Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that typically causes a red, scaly rash, most commonly on the elbows, hands, lower back, knees, and scalp. While prescription medicine is the first-line treatment for psoriasis, doctors may also recommend lifestyle modifications, including eating a healthy diet, to help relieve symptoms, says Paul Yamauchi, MD, PhD , a dermatologist at the Dermatology Institute & Skin Care Center in Santa Monica, California, and a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. According to Dr. Yamauchi, anti-inflammatory foods may help improve psoriasis symptoms and manage moderate to severe psoriasis. Research has shown that a Mediterranean-style diet — which features fruits, vegetables, beans and other legumes, nuts, and whole grains along with small amounts of animal products, such as fish and eggs — may be beneficial for psoriasis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a591d851-5644-45fc-8df3-c74f03b007d3 Adding these foods to your diet should be safe for most people, but if you’re considering making major changes to your diet, be sure to talk to your dermatologist or a registered dietitian first. Here are some examples of healthy foods to try for psoriasis:
Fish Whether baked, poached, or canned, nutrient-rich fish can be particularly beneficial for people with psoriasis because it can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. According to a review article on nutritional therapy in people with psoriasis, research has shown that eating a diet with large amounts of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines, may improve psoriatic lesions.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976290ca8a273-2fd1-4b1a-a470-03af821936e4 And the benefits of eating fish go beyond the skin: The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends eating fatty fish like tuna, lake trout, mackerel, salmon, and herring at least two times a week to help lower the risk of coronary heart disease.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296a163049-3a2b-4bcb-a607-1b5004d76578 (This is important because people with psoriasis are at increased risk of heart attack and stroke , possibly because of the inflammatory nature of the disease; regular intake of fish has been shown to have heart-health benefits.)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629eaff499d-7ab5-431c-83cb-e4ab3e565dee Bonus: Oily fish like herring, salmon, and mackerel are high in vitamin D, which is essential for maintaining a healthy skin barrier.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296a163049-3a2b-4bcb-a607-1b5004d76578 Fish
Fruits and Vegetables As colorful as they are delicious, fruits like berries and leafy green vegetables like spinach and broccoli are excellent options for helping manage psoriasis. A review of studies on plant-based diets and skin conditions (including psoriasis) underscores the importance of clinicians educating their patients about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Fruits and vegetables are among the foods recommended for providing nutrients essential to skin health. Many fruits and vegetables are also good sources of fiber, another component of a healthy diet for psoriasis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ebaa4093-3cef-42c0-a603-e7fec43c47fa And the upsides go beyond helping ease psoriasis symptoms. “The benefit of eating [fruits and vegetables] is not necessarily [only] for making psoriasis better,” Yamauchi says. “They are important for protecting against heart disease and cancer, which people with psoriasis are at higher risk for.” Fruits and Vegetables
Nuts and Seeds Here’s why you may want to include these tiny allies into your psoriasis management routine. Walnuts, flaxseed , and chia seeds, which, like fatty fish, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. A review of studies examining the relationship between diet and nutrition and psoriasis found that eating more nuts, seeds, and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids improved psoriasis symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629d925c89e-c509-49d4-b78c-bb1778a188e5e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297f6196b0-b27e-41e8-83b0-2d5ce4ef86aa Nuts and Seeds
Fermented Foods Fermented pickles, kimchi, or kefir might be a good addition to your diet if you have psoriasis. Increasingly, researchers are finding that gut health may play an important role in psoriasis management, and this discovery is being touted as a potential avenue that may lead to new treatment options for the condition. Research suggests that eating an anti-inflammatory diet may improve the gut microbiome, which is thought to play a key role in inflammation and disease activity.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629308b87ae-7159-4c51-ad85-bbb56cedf60a Other research has focused on probiotics and prebiotics, and while most of it has involved supplements, a review article on the latest scientific evidence on microbiome changes in psoriatic patients noted that fermented foods — which include yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kombucha — may reduce certain cytokines, which are proteins that play a role in inflammation.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299d39125a-7758-4e61-b133-153480c32468 Fermented Foods
Whole Grains Adding whole grains to your diet is another great way to help manage psoriasis symptoms. Dietary fiber can benefit the gut microbiome, reduce systemic inflammation, and help with weight loss. This is particularly important for people with psoriasis because obesity has been shown to worsen the inflammatory condition and reduce the effectiveness of psoriasis medications.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e375bca3-08dc-4641-ab9d-fc0d98e1d8fa Plus, people with psoriasis are at increased risk of metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, which makes it all the more important to choose carbohydrates that don’t raise blood sugar quickly, such as whole-grain cereal or oats instead of sugary baked goods or white bread.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e375bca3-08dc-4641-ab9d-fc0d98e1d8fa Whole Grains
Coffee The perks of coffee may extend beyond serving as a pick-me-up if you have psoriasis. According to one review article on nutritional therapy for psoriasis and another on natural compounds for psoriasis treatment, research has shown that regularly drinking coffee may help ease psoriasis symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298c79a68e-f297-4a9a-926f-be9fc42dc994e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298ab79774-d6ec-4e37-92b7-95559e5e83a0 But both reviews note that how much coffee you drink is crucial when it comes to whether or not coffee can ease psoriasis: While consuming up to three cups a day has an anti-inflammatory effect and can help reduce psoriasis symptoms, drinking more than four cups a day can actually be inflammatory and may worsen psoriasis symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298c79a68e-f297-4a9a-926f-be9fc42dc994e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762990f52f76-006a-48fd-b602-65cb4e92335d Coffee
Legumes These little nutrient-packed powerhouse foods, which include beans, lentils, and peas, are an integral part of a Mediterranean diet and are excellent options to include in your diet if you have psoriasis. According to a review that broke down the current evidence on the impact of diet on psoriasis, studies have shown that eating a Mediterranean diet — which is rich in healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, fish, seeds, and legumes — has a beneficial effect on inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629da94c75c-e940-47f4-9d6e-fa72c6c1c88c A review that looked at the beneficial effects of plant-based diets on skin health and inflammatory skin diseases found that eating plant-based diets, which include lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes, may have beneficial effects on skin health, which may be related to a healthy gut microbiome. Eating these foods, the review notes, reduces inflammation, promotes weight loss (which is another factor that may improve psoriasis), improves overall health, and may help manage psoriasis symptoms.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762974e25c76-a8c9-4704-aac0-d93a76e01f0f Legumes
The Takeaway While psoriasis isn’t caused by food and can’t be treated with food, this inflammatory skin condition can benefit from an anti-inflammatory eating plan, such as the Mediterranean diet. Certain foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish, can help reduce inflammation, improve psoriasis, and increase your general health. Connect with your psoriasis care team, including a registered dietitian, before making major changes to your diet to help improve psoriasis symptoms and better manage the condition.
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