Psoriasis—Not Just a Skin Deep Disease

Every day, people wake up, rub their eyes, and think nothing of their red, splotchy skin.  Now for most of us, red splotchy skin would make us do a double take, but for millions—about 7.5 million, to be specific—this is the norm.

But this redness is the not the cause of some allergic reaction or inadvertent brush with poison sumac.  It’s the result of psoriasis, an autoimmune disease that over 125 million people worldwide have.

People who are unfamiliar with psoriasis often cast it off as a temporary skin condition that’s more of a cosmetic health concern than anything serious.  Such a viewpoint testifies to their naïveté, because it’s much more.

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, 60 percent of patients with psoriasis miss four weeks of work a year because the symptoms and side effects are so severe.  What’s more, $11.25 billion in health care is spent on psoriasis (40 percent of the cost derives from losses in work productivity).

The worst part—there’s no sign the direct and indirect effects of psoriasis will be letting up any time soon.  Because according to a new study in the December issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Source, psoriasis is often a precursor for arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

The link appears to be a result of inflammation, as inflammation is the first sign of more significant problems down the road for people who go on to develop psoriasis, arthritis and cardiovascular disease.  Psoriasis is so common among eventual arthritis sufferers, that one in four people who have psoriasis go on to develop arthritis.

There’s no known cure for psoriasis, nor is there a known cause.  The only thing doctors know for sure is that an affected person has a faulty immune system, telling the body to produce more skin cells than necessary.  This is what causes the patches of skin that often bleed, the itching and soreness and the swollen and stiff joints.

Because psoriasis is still something of a mystery, there is no universal treatment for psoriasis.  From natural to medicinal treatments, affected people respond differently to all of them, some treatments being better than others.  There are dozens and dozens of medicinal treatments, but the side effects of these are severe (e.g.  Retinoids can cause birth defects in pregnant women, Methorexate can cause liver damage, Hydroxyurea can literally strip the iron out of your blood, making you anemic; for this reason pregnant women are advised never to take this drug).

Because of these side effects, opt for all-natural treatments for treating or preventing psoriasis.  Psoriasis prevention is especially important for people who have a history of it in the family.  If two parents have psoriasis, the chance that their son or daughter will develop it increases by 50 percent (If psoriasis develops, it’s usually between someone’s 15th and 35th birthday).

Some of the best natural treatments for psoriasis include flaxseed oil supplements, vitamin A with mixed carotenoids plus natural beta-carotene and vitamin D3.  All of these help promote healthy skin.

Psoriasis breakouts can occur anywhere on the skin, but they’re typically on the knees, arms, elbows, scalp and ears.

Sources
psoriasis.org
sciencedaily.com
mayoclinic.com
Balch, Phyllis A. “Prescription for Nutritional Healing.” 4th Edition. 2006. Avery: New York