Jessica Belshaw from Torpoint, Cornwall, said that the symptoms of her guttate form of psoriasis started when spots on her abdomen appeared when she was just 13 years old. Then, the disease covered her whole body in excruciating red, flaky patches. For years, she was on steroid creams, but later on decided to switch to natural healing about a year after suffering from severe steroid withdrawals, which caused her serious discomfort each time she missed a dose.
Belshaw believes that her vegan, gluten-free, and mostly raw diet helps her manage her condition, in addition to yoga and meditation for managing her stress levels and preventing flare-ups. Aside from her vegan and gluten-free diet, she also eats plenty of raw foods and leafy green vegetables, drinks a lot of water, and limit her alcohol consumption. Even though she still experiences breakouts occasionally, she learned to accept her condition and encourages others to do the same. (Related: Psoriasis is becoming a pandemic)
“My first advice would be acceptance, accepting who you are is the first stage in order to love who you are and heal your body,” Belshaw said.
More on psoriasis
Psoriasis is a long-term autoimmune disease that causes the fast build-up of skin cells. This, in turn, leads to scaling on the surface of the skin. Commonly, inflammation and redness around the scale occur. Psoriatic scales are usually whitish-silver and turn into thick, red patches. There is a possibility that these patches will crack and bleed. Psoriasis can appear anywhere — on the eyelids, ears, mouth, and lips, skin folds, hands and feet, and nails. There are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, pustular, inverse, and erythrodermic. The exact cause of this disease remains unknown. But what scientists know is that the immune system and genetics play major roles in the development of the disease. The primary symptoms of psoriasis include red, flaky, crusty patches, covered with silvery scales that shed easily and extreme itching and burning.
Herbal remedies for managing and treating psoriasis
Listed below are some of the natural remedies for management and treatment of psoriasis.
- Aloe vera – The gel of aloe vera can be applied to the skin for a maximum of three times a day. Some study shows that it can help lessen the redness and scaling associated with psoriasis.
- Apple cider vinegar – Apple cider vinegar can act as a disinfectant which can help ease the scalp from itchiness due to psoriasis. However, do not apply this remedy if your skin is cracked or bleeding or if you have open wounds.
- Capsaicin – The ingredient that makes chili peppers hot is called capsaicin. This can be added to creams and ointments which blocks nerve endings that transmit pain. This may help lessen the pain, inflammation, redness, and scaling due to psoriasis.
- Epsom salts – Add Epsom salts or Dead Sea salts to a warm bath water and soak in the tub for around 15 minutes. This may help remove scales and alleviate itching. After getting out of the tub, apply a skin moisturizer.
- Tea tree oil – Tea tree oil, which is native to Australia, is said to possess antiseptic qualities and can be applied to the skin.
- Turmeric – Often studied for its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, turmeric can also alter gene expression. A 2012 study review found that turmeric can change TNF cytokine expression, which is the reason why it helps minimizing psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis flare.
- Oregon grape – Also known as Mahonia aquifolium, Oregon grape is a strong antimicrobial herb that is involved in immune response. Studies show that a cream that contains 10 percent of mahonia is efficient in treating mild to moderate psoriasis.
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