Gluten and psoriasis
Researchers now agree that psoriasis is a complex problem that has to be attacked from many different angles. Diet and lifestyle are emerging as some of the main causes of psoriasis flare ups. There is mounting evidence that gluten and psoriasis symptoms go hand-in-hand for many people.
Gluten is a protein that occurs in the processing of grains, mainly wheat, barley and rye. The gluten gives elasticity to bread or pastry dough. Around the world, gluten is added to foods lacking in protein, especially in countries where quality food sources are in short supply. It is often used as a substitute in imitation meat products for vegans or vegetarians. While grain products are the most common gluten-rich foods, gluten also acts as a stabilizer in many things you may not normally associate with gluten. Foods like ice cream, syrups and condiments often contain large amounts of gluten for flavoring and texture.
While gluten is a valuable food product and good source of protein, gluten also contains a great deal of carbohydrates. Over consumption of gluten-heavy foods leads to weight gain and problems such as high blood pressure and chronic fatigue. The combination of gluten and psoriasis leads to even more complicated problems.
To be clear, it is not thought that gluten, or a diet heavy in gluten-rich foods, actually causes psoriasis, Gluten can be bad for psoriasis sufferers due to the manner in which it influences the immune system. Psoriasis is somewhat of an autoimmune disease that causes swelling, redness and scaly skin, and gluten can exacerbate psoriatic inflammation. Gluten can also cause your body to not absorb certain nutrients effectively. Excess gluten and psoriasis can lead to extreme fatigue and dangerous weight loss because the gluten can prevent the proper metabolizing of carbohydrates and fats needed for energy reserves. Psoriasis sufferers must be careful with gluten because it can also hinder calcium and vitamin D uptake – possibly leading to psoriatic arthritis or osteoporosis.
The correlation between gluten and psoriasis flare-ups is undeniable. Carbohydrates in general are problematic for psoriasis sufferers. The body’s immune system goes into full alert mode and attacks the gluten and the inflammation it causes. This can cause widespread pain, headaches, irritable bowels, and extreme fatigue. The gluten and psoriasis most commonly team up in the joints, making movement painful and thereby leading to a more sedentary lifestyle – which further enhances the adverse effects of psoriasis.
Psoriasis can often lead to emotional and psychological problems, and gluten appears to exacerbate those issues. Cognitive function can be impaired in people suffering from psoriasis who consume large amounts of wheat flour.
Topical ointments help ease the swelling and itching, and orally administered prescription drugs can reduce psoriasis symptoms. These steps have been taken for years, but most recently, doctors have been looking into lifestyle changes as the most effective way to control or eliminate flare-ups. Dietary changes can often have an overnight impact, especially with reduced pain and swelling. Removing gluten from your diet eliminates another of the many mysterious causes for psoriasis outbreaks. This does not just mean breads and pastries – red meat is heavy with gluten and can be hard to properly digest for psoriasis patients.
Other lifestyle changes suggested by doctors are more specific food avoidance, reduction in stress whenever possible, avoiding synthetic fibers in clothing, using shampoos and soaps especially designed to moisturize the skin and reduce itching, and of course, quitting smoking.
As there is currently no true cure, mixing gluten and psoriasis can only be detrimental. Abdominal distention, chronic nausea, and diarrhea are commonplace for people with psoriasis who do not pay attention to their daily food intake. You can take all the pills and apply all of the creams that you want, but if you want to minimize psoriasis flare-ups, you will need to avoid certain foods.
As we have known for some time now, our food intake contributes to our overall health or lack thereof. We also know that psoriasis manifests itself primarily on the skin. Certain foods are beneficial for the skin, regardless of psoriatic condition. Avocados have niacin and other skin-healthy b-complex vitamins. Mangoes are rich in vitamin A, which helps avoid scaliness and swelling. Oysters help with swelling by increasing skin elasticity and the high levels of zinc contribute to a decrease in lesions. Baked potatoes, without all the accouterments, have lots of copper, which works in conjunction with vitamin C and zinc to more rapidly heal lesions. Omega-3 rich fish oils are essential for anyone suffering from psoriasis because they help retain moisture in the skin and reduce inflammations.
Many patients have reported using coal tar, sulfur, corticosteroids and light therapy to no avail.
However, once they commit to a gluten-free diet, most patients report an almost immediate improvement in symptoms. People can and do go through gluten withdrawal, which often manifests itself with symptoms similar to that of psoriasis. But the withdrawal symptoms subside rapidly, and patients who report having been on the gluten-free diet for an extended period of time tell researchers that they have lost a lot of excess weight, have far more energy and their moods seem drastically improved. Even if you are participating in a gluten-free lifestyle and have not had a flare-up in a long time, psoriasis can change its location on the body and ointments or other medications are less effective because the body becomes used to the substances and therefore is not nearly as affected as when a new drug is introduced.
For psoriasis patients, going completely gluten-free is a wise – and often expensive – choice. To obtain cooking outcomes without gluten requires some research and a little trial and error. Gluten is used to thicken and add flavor, just like wheat flour. However, traditional wheat flour can be bought for a couple bucks for a ten-pound bag, while bags of rice flour and potato starch are often five times as much. However, the popularity of gluten-free diets will likely eventually drive prices down and create a surge in pre-packaged products that are gluten-free. Not only do psoriasis patients benefit from eliminating gluten, but diabetics and the morbidly obese as well.
