Immune Boosting Psoriasis Foods

Consider Eating Immune Boosting Psoriasis Foods

Immune boosting psoriasis foods are an important consideration for those who are interested in tackling the inflammation commonly encountered with psoriasis. If you have read The Psoriasis Diet book (one of the 11 books that form The Psoriasis Program), you will have read of the importance of following a low-allergy diet for several weeks. This is stage-2 of the three-stage diet approach I recommend for psoriasis patients. Because your immune system is very much involved in psoriasis, you will want to remove any possible foods from your diet that may be challenging your immune system. These foods could well be responsible for triggering some of your flare-ups. You’ve probably worked out by now that your diet plays a leading role in improving or worsening your psoriasis, and that your immune system plays a fundamental role in keeping inflammation under control. Doesn’t it make sense to reduce or avoid foods that inappropriately aggravate or stimulate immunity, and include those foods that allow your immune system to respond appropriately? Of course it does. Psoriasis after all is regarded as an autoimmune disease, and it therefore makes perfectly good sense to follow an autoimmune kind of diet.

Throw Out Junk Foods And Eat Immune Boosting Foods

One of the best ways to boost immunity is to first throw out ALL those junk foods, packaged foods and convenience foods from your diet. I’ve spoken at length about this in The Psoriasis Diet book, so you may want to revisit that book. There is little point in improving your diet and selecting the best immune boosting foods if you continue to consume those foods and drinks that contain many chemicals, toxins, preservatives, sugars, etc.

Immune-Boosting Fruits & Vegetables To Consume With Psoriasis

Immune-Boosting Food – Green Leafy Vegetables

Eat your vegetables, how many times have you heard your parents tell you this when you were growing up? People with psoriasis in particular benefit a great deal from eating green leafy vegetables for various reasons. You probably know that vegetables contain plenty of important vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy, but did you know that there are special immune-boosting compounds that only recently are being discovered by modern science?

An interesting study1 was conducted in 2011 at Cambridge University in England, which has discovered a connection between green leafy vegetables and a powerful body-wide immune enhancing response. Researchers at the Barbraham Institute discovered that when mice were fed a diet entirely lacking in green leafy vegetable matter, that they had a remarkable decline in their immune activity within only two to three weeks. The test mice had an almost amazing 80 percent reduction in intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs), one of the major immune cells found in most all mammals, including mice and humans.

It was discovered that a powerful relationship exists between IEL cells and specific chemical compounds found in green cruciferous vegetables such as kale, broccoli and cabbage. Chemicals in these particular types of leafy green vegetables trigger a powerful immune boosting activity in cell surface proteins (AhR proteins) found on the surface of white blood cells, otherwise known as lymphocytes. IEL cells are known to destroy infectious and foreign material to protect the organism.

These immune cell surface proteins in themselves help the body by making our DNA less vulnerable to attack by our immune system which may have gone on the attack of foreign particles in our blood, such as dead cells, parasites, viruses, pollens and more.

Although researchers are still saying its early days yet with this kind of research, they are claiming that green leafy vegetables in particular hold the key to boosting a person’s immune system on various levels, besides providing our bodies with an abundance of vital nutrients including vitamins and minerals.

Immune Boosting Food – Yogurt

When it comes to improving your immune system, you just can’t beat a good quality, naturally made yogurt when it comes to psoriasis. Be sure to read all about the benefits of yogurt in The Psoriasis Diet. Yogurt (without artificial sugars, fruits, etc.) contains plenty of live and beneficial bacteria called probiotics. These friendly bugs are healthy bacteria that keep the intestinal tract and digestive system free of disease-causing germs, but they also calm the immune system and help the body reduce inflammation.

An Austrian study found that taking 7 ounces of yogurt a day (about 1 Cup, around 200 to 250 gr.) was as effective as taking several probiotic capsules daily. An interesting study conducted in Sweden that lasted 80 days, revealed that 180 employees of a factory who drank a daily yogurt drink (Lactobacillus reuteri) had almost one third (33%) fewer sick days than those who did not (who took a placebo).

I’ve always recommended my psoriasis patients take a small bowl of yogurt every day for this reason; it is most beneficial for the digestive tract because it encourages the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and discourages the bad. And we should all know that good health starts in the gut, and if you want to reduce your psoriasis flare-ups, you will want to regularly consume yogurt.You may like to read the page regarding the top ten skin tips for psoriasis.

Some people will tell you to “avoid all dairy products, including yogurt” – ignore them. If you do happen to react to yogurt, try a different brand or a top-quality made product from a reputable health food store. Start with a small amount if you have little experience in cultured foods because the bacteria in your gut may find the influx of these beneficial bacteria a bit overwhelming at first, making you think you are “reacting” to the food.

Antioxidant Foods For Psoriasis

Antioxidant Foods For Psoriasis

Antioxidant-Rich Foods

Antioxidant foods for psoriasis are an important consideration for those people who do have psoriasis, and who want to improve their diet and make their diet work for them. The skin in patients with chronic psoriasis, much like the skin in those who have received significant burns, has been found to have increased levels of the enzyme called xanthine oxidase.

This enzyme is easily capable of generating free oxygen radicals. In studies involving mice it was discovered that high xanthine oxidase activity was associated with hyperplasia of the skin, i.e; a psoriasis-like effect was observed. This is almost the same as what happens in humans, when xanthine oxidase activity increases to a level five times greater than normal, cellular hyper-proliferation occurs. This means that skin cells begin to grow at a much faster rate and begin to shed.

To counter the effects of oxidative stress, “anti” oxidants can be given both orally and topically (on the skin). By reducing the quantity of free oxygen radicals caused by inflammation, it is possible to reduce the hyper proliferation state of the skin as is experienced in psoriasis.

When you have psoriasis, it makes therefore good sense to include antioxidant rich foods in your diet every day to counter enzymes such as xanthine oxidase.

Antioxidant foods are foods that are particularly high in vitamins A, B6, C, E, zinc, selenium, and folic acid. When you have psoriasis, it is best to consume colorful vegetables and fruits often, because they tend to provide richest amounts of these anti-oxidant and inflammation fighting nutrients.

In a 2009 study5 with regards to antioxidants and psoriasis, 58 people were admitted to the hospital emergency room with psoriatic arthritis (an arthritic type of psoriasis of the skin and joints), or plaque psoriasis (affects the skin over much of the body surface). The psoriasis sufferers from both groups were separated into two groups – the treatment group with antioxidants (50 mg of coenzyme Q10, 75 IU of vitamin E, and 48 mcg of selenium per day) and conventional medicines, or the group receiving conventional medicines and a placebo. After just one month, the psoriasis patients with psoriatic arthritis had a 45 percent lower symptom severity score compared to the placebo group, and the plaque psoriasis patient group receiving the antioxidants and conventional medicines had experienced a 37 percent lower symptom severity score when compared to the placebo group.

Antioxidant Rich Foods To Consume With Psoriasis

Green apple Blueberry Boysenberry Lemon
Lime Avocado Pear Plum
Kiwi Papaya Cantaloupe Spinach
Kale Broccoli Sweet Potato String Bean
Carrots Red Bean Pinto Bean Cranberry
Artichoke Prune Pecan Red Apple

Cautious Of The Nightshade Family Of Vegetables

Did you spot the bell pepper (capsicum) and tomatoes in the image above? They belong to the vegetable family of nightshades, be cautious of the nightshade family of vegetables, as I’ve mentioned in the Psoriasis Diet book, as these are colorful and contain antioxidants but often best avoided by those with psoriasis because they contain a class of chemical called alkaloids, and these alkaloids can provoke and stimulate inflammation, rather than suppress. Avoid them a a trial, and while you may be one of those psoriasis patients I have seen who can tolerate them, I have seen many who improved significantly once these vegetables were removed from their diet. It’s all about trial and error.

As you will see from the table, fruits and vegetables are not the only source of antioxidants, you will find that nuts and seeds as well as whole grains contain these antioxidants as well. The benefits of antioxidant rich foods is not limited to reducing any oxidative stress, many antioxidant rich foods can also fight the inflammation of psoriasis, and are very important to protect a psoriasis patient against heart disease and cancer, diseases that psoriasis sufferers are at a higher risk of developing. Let’s take a closer look an inflammation and anti-inflammatory foods.

The 10 Most Inflammatory Foods To Avoid With Psoriasis

The 10 Most Inflammatory Foods To Avoid With Psoriasis

Did You Know The Most Inflammatory Foods To Avoid With Psoriasis?

Here is a very handy list, the top ten “NO” foods and drinks as far as psoriasis is concerned. If you have psoriasis, you will benefit from reducing or best avoiding the items on this page, as they only increase your chances of inflammation. The Psoriasis Program outlines the foods to eat and the foods to avoid in a lot more detail than you will find on this website.

Are you serious about getting a permanent resolution from your psoriasis? Of course you are, that’s why you are most probably reading this page right now. In The Psoriasis Program, be sure to read about the best anti-inflammatory foods to consume.

Article of interest:

1. Alcohol. This would have to be possibly the top inflammatory food to consume if you have psoriasis.Do you drink alcohol regularly and have psoriasis? Then why not stop for several months and see what happens? When I can finally convince a psoriasis patient to stop alcohol for a long period of time, incredible things just seem to happen to their health. Regular consumption of alcohol causes much inflammation as well as irritation to your liver, kidneys and numerous organs, leading to poorer health, and moderately heavy drinking can eventually lead to cancer, heart disease as well as diabetes. I have noticed that a lot of people I see with psoriasis drink alcohol very regularly, and many drink daily. Are you one of them? Stop now, this could be one of the most important decisions you could make in your quest to recover from psoriasis. This information is worth the price of the Psoriasis Program alone – providing you actually do stop drinking for several months. Are you sick and tired of your psoriasis yet? Then STOP drinking now! 2. Sugar. You can read a lot more information about the bad effects of sugar in the Psoriasis Diet, so I won’t elaborate on it too much here, but suffice to say, sugar is everywhere today. You will want to avoid processed foods, desserts and snacks as much as possible. Not only will your psoriasis improve because you have removed this most inflammatory food, you will have removed the main food source for bad bacteria, parasites and Candida albicans from your diet. Your digestion will improve, you will lose weight, your blood sugar will improve and along with it your energy. Alcohol and sugar in your diet are the two top inflammatory foods by far, so do your best to give them as wide a berth as possible in your diet and be amazed! 3. Cooking oils. Most people consume too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3. The ration ideally should be 1:1 or 1:2, but in America the ratio today is more like 50:1. The oils you will want to avoid in your diet are safflower, soy, corn, canola and cottonseed. These oils are pro-inflammatory and linked with heart disease and many kinds of inflammatory illnesses. Removing them from your diet will reduce your body’s ability to cause inflammation, and is sure to help your psoriasis. Be sure to include healthy oils and fats in your diet, such as coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, pure butter, organic sunflower oil, avocado oil, and sesame oil. Make sure your oils are GMO, i.e; non-genetically modified. 4. Trans fats. These fats are man-made and added to foods to prolong shelf-life. The are found in fast foods, commercially baked foods like biscuits, cakes, bagels and donuts. They are also found in commercially prepared peanut butter, margarine and are in many vegetable oils. These fats and oils are unhealthy and promote inflammation, increase bad cholesterol, create insulin resistance and help cause obesity, diabetes and heart disease. 5. Dairy Products. Many people drink cow’s milk, have cream and eat lots of butter and cheese. I discovered some time ago the cow’s milk is the most common of all food allergies, and recommend that all psoriasis patients avoid consuming it. While kefir and a good quality yogurt are OK, cow’s milk is hard on your body’s immune system and is a pro-inflammatory food. It can exacerbate psoriatic lesions, trigger low-grade inflammation; various skin rashes, hives, digestive problems and has even been implicated in heart disease. Avoid cow’s milk and drink almond, rice or oat milk instead. Eat cheese in small amounts and focus more on the cultured dairy foods like the kefir and yogurt. 6. Processed and feedlot raised animal meats. You will be able to read more about this in the Psoriasis Diet. It is recommended not to consume more than 250 grams or red meat per week. Lamb is a better choice when you have psoriasis, and beef is best avoided, but if you do eat it eat no more than 250 grams (1/2 pound) in any one-week. Eat fish, chicken, lamb and pork preferably over beef as your meat protein sources. You may want to be rather selective in your choice of meats; some commercially raised animals may have been fed grains such as genetically modified soy or corn increasing the likelihood of producing meats that are inflammatory by nature. Animals may be injected with hormones, or may have been given antibiotics and encouraged to gain excess fat and muscle. 7. Artificial colors, preservatives and flavorings. MSG, and aspartame are only two of an incredible amount of chemicals you may want to avoid if you have psoriasis. By choosing foods that are fresh and natural, and avoiding as many packaged and processed foods as possible you will be cutting a lot of artificial chemicals out of our diet, chemicals that can potentially trigger inflammatory responses. 8. Refined grains. In this category you will be thinking about white flour and any foods made from this highly refined food. While some say that meats are inflammatory by nature, highly refined flour is more inflammatory in fact. Stay with wholemeal flour, and try your best to eat less wheat and more brown rice, quinoa, millet and buckwheat. 9. Soda drinks. These drinks deserve a category all by themselves because they are so widely consumed. Avoid them completely; they are full of sugars, artificial colors and various chemicals including artificial flavorings. Stick with herbal and green teas, and plain old water. 10.Fill in the Blank: Do you constantly have headaches or feel tired? Sometimes, you may develop an allergy to a food and not even know it. Coffee, certain vegetables, cheese… there might be a trigger you aren’t even aware of. Try and take a few foods out to see how you feel and slowly incorporate them back in to see if there might be a hidden culprit lurking in your diet!

 

 

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