Top Tips for Psoriasis Relief
Psoriasis is pronounced with a silent "P" and is a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales.
While these patches are normally found on the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back, they can actually appear anywhere on the body.
What happens when you develop psoriasis?
- The majority of sufferers will only have small patches of this skin condition.
- In some cases, these patches can be itchy or sore.
- While the condition can start at any age, it is more common in adults under the age of thirty five, affecting men and women equally.
- The severity of psoriasis outbreaks can vary considerably from person to person, affecting quality of life in extreme cases.
- Unfortunately, psoriasis is a long-lasting (chronic) disease that comes and goes. Sometimes no or mild symptoms followed by periods when symptoms are more severe.
- The secret to success when dealing with psoriasis is to identify your specific triggers so that you can avoid them and prevent flare ups.
Follow these tips to help prevent outbreaks of psoriasis
1. Reduce stress because our bodies will usually have an inflammatory reaction to stress which is not good news as this can cause a psoriasis flare up. Below are some suggestions...
- It always helps if you can talk to someone about what is causing you stress. A problem shared and all that. It is just a question of finding the right person whether family, friend, work colleague or medical practitioner.
- Are you sleeping properly as this is one of the best ways for the body to repair and regenerate. You might need reminding to aim for eight hours at night while switching off all the electrical devices, light sources and avoiding alcohol and caffeine.
- You might like to consider complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, acupuncture, reflexology, massage and more that have been shown to tackle symptoms of stress while improving your general wellbeing.
- Regular exercise is always a good idea on so many levels, getting the blood flowing by engaging in any activity you enjoy such as walking, swimming, cycling, yoga and more. Regular moderate exercise balances hormone levels, releases pain relieving substances and happy hormones, improves self-esteem and encourages skin to perform better by boosting circulation.
2. Take good care of both your skin and scalp because any trauma to the skin can cause a flare-up including infections. Be careful to: (a) never pick at patches or scales as this could make your psoriasis symptoms worse; (b) use caution when trimming your nails as any cuts could cause a flare up of symptoms; (c) be careful when shaving to avoid nicks and cuts; (d) prevent insect bites and/or chaffing; and (e) avoid long periods of sun exposure.
3. Avoid dry and cold weather as this can affect symptoms. Take care to wear appropriate clothing to cover exposed skin. In hot weather, wear natural fabrics that breath!
4. Use an humidifier as this will help to keep your skin moist especially when the air is dry indoors.
5. Eating a balanced diet that is rich in fresh fruit and vegetables. Some sufferers have found that psoriasis symptoms improve when they go dairy-free and/or gluten-free. There are foods that might cause inflammation and these include: red meat, dairy, high-fat foods, processed foods, refined sugars, nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes and peppers) and citrus fruits. Foods that could help reduce inflammation include: fatty fish (salmon and tuna), flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds and green leafy vegetables (spinach and kale). At the same time, look into adding supplements to your diet if necessary. A Vitamin D supplement is never wasted as so many of us are vitamin D deficient especially as too much sun is not recommended when you have psoriasis.
6. Keeping the skin moisturized with the help of our natural products psoriasis symptoms can flare-up when your skin is dry. Our Simply Face Oil is perfect for this being one of a kind all purpose moisturizing oil which leaves no sticky residue. Made from a blend of pure natural essential oils and cold pressed or expeller pressed precious oils to help to tighten and tone the skin while moisturizing.
7. Using a natural product to help with the treatment of psoriasis outbreaks. Suggested is H-Psoriasis Formula as a 100% natural solution for psoriasis symptoms (including itching, redness and irritation) with its deep penetrating action while soothing the skin. The Formula is safe and effective to use for most types of psoriasis including erythrodermic psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, guttate, inverse and psoriatic arthritis.
Sources
Pustular psoriasis. (n.d.).
psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/types/pustular- (Accessed August 2, 2021).
Rachakonda TD, et al. (2014). Psoriasis prevalence among adults in the United States. DOI:
10.1016/j.jaad.2013.11.013
Slide show: Types of psoriasis. (2018).
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/psoriasis/multimedia/psoriasis-pictures/sls-20076486 - (Accessed August 2, 2021).
What is psoriasis? (2017).
niams.nih.gov/health_info/psoriasis/psoriasis_ff.asp - (Accessed August 2, 2021).
What is psoriasis? (n.d.).
aad.org/public/diseases/scaly-skin/psoriasis/what-is-psoriasis - (Accessed August 2, 2021).
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.