Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsInflammation With PsoriasisAnti-Inflammatory DietsHow Diet Can HelpBest Diet for PsoriasisCan Diet Clear Up Psoriasis?Can Diet Replace Treatments?Getting StartedHealthy Relationship With Food
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Inflammation With Psoriasis
Anti-Inflammatory Diets
How Diet Can Help
Best Diet for Psoriasis
Can Diet Clear Up Psoriasis?
Can Diet Replace Treatments?
Getting Started
Healthy Relationship With Food
Psoriasisis a chronicautoimmune diseasethat occurs when an overactive immune system inflames the body and speeds up the growth of skin cells. The cells pile up on the skin’s surface, formingplaques or scalesthat can itch, burn, or sting.
Because inflammation is an underlying cause of psoriasis, ananti-inflammatory dietmay help manage symptoms and preventflare-ups.
This article discusses the connection between an anti-inflammatory diet and psoriasis, foods to eat and avoid, and how the diet reduces inflammation.
Grace Cary / Getty Images
The Connection Between Psoriasis and Inflammation
Although psoriasis affects the skin,the inflammationthat causes the condition is systemic,meaning it occurs throughout the body on a deeper level than just the skin.
People withmild psoriasis(appearing on less than 3% of the body) can have significant inflammation.
Those with moderate to severe psoriasis have inflammatory markers in the skin, the blood, and bodily fluids like saliva, along with low-level inflammation in other body parts, including the joints, arteries, tendons, and liver.
Plaques and scales from psoriasis can occur anywhere on the body, often on the elbows, knees, andscalp.
What’s an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on eating foods that reduce inflammation while avoiding foods that are known to promote it. Anti-inflammatory diets aren’t a diet but an overall pattern of healthy eating, balancingprotein,fat, andcarbohydrateswith a focus on fresh, whole foods that benefit the entire body’s health.
Always consult a healthcare provider before making any major changes to your diet. A registered dietitian can help you create a healthy meal plan and provide tips on incorporating anti-inflammatory foods.
How Can an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Help Psoriasis?
Dietplays an important role in managing psoriasis. Anti-inflammatory foods have bioactive compounds such asfiber,antioxidants, andpolyphenolsthat can help reduce chronic, systemic inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory diets also avoid foods that promote inflammation, such as those high insaturated fator iron. Pro-inflammatory diets are known to negatively impact the immune system and increase systemic inflammation and the severity of inflammatory diseases.
A Word From VerywellMinor adjustments, such as using olive oil when cooking or incorporating more lean meats and whole grains, can help alleviate psoriasis symptoms. Introduce one dietary change at a time. A food diary can help monitor symptoms.—KARINA TOLENTINO, RD, MEDICA EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Minor adjustments, such as using olive oil when cooking or incorporating more lean meats and whole grains, can help alleviate psoriasis symptoms. Introduce one dietary change at a time. A food diary can help monitor symptoms.—KARINA TOLENTINO, RD, MEDICA EXPERT BOARD
Minor adjustments, such as using olive oil when cooking or incorporating more lean meats and whole grains, can help alleviate psoriasis symptoms. Introduce one dietary change at a time. A food diary can help monitor symptoms.
—KARINA TOLENTINO, RD, MEDICA EXPERT BOARD
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Psoriasis
Psoriasis is related toinflammation. Eating foods that fight inflammation and avoiding those that trigger it might help reduce flare-ups or lessen symptoms. However, it’s important to remember that everyone reacts to individual foods differently, and you should gauge your reaction to recommended foods.
Foods to Eat
Foods to eaton an anti-inflammatory diet for psoriasis include:
Foods to Avoid or Limit
Foods to avoidon an anti-inflammatory diet for psoriasis include:
Research shows that low consumption of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), such as extra-virgin olive oil, is the main predictor of the severity of psoriasis. Consuming MUFA might help decrease inflammation in those with psoriasis.
Can Your Diet Clear Up Psoriasis?
There isno permanent curefor psoriasis, but research suggests that eating foods rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients can reduce the severity of the condition.An anti-inflammatory diet can also help lower the risk of developing other psoriasis-related conditions, likepsoriatic arthritis.
Can an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Replace Any Current Treatments?
An anti-inflammatory diet is not a cure for psoriasis; no diet is designed to replace medical treatments. Instead, an anti-inflammatory diet can help lessen symptoms and possibly prevent other conditions, such aspsoriatic arthritis(PsA), a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints and entheses, areas where tissue connects to bone. PsA can occur in some people with psoriasis.
Any diet therapy for psoriasis should be tailored to any medications taken in consultation with a healthcare provider.
What’s the Best Way to Get Started on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
How to Maintain a Healthy Relationship With Food When Changing Your Diet?`
As you change your diet, keeping a healthy relationship with food is important. Sometips for doing so include:
Summary
While there is no permanent cure for psoriasis, eating an anti-inflammatory diet can play a role in reducing symptom severity andflare-ups. If you have psoriasis, consuming foods known to lessen inflammation and avoiding foods that promote inflammation might help you better manage your condition.
When starting an anti-inflammatory diet, it’s important to go slowly, giving yourself time to adjust to changes and maintaining a healthy relationship with food.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriasis.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Why treat?
Campanati A, Marani A, Martina E, Diotallevi F, Radi G, Offidani A.Psoriasis as an immune-mediated and inflammatory systemic disease: from pathophysiology to novel therapeutic approaches.Biomedicines.2021 Oct 21;9(11):1511. doi:10.3390/biomedicines9111511
National Psoriasis Foundation.What’s the deal with the anti-inflammatory diet?
Phan C, Touvier M, Kesse-Guyot E, et al.Association between mediterranean anti-inflammatory dietary profile and severity of psoriasis: results from the NutriNet-Santé cohort.JAMA Dermatol.2018 Sep 1;154(9):1017-1024. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.2127
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Psoriasis diet: foods to eat and avoid if you have psoriasis.
Garbicz J, Całyniuk B, Górski M, et al.Nutritional therapy in persons suffering from psoriasis.Nutrients.2021 Dec 28;14(1):119. doi:10.3390/nu14010119
National Psoriasis Foundation.Dietary modifications.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis and diet: researchers examine the relationship between food and disease.
UCI Counseling Center.How to improve relationship with food.
Hunter Medical Research Institute.What does having “a good relationship with food” mean? 4 ways to know if you’ve got one.
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