Using your diet to improve psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease involving inflammation of the skin, which takes the form of scaling and rashes. Above all, it usually occurs on the elbows, knees, scalp and hands, although it can appear on any area of the body.

This disease can be caused by numerous factors(poor diet, obesity, smoking, stress, etc.) that trigger a genetic predisposition, causing itchy skin, redness, dryness, scaling, etc.

There are various of treatments for this skin condition, ranging from the use of drugs and ointments to taking food supplements and following a specific diet. Today we are going to focus on the latter: using your diet to improve psoriasis.

Using your diet to improve psoriasis

To minimise flare-ups and stabilise the immune system, it is important to follow certain nutritional strategies and a specific diet, which can be supplemented with dietary supplements and probiotics.

The key is to base your diet on anti-inflammatory foods, as psoriasis is triggered by intestinal permeability processes, so it is important to cleanse and stimulate your digestive system at the hepatobiliary level and repopulate your microbiota (gut flora).

This diet should include eating foods that are rich in:

• Vitamin A (retinol): sweet potato, paprika, carrot, peppermint, etc.
• Beta-carotene: carrots, spinach, red peppers, apricots, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.
• Vitamin C: pineapple, oranges, lemons, broccoli, strawberries, kiwi fruits, etc.
• Vitamin D: tuna, mackerel, salmon, sardines, etc.
• Vitamin E: nuts, olive oil, seeds, asparagus, pumpkin, etc.
• Selenium: vegetables, cereals or seeds.
• Zinc: clams, chicken, turkey, pumpkin seeds, brewer’s yeast, cheese, etc.
• Polyphenols: beetroot, pomegranates, grapes, strawberries, olives, pulses, onions, garlic, tea, etc.
• Omega-3: mainly oily fish, nuts and olive oil.

These have powerful antioxidant properties, so they support skin repair and reduce inflammation.

It is also important to keep properly hydrated (drink at least 2 litres of water a day), spread your food intake over 4-6 meals, limit your salt intake, include fats, proteins and carbohydrates in all meals and take physical exercise.

It is equally important to avoid or reduce your intake of foods / any habits that can trigger psoriasis flare-ups, such as:

• Alcohol and smoking
• Red meat
• Sugar
• Processed (saturated and trans) fats
• Refined carbohydrates
• Fried foods
• Sausages
• Refined oils and margarines
• A sedentary lifestyle

Given all these recommendations, we can conclude that the Mediterranean diet could be very beneficial as it is based on: virgin olive oil, wholegrain cereals, pulses, fish, nuts, fruit and vegetables. So it can improve markers of vascular inflammation and also help to enhance the condition of your skin.

Taking food supplements that are high in natural polyphenolic antioxidants like Keriba Duo (which contains pomegranate and olive extracts and is high in punicalagins and hydroxytyrosol) helps to reduce psoriasis flare-ups and visibly improves their appearance, thanks to their anti-inflammatory, antipruritic and skin regenerating properties.