition to oranges, limes and grapefruit are also included in this subgroup;
- emphasis should be placed on the use of fermented cereals and dairy products, vegetable oils - but also in small quantities.
Compliance with the above principles helps to minimize the number of exacerbations of psoriasis, to achieve long periods of remission of the disease.
What should be discarded
During the consultation, the specialist will especially emphasize that you cannot eat with psoriasis. Diet therapy provides for the maximum rejection of the list of individual products, but necessarily involves a complete diet that provides the patient with all the nutrients.
What is recommended to refuse:
- Numerous studies conducted by specialists among people suffering from psoriatic rashes have convincingly shown that spices provoke an exacerbation of the disease. The maximum concentration of essential oils and aromatic elements in them is very harmful to people with dermatopathology - it leads to an itchy sensation on the skin, a debilitating burning sensation and an aggravation of the pathology.
- A variety of nuts has a similar negative effect on the skin. The most allergenic product is peanuts. It is advisable to avoid nuts in their pure form and in the form of various additives as much as possible. Peanut butter is completely removed from the diet.
- A variety of spicy, smoked and canned foods have a particularly irritating effect on the tissues of the intestinal loops. They irritate the mucosa and prevent proper nutrient processing and absorption. This is what leads to the appearance of new defects on the dermis - psoriatic plaques and scales.
- A significant percentage of essential oils toxic to psoriasis patients are also found in citrus peel. It is for this reason that experts recommend refusing to include in the diet not only the fruits themselves, but also their juices, since with the industrial production method it is squeezed without removing the zest.
- Inflammatory manifestations on the dermis can also be caused by arachidonic acid, which is saturated with meat. When compiling the menu, preference is given to white varieties, for example, turkey and rabbit meat.
- The most extreme limitation is imposed on grape-based alcoholic beverages. It is during their fermentation that aromatic compounds are formed that have the most negative effect on the state of the dermis. The liver structures also suffer, the filtration capacity of the organ generally decreases, toxins and toxins accumulate - psoriasis is exacerbated.
A well-designed diet also leads to the normalization of a person's weight; such a complication of psoriasis as arthritis can be far away for a long time if a person adheres to the basic nutritional recommendations received from a specialist during a consultation.
Approved products
The opinion of dermatologists around the world is unanimous: one should not rush to extremes and strictly limit oneself in nutrition. Before adjusting the diet, a specialist will perform a series of diagnostic procedures to identify the foods that affect the most negatively. Based on this, a decision will be made on what can be eaten with psoriasis for this particular person.
The following elements have a positive effect on the skin condition:
- a variety of unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. Natural antagonists of arachidonic acid, being in marine fish, have the best effect on the dermis;
- a variety of vegetables contain vitamins and caratins: they optimally affect the protective barriers of the human body, multiply the activity of immune structures, contribute to maximum resistance to negative external factors that can provoke an exacerbation of dermatopathology;
For those suffering from psoriatic rashes it is useful:
- add lecithin in the form of granules to the diet;
- replace coffee and coffee drinks with medicinal teas;
- eat more varieties of vegetables;
- drink freshly squeezed fruit juices more often;
- abandon the options of artificial flavors as much as possible - replace them with freshly grown herbs;
- it is useful to include in the diet fresh berries: gooseberries and viburnum, rowan and currants, blueberries;
- a variety of cereals will bring the greatest benefit: oatmeal, buckwheat, millet;
- sea fish should be on the table at least 4 - 5 times a week, but it is recommended to steam it;
- poultry dishes are allowed up to 3 - 4 times in the current week, carefully removing all the skin;
- milk and milk-based products are allowed only those in which a reduced content of fat and table salt is indicated;
- eggs should be soft-boiled - 3-4 times a week;
- of oils are acceptable: olive, cottonseed, corn.
Therefore, the psoriasis diet is based on the use of simple, varied and highly fortified foods.
Hunger
An indispensable condition for full-fledged diet therapy for psoriasis is the mandatory cleansing of the human body - curative fasting helps in this. A person is advised to select a day in his schedule, during which only the distilled liquid will enter her body.
The next day, vegetable salad is allowed at breakfast, the use of monastery tea and again following the compiled menu of the daily diet.
The result of healing fasting and careful observance will be maximum: after 20-35 days a person will feel a general improvement in well-being, the skin will be lightened faster.
Frequent fasting should not be practiced - stick to the golden mean: no more than 1 cleaning day per week. A variety of cleansing procedures are also prohibited, practiced in beauty salons, which only disrupt the natural balance in the intestinal loops and therefore suffer from psoriasis.
A clean and radiant skin is an achievable result, even with a diagnosis of psoriasis. The main thing is to adhere to diet therapy compiled individually by a specialist, in combination with medications, as needed.