Psoriasis can be a very troublesome, even painful, skin disease. In order to combat the condition and its symptoms, many people opt to subscribe to a psoriasis diet. Such a psoriasis treatment is generally focused around a gluten-free diet high in vegetables, fruits, and proteins.
Diet modification to treat psoriasis has gluten-free eating at its center. Avoiding gluten has proven to be effective in treating the anti-glidadin condition, celiac disease, which produces antibodies in response to gluten, as well as its symptoms, such as dermatitis herpetiformis, or skin breakouts. The pustules in these breakouts are very similar to psoriasis.
Because of this success, as well as the presence of anti-glidian antibodies found in many people with psoriasis, a gluten-free lifestyle may help prevent psoriasis symptoms from occurring. Some studies indicate that psoriasis conditions can at least improve with this type of diet. A variant of psoriasis, known as palmo-plantar pustulosis, has also shown signs of improvement when treated with the diet.
Other psoriasis diet alterations have not proven to be as successful. Some people have tried fish oil to combat the illness, which has yet to yield any known benefits. Like most other conditions, a general health diet filled with fresh vegetables and fruits, olive oil, healthy low-fat protein, and fiber has been recommended to treat psoriasis as well. Though this diet is considered beneficial and healthful for most people, it has shown only slight benefits, if any, in terms of treating psoriasis.
Avoiding certain foods is another psoriasis diet treatment for the skin disease. Red meat, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods are often reduced or completely avoided when treating psoriasis with diet. As with most other dietary changes, while this practice yields many health benefits, it has not been proven to specifically treat psoriasis.
The reasoning behind the psoriasis diet is considered to be largely sensible. Many doctors often prescribe dietary and lifestyle changes to treat a multitude of conditions, from obesity to cancer. The success of eating a special diet to treat psoriasis, however, has yet to be scientifically substantiated. Since the cause of psoriasis is not entirely known, a completely successful treatment has proven to be elusive.
Healthy options for managing psoriasis are not limited to a special psoriasis diet. Avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight can help make such chronic conditions more bearable. Drinking plenty of water may also help, as can reducing the stress in one's life. Some patients may find that they have certain psoriasis trigger foods, such as acidic foods and soft drinks. By avoiding these a patient can often better manage his or her disease.