Did you know that what you eat can affect the severity of your psoriasis? Certain foods can actually make your symptoms better or worse!
Tracking what you eat is critical in figuring out how specific foods affect your body. The guidelines below are a great place to start. Research suggests the following adjustments can reduce inflammation from psoriasis—and they’re heart healthy, too!
Note: While a balanced, healthy diet is important for your general health and may help reduce symptoms of your plaque psoriasis, dietary modifications alone are often insufficient to manage your psoriasis and are best when coupled with other effective medical treatments for psoriasis.
1. Enjoy the sweet taste of fruit.
Okay, that really pretty picture with all the citrus could be a bit misleading for some. It is possible for an allergy to citrus fruits to cause psoriasis symptoms to flare up, so you may want to try cutting citrus out and see how that affects you. That said, fruit, in general, is your friend. In particular, the anthocyanins found in cherries and other red and purple fruits like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect.
2. Eat your vegetables.
If you’re not a veggie fan, you might just need to try some different preparations. Try pairing crunchy carrots and celery with a creamy dip, sneaking in zucchini noodles in place of pasta, or go big with a satisfying salad. One cautionary tip: you may want to avoid nightshade veggies. More info on nightshades here.
3. Opt for healthier fats.
You may have heard this before, but you’re going to want to avoid trans fats and saturated fats. Typically, these lurk in processed foods so check the nutrition label and avoid anything that says “partially hydrogenated.” However, fats should not be completely cut from your diet. Look for healthy unsaturated fats from sources such as plants (think avocados, nuts) and fish.
4. Eat more whole grains.
Some individuals with psoriasis swear by a gluten-free diet and there is some research to support this. What’s a good first step? Ditching refined carbs (such as regular pasta, white bread, and white rice) in favor of healthier carbs (think whole grain or gluten-free pasta and bread, quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, and farro).
5. Be picky about your proteins.
Eat lean protein sources like skinless chicken and cut back on red meats and full-fat dairy. Salmon, mackerel, sardines, and halibut are your all-star options because they’re packed with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
What will be your first step toward a healthier diet?
Will you cook up some lasagna with zucchini in place of pasta? Grill salmon instead of steak? Chomp on carrots instead of chips for your afternoon snack? A Health Advisor from Pack Health can help you figure out what makes sense for you.
Pack Health: Free digital health coaching for psoriasis patients.
Last modified on August 31st, 2023 at 4:00 pm
