PSORIASIS

PSORIASIS IS a skin disorder characterized by red patches covered by silvery white scales, which can develop almost anywhere on the body, from the scalp down to the soles of the feet. These patches may itch and be quite uncomfortable as well as be a cosmetic embarrassment. The condition is caused by skin cells that divide too rapidly-up to 1,000 times faster than normal skin cells-and accumulate instead of being shed. Psoriasis is not contagious. It sometimes disappears entirely, although once you’ve had a bout it’s always possible that you’ll get it again.

Three out of each hundred Americans suffer from some form of psoriasis, which affects some fifty million people around the world. Thousands of years ago, afflicted Egyptians would seek relief by eating an herb that grew along the Nile, and then exposing their skin to the sun. Until quite recently, one medical treatment followed the same approach: Patients were given a derivative of the Nile herb-a medication activated by light-and then were exposed to special ultraviolet (UV) lamps. This treatment, though effective, is now considered risky because of increased incidence of skin cancer.

Another treatment utilizing ultraviolet light consists of applying topical applications of coal tar before exposure to certain light rays. This treatment, though messy, is effective and has the advantage that it can be carried out at home. But it, too, has an increased risk of skin cancer: If you’re using this therapy, be sure you have yearly checkups by a dermatologist.

For those with the time and money for an extensive trip, the Dead Sea area in Israel is a famous healing resort for psoriasis. There, the burning rays of the UV spectrum are filtered out by the ever-present haze, and patients can spend many hours in the sunlight or the mineral-rich water without becoming sunburned. Although nearly half of the people who try this method will have a recurrence of psoriasis, I’m sure the group that’s now psoriasis-free would heartily endorse the Dead Sea cure.

The problem with psoriasis is that there is relief but no permanent cure available as yet. We don’t know exactly what causes the condition, though it has been associated with allergies, arthritis, and various dietary and metabolic factors.

In my experience, food allergies, especially to yeast-containing foods, can be a significant factor. Fish oils (the omega-3’s) in supplement form have been helpful in doses of 6 g. daily. Many of my patients have found some relief from the inflammation and itching of psoriasis when they took the fish oil supplements: No matter what other treatment you may be using for psoriasis, I suggest you take this supplement.

Of the topical applications, cortisone works in clearing up psoriasis, but the effect is temporary, and the condition gets worse when the cortisone is discontinued. Sometimes I recommended cortisone-which you can buy over-the-counter in a mild form-for temporary relief, but I don’t like to see patients get too dependent on it. Tar, which can be bought in over-the-counter creams, helps keep down the itching and inflammation, and mineral oil keeps the skin from drying out. Fish oil, or MaxEPA, applied topically has been shown to give relief to psoriasis patients. In one study of eleven patients, eight people found that their lesions treated with MaxEPA had greater improvements than the lesions treated with a placebo. You can use the fish oil in a 10 percent salve.

In addition to fish oil, extralight mineral oil-which you can get at health food stores-can be used as an inexpensive substitute for the moisturizers sold specifically for psoriasis.

Candidiasis can also contribute to psoriasis. There is an increased incidence of candidiasis in the bowels of people with psoriasis, and, if present, the patient must avoid all foods high in yeast, such as baked goods, cheese, mushrooms, vinegar, soy sauce, fermented foods, alcohol, and pickles.

If eliminating yeast from your diet doesn’t improve your symptoms, fumaric acid might help. This treatment involves the use of fumaric acid ester, commonly used in the food industry as a food additive in place of citric acid. In healthy individuals, fumaric acid is formed in the skin when it’s exposed to sunlight. People with psoriasis appear to have a biochemical defect that requires prolonged exposure to the sun to produce it. Fumaric acid ester capsules have been used in clinical trials in Switzerland and the Netherlands with excellent results. In a recent study, 😯 percent of the 285 patients involved reported marked improvement, and 52 percent of those patients were completely cleared of psoriatic lesions.

The fumaric acid will take some time to work-it can take up to three months before any improvement is seen-but it can be highly effective.

The capsules should be taken before meals with plenty of fluids. After taking them, you’ll notice a warm feeling and tingling of your skin in the neck and shoulder area. The feeling will last for about fifteen minutes, and it means that the desired metabolic reaction is taking place.

Another side effect of the treatment is that in about fourteen days you may feel a slight worsening of the itching and a slight swelling of the feet and hands. If it occurs, this lasts for only a few days; it is an indication that the treatment is effective.

Last but not least, keep in mind that tension can aggravate psoriasis. Regular exercise and relaxation exercises will help.

NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR PSORIASIS

• For immediate relief, topical applications of mineral oils (extralight mineral oil, available at most health food stores) or a 10 percent salve of MaxEPA in mineral oll ran be helpful.
• Over-the-counter cortisone creams can be helpful, but their regular use can cause a rebound effect, so try to use them sparingly.
• Investigate the possibility of food allergies.
• Suspect candidiasis as a cause. If elimination of yeast is not helpful, try fumaric acid treatments as follows.
• Try fumaric acid. Because of possible side effects, I recommend that patients have the treatment under supervision.
• First two weeks: one 500-mg. capsule dally.
• Next two weeks’ two 500-rog, capsules daily; one morning, one evening.
• Next two weeks: three 500-mg. capsules dally; one with each meal.
• After the first six weeks you can increase the capsules by one a day for a two-week period until you reach a maximum dose of seven capsules daily.
• After lesions have substantially cleared, a maintenance dose of one or two capsules should be taken daily. NOTE: Patients on this treatment should avoid taking penicillin and pregnant women should not use this treatment, and all people with psoriasis should avoid tetracycline.
• Relaxation exercises and regular exercise are important to control stress.

IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE:

• Fish oils in the form of MaxEPA: 1,000 to 2,000 mg. three times daily.
• Evening primrose oil: 500 mg. three times daily.

IN ADDITION: Go for yearly checkups if using ultraviolet treatments.