Psoriasis is often referred to as an autoimmune disease, which suggests that somehow a person develops an immune response to his/her own body. In reality, it seems psoriasis is like many chronic conditions. The condition is the manner in which an individual manifests internal (systemic) inflammation. This is where the belief originates that certain diseases/conditions are genetically linked. The genetic part is HOW an individual responds to an assault on their immune system.

Psoriasis is commonly treated with potent drugs, often applied to the affected area. If nothing else, topical preparations can help alleviate some symptoms. The real work is done internally when the person improves the immune system and stops doing things that damage it or cause inflammation.

• First, stop consuming anything that causes inflammation. Folks who focus on gluten are on the right track, but gluten is just a small part of the overall inflammation-causing food issue. I suggest complete elimination of ALL grains; rice, corn, wheat, oats, and so on – and anything made from them; breads, muffins, cakes, crackers, and so on.
• Next, drink clean water. Tap water is NOT clean, regardless of what our government may tell us. I filter all water I consume with a reverse osmosis system – at work and at home. I purchased the RO unit from Pure Water Products, LLC (http://www.purewaterproducts.com/).
• Meat is a great source of protein, but avoid standard store-bought products. I recommend grass fed beef, free range chicken, and fresh Alaskan (Pacific) fish. This does not include processed meats; sausage, hot dogs, salami, and so on. Bacon is okay if it is made without nitrates or nitrites. Another protein source is eggs. Which ones? We look at price. The more costly, the healthier they probably are.
• Eliminate all dairy (cow); milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.
• Eat as many vegetables as possible – raw or lightly cooked.
• Minimum fruits. Fruit contains fructose and we need only a small amount of it. Vegetables are more valuable.
• Exercise in moderation 45 minutes 3 to 4 times a week. Excess is unnecessary. Walking 4 mph on an indoor track and strength training with light weights is enough for most of us.
• Finally, if getting out in the sun isn’t possible, tanning is good – but not to excess.

Sounds brutal, right? The results are phenomenal, however. Eat as above 80% of the time and enjoy other junk 20%. That was our goal when beginning. It wasn’t long before we recognized we felt bad after eating junk and felt great eating well and avoiding the toxins. Today, our good intake is about 95%.

An important factor for improving digestion and absorption of nutrients is a regular daily dose of 20 billion or more probiotic units. We suggest a brand called Florajen 3 – the only brand we stock.

In addition to getting the body normalized and healthy, a person with psoriasis might want to also look at supplements, especially vitamin D3. The USRDA of this important vitamin is 600 IU. We suggest 5,000 to 10,000 per day – and upping it to 50,000 IU when a person feels “something coming on”.

Topically, we suggest vitamin B12 cream and/or vitamin D3 cream. Both help relieve some skin irritation. As the body gains health, the underlying causes of psoriasis symptoms diminish and further treatment is unnecessary.

That’s all there is to it. Wanting to be healthy and live a long time means rejecting ‘the common’ in favor of ‘the excellent’. The healthy person is an oddity and doesn’t fit the current medical model. Sixty-seven nations reportedly rank higher in overall health than the United States. Clearly, our system is ineffective – even harmful. Statistics prove it. On the one hand we have the most sophisticated and successful medical systems in time of serious injury, yet rank at the bottom at maintaining and promoting healthy living.