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Nutrition and Psoriasis
Psoriasis Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid If You Have Psoriasis
A range of treatments are available for psoriasis, from skin ointments to drugs that alter your immune system. But can easing the symptoms of this common condition be as simple as changing the foods we eat? For the more than 8 million people in the U.S. who live with psoriasis, diet may play a bigger role than we think in how our bodies handle inflammation.
What is the relationship between psoriasis and your diet?
Psoriasis is a chronic (long-term) autoimmune skin disorder. “The body mistakenly attacks its own tissue,” explains Wesdock. “It starts overproducing skin cells, which lays down plaques on your skin.” Plaques are red, scaly patches that can be itchy or painful. Sometimes psoriasis is accompanied by psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory joint condition.
Neither of these conditions is caused by anything you eat, but there’s an important link between your diet and psoriasis. Many foods are known to cause inflammation throughout the body. In some people, this widespread irritation can make the symptoms of psoriasis worse.
Studies are ongoing about how certain foods trigger an inflammatory response. Research suggests that some foods, especially highly processed ones, put your body’s defense mechanisms into overdrive. For example, fatty foods can increase inflammation in adipose tissue (body fat), which is found throughout your body. Ongoing fat tissue inflammation (common in people who are overweight or obese) greatly increases your risk of psoriasis. It also increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health conditions.
Many of the same high calorie foods that can lead to weight gain and increase the risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease are also inflammatory. There are several categories of inflammatory foods that can make psoriasis symptoms worse:
- Alcohol
- Dairy
- Foods containing refined carbohydrates
- Foods with saturated fats and trans fats
- Foods high in sugar
- Gluten
Just as some foods trigger inflammation, others can help combat inflammation. In general, having a balanced whole-foods diet is the best approach to reduce inflammation throughout the body. It may reduce psoriasis flare-ups or make your symptoms less severe. Following a Mediterranean diet for psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis can also reduce chronic inflammation that contributes to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other conditions.
The best foods if you have psoriasis include:
- Fish, lean protein or plant-based proteins such as tofu or tempeh
- Fruits and vegetables
- Legumes (beans and lentils)
- Nuts and seeds
- Olive oil
- Small amounts of low-fat dairy
- Whole grains
If you’re going to change your diet to combat psoriasis, it is recommended to start slowly. If you think there’s a specific food or ingredient that’s triggering psoriasis flare-ups, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.
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