Healthy habits such as exercising and not smoking can benefit anyone. For sufferers of psoriasis, healthy living provides additional benefits that make disease management easier.
Quitting smoking
Research showed that smokers with psoriasis who quit smoking can improve their condition:
- Reduce their chances of having heart, blood vessel, liver, and gum illnesses.
- Reduce the risk of acquiring an autoimmune disease such as Crohn's disease.
- Psoriasis flares are less frequent.
- Palmoplantar psoriasis is less common.
- Enhance remissions (periods with little or no psoriasis).
Note: Ask your dermatologist if a nicotine patch is the correct choice for you before using one. The nicotine patch may aggravate your psoriasis.
Limiting alcohol
Researchers have found a number of advantages to restricting alcohol consumption if you have psoriasis. These include:
- Psoriasis is less common as therapy gets more effective.
- Remissions have increased.
- Women had a lower likelihood of getting psoriatic arthritis and fatty liver disease.
- Psoriasis drugs have a lower chance of causing liver damage.
Note: Drinking can cause the following effects in men and women who consume more than two drinks per day:
- Treatment for psoriasis stops working – or doesn't work as well.
- There are fewer (or no) remissions.
Maintaining a healthy weight
If you are obese, losing weight can help you:
- Reduce psoriasis flare-ups.
- Reduce the number of psoriasis drugs required.
- Improve the effectiveness of your psoriasis therapy.
- Reduce your chances of acquiring psoriasis-related disorders such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, and diabetes.
Note: Many individuals find that previously ineffective psoriasis medication begins working after losing weight.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Everyone benefits from eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. The following are some of the advantages of adopting a healthful diet as part of your psoriasis treatment:
- Help you feel better by improving your health.
- Reduce your chance of developing disorders including diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, which are all connected to psoriasis.
Exercise
While working out may seem impossible if you have psoriasis, it can assist you in:
- Maintaining a healthy weight or lose weight
- Reducing your chances of getting psoriasis-related disorders like fatty liver disease and heart disease.
- Reducing anxiety, depression, and stress.
Note: Tell your dermatologist if you get pain while exercising. Simple adjustments to your exercise routine may prevent pain.
See a dermatologist and keep your appointments
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder. Dermatologists are familiar with this condition and know how to treat it effectively. A dermatologist can assist you with:
- Finding the best psoriasis therapy for you.
- Controlling psoriasis to keep it from getting worse and to enhance your quality of life.
- Determining your risk of acquiring connected diseases and scheduling screenings.
- Discovering early signs of psoriatic arthritis so you can start therapy.
Psoriasis can have a huge influence on your life. Healthy lifestyle choices may help to mitigate this effect.
Diseases more common in people who have psoriasis
According to research, people with psoriasis are more likely to have the following conditions:
The longer you have psoriasis, the more likely you are to acquire disorders that are associated with it. A healthy lifestyle, on the other hand, can lower your risk.
Reference: “Healthy Diet and Other Lifestyle Changes That Can Improve Psoriasis.” Healthy Diet and Other Lifestyle Changes That Can Improve Psoriasis, www.aad.org, https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/psoriasis/insider/diet. Accessed 9 May 2022.