Natural psoriasis treatments reviewed

Psoriasis is a serious and chronic autoimmune disease that affects the skin. As any other autoimmune disease, psoriasis occurs when the human body starts sending wrong signals to its specific parts. In psoriasis, the body sends signals to speed up the growth of the skin cells. The skin becomes covered by reddish or silvery-white patches of the accumulated skin. It can affect any area of the body, but it is most common on the elbows and knees. This is a chronic, recurring and extremely persistent condition, which varies from milder, with minor localized patches, to severe condition in which the complete body is covered.

Same as the other autoimmune diseases, the exact cause of psoriasis remains a mystery. Scientists believe this disease has a strong genetic component but various environmental factors could also possibly aggravate psoriasis. These factors include unmanaged stress, withdrawal of systemic corticosteroid, as well as other environmental issues. For this reason, it is very hard to establish a successful treatment for psoriasis. There are many treatments available, but the disease cannot be completely cured because of its chronic and recurrent nature. However, some simple natural treatments are said to be very efficient. Here is a quick review for a couple of most popular natural psoriasis treatments.

Hydrotherapy, also known as water therapy, is often used as a natural treatment for psoriasis. This therapy includes bathing in warm water to stimulate blood circulation, the use of a room humidifier to eliminate the dryness in the air, or bathing in water high in minerals. Water rich in sulfur, or water from the Dead Sea, are known by their benefits in the treatment of psoriasis. Bathing in a salt rich water and sunbathing under the UV light will significantly decrease the severity of patient’s lesions.

Patients with psoriasis can also try to change their dietary habits and completely ban certain foods from their diet. Presence of certain foods such as meat, oily fish and eggs, can trigger the overproduction of skin cells. Patients should eat a lot of foods rich in vitamin A, zinc, vitamin E and selenium. Eating flax oil and basing the meals according to the vegan diet will normally improve one’s condition after a couple of weeks. Patients should avoid acidic foods such as citrus, tomatoes, coffee, pineapple, and soda.

Many patients may benefit from different medical herbs. Sarsaparilla, for example, binds with endotoxins, helping to reduce symptoms of psoriasis. Other herbs such as coleus forskoli or psoralen coryliforia are also very beneficial. Essential oils of bergamot, calendula, or lavender can be mixed with carrier oils and massaged into the skin.