The list of prohibited foods for psoriasis includes table salt. Its consumption is limited, as in addition to irritating the digestive tract, it "attracts" water, contributing to the appearance of latent edema, weight gain and aggravation of pathological processes in the metabolism.
Excluded are spices and spicy dishes that, in addition to harming the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system, negatively affect the skin (aromatic substances and essential oils), cause itching and inflammatory reactions in the skin.
Digestible carbohydrates (sugar, honey, sweets, etc. ) also cause inflammation and also contribute to weight gain. It is necessary to exclude products that contain preservatives, dyes, stabilizers and flavor enhancers: they cause allergic and inflammatory reactions.
You should avoid eating fatty foods, which aggravate lipid metabolism disorders, "add" extra pounds, "inhibit" the functioning of the digestive tract.
List of prohibited products:
- Pastry, In particular fresh, White bread, Butter biscuits;
- rich meat soups;
- fatty meats (particularly pork), lard, sausages;
- smoked fish, meat, canned food;
- condiments (garlic, horseradish, vinegar, pepper, cloves, nutmeg);
- fatty dairy products;
- citrus fruits (a controversial issue, some nutritionists welcome it, others prohibit it);
- seafood (lobster, crab, shrimp, mussels, oysters);
- highly allergenic fruits and berries (strawberry, pineapple, melon, strawberry, blueberry, mango, cranberry);
- vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, vegetables, eggplant, peppers);
- coffee, cocoa, chocolate;
- Protein and butter creams, jellies, honey, sweets;
- nuts, especially roasted and salted;
- eggs;
- easily digestible cereals (semolina, barley);
- offal.
The need to follow a diet
A patient on a psoriasis diet will soon notice a significant improvement in skin condition, a decrease in the frequency of relapses, and a disappearance of itching and discomfort. In addition, nutritional therapy helps normalize weight and digestive tract function, improves the appearance of hair and nails, and boosts the immune system.
Why You Need a Diet for Psoriasis
After eating food, complex biochemical processes are triggered to break it down and assimilate it. The pH of the body depends on the composition of food. When proteins are metabolized in tomatoes, eggplant, meat and fish, the environment becomes acidic. This is what usually predisposes to the next recurrence of psoriasis. Therefore, the elimination of such products will help to prevent the appearance of characteristic pink plaques covered by silvery scales on the skin. Sticking to a diet for a long time leads to a significant improvement in the body. How it happens:
- metabolism is normalized;
- the body's immunity to the effects of external and internal negative factors increases;
- the quality of sleep improves, vitality increases, apathy and tiredness disappear.
There is a certain allergic component in the pathogenesis (mechanism) of psoriasis development. Even its symptoms are similar to the typical signs of sensitization - the skin becomes inflamed, irritated, and skin rashes appear. Therefore, it is advisable to exclude foods that cause allergies from the diet. For example, chocolate, strawberry, citrus fruits.
Healthy food
For psoriasis, any fermented dairy products are helpful, but only low in fat. Nutritionists recommend that patients use spice-free soft cheeses, varenets, fermented baked milk, yogurt, kefir more often. Children's diet should definitely include cottage cheese and drinking yogurt without colorings and flavors. In addition, the following products must be present in the weekly menu:
- boiled eggs or omelets;
- lean meats - turkey, rabbit, chicken breast, lamb;
- fatty fish - salmon, Norwegian herring, sardines;
- dry wholemeal bread;
- cereal porridge - buckwheat, millet, wheat, corn;
- salads of white cabbage, parsley beet, seasoned with any vegetable oil;
- zucchini, greens and celery roots, carrots.
Food should not be fried or fried. They should be boiled in a little water or boiled. Steamed vegetables, meats or fish retain as much nutrients, macro and microelements, fat-soluble vitamins and water as possible.
Nutritionists advise eating fruits and dried fruits as desserts. Especially useful is the daily use of figs, dried apricots, pineapple, grapes, cherries, peaches, dates. Of citrus fruits, only grapefruit is allowed. The dense rind of the fruit must be cut. Don't forget about walnuts (walnuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts), pumpkin and sunflower seeds. They perfectly alkalize the body, minimizing the risk of psoriasis recurrence.
Basic Nutritional Guidelines
The goals that follow a diet for psoriasis are:
- reduce the number of disease exacerbations;
- reduction in the frequency and intensity of rashes;
- normalization of metabolism;
- stimulation of the body's defenses;
- improving the work of the digestive tract.
According to the classification, the psoriasis diet does not have a "own table", which means that the general diet or treatment table must be adhered to 15.
In case of exacerbation of the disease for several days, a low-calorie diet with soft foods is recommended. Its daily energy value is 1, 800 kilocalories, protein content - 50-70 grams, fat - no more than 40-60 grams, carbohydrates - about 250-300 grams. The exclusion of allergenic foods is also shown.
Each person's body is individual and, therefore, there are no clear restrictions on the consumption of a particular food. There are many dietary methods developed for psoriasis, the most famous of which are the Pégano diet and the Fire diet. They are similar in that they seek to regulate the body's acid-base balance to stabilize the disease. In other words, it is recommended to consume up to 70% of the daily diet of alkaline products and around 30% of acids.
General principles of a psoriasis diet:
- drink fluids; Free fluid intake should not be less than 2 - 2. 5 liters per day. Drinking plenty of fluids removes toxins from the body, normalizes kidney function, prevents the development of constipation and increases skin turgor.
- Weight; Excess body weight indicates a profound metabolic disorder, in particular lipids and carbohydrates. It is important to normalize your weight, not overeat and exercise, as obesity disrupts the digestive tract and cardiovascular system. The normalization of weight improves the condition of the skin, as the level of C-reactive protein in the blood decreases, which increases with obesity.