The list of forbidden foods for psoriasis includes table salt. Its consumption is limited because 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.
Excluded are spices and spicy dishes, 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 in the skin.
Digestible carbohydrates (sugar, honey, pastries, etc. ) also cause inflammation and also contribute to weight gain. It is necessary to exclude products containing preservatives, dyes, stabilizers and flavor enhancers: they cause allergic and inflammatory reactions.
You should refrain from eating fatty foods that worsen disorders of lipid metabolism, "add" extra pounds, "inhibit" the work of the digestive tract.
List of prohibited products:
- pastries, especially fresh, white bread, butter biscuits;
- rich meat soups;
- fatty meats (in particular pork), lard, sausages;
- smoked fish, meat, canned food;
- spices (garlic, horseradish, vinegar, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg);
- fatty dairy products;
- citrus fruits (controversial issue, some nutritionists welcome them, others ban them);
- seafood (lobsters, crabs, shrimps, mussels, oysters);
- highly allergenic fruits and berries (strawberry, pineapple, melon, strawberry, blueberry, mango, cranberry);
- vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, legumes, eggplant, peppers);
- coffee, cocoa, chocolate;
- protein and butter creams, jams, honey, pastries;
- 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 reduction in the frequency of relapses and the disappearance of itching and discomfort. In addition, nutritional therapy helps to 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 diet for psoriasis
After eating food, complex biochemical processes are triggered, which break it down and assimilate it. The pH in the body depends on the composition of the food. When proteins are metabolized in tomatoes, eggplants, meat and fish, the environment becomes acidic. This is what often predisposes to the next recurrence of psoriasis. Therefore, the elimination of such products will help to avoid the appearance on the skin of the characteristic pink plaques covered with silvery scales. Adherence to a diet for a long time leads to significant improvement in the body. How this happens:
- metabolism is normalized;
- increases the body's immunity to the effects of external and internal negative factors;
- the quality of sleep improves, vitality increases, 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 the typical signs of sensitization - the skin becomes inflamed, irritated and rashes form. Therefore, it is advisable to exclude from the diet foods that provoke allergies. For example, chocolate, strawberries, citrus fruits.
Healthy foods
In psoriasis, all fermented dairy products are useful, but only low in fat. Nutritionists recommend that patients more often use soft cheeses without spices, dumplings, fermented baked milk, yogurt, kefir. Children's diet should definitely include cottage cheese and drinking yogurt without colors and flavors. In addition, the following products must be present in the weekly menu:
- boiled eggs or omelets;
- lean meat - turkey, rabbit, chicken breast, lamb;
- oily fish - salmon, Norwegian herring, sardines;
- dry wholemeal bread;
- cereal - buckwheat, millet, wheat, corn;
- salads of white cabbage, parsley beets, seasoned with any vegetable oil;
- zucchini, vegetables and celery roots, carrots.
Food should not be fried or fried. They should be stewed in a little water or baked. Steamed vegetables, meat or steamed fish retain the maximum possible amount of nutrients, macro- and microelements, fat- and water-soluble vitamins.
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 the citrus fruits, only grapefruit is allowed. The thick rind of the fruit should be cut off. Do not forget about nuts (walnuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts), pumpkin and sunflower seeds. They perfectly alkalize the body, minimizing the risk of recurrence of psoriasis.
Basic nutritional guidelines
The goals that follow a diet for psoriasis are:
- reducing the number of exacerbations of the disease;
- reducing the frequency and intensity of skin rashes;
- normalization of metabolism;
- stimulating the body's defenses;
- improving the work of the digestive tract.
According to the classification, the diet for psoriasis does not have its own weight, which means that one must adhere to the general diet or treatment table number 15.
In case of exacerbation of the disease for several days, a low-calorie 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 and therefore there are no clear restrictions on the consumption of a particular food. There are many developed dietary methods 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 the disease. That is, it is recommended to consume up to 70% of the daily diet of alkali-forming products and about 30% acidic products.
General principles of diet in psoriasis:
- drinking fluids; The intake of free fluid should not be less than 2-2, 5 liters per day. Drinking plenty of fluids removes toxins from the body, normalizes kidney function, prevents constipation and increases skin turgor.
- weight; Being overweight indicates a profound metabolic disorder, especially lipids and carbohydrates. It is important to normalize your weight, not to overeat and exercise, as obesity disrupts the digestive tract and cardiovascular system. Normalizing weight improves the condition of the skin, as the content of C-reactive protein in the blood decreases, which increases with obesity.