Natural way to tackle psoriasis and eczema
A BRITISH woman who battled psoriasis and eczema for 20-years has discovered a “cure” for her condition – a change to her diet. At 35, Hannah Sillitoe had tried every cream available to calm her red, raw and patchy skin. At its worst, eczema covered her eyelids and plaque (raised, red patches covered with silvery white scales), which is the most common form of psoriasis affected her knees, elbows and forearms. She also had another form known as guttate psoriasis (small, salmon-pink bumps), which covered her arms, legs, breasts, stomach and scalp. Her doctor told her that her only option was chemotherapy.
Despite being in so much pain and discomfort that she had to cover her skin with clingfilm so her clothes don’t rub against it, she was not keen on taking the chemotherapy drug after learning about the side effects. She began to research alternatives and discovered cases where people have healed their autoimmune disease (psoriasis is activated by an over-responsive immune system) through a change in diet. experiences and before and after photos from people who have been inspired and helped.
Here are the foods that Sillitoe advises to avoid:
Caffeine Caffeine depresses the immune system, making it difficult for our skin to fight bacteria. It also encourages insulin production, which increase inflammation levels and worsens skin condition.
Alcohol Alcohol causes dehydration and deprives the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients. As a major ingredient in many skincare products, Sillitoe advises to keep a look out.
Sugar Sugar cause insulin levels to spike and this can cause inflammation. Digested sugar permanently attaches to the proteins in our skin through a process known as glycation. Over time, the end products accumulate and destroy our collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for keeping skin firm and supple.
Processed and junk food Processed foods can increase bad cholesterol and block the production of chemicals that combat inflammation. It also causes blood sugar to quickly soar. This rapid spike triggers the metabolism to boost insulin in response, which in turn causes inflammation. Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, aubergine and peppers) There has been some anecdotal evidence from people who have found that nightshades aggravate their autoimmune illness.
Dairy Dairy is very difficult to digest, even if one is allergic to it.It’s one of the most acidic, inflammatory foods. All animal protein is inflammatory to some degree but it is specifically dairy proteins that have been linked to skin problems.
Wheat Wheat is high on the glycaemic index. High GI foods prompt raised blood sugar, in turn triggering insulin, which promote chronic inflammation throughout the body.
Information and images taken from Daily Mail Online.