Help with psoriasis

This Week In The HSI Forum

“Please help!”

This is a typical plea from the leadoff posting in many HSI Forum threads, and a thread titled “Psoriasis” is no exception. A member named Thuy explains that he’s had psoriasis for three years and has had little relief using the several alternative therapies he’s tried. He asks, “Anybody know any cure about this embarrassing disease?”

Unfortunately, there may be no cure, but in many cases it can be successfully controlled. Psoriasis is a condition in which skin cells multiply too rapidly, resulting in unsightly, itchy rashes. Severe cases can be extremely painful and debilitating. Complicating matters is the fact that psoriasis is still poorly understood and has no certain cause, although evidence shows that for many patients the source is heredity.

A member named Shelia (who suffers from psoriasis) puts the complexity of treating the disease into perspective with this comment:

“The more I read on psoriasis support groups, the more obvious it became that a sure-fire treatment for some people would have no effect on others, and visa versa. It would appear that a seemingly identical condition is triggered by different causes in those who are genetically prone to this immune disorder. Many are affected by stress and some get relief with anti-depressants. Some have a big reaction to alcohol or chocolates and others don’t. Coal tar products work miracles for some and do nothing for others.”

That said, Shelia points out that a dietary change may be the most effective way to begin treatment: “Some get relief by cutting out all traces of gluten from their diet. As so much gluten is hidden, it’s possible that it could be the common factor, but most people inadvertently eat hidden gluten and then assume the diet is not working. In some research where the patients had a controlled gluten free diet, the majority had a reduction or complete clearing of their symptoms.”

This is a long thread with many members checking in to offer suggestions on how to treat psoriasis. Here’s a rundown of just a few:

• Kathy: “The following herbs are specific for psoriasis: Nettle Leaves, Silymarin and sarsaparilla.”
• Terry N: “Many sources will tell you that the Essential Fatty Acids in fish oil and flax seed oil will help psoriasis. It has helped mine a lot.”
• Tressa: “I read in Adelle Davis that lecithin could cure it. Started eating lecithin, several tablespoons a day, and it disappeared.”
• Bob: “Vitamin D I think is a big factor. Dr. Douglass has been talking about lack of Vit. D and sun, and psoriasis was one things he mentioned.”
• Evan: “UV rays from sunshine or tanning beds is also an effective way to control it.”

Shelia also suggests that people with psoriasis find an Internet support forum that deals exclusively with the disease. That’s good advice for a complex health problem with a wide variety of treatments.

Other topics on the HSI Forum this week include:

• Air cleaners
• GERD
• Skin tags
• Canned salmon
• Noni Juice
• 101 years old

To join in with any of these discussions, just go to our web site at www.hsionline.com, find your way to the Forum, and add your own insights and comments about health, nutrition and natural treatments.