From eatingwell.com
Skin-health pros share simple tips for managing psoriasis with a healthy diet
KEY POINTS
- Diet alone won’t cure psoriasis, but an anti-inflammatory diet can help to lessen symptoms.
- Foods like fatty fish, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables should be included into most meals.
- Added sugars, ultra-processed foods and alcohol can trigger flare-ups and should be limited.
Having a psoriasis diagnosis can leave you with lots of questions, including whether changing your diet can provide relief from scaly, itchy spots. Everyone is unique, so working with a health care provider is critical to managing this condition. That said, nutrition can certainly play a role in psoriasis management.
“Psoriasis is driven by inflammation, so while food isn’t a cure, an anti-inflammatory eating pattern may help support overall symptom management,” says Samaria Garrett, M.S., RDN. Foods rich in omega-3s and antioxidants—like fatty fish, colourful fruits and veggies, nuts and beans—can help counter the inflammatory response that leads to redness, burning, itching or irritation. Here’s how an anti-inflammatory lifestyle can help reduce the risk of pesky flare-ups, plus practical insights for adopting a psoriasis-friendly diet.
Start with an Anti-Inflammatory Mindset
Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that happens when your immune system attacks its own skin cells, causing them to multiply too quickly. This overproduction of skin cells leads to the trademark scaly psoriasis patches. “One of the main underlying factors in psoriasis is inflammation, and our dietary pattern is a major factor in the levels of inflammation in the body,” says Kellie Blake, RDN, LD, IFNCP.
Eating plenty of anti-inflammatory foods is one piece of the psoriasis-management puzzle. “Eating more nutrient-dense foods can help support the body’s natural defences, reduce overall inflammation and improve other conditions that often occur alongside psoriasis, such as cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance,” says Garrett. Specifically, it’s best to incorporate foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, prebiotics and probiotics, as these help counter inflammation and support gut health. “I encourage my psoriasis clients to focus on fibre-rich foods at every meal to promote healthy gut microbiome balance as well as the healthy elimination of toxins through stool,” says Blake.
Foods to Eat More Often
Curious what those anti-inflammatory and psoriasis-friendly foods are? Both experts and research recommend eating these foods more often if you have psoriasis:
- Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines that are rich in omega-3s and vitamin E.
- Colourful fruits and vegetables like spinach, kale and berries that are full of antioxidants.
- Legumes like beans, chickpeas and lentils with anti-inflammatory peptides.
- Nuts and seeds like flaxseed, almonds and chia seeds that are rich in heart-healthy fats, antioxidants and soluble fibre.
- Herbs and spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic and cinnamon with bioactive compounds like curcumin, gingerol and polyphenols.
- Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut that are rich in gut-healthy probiotics.
Eating a variety of these foods daily ensures you get plenty of fibre, probiotics, healthy fats and prebiotics to combat inflammation. “Fibre-rich eating patterns support gut health, which is important because emerging research suggests a strong gut-skin connection in inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis,” says Garrett. These foods are also full of antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C and carotenoids, which are linked with lower risk of psoriasis.
Foods to Limit
Everyone’s triggers are different, but the following foods are more likely to cause a psoriasis flare-up:
- High-added-sugar foods like candy, cake, cookies and soda, which can exacerbate oxidative stress.
- Ultra-processed foods like chips, packaged snacks, refined-grain products and processed meats, which can contribute to inflammation and cardiometabolic risk.
- Alcoholic beverages, especially beer, which can worsen psoriatic lesions and increase risk of psoriasis.
That’s not to say you can never have these foods or drinks, but be mindful of how often they show up in your diet and symptoms you may experience, and aim to prioritize anti-inflammatory foods instead.
Building a Psoriasis-Friendly Plate
How should you structure your plate to make sure you’re getting a good balance of psoriasis-friendly foods? Blake has a simple recipe: “About half of the plate should be covered with colourful vegetables and fruits, one-quarter of the plate should have protein, and one-quarter should have complex carbohydrates.” This ensures you get a balance of fibre-rich foods, protein and carbs to promote a healthy gut and stable blood sugars.
A psoriasis-friendly plate should optimally include:
- Proteins (¼ plate): Opt for a mix of animal and plant-based proteins like fatty fish, beans, strained (Greek-style) yogurt, nuts and poultry to get omega-3s, probiotics and/or fibre without excess saturated fat.
- Complex Carbs (¼ plate): Prioritise whole grains like whole-wheat bread, oats and quinoa to prevent blood sugar spikes and boost your intake of essential minerals.
- Vegetables & Fruits (½ plate): Any whole fruits and veggies are great, but prioritize a range of rich-coloured ones like berries, dark leafy greens and tomatoes. These are especially rich in antioxidants.
Easy Ways to Get Started This Week
If these changes feel overwhelming or you don’t know where to get started, we have you covered. Here are a few actionable ways to move toward a psoriasis-friendly diet this week:
- Add a vegetable to one meal per day: Start off by prioritizing a veggie at one meal every day. Vegetables like spinach, kale, carrots, tomatoes and broccoli are loaded with antioxidants and fibre. Consider buying pre-chopped, frozen or ready-to-eat versions to make it easier to eat them daily.
- Try one new bean-based meal: If beans aren’t already a staple in your diet, try including a bean salad, rice and beans, or a vegetarian chili. These little legumes are full of fibre, antioxidants and plant protein, plus they play a central part in dietary patterns shown to improve psoriasis symptoms.
- Pick a night to have salmon for dinner: Salmon is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and it’s easy to find at most supermarkets. If salmon isn’t your thing, try another omega-3-rich fish like mackerel, sardines, herring or trout.
- Pack nuts, yogurt and fruit for snacks: Snacks are another opportunity to boost your nutrient intake. Nuts, yogurt and fruit make for convenient snacks that provide vitamin E, protein, probiotics and fibre to combat inflammation and stabilize blood sugars.
Psoriasis Myths Busted
Should you cut out gluten, dairy or nightshades if you have psoriasis?
“I see people [with psoriasis] eliminate dairy, gluten, nightshades, sugar and several other foods all at once,” says Garrett. However, this level of restriction can do more harm than good. “Unless there’s a medical reason to avoid a food or clear evidence that it reduces symptoms, restriction to that extent is often unnecessary and can make eating feel stressful and restrictive,” she adds. Plus, there isn’t conclusive research demonstrating that cutting these foods out helps with psoriasis. “The diet with the strongest evidence for psoriasis, the Mediterranean diet, includes nightshade-containing foods like tomatoes,” says Blake. It also includes dairy and gluten-containing products.
Does diet really matter if you’re on psoriasis medication?
Diet typically can’t single-handedly treat psoriasis, but it is an important part of an overall treatment plan, even if you’re on medication. For one, inflammation is at the heart of psoriasis, and what you eat plays a role in your body’s inflammatory response. Also, having psoriasis increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, fatigue and certain types of cancer. A healthy diet can help lower your risk of developing these health issues in a way that psoriasis medication alone cannot.
Does alcohol really affect psoriasis?
“Although everyone is different, alcohol (in all forms) does seem to be a major psoriasis trigger,” warns Blake. “Alcohol promotes inflammation, causes increased intestinal permeability, acts directly on skin cells, induces nutrient deficiencies and makes psoriasis medications less effective,” says Blake. It also increases the risk of common comorbidities like psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer and liver disease. So, yes, alcohol really does affect psoriasis and should be avoided as much as possible for disease management.
Can you cure psoriasis by healing your gut?
“There is a very strong gut-skin connection, but research is still determining what a ‘healthy’ gut microbiome consists of,” says Garrett. After all, your gut is made up of trillions of microorganisms, so there’s a lot to learn about this complex community. “Programs promising gut healing can be a slippery slope and not always backed by evidence,” she adds. Be weary of supposed quick fixes—like supplements, gut detox programs or restrictive diets—that may not be safe or effective.
Our Expert Take
Medications are the main treatment for psoriasis, but don’t underestimate the benefits of adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. Research shows that eating more fruits, veggies, nuts, fish and legumes can help make psoriasis symptoms more manageable. That said, “Nutrition can be a valuable tool, but it isn’t a replacement for medical treatment,” says Garrett. When in doubt, speak with your health care provider for individualized support managing your symptoms.
https://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition-basics-for-psoriasis-12005771
