Psoriasis and Diet: How What You Eat Impacts Inflammation

Millions of Americans suffer from psoriasis, an inflammatory skin condition that causes itchy, oozing, flaky, red patches of skin called plaques. Psoriasis happens when your immune system “misfires,” attacking healthy skin cells and causing irritation and rapid shedding.

Psoriasis can cause ongoing symptoms, but most people also experience “flare ups” when itching and other symptoms become much worse. Many factors can contribute to flare-ups, but today, researchers believe the foods you eat may have a surprisingly influential role — specifically foods that promote inflammation.

At MyHomeDoc, our team helps patients manage psoriasis with a whole-patient approach that considers each person’s individual symptoms, developing psoriasis management plans that combine medical therapy with lifestyle changes, including their diet. Here, learn how your eating habits might be contributing to your psoriasis symptoms and what we can do to help.

Optimizing your diet

“You are what you eat” may sound trite and old-fashioned, but it’s absolutely true: The foods and beverages you consume have direct and indirect impacts on your health and well-being, including the health of your largest organ — your skin.

Some foods contain compounds that actually promote inflammation inside your body, while other foods help calm the inflammatory response. It simply makes sense, then, that if you consume a lot of “pro-inflammatory” foods, you’re more likely to worsen inflammatory conditions, including psoriasis.

On the other hand, replacing pro-inflammatory foods with anti-inflammatory foods may help reduce flare-ups and make it easier to manage your condition overall. It’s also worth noting that by reducing inflammation through your diet, you can also reduce your risks of other inflammation-related issues, like heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerosis (“hardening” of the arteries).

The link between diet and inflammation

Now that you understand how foods can promote or quell inflammation, the next step is knowing which foods to avoid and which to include in your diet.

Pro-inflammatory foods

Some of the worst offenders in this list include processed foods, especially ultra-processed foods. These foods typically contain a lot of chemicals, like preservatives or flavorings, and very little nutrients. Prepackaged foods, deli meats, and many pastries and other sweets are examples of processed foods that should be avoided to help reduce inflammation.

It’s also important to avoid foods high in unhealthy fats, including most deep-fried foods, fast food, and processed meats (which also contain lots of chemicals). Red meat should be limited since it contains a high amount of saturated fat, another “trigger” for inflammation for many people.

Sugary foods, refined carbs, and high-calorie foods contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance, too, which in turn can lead to an increase in inflammation and more psoriasis flare-ups.

Anti-inflammatory foods

In addition to cutting back on pro-inflammatory foods, you should be aiming to increase consumption of anti-inflammatory foods that can help keep inflammation at bay.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, deeply colored berries, and cruciferous veggies, like cabbage, kale, and broccoli, all possess high levels of special compounds called antioxidants. These compounds help neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules that damage cells and promote inflammation.

Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids help lower inflammation, as well. These include fatty fish, like salmon and sardines, as well as walnuts, flaxseed, and avocados, as well as olive oil. Whole grains and beans are high in beneficial fiber and plant-based nutrients called phytonutrients that help regulate the body’s inflammatory response, too.

Managing psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic disease, and that means it needs an ongoing, proactive management plan to keep its symptoms under control. Watching what you eat can play an important role in your management plan, along with medication and other therapies tailored to your skin’s unique needs.

To learn more about psoriasis management and how we can help improve your skin health (and your overall wellness, too), request an appointment at one of our locations in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, and Victoria, Texas, or via telehealth today.