You are not alone if you suffer from psoriasis as it affects up to 6.6% of the Australian population. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition where patches of skin become red, itchy, dry and scaley. It is found often in areas of the knees, scalp, elbows, and the trunk of the body.
Psoriasis is a chronic condition that can cause flare ups and periods where the skin is less aggravated. What you eat can play a role in management of psoriasis. Here are key nutrients you should consider including in your diet to help manage this skin condition.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants inhibit the action of free radicals, which in excess, cause damage and disease to the cells of your body. Excess free radicals can cause chronic inflammation in your body which can promote an inflammatory state in psoriasis. Three of antioxidants which are known to promote good skin health are vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin C.
Good sources of these antioxidants can be sound in foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and seafood.
Omega-3 Fat
Psoriasis is an inflammatory condition. Omega-3 fat has anti-inflammatory properties and the type of omega-3 fat found in seafood has been found to be important in reducing the inflammatory symptoms associated with psoriasis.
Omega-3 fat from seafood is made up of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and contains anti-inflammatory components. These components reduce the markers which are linked to psoriasis flare ups called leukotriene B4.
Good sources of seafood sources of omega-3 fat can be found in seafood like salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and cod. Aim to include 100g of cooked seafood two to three times each week.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Having an optimal gut microbiome which includes good microbes, and a diverse type of microbes is essential for all components of your health, including your skin health. A good habit to promote optimal health including your skin health is by including two to three servings of probiotic rich foods a day. These can include miso, tempeh, kimchi, yoghurt, kefir, natto and cottage cheese.
The good bacteria in your gut need prebiotic fibre as well as polyphenols to stay alive. Each different type of good bacteria has a different preferred type of fuel source. Including 30 different plant foods each week is a good lifestyle habit to make sure that you are feeding your healthy bacteria.
Curcumin
Curcumin is a bioactive product taken from the spice turmeric. It has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the T-cell mediated inflammation. This is the type of inflammation which is linked to psoriasis. Curcumin also may inhibit phosphorylase kinase from working which leads to a psoriasis flare up. The imbalance of excess free radicals can lead to a psoriasis flare up, curcumin may help to fight off excess free radicals and promote better skin health.
One study showed the benefits absorbed by your body can be enhanced by as much as 2000% by adding pepper to the combo due to the alkaloid component within the pepper.
Take home message: What you chose to eat can make a different to the health of your entire body which includes your skin. Try adding foods rich in the four nutrients above to promote your best skin health and this may help to reduce psoriasis flare-ups.
References:
- Thio HB. The Microbiome in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: The Skin Perspective. J Rheumatol Suppl. 2018 Jun;94:30-31. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.180133. PMID: 29858350.
- Kristensen S, Schmidt EB, Schlemmer A, Rasmussen C, Johansen MB, Christensen JH. Beneficial effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on inflammation and analgesic use in psoriatic arthritis: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. Scand J Rheumatol. 2018 Jan;47(1):27-36. doi: 10.1080/03009742.2017.1287304. Epub 2017 Mar 17. PMID: 28303758.
- Calder PC. Marine omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes: Effects, mechanisms and clinical relevance. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2015 Apr;1851(4):469-84. doi: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2014.08.010. Epub 2014 Aug 20. PMID: 25149823.
- Clark CCT, Taghizadeh M, Nahavandi M, Jafarnejad S. Efficacy of ω-3 supplementation in patients with psoriasis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Rheumatol. 2019 Apr;38(4):977-988. doi: 10.1007/s10067-019-04456-x. Epub 2019 Feb 18. PMID: 30778861.
- Zaira Kharaeva Ph.D.a Elena Gostova M.D.a Chiara De Luca Ph.D.c Desanka Raskovic M.D.c Liudmila Korkina Dr.Sci.bc. Clinical and biochemical effects of coenzyme Q10, vitamin E, and selenium supplementation to psoriasis patients. Nutrition, Volume 25, Issue 3, March 2009, Pages 295-302.
- Thio HB. The Microbiome in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: The Skin Perspective. J Rheumatol Suppl. 2018 Jun;94:30-31. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.180133. PMID: 29858350.
- Nardo VD, Gianfaldoni S, Tchernev G, et al. Use of Curcumin in Psoriasis. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2018;6(1):218-220. Published 2018 Jan 21. doi:10.3889/oamjms.2018.055
- Panahi, Yunes & Fazlolahzadeh, Omid & Atkin, Stephen & Majeed, Muhammed & Butler, Alexandra & Johnston, Thomas & Sahebkar, Amirhossein. (2018). Evidence of curcumin and curcumin analogue effects in skin diseases: A narrative review. Journal of cellular physiology. 234. 10.1002/jcp.27096.
- Andy Therd. https://andytherd.com/
