Doctors Recommend Natural Treatments for Psoriasis. Which Ones Actually Work?

People with psoriasis often suffer from scaling, redness, inflammations, and plaques on their skin. Luckily, treatment options are available to give relief from the symptoms.

While some seek traditional forms of treatments, many individuals with psoriasis are shifting to natural treatments¹ for additional support.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: You can easily find an abundance of Omega-3 fatty acids⁵ in fish like tuna and salmon. This compound is known to help in decreasing the overall inflammation. A recent study revealed that moderate consumption of omega-3 fatty acids could help people with psoriasis. You can either consume fish directly or fish oil supplements for the best results. Some of the additional food items that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids like flaxseed oil, soy, nuts, and seeds.
Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is another magical potion that is known to be helpful, especially when it comes to skin-related problems like psoriasis. Creams that are made out of aloe vera extracts can be applied to your skin directly for reducing the redness, itching, inflammation, and scaling due to psoriasis. Results obtained from a series of clinical studies⁶ have proven that aloe vera is immensely helpful in reducing the common skin-related symptoms associated with psoriasis. A recent study that tested the topical aloe vera extract (around 0.5 percent of aloe vera) on people having psoriasis.

In a study⁷, it was found that aloe vera cream can significantly help in reducing the plaques associated with the disease. As per the reports from the Mayo Clinic, the application of an aloe vera-based cream several times a day can help in improving the conditions.

Ensuring a Healthy Weight: Obesity has been linked with increasing the overall risks of developing psoriasis in the long run. At the same time, obesity has also been associated with a wide range of severe symptoms. If you are obese or overweight, a study has that reducing weight or maintaining a healthy weight can help in improving the overall psoriasis symptoms.

Some of the easy ways in which you can lose weight healthily are:

Reducing your daily intake of processed foods
Consuming more whole foods including fresh fruits & vegetables
Consuming less lean meats
Consuming less sugar
Exercising on a daily basis
Meditation or Yoga: Research has it that meditation, as well as yoga, can significantly help in managing the flares & symptoms of psoriasis. Stress is known to be a major trigger for symptoms associated with psoriasis.

A study⁸ reveals that meditation, when practiced for a significant amount of time along with traditional treatments, can help in doing away with the flares of symptoms on a frequent basis. In addition to meditation, yoga can also help in decreasing the overall stress levels. With decreased stress, the common symptoms of psoriasis-like skin flares, joint pain, and others can be minimized or managed significantly.

How to Manage Psoriasis Flares

Along with the ongoing traditional or natural treatments, you can take care of additional steps that help in managing psoriasis flares & the overall discomfort.

Avoid Alcohol: People having psoriasis tend to trigger the symptoms by consuming alcohol⁹. Moreover, alcohol consumption is also linked with interfering with the psoriasis medication like methotrexate. Therefore, you should cut down or minimize your intake of alcohol.
Prevent Dry Skin: Dry skin only aggravates the overall psoriasis-related flares of the skin. Therefore, you must aim at keeping your skin well-moisturized all the time. Either place a dehumidifier at your home or office to keep the surrounding environment moist all the time. This can help in preventing dry skin too often. You can also search for psoriasis-effective moisturizers in the market to keep your skin moist & hydrated.
Avoid Artificial Fragrances: Most perfumes and soaps tend to have dyes along with other chemicals that might lead to skin irritation. You can either completely avoid using fragrances or use the ones that are tailor-made to suit your skin.

There is not a single answer when it comes to revealing the natural treatments associated with psoriasis symptoms. What works for you might not work for the other individual. Therefore, come up with the best natural treatments that work for your condition effectively.

1.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5713395/

2.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15689218

3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea_salt

4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5816303/

5.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4030645/

6.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8765459

7.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8765459

8.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9773769

9.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22004481

Treatments Methods for Psoriasis (Natural)

If you wish to get relief from the flaring symptoms of the disease, here are some of the natural alternatives that are recommended by doctors all around the world.

Salt Baths: A warm (not to be confused with hot) bath is known to be extremely soothing to the skin –especially for people having psoriasis. To your warm bath, you can consider adding Epsom salt, colloidal oatmeal, mineral oil, or olive oil that provides relief from itching & irritation. A study² reveals that bathing in Dead Sea salts³ can be highly effective in providing relief from psoriasis. It was revealed that participants bathing in the Dead Sea salt for around 20 minutes per day for around 3 weeks revealed significant improvements in the psoriasis symptoms.
Exposure to Sunlight: The UVB rays of sunlight can help in easing off the symptoms of psoriasis. As per the experts, it is recommended to ensure around 5-10 minutes of sunlight exposure every day while gradually increasing your overall exposure day by day. While exposing yourself to sunlight, it is recommended that you should apply sunscreen having an SPF greater than 30 to ensure that you are not receiving any side-effects from continued sunlight exposure.
Utilize Turmeric: Turmeric is one of the most common herbs found in the kitchen of almost every household. Curcumin –the active ingredient that is found in this herb, is responsible for preventing psoriasis flares. A recent study⁴ in 2018 reveals that curcumin helps in the treatment of psoriasis effectively. It is recommended to consume around 1.5 grams of the herb on a daily basis.