Is Your Diet Affecting Your Psoriasis?

While you may be reluctant to accept that your dietary habits play a great role in your psoriasis, a number of studies have shown that changes in dietary habits and practices have beneficial effects on the condition. There are even reports that record accounts of improvement in psoriasis in wartime when food supply was not sufficient to camp prisoners.

If you have noticed, the prevalence of psoriasis is not usually common among Africans. Genetics may be an influencing factor here, but it can also be shown that Africans (except those who have adopted a Western lifestyle) usually consume lower polyunsaturated fatty acids and higher in linoleic acid. The Inuits of the Arctic regions and the Sami peoples of northern Europe have a low prevalence of the disease. These two indigenous groups consume fish oils (omega-3 fatty acids) which help improve psoriasis and a number of other inflammatory diseases.

Weight gain has also been reported to be coupled with the worsening of psoriatic lesions. While you may still be unconvinced that your diet has a direct link to your psoriasis, you cannot avoid the fact that psoriasis is an auto-immune disorder and a number of debilitating diseases have already been linked to psoriasis. Hence, it is only prudent for psoriatic sufferers to maintain a healthy diet in order to manage this chronic condition and to avoid other complications.

While there is no specific diet that can treat your psoriasis, you may want to try out these dietary guidelines:

• Consume a wide variety and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. Raw vegetables (as long as they are clean) are better than cooked ones.
• Choose lean meats, if you're a meat lover.
• Eat fishes high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as sardines, mackerel, and salmon.
• Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
• Avoid, or at least, minimize your consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods.

These are simple, down-to-earth guidelines, yet following them can contribute significantly to your good health and, by consequence, to better skin condition. There is a good number of people who strongly believe that certain types of food will worsen the condition of their skin. If you agree with this idea and you are able to identify which types do damage to your skin, you should seriously consider reducing your intake of these foods or doing away with them altogether.

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Will My Heart Go On Even If I Have Psoriasis?

The title of this entry must have made you think about the worldwide hit song of Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On" from the movie Titanic. This post is neither about the movie nor the song. It has something to do with the link between psoriasis and heart disease. Is that news to you?

A number of studies in the last decade have already shown that psoriasis patients are also found to have or to develop cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure or hypertension, high blood cholesterol level, heart failure, atherosclerosis and diastolic dysfunction. One of the theories postulated is that heart disease like atherosclerosis and psoriasis are both inflammatory conditions. The degree of inflammation in skins with psoriasis can be on a titanic scale, as in severe cases which cover the whole body of the patient.

In a 2005 study at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, it was shown that the risk of dying of heart disease for people in the 40-59 age group is 91 percent higher for those with severe psoriasis. For people over 60 with severe psoriasis, the risk is 37 percent greater. Those with mild to moderate psoriasis cases like me should not be complacent because the chance of developing any of the cardiovascular diseases is still there.

Researchers recommend that psoriasis patients must adopt a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet. The probability of developing cardiovascular disease is substantially minimized when a psoriasis patient practices healthy living.

On the personal note, I remember in early to middle 2008 when I noticed that something was no longer right with my body although my psoriasis at the time was still manageable. During the first half of that year, I put on an additional 20 pounds to my weight at end-2007. I thought that maybe the reason for my weight gain was due to hypothyroidism which can also be seen in some psoriasis patients. And so I went to see a doctor specializing in internal medicine.

After undergoing a series of blood testing, it was found out that I only had the so-called subclinical hypothyroidism. There were other conditions that were diagnosed, however. These were cardiovascular-related diseases — high blood pressure (which soared as high as 140/100 at some point) and also high blood cholesterol level. I vowed to correct these risk factors — and finally got rid of them in a matter of 90 days after the diagnosis. I was also able to shed 40 pounds. From that time up to now, I have maintained my ideal weight. I still want my heart to go on and function well despite my psoriasis.

Photo credit: Mykl Roventine(flickr.com)

Going for a Night Out? Try Covering and Lightening Up Methods

Are you going out for a date? Or, are you invited to attend a party but don't know how to hide those irritating plaques and lesions? Instead of staying at home and licking your wounds for the constraints that our condition has brought us, you might find the following tips helpful in mitigating embarrassment.

Cosmetic Cover-Up
Experts recommend, with caveats, the use of cosmetic products such as masking cream or concealer as cover-up on the face and other affected areas. Not all cosmetic products, however, are helpful for camouflaging the redness of the skin. It does seem that the unsightly redness can be neutralized by creams containing green dye. You may want to ask your dermatologist for recommendations as to the best product that is suitable in your case.

Keep in mind that there are limits in using these cosmetic products. If you have open sores or you develop skin irritation, then you should never use them, or stop using them at once. Some psoriasis sufferers will not benefit from camouflage techniques, however. Severe cases where patches of skin are thick or scaly will not respond adequately to cover-ups. But well-controlled conditions where there are only brownish or slightly reddish spots can be helped quite satisfactorily.

Light Colors and Fabrics
One of the things that embarrasses us the most is when we find out that other people see flakes falling from our hair and sticking onto our tops. Ew… Thus, it is only practical for us to wear light-colored and light-patterned tops. Fabrics, such as silk and cotton, which provide more comfort when we wear them are better than wool, as the fashion guru Tim Gunn of Project Runway recommends. Linens, according to him, may not work as well because the surface texture is rather stubbly, making it slightly uneven and rough.

If cosmetic camouflage does not work, then tell the people who ask about the redness on your skin that you have psoriasis which affects at least one-percent of the Philippine population and up to three-percent of the world population. It is not merely a skin disease, but rather it is an auto-immune condition which runs in families. Assure them it is never contagious. And finally, tell them that they should thank their stars they do not suffer the condition.

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Accepting Life with Psoriasis

The thought of living with psoriasis for the rest of your life is not an easy thing to accept. Although we have witnessed medical advances in recent decades, we are still being told to face the fact that there is no available cure for psoriasis yet. The most we can do is to manage the symptoms and try the best we can to avoid the triggers that cause psoriasis flare-ups.

Psoriasis Causes
We often ask our dermatologists what things cause the disease, and sometimes, even the specialists do not know how to explain or would rather not go into those details. Others simply prescribe different medications, whether topical, oral, or biologics, to treat the disease. The truth really is that the main cause of psoriasis is, up to this date, still unknown.

Researchers currently believe this hereditary disease is mediated by a set of T-cells whose autoimmune profile is highly susceptible to certain triggers. Some factors that could provoke the adverse reactions include stress, both physical and emotional; particular skin injuries or traumas (associated with Koebner’s phenomenon); bacterial infections (which triggers guttate psoriasis); and, various drugs (such as beta-blockers and anti-malarial medications).

Social and Psychological Implications
We often find it difficult to make the necessary adjustments in our lives when we are told that we have psoriasis. The disease does not only affect our physical appearance, but it also gives discomforts due to its itchiness and pain. People who do not understand psoriasis often think that we have a contagious disease. Sometimes, we find ourselves discriminated against in public places. It leads us to isolate ourselves from the public because of embarrassment and the stigma brought about by the disease. Depression, which only aggravates the condition, can also be found in some psoriasis patients.

Unlike vitiligo (another skin disorder) which can be disguised by cosmetic concealment, we cannot hide our skin lesions using that method. (Paging cosmetic companies, can you please manufacture one for us?) Our choices of clothing are constrained. We may want to wear the latest fashion styles, but we are restricted by our disease. Indeed, psoriasis has brought a significant impact in our quality of life.

Basic Things We Can Do
Managing the disease is a challenging task for us. Accepting psoriasis as a part and parcel of our lives will surely divert our emotional energy from depressing thoughts to more productive activities; this acceptance should relieve us of unnecessary stress associated with the condition. While fear and ignorance about the disease is still common these days, we can choose to have a positive attitude despite living with psoriasis. At least, society no longer ostracizes people with psoriasis unlike in biblical times.

Photo credit: tomswift46 (flickr.com)

Resource:
Buxton, P. and Morris-Jones, R. (2007). ABC of Dermatology. (Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell).

Want to Increase Psoriasis Risk? Let's Have Some Beer

Women who are fond of drinking at least 30 grams (two drinks) of beer per week are likely to increase the risk of developing psoriasis according to a study presented during the annual Society for Investigative Dermatology meeting.

Consumption of red wine, white wine, and other forms of spirits were also included in the study for comparison. It was, however, the consumption of at least two drinks of beer every week which showed significant indication of higher psoriasis risk. It is believed that gluten, an active ingredient of beer, seems to be the trigger in the women who developed psoriasis.

Gluten — What Is It?
Do you ever wonder what holds the pasta and baked goods made from wheat, rye and barley together? Yep, the answer is gluten. Gluten provides the elasticity to the bread dough, which then helps the dough to rise when you mix it with yeast. The function of gluten is akin to glue; in fact, their Latin root is the same.

Majority of processed foods we have in the market contain gluten. And beer is not an exemption to these foods. While it is not common to see labels of packaged foods mentioning any gluten content, be aware that there are many disguises for gluten. Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, natural flavors and modified food starch are just some of these disguises.

Gluten-Free Diet
In one study, it was found that getting rid of gluten from the diet significantly improved the condition of some psoriatic patients. Do you think you can live with a gluten-free diet? Sure, it would be a sacrifice to follow a gluten-free diet especially when we consider the available foods we have here in the Philippines. And how about eliminating beer? Hmmm… The mere thought of quitting beer has already given me stress.

Photo credit: ooOJasonOoo (flickr.com)

Resource:
Ahern, S. (2009). Gluten-Free Girl. (New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Welcome Morning Sun! Take My Psoriasis Away

The next time you are under the morning sun, take the opportunity to expose the part of your body which is affected with psoriasis. While you may find it embarrassing, keep in mind that sunshine has long been known to help improve psoriasis. You may even find that regular exposure to mild sunlight is better than following a systemic immunosuppressive drug regimen.

The UVB Factor
There are three components of natural sunlight: visible light, ultraviolet A (UVA), and ultraviolet B (UVB). If once in a while you get sunburn after a few hours of sun exposure, it is actually UVB which is causing that. And it is the same UVB which is very beneficial to us, psoriatic patients.

Doctors usually prescribe narrow-band UVB treatment, especially in the West where natural sunlight is not all-year round. It can be an effective treatment, albeit temporary. Others may have a longer period of remission, some may not. To prolong the remission, doctors recommend that you undergo UVB treatment regularly. If you can afford it, you may want to own a home UVB apparatus to avoid the hassles of going to the doctor over and over again.

The Cheap Alternative
But if you live in a country where the sun shines almost every day, then welcome the morning sun with a smile. Mild sunlight, usually between 7am to 9am, is the cheapest psoriasis treatment. Whenever I have a flare-up I usually expose my affected skin to the morning sun for about 10 to 30 minutes a day, and it would greatly improve my psoriasis. If you intend to follow this regimen, it is highly recommended that you consult a healthcare professional first. While sunlight has beneficial effects, it may not necessarily be applicable in your case.

Photo credit: kiri :D (flickr.com)

Resources:
Habermann, T. (2006). Mayo Clinic Internal Medicine Board Review. (Boca Raton: CRC Press).

Rees, A. (1997). Consumer Health USA. (Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group).

Be Glad You Were Born Today

While you may be one of the 2% of the world population, or one of the 800,000 Filipinos (according to the latest estimate of the Department of Health from this news video) who have psoriasis, be happy that you were not born during biblical times.

According to medical experts, the Hebrew term zaraath which can be found in the Old Testament, particularly Leviticus 13, is so broad that it may not only refer to leprosy (Hansen's disease) but also to other skin disorders including psoriasis. As you may have known, if you were found to be suffering from leprosy during olden times, you would be considered as an unclean person. The consequence would be costly: officials could either declare you as a dead person, or burn you at the stake.

Psoriasis is from the Greek word "psora" which means itch. (Very itchy, indeed!) While Hippocrates (460-377 BC) applied the the term psora to scaly facial and genital eruptions, psoriasis, as it is known today, was believed to be first used by Aurelius Cornelius Celsus (25 BCE-45 CE). However, it took centuries before an Englishman, Robert Willan (1757-1813) described psoriasis accurately. The complete clinical separation between psoriasis and leprosy was done by Hebra and Kaposi in 1876.

Although advances in medical science have been seen during the twentieth century, many of us (psoriasis sufferers) are still feeling the embarrassment brought about by the disease. If we compare ourselves with those of the patients during ancient times, isn't it a comfort to know that we belong to this generation?

Photo credit: Eleventh Earl of Mar (flickr.com)

Resources:
Bos, J. (2004). Skin Immune System. (London: Informa Healthcare).

Roenigk, H. and Maibach, H. (1998). Psoriasis. (London:Informa Healthcare).

van de Kerkhof, P. (2003). Textbook of Psoriasis. (New Jersey:Wiley-Blackwell).

Diagnosis Day

I was diagnosed with psoriasis in the third quarter of 2001. When I looked at my face on the mirror then, I noticed a red patch on my forehead. I initially thought that the redness would eventually go away. But as days and weeks went by, I noticed that the red patch became bigger and I knew then that it was something I had to consult with a dermatologist.

Upon arriving at the dermatologist's clinic, the doctor's assistant asked me about my problem. I showed her (the assistant) the red patch on my forehead. She did not hesitate to tell me that it was psoriasis. It was the first time I had heard of that disease.

When I went inside the clinic, the dermatologist took a long time to say categorically that I had a psoriasis indeed. When I told her that her assistant mentioned about the disease, she was a bit hesitant to tell me that I would be living with psoriasis for the rest of my life.

I was clueless about psoriasis the first time I went to the dermatologist. But upon leaving the doctor's clinic, I hurriedly surfed the net to find out more about this disease. With the use of the "psoriasis" as a keyword, I was able to find the website of the National Psoriasis Foundation.

From that moment onwards, I began to understand this commonly misunderstood condition in the Philippines. And it has not been a smooth journey since then.

Here's a video explaining psoriasis:



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