Kay Ramos (Louisville, KY) on 04/10/2009
Stay away from red meats. I tested this. After eliminating red meats, dark meat (chicken/turkey legs and thighs) and processed and refined foods from my diet, it took about 2 months but my Psoriasis totally cleared up... totally. Anytime I would eat a nice big steak, I would have a flare up on either my legs or my arms. It wasn't a large flare up, but enough for me to realize that the red meat was not reacting well with my body. Now, having said this, we also have a better understanding now that what our cows and chickens are eating affects the constitution of their meat. Cows that are "grain fed", their meat contains certain compounds that makes their fat very unhealthy. That's why today we are seeing labels that say "grass fed". Somehow the grass affects the quality of the fat and the way that we are able to metabolize it. I have NOT tested this theory yet to see if the meat from cows that are ONLY GRASS FED will give my skin the same reaction. The same would go for chickens and turkeys. The way these animals are jam packed together like sardines and all the antibiotics they are fed and their horrible diets, I really think this also changes the composition of the fat in their meat. Just food for thought. However, to be safe, avoid red meat and dark meat or meats that are high in fat.
Stay away from pork! Pigs are the garbage collectors of the animal kingdom. Pigs will eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING -- and do. They clean up the dead things. You truly ARE what you eat in this sense. Most people are not aware that pigs do not excrete toxins which means whatever they eat gets stored in their fat and then gets consumed by you. You will never look at bacon quite the same way again when you realize what is REALLY in that fat you're eating.
Next is to eliminate ALL dairy from your diet. This was very hard for me as I was raised on a farm and love dairy! However, what a change I noticed when I did. No butter, ice cream, milk, etc. I noticed STRONGLY that eggs are one of the WORST offenders. Almost as soon as I eat eggs I get a breakout.
Next eliminate processed, refined and "pre-fab" foods from your diet. No "white" anything. No white flour, sugar, rice. These foods are "empty" and do nothing but gunk up your system and cause things like yeast overgrowths and just all kinds of trouble, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, etc.
No fried foods, no refined oils. This will also make your psoriasis go crazy. Any oil that you buy off your store shelves that does not say "cold pressed" has been processed and refined and is full of partially hydrogenated oils. Notice the labeling... they all say "0 grams of trans fat PER SERVING" and then notice what the serving size is. That means that the amount of trans fat is "negligible" to where they can list "0 grams of trans fats" so long as you don't exceed their serving size. States all around the country have banned and are in the process of banning partially hydrogenated oils from being served in restaurants, etc. There is a reason for this... they are toxic and poisonous... and will make you fat. The last thing I will say on this topic is this... they say '0 grams of trans fat per serving' and claim that they are following labeling laws and they are very misleading because the regular consumer is not aware of how they are being less than forthright. My question to the manufacturers is this... I have this batch of brownies that I have baked. I have ONLY added a little bit of dog crap in the mix... just enough that, if I use the guidelines of our labeling laws, I can put on my label "no dog crap" but then on the backside of my label, I will say "no dog crap PER SERVING". I would like to ask the manufacturers if they would like to eat my brownies?! Ha! I doubt they would.
I have said the above to make a point... if you do not look out for yourself, the FDA and the food manufacturers are NOT going to do it for you. Right now, as I am typing this, there are literally dozens of names for monosodium glutamate (MSG) another one of those nasty little ingredients that will make your psoriasis go off like the 4th of July and it can be found in nearly ALL pre-fab (pre-made) food, which is why you need to either avoid all pre-fab foods or educate yourself about what you're eating and become an avid label reader. :) There are websites that if you put in "names for MSG" they will tell you all the different names and what to look out for.
Also orange juice and tomatoes. Any overly acidic foods should be avoided. There are places on the web that list out which foods are acidic and you can avoid those.
I had Psoriasis for nearly 20 years and when I got really serious about finding out what was going on with my body, I was able to TOTALLY eradicate this "incurable disease". :)
Good Luck!
Replied By Kay (Louisville, KY) on 04/11/2009
There are probably other things I am forgetting; however, the best thing I can tell you is this: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If you eat something and your skin reacts to it, figure out what the culprit was. Just a for instance: many, many luncheon meats contain what is called "nitrates" and "nitrites". These are NOT good for you if you have psoriasis and you should avoid them.
What is so sad about this is that you will quickly realize that the reason you have Psoriasis is because your system has been being poisoned by a food industry who cares nothing for you and everything about their bottom dollar. Everyone's system is different. Not everyone ends up with psoriasis. Some people can eat crappy food and it won't affect them until much later in life. You'll have someone perfectly "healthy" who drops dead of a heart attack or comes down with some form of aggressive cancer or some other disease. We have diseases cropping up that no one has ever heard of before. The connection between what you put in your mouth and your health cannot be ignored. :)
Replied By Edie (Lafayette, AL) on 06/24/2009
Replied By Chantel (Orlando, Florida) on 10/20/2009
Replied By Anna (Chicago, Illinois) on 10/21/2009
For example, after reading other testimonials and due to personal experience, I would recommend first cutting beef and pork out of your diet. To make sure you are still getting your protein and iron, get a vegetarian cookbook (browse Amazon before buying or better yet, go to your local library) or look online for recipes with lentils, garbanzo beans, navy beans and kidney beans. You can make soup, dips, and even amazing veggie burgers from scratch (if you are addicted to burgers for example) with beans. Not all beans treat people the same, so play around until you find beans that most agree with your digestive system - sometimes too it's just a question of soaking and cooking them correctly. Listen to your body - if you start to feel strangely tired, it could be that you are low on protein or iron. Lentils are a good source of both, and almonds. Then of course you have white meat (chicken livers - paté or fried in salad!) and fish as well as nuts (walnuts and almonds are excellent), but everything in moderation.
Then try to cut down on your dairy intake but make sure you are still getting your calcium (through supplements, or kale, kidney beans, almonds, sesame seeds).
Also, simply swap your white rice for brown, honey for sugar, or try brown rice syrup. Consider using barley too, or oats, in place of rice. It may seem overwhelming, but once you get the hang of things, it really doesn't take much time or effort to whip up nourishing dishes in a matter of minutes. It still surprises me at the end of those days when I'm grumpy and tired and hungry how quickly I will be sitting down to eat.
Instead of junk food snacks, nibble nuts, dried fruit, or fresh fruit, or even things like rye crackers. You can even make your own granola bars; there are some excellent recipes out there.
I was diagnosed with low iron last year and started eating more red meat than ever [and citrus (acidic) to help with the absorption of my iron supplements] and my psoriasis kicked in for the first time in years. At first I thought maybe it was the winter and lack of sun (although winter comes every year, but not the psoriasis), then I started to feel more and more down and thought it was SAD and a side effect of that. But then I thought maybe I was down because of the psoriasis. After awhile it's a vicious circle. The other frustrating thing is that everyone has a different metabolism and so what works for one person doesn't work for another person. So keep track of things: keep a food diary and a skin/body diary. For example, I noticed that when I cut out dairy completely (and I don't eat much of it to begin with), my fingernails turned to rubber, which is bad news for women with osteoporosis risks. Also keep track of any supplements you are taking.
I hope this is helpful! This site has really helped me connect the dots. Thanks to everyone for sharing!
Replied By Lou (Tyler, TX) on 10/22/2021
Beware of this advice if you have a nickel allergy. Look up foods containing nickel. Beans and nuts are high in nickel.
Replied By Heather (New York, Ny) on 01/07/2010
Pork - I gave this up a year ago not ONLY because of the toxins, but because of worms and parasites that live in the flesh of the swine.
Raw Fish - same deal as above. While some obscure diets advocate raw fish/raw meats this seems antithetical to healing for someone with a compromised immune system.
Wheat Gluten - Not sure exactly what the connection is, but I believe it is a contributor to irritable bowel, and perhaps encourages candida growth as well.
Nightshade Vegetables - Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers should be avoided. I have also read some articles recommending avoidance of corn.
Nuts - I was advised by a homeopath who treats me regularly that all nuts are acceptable EXCEPT for peanuts and cashews, because of the natural mold that develops inside their shells.
To Edie: STAY ENCOURAGED! You will find that when you are eating more simply and cleanly, you will feel healthier (I've actually gained a bit of healthy weight), look radiant and have a ton more energy. This is because your body is digesting more efficiently, and absorbing and utilizing nutrients more effectively than before. Therefore, do not worry about what you are not eating. Rather, concentrate on establishing good habits that are easy for you to follow. You will soon start to crave healthier foods.
My typical daily diet consists of:
BREAKFAST
Fresh Fruit: 3 whole bananas OR 3 organic apples OR 1 whole mango (skin-on), cubed.
Non-wheat cereal: Quinoa, oats, amaranth, tapioca with poached fruit and a little honey and cinammon.
LUNCH
Vegetable/Legume Soup: Lentil, Carrot, Split Pea (meatless) Pumpkin. Veggies for vitamins/antioxidants, legumes for protein. Alternate!
OR
Vegetable Omelette: I like Spinach and Goat Cheese. I have not yet noticed a reaction with me for eggs... may have to try an elimination and see whether it helps
DINNER
HUGE Salad: Mixed greens with Grilled Chicken or Salmon, some goat cheese (soft), carmelized onion and avocado.
OR
Organic Baby Arugula with grated goat cheese (hard), hemp seeds or slivered almonds, and vinagrette. I love a bottled miso vinagrette, but may eventually try a homemade one with apple cider vinegar.
OR
Any combination of protein/vegetable or starch/vegetable from the following (try not to combine protein and starch as this causes poor digestion). Grill, steam, bake or saute: lean chicken, fish, legumes (peas, beans), veggies (bright colored, e.g. carrots, beets; and green leafy ones e.g., broccoli, spinach, kale, collards are best), starches (brown rice, sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkin) prepared veggie burgers, prepared veggie sushi (macro/organic only).
SNACKS (2-3 per day):
Brown rice cakes, nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruit (sulfite-free only), granola bars, wheat-free crackers, nut butters, organic fruit butters.
DRINK (between meals):
Spring water (2 litres per day), fresh fruit/vegetable juices, herbal teas, health tonics.
There is such a variety to be had. Look for ways to substitute acceptable ingredients for unacceptable ones in recipes that you encounter. Focus on creativity, and think positively about your healing!I've been on a strict elimination diet for 2 months now, and I honestly do not crave any of the bad stuff I was eating before. I think you will adjust quite easily!
Replied By Kellady (Upstate, Sc) on 05/17/2010
Replied By Susan (Gastonia, Nc) on 02/13/2011
I have PsA as well, and I am from southern NC. I am now on Remicade, prednisone, skelaxin, tramadol, folic acid, Vit B12 injections, vit D, and that's not all of it. I've tried diet modifications with zero results. How old is your daughter? I would like to get more information from you.
Replied By Mikek (Cleveland, Ohio) on 12/21/2011