What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk, and scalp.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease and affects the immune system. 70% of our immune system lies in the gut. When our gut is compromised it influences our health in various ways, auto-immune disorders being one of the conditions to affect multiple people.
What is an autoimmune condition?
Autoimmune disease happens when the body's natural defense system (immune system) can't tell the difference between your own cells and foreign cells, causing the body to mistakenly attack normal cells.
What precedes an autoimmune condition?
Intestinal hyperpermeability also known as “Leaky Gut” is often found to precede autoimmune disorders and is suspected to be the means by which abnormal passage of antigens from the intestines results in an autoimmune response.
What is intestinal hyperpermeability?
This is when the epithelial cells in the gut wall separate and no longer form tight junctions between them, which allows for greater pieces of undigested foods, bacteria, antigens, and various toxins to enter the bloodstream which then results in an autoimmune response.
To support an autoimmune condition – where the body is attacking itself, the primary place to start, is healing the gut. This will prevent unwanted particles to leak into the bloodstream preventing or minimizing flare ups.
Before a gut becomes leaky or hyperpermeable, there is chronic inflammation which damages the gut wall. This can be due to food intolerances, toxins like pesticides on food, imbalance in the microbiome – because of a nutrient deficient diet, high carbohydrate intake, antibiotics, highly processed foods, MSGs, High Fructose Intake (not from whole fruits) & low fiber diets.
How can we support gut healing?
Lifestyle and dietary changes together with necessary supplementation would be the best way to address gut healing.
If there is any known food intolerances or allergies, these foods must be avoided. If you are unaware of any intolerances, an elimination diet is recommended, to test which foods are aggravating the immune system.
Check for parasites, there are 4 classes of parasites, they steal your nutrients, causing depletion and disease and cause leaky gut which leads to auto immune conditions. You can check your Eosinophils and Basophils on your Complete Blood Count (CBC) for elevated levels, this is strongly correlated to parasitic infections. Eos above 3% and Baso above 1% this will be a strong indication of an parasitic infection.
Supporting Detoxification Pathways are necessary for healing, so the toxins can properly bind and be excreted. This is extremely necessary when parasites are present.
Fasting is an important component of gut healing, allowing time for the gut barrier to recover.
Common foods and supplements to consume to support gut healing, are bone broth (made from pasture raised or grass fed and organic animals – to avoid extra toxins, this is highly advisable), Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Types 1, 2 & 3. L- Glutamine, Vitamin D3 5000iu daily, Liposomal Vit.C 1000mg daily, Omega 3, Activated B-Complex Vitamins, Zinc 30mg, Magnesium 400mg, Selenium (6 Brazil Nuts Daily is sufficient), Turmeric, SBO Probiotics & Fiber (35gr per day). These Vitamins, minerals and Amino Acids all have unique contributions to gut health. They will work synergistically to lower inflammation, heal the gut barrier & increase gut microbial diversity.
Zinc Carnosine is also of great value to heal inflammation, ulcers and micro tears in the gut; however, this is not readily available.
Other nutrients to consider are Vitamin A, Chromium, Selenium + Vit.E (to increase glutathione peroxidase for better detoxification), Vit.D 5000iu a day. Patients with psoriasis tend to be lower in these nutrients. Vit.D3 needs to be taken with Vit.K2 to direct the calcium to the bones and prevent deposition in the arteries or veins.
Patients with psoriasis needs to focus on stomach acid, digestion, liver function, bowel health, diet, stress management & sunlight exposure, these are key areas to focus on for the remission of psoriasis.
Stomach Acid:
Stomach acid detoxifies bacterial endotoxins (Endotoxins, also called Bacterial lipopolysaccharides, are the component of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria and are released into the circulation upon disruption of the intact bacteria (death, cell lysis). Endotoxin is commonly found everywhere in our environment.)
Endotoxins can move into the bloodstream and release inflammatory cytokines known to play a role in psoriasis.
Stomach Acid is also very important for proper digestion.
Digestion:
Stomach Acid (HCL) is important for protein digestion and the release of B12 and Iron from food. Incomplete protein digestion or poor absorption of protein breakdown products can result in elevations of amino acids and polypeptides in the bowel. These are metabolized by bowel bacteria into several toxic compounds. Toxic metabolites known as polyamines have been shown to be higher in the blood in individuals with psoriasis.
Diets high in carbohydrates and low in protein (vegetarian or vegan diets) lowers stomach acid, the stomach needs protein rich foods to keep producing sufficient HCL.
To produce stomach acid, we need Iron, Zinc and Thiamine (Vit.B1). Deficiencies could negatively impact HCL production, leading to dysfunctional digestion and incomplete protein digestion, and dysbiosis in the gut.
Overgrowth of Candida (Candida Albicans) a yeast in the gut which needs to be there in controlled amounts may play a role in some patients in psoriasis. A diet low in dietary fiber is associated with increased levels of gut derived toxins.
Fiber is critical in maintaining a healthy colon and fiber components bind to bowel toxins to promote their excretion in the feces.
Therefore, patients with psoriasis needs a diet rich in fiber – beans, fruits, and vegetables.
The control of gut derived toxins are important in the treatment of psoriasis.
Liver Function:
The liver’s basic function is to filter and detoxify blood. Altered liver function is common in psoriatic patients. Excessive levels of toxins from the bowel or due to decreased detoxification ability worsens psoriasis.
Alcohol consumption significantly worsen psoriasis because it both increase the absorption of toxins (through damaging the gut mucosa) and impairs liver function. Sluggish liver & Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver impairs the liver’s function to detoxify, thus an excessive amount of toxins builds up in the blood and affect our health in various ways, worsening psoriasis.
Silymarin has been reported to be of value in the treatment of psoriasis. It improves liver function, inhibit inflammation, and reduce excessive cellular proliferation.
Diet:
In all inflammatory conditions, it is important to reduce foods which contain arachidonic acid (ARA, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty) – it is a fatty acid which increases the inflammatory response. This have been found to be high in psoriatic skin.
Meat and dairy contain arachidonic acid, it is wise to lower consumption. ARA is found is so many healthy foods, and difficult to avoid, what is important is to choose foods which contains higher amounts of Omega 3’s over Omega 6’s.
It’s highly advised to avoid oils known to cause inflammation – Sunflower oil, Canola oil, Safflower oil, Corn oil & Soyabean oil, and anything containing vegetable oil or vegetable fat e.g., Margarine.
Omega 3 fatty acids are crucial to lower inflammation and reduce skin cell proliferation. Supplementing EPA & DHA will be beneficial.
Therapeutic fasts followed by vegetarian diets with careful attention to food allergies and intolerances can be beneficial.
Celery juice can support the liver and increase the production of enzymes, it contains various vitamins & minerals which is anti-inflammatory, and promotes healing of the gut.
Celery sticks when eaten is full of fiber and beneficial to the microbiome.
Avoiding gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, rye & spelt and which cross contaminates with related grains like oats causes inflammation and gut hyperpermeability. This is possibly one of the most important foods to avoid in any condition which requires gut health.
Stress Management:
Stress increases gut barrier permeability. Therefore, stress management needs to be applied. Low impact exercise like walking, stretching, jogging etc. are easy ways to manage stress. Setting a clear daily routine to incorporate movement and exercise will support stress management.
Sunlight exposure also contributes to stress reduction and boosts serotonin & melatonin to increase mood & sleep quality, both which are necessary to reduce inflammation and encourage healing.
Sunlight:
Outdoor sunbathing therapy was shown to promote significant clearance of psoriatic symptoms.
Topical treatments:
Treatments containing Vit.D, Aloe Vera, Curcumin or Capsaicin can be helpful.
In a world of highly processed foods, deep fried foods, food high in fructose, wheat and sugars; antibiotics, pesticides, MSGs, EMFs, stress, lack of sleep, and even whole foods which are less nutrient dense due to poor soil quality, our health are bout to suffer. In psoriasis the toxic load is high and with a essential fatty acid deficiency. The body needs to be supported in proper digestion, detoxification, healing of the gut lining & needs the support of nutritional supplements to fill in the gaps. Diet and lifestyle are crucial to support the healing of psoriasis.
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