Nutrition for Psoriasis: Sweet Potatoes

By Alaina Falk

Do you enjoy sweet potatoes? Did you know they’re a super food that contain many nutritional benefits? 'The World's Healthiest Foods' list numerous benefits of incorporating sweet potatoes into your diet. Some of these health benefits include increasing your antioxidant intake, consuming more anti-inflammatory nutrients, and even regulating your blood sugar. That doesn’t even include all of the vitamins and minerals contained in these root vegetables. According to the Cleveland Clinic, sweet potatoes provide 400 percent of your daily vitamin A dose!
Sweet potatoes often appear on Thanksgiving menus and for other holiday celebrations, but it’s time for them to be in the spotlight! Eating them regularly can be beneficial for your health.
Enjoy baked or roasted sweet potatoes, use them instead of rice under curried dishes, or mash them for a delicious side. Whether you like them savoury or a little sweeter (try honey or maple syrup for natural sweeteners), include sweet potatoes in your weekly menu plan.
Here’s a simple and delicious sweet potato and black bean soup shared with permission from The Cooks Next Door.

SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN SOUP
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 c. peeled and diced sweet potato
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
1 28-oz. can diced tomato
1 15-oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
Heat oil in the bottom of a large pot. Add onion and sauté until slightly translucent. Add sweet potato and continue to cook for five minutes or so. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt and cook another minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. Makes four to six servings.

http://psoriasisnewstoday.com/2016/10/28/nutrition-for-psoriasis-sweet-potatoes/

Erectile Dysfunction and Psoriasis: Could There Be a Link?

By John Dugan

Few things are as worrisome to a man as erectile dysfunction. Despite the fact that many men experience some erectile dysfunction at some point in their lives, it's a topic that is not openly discussed, even among friends. Many myths and much misinformation therefore exists around this topic, which makes evidence-based information on this penis care matter that much more valuable. Interestingly, a recent study has raised the possibility that there could be a link between psoriasis and erectile dysfunction.

The study
Published online in the International Journal of Impotence Research, the study looked at 191 men with psoriasis and 191 men without psoriasis. (Psoriasis is a skin condition characterized by red, itchy patches on the skin.) When the scientists crunched their numbers, they found that almost 53% of men with psoriasis also had erectile dysfunction, compared to about 40% of men without psoriasis who also had erectile dysfunction. Further, of those men with erectile issues, those with psoriasis were more likely to classify the erectile issues as severe. The authors thus determined that the data suggest that men with psoriasis are significantly more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than those without the skin condition.
What does it mean?
Does this study mean that psoriasis is a cause of erectile dysfunction? Though this study was not designed to definitively answer that question, the likely answer is no, psoriasis is not a cause.
That doesn't mean, however, that there's not a link between them, as the study found. It means that the factors which actually cause psoriasis are probably not responsible for a man's inability to obtain or maintain an erection. Instead, it suggests that other characteristics shared by people with psoriasis may be contributing factors to the dysfunction issue.
Other factors
For example, many people with psoriasis also have other conditions which are also linked to erectile dysfunction. These include diabetes, cardiovascular issues, hypertension and obesity. Each of these conditions is often associated with diminished blood flow throughout the body - including blood flow to the penis. And as most penis owners know, erections are dependent upon an influx of blood to the penis both to initiate and to sustain them.
In addition, many men with psoriasis in the study also reported experiencing feelings of anxiety and/or depression, as well as low self-esteem. All of these issues can have a severe impact on a person's sex drive, which in turn can lead to pronounced erectile issues. These psychologically-based factors may be even more pronounced when psoriasis occurs on or near the penis itself. This can lead to a man feeling ashamed of or embarrassed by his penile appearance; this in turn makes him less likely to want to engage in sex.
Psoriasis
So in short, psoriasis does not appear to be a major physiological cause of erectile dysfunction, but it can be an indicator of potential dysfunction. It also demonstrates again that erectile dysfunction can be a signal of other health conditions, some of which (such as hypertension, diabetes, etc.) a man may not be aware. So if a man has recurring erectile dysfunction, a good physical check-up is recommended to search for causes - many of which can and need to be treated.
While psoriasis is not a direct cause of erectile dysfunction, its appearance on the penis can be disheartening. Getting it treated by a doctor is essential, as is regularly applying a top notch penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) to help keep the skin and the penis itself healthy. A crème with vitamin D is especially helpful; psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder, and vitamin D contributes to healthy immune function. If the crème also includes L-arginine, so much the better; this amino acid helps blood vessels to dilate, which in turn allows a proper flow of blood into and out of the penis. And a really good penis health crème will simply make the organ look and feel healthier.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Erectile-Dysfunction-and-Psoriasis:-Could-There-Be-a-Link?&id=9521252