Mediterranean diet can help ease psoriasis

EATING a diet rich in olive oil, fish, nuts and fruit and vegetables could improve the symptoms of psoriasis, new research has found.

Foods in the Mediterranean diet are thought to be high in anti-inflammatory properties, which could help slow the symptoms of the painful condition, which often causes red, scaly patches of skin.

Researchers at Mondor Hospital in south-east Paris analysed 35,735 people, 3557 of whom had psoriasis, and asked them to take part in a questionnaire. Of the 3557 psoriasis sufferers, 878 said it was severe and 299 new cases were reported.

Details of their diets were collected and scored in accordance with how close their eating habits were to a Mediterranean diet.

The results, published in JAMA Dermatology, found participants whose diet was more Mediterranean experienced less severe psoriasis.

One of the study’s researchers, Dr Celine Phan, explained it is the inflammatory aspect of the condition that the diet could help improve since inflammation was the contributing factor in how severe patients’ symptoms were.

“A pro-inflammatory diet has been associated with an increase in the incidence and severity of several inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid disease.”

According to Psoriasis Australia, approximately 1.6 million Australians suffer from psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, with 60 per cent saying the disease affects their everyday lives.