The Heartbreak of Psoriasis

The title of this week's column used to be a "back in the day" catchy slogan for a remedy that was touted to "cure" psoriasis.  It became a running joke amongst my friends and I, silly teenagers,  but for anyone who suffers from this disorder, it's not funny. 

It might give us some amusement to see Kim Kardashian fretting about the little patches on her perfect self, but to millions of others, psoriasis is a daily struggle.  

The symptoms can be mild, a few whitish or silvery scaly patches on the legs and arms, butsevere forms such as psoriatic arthritis, can cripple. Psoriasis is actually the too rapid replacement of skin cells. 

Our skin replaces it's cells every 28 days or so, but psoriasis causes the cells to replicate every eight to 10. This doesn't give the skin time to slough off the dead cells and thus the spreading of the troublesome patches of scaly skin.

There are a lot of theories as to the causes of psoriasis, from stress to sunburn to poison ivy. Some medications for heart disease are also suspected.

Strangely enough, in countries where the consumption of animal fats is low, there isn't a whole lot of psoriasis. This leads to the theory that psoriasis is caused by the poor metabolization of fats. I have seen vegans who suffer from it, so perhaps not.

My own opinion?  A slow and sluggish colon, too many toxins not exiting the body and STRESS!!!  Of course, if you are immuno-suppressed, chances are you could have some form of psoriasis as well.

To lessen symptoms and help clear the skin, I advise a good 11-day cleansing fast at the very first sign of an outbreak.  No red meat or anything with a face, and lots of green juicing and organic vegetables and fruits. No alcohol and no coffee or tea except for herbal teas during your fast. Steam distilled water only for the duration of the fast. If you are new to fasting, please don't fast on your own, you need the guidance of a professional during this time.

Exposing your skin to sunlight for no more than 10n minutes at a time without sun block to allow your body to make vitamins A and D,  and a good nutritional supplement such as Sr. Schulze's Superfood or Earthsource by Solgar, daily are big helps.  

Soaking in that tub of Dead Sea Salts is also a must at least three times a week. Not only do the salts benefit the skin, this will really help you to allieviate some stress. Don't be afraid to add some essential oils for a pleasant soak. To obtain relief of the scaly patches, try a cream containing  L Lysine.  I like Super Lysine Cream by Quantum. Some patients swear by a product called Skin Zinc and I have had good results with Terrasil Max. Tea Tree oil is also a fantastic reliever.

I know a lot of M.D.'s endorse steroidal drugs to treat this problem, but I urge you to try the natural ways. Eventually, continued use of steroids causes a breakdown of the skin and other nasty problems.  

Just a reminder, I have no financial interest in any products I recommend here, I just tell you what I know works well. Psoriasis has no "cure", but you can put it into remission by following a good program and leading a less stressful life.  

Dr. Kleine regrets she cannot give advice by phone or e-mail.  To make and appointment call 631. 472. 8139 or e-mail us at Drfootsi@myway.com. Only one more month for the Spring Specials!