Although changes in diet may decrease flare-ups, there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to a psoriatic diet, explains the National Psoriasis Foundation. Adding or eliminating a certain food from the diet can help one person and aggravate symptoms in another. The NPF says as long as you do not compromise your overall health with diet changes, it's not harmful to explore how diet affects your condition.
Symptoms and Triggers
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes thickened red patches of skin, itching, irritation and silvery scales. Psoriasis is cyclic, so that patients experience times when symptoms improve or go into remission. These episodes alternate with flare-ups. Many factors can trigger psoriasis symptoms, according to MayoClinic.com, such as stress, infections, weather changes, medications and food.
Gluten
A gluten-free diet is most likely to be effective for psoriasis symptoms, according to Dave's Psoriasis Info. Gluten occurs in wheat, barley and rye, and the NPF notes that some psoriasis patients believe a wheat allergy triggers their flare-ups. People who are intolerant to gluten have extreme immune reactions to this substance. A study published in the January 2000 issue of the "British Journal of Dermatology" says 16 percent of psoriasis patients are abnormally sensitive to a component of gluten called gliadin, a component of gluten, and this percentage is higher than that of the general population. The study found that psoriasis patients with this type of sensitivity experienced a highly significant decrease in symptoms while following a gluten-free diet.
Other Problem Foods
Besides gluten, substances most likely to aggravate psoriasis symptoms include alcohol, simple sugars and saturated fats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Alcohol also can decrease the effectiveness of some psoriasis medications. In addition, food allergies can trigger flare-ups. The most common food allergens include corn, citrus fruits, eggs, milk, peanuts and other nuts, fish, shellfish and soy.
Keeping Records
To explore possible problem foods for your individual situation, Dave's Psoriasis Info recommends eliminating suspect foods one by one for several weeks and recording any changes in your condition. You'll also need to note any other lifestyle changes and medications you take. MayoClinic.com advises keeping a food diary in which you write down all foods you eat and note whether your symptoms improve or worsen. Over time, you may detect patterns.
Supplements
Because taking fish oil supplements can have benefits for the immune system, it may improve psoriasis symptoms, according to the NPF. MayoClinic.com notes that research shows mixed results, but fish oil decreases inflammation, and some studies indicate it reduces psoriasis itching and scaling. In addition, some research suggests shark cartilage supplements may relieve psoriasis symptoms, according to the UMMC.
