Have You Ever Wondered Why Psoriasis Patients Are Asked To keep track of Their Diet? 

Present days are so advanced that various treatments are available to manage Psoriasis, from skin ointments to medications that alter your immune system. But have you ever wondered that your food intake itself could impact Psoriasis and cause it to aggravate? And just by taking care of what you eat, you can keep Psoriasis at its bay.

Psoriasis affects approximately 125 million people around the world, which means 2-3% of the global population gets affected by some form of Psoriasis. Here you will get to know dedicated research on how to keep psoriasis flare-ups undisturbed.  

Psoriasis is a noncontagious autoimmune skin disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the skin cells(keratinocytes). When Psoriasis occurs, the skin cells tend to multiply ten times faster than the standard rate causing plaques to form up on the skin that can be red, scaly, itchy, and pain full. Psoriasis mainly affects the scalp, elbow, knees, and lower back. Psoriasis can sometimes develop due to hereditary factors. 
When struggling with Psoriasis, these are some conditions that can be visible. But what really affects is your food intake, as specific food items can increase inflammation and make psoriasis symptoms much worse.

There are several studies that are currently going on about how certain food items prompt an inflammation reaction. The research proposes that food items that are highly processed make our defence system weak and exhausted.

For example, fatty food items increase inflammation in adipose tissue, which is throughout our body. This fat tissue inflammation increases the risk of worsening Psoriasis. It is stated that obesity is a risk factor that causes and aggravates Psoriasis.

Various food items act as triggers for Psoriasis in some people. These food items cause inflammation due to the specific properties contained in them. If you are experiencing any flare-ups after consuming a certain food item, contact your doctor or an Ayurvedic Physician so that an appropriate diet can be recommended. Some of the food items that should be avoided to make sure Psoriasis doesn’t aggravate are as follows.

Consuming excessive alcohol overburdens the liver as it has to work more than usual to metabolize it. While metabolizing alcohol, the liver produces chemicals that can lead to long-term inflammation. Alcohol also damages the good bacteria in the stomach, leading to inflammation in your colon and intestines. 

Dairy products that are rich in fat, such as cheese and milk, are linked with inflammation that causes or aggravates Psoriasis. This occurs because milk products contain casein, a protein that can cause indigestion problems. Some people are even lactose intolerant as they do not have enough digestive enzyme lactase. Long-term gastrointestinal irritation from these conditions can cause severe inflammation. Some people have seen improvement after letting of dairy products from their diet.

Refined carbohydrates are made after using processing agents(white bread, pasta, pastries, and breakfast cereals). These carbohydrates increase the sugar levels in the blood, which promotes glycation end products, a substance in your blood that can cause inflammation.

Trans fat and saturated fat are unhealthy for consumption as they cause various ailments such as heart attack, strokes, cholesterol, and obesity. It can also cause inflammation and flare-ups when struggling with Psoriasis. The inflammation is caused because these fats increase the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood, which is also called bad cholesterol. Research has shown that excess fat in the body can cause the development of Psoriasis and even worsen it.  

Artificial sugar, which is found in soda, fruit juices, sweets, and baked food items, is the worst enemy of our body but not the sugar that is naturally present in fruits. This is because our body produces insulin to process the glucose that has been consumed in the form of manufactured sugar, and when there are higher levels of added sugar, our body stores the extra energy in fat cells, causing inflammation in the fat tissue. Food that has higher sugar levels can lead to inflammation due to an increase in an inflammatory protein called cytokines. 

Gluten is a bunch of proteins present in wheat and other similar grains such as rye, barley, and oats. Some people have sensitivity to gluten, and if you are struggling with Psoriasis, gluten can originate inflammation and worsen it by developing diarrhea, heartburn, stomach pain, and cramps. To know whether you are sensitive to gluten, consult a doctor or an Ayurvedic physician. 

As there are foods that trigger inflammation when struggling with Psoriasis, there are also foods that can help to combat inflammation. Generally, having a balanced diet and by not consuming inflammatory food items help to fight inflammation caused by Psoriasis. Less inflammatory food items can reduce flare-ups and make psoriasis symptoms less severe. Some of them are

Written By: Shijo V Thomas