Dietary Guidelines for Psoriasis Patients: Balanced Nutrition First

The dietary principles for psoriasis patients have always been a focus of attention. If psoriasis patients are obese, not only will the risk of cardiovascular disease increase, but the severity of psoriasis may also increase. Therefore, how to eat healthily and avoid drug cross-infection is a very important topic.

Overweight or obese patients should adopt a low-calorie balanced diet and exercise to maintain a proper weight.

Zhang Liling, a nutritionist at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, said that it is known that a higher proportion of psoriasis patients will suffer from metabolic syndrome, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity and hyperuricemia, and patients with these symptoms should adjust their daily diet according to their individual diseases.

Although some studies currently suggest that a vegetarian or gluten-free diet may be beneficial for psoriasis, more evidence is still needed in clinical research. Zhang Liling suggested that we should first focus on a "healthy and balanced diet", including consuming more fruits and vegetables and reducing fried, high-fat and high-sugar foods. You can also take in a balanced amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (including n-6 vegetable seed oils and n-3 fish oils) and reduce your intake of saturated fatty acids (such as animal fats).

Avoid excessive intake of n-6 unsaturated fatty acids, which may cause excessive arachidonic acid in the body and induce the production of inflammatory substances, which is not conducive to psoriasis.

Most studies are still unable to determine the true benefits of additional fish oil supplementation. The only way to stay healthy is to consume a balanced diet, such as consuming at least 6 servings (180 grams) of deep-sea fish containing DHA and EPA per week. At the same time, it is necessary to "maintain a proper weight". Studies have shown that weight loss can reduce the dosage of medication for patients with chronic psoriasis. Some psoriasis patients will experience improvement in lesions when they lose weight, but relapse or worsen when their weight increases again. Overweight or obese patients should adopt a low-calorie balanced diet and exercise to maintain a proper weight.

In addition, "developing a good healthy lifestyle", avoiding smoking and drinking, reducing stress in life, adjusting emotions and having good sleep quality are beneficial to the treatment of psoriasis. In the "drug and nutrient supplement" section, Zhang Liling said that some drugs and therapies for the treatment of psoriasis may cause nutritional deficiencies. For example, for psoriasis patients treated with the drug methotrexate, it is recommended to consume more foods rich in folic acid, such as dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, meat and grains, and take an additional 5 mg of folic acid 2 to 5 times a week to avoid folic acid deficiency.

In addition, consult your physician about drug-food interactions, such as avoiding grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking medication to avoid affecting drug absorption.