The list of prohibited foods for psoriasis includes table salt. Its consumption is limited, since it not only irritates the digestive tract, but also "attracts" water, contributing to the appearance of latent edema, weight gain and worsening of pathological processes in metabolism.
Spices and hot dishes are excluded, which, in addition to adversely affecting the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system, adversely affect the skin (aromatic substances and essential oils), provoke itching and inflammatory reactions on 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, colorants, stabilizers and flavor enhancers - they provoke allergic and inflammatory reactions.
You should refrain from eating fatty foods, which aggravate disturbances in lipid metabolism, "add" extra pounds, "inhibit" the work of the digestive tract.
List of prohibited products:
- cakes, especially fresh, white bread, shortbread;
- rich meat soups;
- fatty meats (particularly pork), lard, sausages;
- smoked fish, meat, preserves;
- seasonings (garlic, horseradish, vinegar, pepper, cloves, nutmeg);
- fatty dairy products;
- citrus (a controversial topic, some nutritionists welcome it, others forbid it);
- shellfish (lobster, crabs, shrimp, mussels, oysters);
- highly allergenic fruits and berries (strawberry, pineapple, melon, strawberry, blueberry, mango, blueberry);
- vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, squash, legumes, aubergines, peppers);
- coffee, cocoa, chocolate;
- protein and butter creams, jams, 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 the condition of the skin, a decrease in the frequency of relapses, and the disappearance of itching and discomfort. In addition, nutritional therapy helps normalize weight and the functioning of the digestive tract, improves the appearance of hair and nails, and stimulates the immune system.
Why You Need a Psoriasis Diet
After eating food, complex biochemical processes are triggered to break it down and assimilate it. The body's pH depends on the composition of the food. When proteins are metabolized in tomatoes, aubergines, meat and fish, the environment becomes acidic. This is what often predisposes to the next recurrence of psoriasis. Therefore, the removal of such products will help prevent the appearance of the characteristic pink plaques covered with silver scales on the skin. Adherence to a diet for a long time leads to significant improvement in the body. How did this happen:
- metabolism is normalized;
- increases the body's immunity to the effects of external and internal negative factors;
- improves sleep quality, increases vitality, apathy and fatigue disappear.
There is a certain allergic component in the pathogenesis (mechanism) of the development of psoriasis. Even its symptoms are similar to typical signs of sensitization: the skin becomes inflamed, irritated, and rashes form. That is why it is advisable to exclude foods that cause allergies from the diet. For example, chocolate, strawberries, citrus.
Healthy food
For psoriasis, any fermented dairy product is helpful, but it is only low in fat. Nutritionists recommend that patients more often use soft cheeses without spices, varenets, fermented baked milk, yogurt, kefir. Children's diet should definitely include cottage cheese and yogurt without colorings or flavors. In addition, the following products must be present in the weekly menu:
- hard-boiled eggs or omelettes;
- lean meats: turkey, rabbit, chicken breast, lamb;
- fatty fish: salmon, Norwegian herring, sardines;
- dry whole wheat bread;
- cereal porridge - buckwheat, millet, wheat, corn;
- salads of white cabbage, beets with parsley, seasoned with any vegetable oil;
- zucchini, vegetables and celery roots, carrots.
Food must not be fried or deep fried. They should be simmered in a little water or baked. Steamed vegetables, meat or fish retain the maximum possible amount of nutrients, macro and microelements, water soluble vitamins and fats.
Nutritionists advise eating fruits and nuts as desserts. Especially useful is the daily use of figs, dried apricots, pineapple, grapes, cherries, peaches, dates. Of citrus, only grapefruit is allowed. The dense rind of the fruit must be cut. Don't forget the dried fruits (walnuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts), pumpkin seeds and sunflower. They perfectly alkalize the body, minimizing the risk of psoriasis recurrence.
Basic nutritional guidelines
The goals of a psoriasis diet are:
- reduce the number of exacerbations of the disease;
- reduction in the frequency and intensity of skin 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 "its own table", which means that the general diet or treatment table number 15 must be followed.
In case of exacerbation of the disease for several days, a hypocaloric diet with pureed food is recommended. Its daily energy value is 1800 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, so 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 Pegano diet and the Fire diet. They are similar in that they seek to regulate the acid-base balance in the body to stabilize disease. That is, it is recommended to consume up to 70% of the daily diet of alkali-forming products and approximately 30% of acid-forming products.
General principles of a diet for psoriasis:
- 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, particularly lipids and carbohydrates. It is important to normalize the weight, not to overeat or exercise, since obesity alters the digestive tract and the cardiovascular system. The normalization of weight improves the condition of the skin, since it reduces the content of C-reactive protein in the blood, which increases with obesity.