Psoriasis. What I have done for myself and others to eliminate psoriasis outbreaks.

Medication will suppress the immune system. You need to support it instead.

Someone asked me to write about psoriasis a while back, so here is my basic protocol. If you know anyone with this autoimmune condition, please share this article with them. Thank you!

My Psoriasis Story

I have had three severe bouts of psoriasis in my lifetime. The last one was in the year 2000.

The first time I had psoriasis was when I was of middle school age. I was a sickly kid, on antibiotics a lot, and was on medication for two years daily for a chronic health condition, although I still cannot figure out why the doctor placed me on this medication. But my mother made sure I took it daily.

My first psoriasis outbreak started during the time I was on long-term medication.

My psoriasis lasted about two years. I washed my hair with black tar shampoo. I used the cortisone creams but got discouraged because as soon as I discontinued use, the “rash” reappeared.

I lived in the northeast. I did not take vitamin D. In the summer when I was sunbathing, my skin always improved.

Finally, my parents took me to a holistic nutritionist (back then, you might as well have called him a witch doctor). He had me spit in a cup (he was doing the old-fashioned unscientific candida test), looked at my hair, and asked me about my bowels.

The protocol included soft-boiled eggs, dry toast, and prune juice for breakfast. I cannot remember what else the protocol included, but I know I improved.

My second psoriasis episode was during my freshman year in college. Unlike other college students, I lost weight during my freshman year, ate very little, and drank a TON of diet soda.

Just before winter break, the psoriasis was back.

Over the break, I changed my diet and cut out the diet soda, and I improved by the time the next semester started.

My last bout was when I had strep throat, and three different antibiotics did not clear the infection. Finally, the fourth did the trick (or resolved on its own?), and soon after, I noticed the start of psoriasis.

This episode was my worst. It was everywhere, from my scalp to my toes.

There is a reason why the suicide rate is so high in people with psoriasis.

All of this happened before I was a nutritionist, but looking back, why I had these outbreaks and what worked to rid them now makes perfect sense.

I will share a basic protocol below that has worked for my clients, family, and me.

Please share this post with anyone you know who has psoriasis, as many people live with this for years and take medications to manage it that may have long-lasting side effects.

Because it is a skin condition, people can become self-conscious and depressed and stop participating in life activities because of how they look.

They do not have to live with psoriasis.

What is psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition (AI). This means you need to have the genes for this disorder, and something turned those genes on.

The 3-legged stool concept for autoimmunity states that you need the gene, gut dysbiosis/leaky gut, and an environmental trigger to turn that gene on. You can have an autoimmune condition but no signs or symptoms because you did not activate it.

I picture AI conditions as a door with a lock. You can keep an AI condition behind the locked door. But a trigger can unlock that door and cause an AI flare-up. You can put the AI condition back behind the door. It will always be there, but that door will remain closed (not locked) if you know how to support your body.

I stated closed, not locked, because I believe that once the AI condition is activated, it can open that door again under the right conditions.

The Cleveland Clinic states there is no cure for psoriasis and that creams or ointments can manage the symptoms. The same article lists numerous topical medications; if they do not work, they list oral medications.

Have you ever seen a commercial on TV for psoriasis medication? (In the US, drug-promoting commercials are allowed).

Everyone looks so happy, but at the end of the commercial, they state (very quickly) all the horrifying side effects.

The Cleveland Clinic article says nothing about supporting your immune system. The article does mention some of the triggers for an outbreak, such as stress and streptococcal infection-something my doctor at the time denied could cause my psoriasis flare up.

Psoriasis is not a skin disorder. Immune dysregulation is causing it to affect the skin. Therefore, any cream may manage symptoms but will do nothing to put that AI condition back behind a closed door.

Picture of a client in December 2018

January 2019

You can see the psoriasis getting lighter in just one month!

I do not know how this client is doing now with the psoriasis.

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A relative with psoriasis at the start of the protocol with very thick, very red patches.

It's hard to tell in the picture, but they were less red and less inflamed roughly a month later.

For this individual, it took about three months to clear up. I can vouch that this person has not had any flare-ups since these pictures in 2018.

I do not have any pictures of myself with psoriasis. It was a tough time for me.

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Can You Cure Psoriasis?

Since it is an autoimmune (AI) condition), you can support your body so that you do not have a reoccurrence, but you can’t rid yourself of it, and it can always get reactivated by some stressor or trigger.

What Needs Targeting

At the individual level, we need to identify the trigger that caused the outbreak. We know we need to, at a minimum, address gut dysbiosis and leaky gut.

An individual may not need to address everything below, but these are the areas that I would look into to determine if and when they need to be focused on.

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My Psoriasis Protocol (tailored to the individual)

By the end of month one, you should notice that the psoriasis is less inflamed and red. By the end of month two, you should notice it getting very light. It should be gone or almost gone at the end of month three or month four. Sometimes, it remains very light for several more months.

Remove:

Look at your diet and remove inflammatory foods such as packaged refined crackers, cookies, bagels, and muffins. Remove artificial sugar and refined sugar. For psoriasis, your diet will most likely need a complete overhaul.

This is not the time to do a gradual dietary change.

Remove processed meats such as cold cuts and hotdogs.

Remove high-sugar fruits such as mango and pineapple. Consume only two fruit servings daily, such as an apple and a cup of berries. (check the www.ewg.org current dirty dozen fruit and vegetable list. For instance, apples are usually at the top of the list as one of the most heavily sprayed fruits).

Remove tap water and hydrate to the point of pale yellow urine with filtered water.

Do not use rancid, oxidized, and inflammatory oils such as vegetable, canola, soy, or safflower. This means reducing the frequency of eating out. Ideally, it is best to eliminate going out to eat while on the protocol.

Avoid toxic products as much as you can, such as GMO and non-organic foods, foods in cans, or plastic. This is no easy task, so do the best that you can.

STOP drinking alcohol! I have seen many people with psoriasis who are heavy drinkers, and once they remove the alcohol, there is a dramatic improvement. Alcohol can contribute to blood sugar dysregulation, leaky gut, and gut dysbiosis and lead to nutrient deficiencies.

If you are a regular user of NSAIDs or birth control pills, discuss with your practitioner other options. You may find that once you clean up the diet and start to heal the gut, you no longer are dependent upon NSAIDs for pain and headaches.

Replace the old diet with:

Follow the Paleo Autoimmune diet for at least one month (up to three months) and then transition to the Paleo diet until symptoms resolve. The paleo diet will remove inflammatory foods and the more common foods we are sensitive to.

There is a wealth of information online on how to follow the Paleo and the Paleo AI diet. Research on the paleo AI diet for psoriasis is limited, but the diet removes inflammatory foods, processed foods, and foods more commonly associated with sensitivities.

Invest in a filtered water system: Options include countertop pitchers, containers, and full under-the-sink mounted systems such as reverse osmosis. Below are a few options available in the U.S.

https://zerowater.com/

https://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/

https://aquatruwater.com/

Add in intermittent fasting for 12 to 17 hours daily. (women of childbearing age should stick to shorter fasts since it could disrupt female hormones and impact fertility). Changes that can occur from regular IF that are helpful when you have psoriasis include cellular repair and alterations to gene expression.

Add fiber-rich whole foods to move the bowels, such as starchy carbs (sweet potato, beets; no beans while on the paleo diet).

Add in fermented foods in small quantities (such as one tablespoon daily). Fermented foods include Bubbies pickles (my favorite), non-dairy yogurts (read the label to ensure they contain probiotics), fermented sour kraut, and kimchi.

Add in liver detoxification-supportive foods and herbs such as cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts), sulfur-containing alliums (onions, shallots, garlic), dandelion greens (improves bile flow), burdock root (powder or as a tea to assist detoxification) and dark green leafy vegetables.

Organic as much as you can!

Have protein at each meal. Depending on the person, the amount could range from 15 to 35 grams (or even more).

ACESZ: These are antioxidants and supportive skin nutrients. Add in foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E and selenium and zinc.

Repair: Supplements and other regimens that may be needed

(this is based on the individual)

• Vitamin D (based on blood tests, but for psoriasis, you do not want your D levels at 20-30 ng/mL-aim for 40-65 ng/mL). Use the vitamin D calculator at www.grassrootshealth.net to guide you.

• Curcumin: Anti-inflammatory support

• Gut healing protocol: I use Microbiome labs for their leaky gut and dysbiosis supplement protocol.

• Candida: Microbiome Labs supplement protocol

• Fish oil: Anti-inflammatory and skin support. If you have access to wild-caught Alaskan salmon, eat salmon two times weekly at the start of the protocol for the first 2 weeks and then cut back to once weekly as you see psoriasis get lighter. Otherwise, taking a fish oil supplement of 1 to 2 grams of EPA/DHA would be best. Finding a quality fish oil product is not easy, and for now, the one I suggest is Nordic Naturals. Also, go to www.omegaquant.com and purchase the omega-3 index test. It is an at-home finger prick/blood spot test. This test result will guide you on how much omega-3 you need in your diet.

• Liver support: Milk Thistle. Use in liposomal form for one to three months. The brand that I use is Quicksilver Scientific.

• Coffee Enema: Consider doing one at the start of your protocol. You do not need to do more than one. A good site with some helpful information to get you started on how to do a coffee enema is here.

• Magnesium: Use a transdermal spray topically on your legs and arms. The one I like is Ease Magnesium by www.activationproducts.com.

• Address the stress: Decide what is best for you, whether it is getting outdoors, walking, acupuncture, meditation, exercise, or using adaptogenic herbs, but typically, a stressor plays a role in psoriasis activation.

• Herbal Teas: Choose organic loose-leaf herbs to drink once to three times daily, such as chamomile, burdock root, dandelion root, and leaf and hops.

• Slippery elm Gruel: Buy slippery elm powder and mix 1/2 tablespoon with water until it forms a paste. Eat this amount daily for the first two weeks (all at once or in tiny bits throughout the day) to support gut healing.

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Bottom Line: What I have mentioned above is generalized. It may work for you, or you may need something more tailored to you, especially if your psoriasis has been chronic for years and you have been on medication for it long-term.

Psoriasis needs to be addressed from the inside. It is not a skin condition but an autoimmune condition.

If you have psoriasis, there is much you can do outside of medication to resolve it. You should not have to live a life with it. If you are interested in my services, please reach out to me. I understand what it is like to have this condition!

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This is NOT information allopathic practitioners will share with you.

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