Quit Smoking
This one only applies if you’re not already a smoker. But if you don’t smoke, don’t start now. Nicotine (present in cigarettes) is known to affect the immune system.
With psoriasis being an autoimmune disorder, there’s a connection between the onset of psoriasis being triggered by smoking. There are also thousands of chemicals in cigarettes that will not produce good reactions when it comes to your immune system. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a major factor when it comes to managing psoriasis, and smoking doesn’t factor into this picture.
Not only does smoking bring on the onset of psoriasis, but it can also make the effects of psoriasis a lot worse. Those who have psoriasis who also smoke may see their likelihood for things like cardiovascular disease increase.
If you’re currently a smoker and also suffer from psoriasis, you can talk to your doctor who can help you come up with a plan to help you quit smoking and get your health on track to help your psoriasis.
Eat Well
Maintaining a healthy diet can help to prevent psoriasis outbreaks. There are types of psoriasis that are thought to be connected with being overweight, so eating healthy foods and making sure you keep your health in check may help you avoid psoriasis symptoms.
There are some types of foods that can help your skin, like fish. Fish oils are thought to help ease inflammation, which is great considering psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition. Also, eating inflammation-reducing vegetables like carrots and spinach can also help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol’s no good for your body, so it makes sense to try to keep it out of your diet. It’s also known to make specific psoriasis treatments less effective. There are theories that alcohol can trigger psoriasis because drinking alcohol can cause your body to react and produce cells that cause skin cells to overproduce. Alcohol also weakens your immune system, and considering psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, alcohol wouldn’t help your body in being able to fight off attacks on your body correctly.
Stay Hydrated and Moisturized
Give your body what it needs and stay hydrated both from the inside and the outside. Make sure you’re upping your fluid intake, but also find a moisturizer that works for you, and make sure you’re using it regularly to keep your psoriasis symptoms in check. If you haven’t already, try a nightly coat of coconut oil on the affected areas. It’ll boost the moisture in the area and keep your skin soft.
You can make sure you’re drinking plenty of water by carrying around a drink bottle with you everywhere you go. Just pop it in your bag, and you won’t need to go and buy wasteful water bottles all the time. Try drink around a liter of water a day. This may be hard for those who don’t like water, but popping a lemon in, or cucumber and mint, may make getting those fluids into your system a bit easier.
Also, try swapping your coffees for a tea. You’ll be getting some lovely herbal goodness into you and replacing the hefty amount of dairy. You could also use the process of making your cup of tea as a time to provide yourself with a relaxing, warm break from a busy day.
Try Natural Remedies
Many different natural remedies are coming out on the market all the time — everything from coconut-oil based lotions to coal tar scrubs. I enjoy experimenting with a variety of different natural lotions and potions. I have several different types that I alternate and use depending on the severity of a flare-up. Often I will dab a small amount of coal tar liquid onto affected areas when I’m showering. Other times I’ll lather up in coconut oil before bed so that it can sink into my skin properly and thoroughly moisturize affected areas while I’m asleep.
I’ve also found some unexpected but incredible remedies from craft markets that I’ve been to over the years. So it’s always a good idea to check out what’s available from places that aren’t just your local pharmacy. You may stumble across something that’s not well known but is someone’s grandma’s secret potion that works an absolute treat.
Although sometimes it’s easy to jump straight into the steroid fixes, it’s not a bad idea to find a natural remedy that can help nip a flare-up in the bud before it comes on too strongly. Then you’re giving your body a break from steroids, and your body may respond to them better in situations where you do need to use them.
What to Do If You're Experiencing Psoriasis Symptoms
There are so many different types of psoriasis, meaning there is an abundance of symptoms that may indicate it’s what you’re dealing with. Because psoriasis is one of those conditions that is believed to be triggered by stress, it’s important to try and keep calm when you think you’re dealing with one of these symptoms we’ve discussed. Stressing may result in exacerbating the symptom, making it worse.
If you think you’ve got a symptom of psoriasis but you’ve never been officially diagnosed, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor while the symptom is still present. This way the doctor can take any tests or samples while the flare-up is occurring, giving you a higher chance of an accurate diagnosis.
If you do end up being diagnosed with psoriasis, don’t forget that there are so many different ways of being able to treat and manage the condition. There are always more and more natural remedies being created for you to try, and as years go by, more and more research is being carried out to find ways to better manage and, maybe hopefully in the future, even cure the condition.
In the meantime, try these coping mechanisms I’ve outlined if you’re dealing with a flare-up of a symptom. It’s even a great idea to adopt these ways of living into your routine while you’re not dealing with a symptom to try and avoid one in the future.
