Tips to Fight Inflammation

August is a relaxing and lush time of year…and who knew?!... It is also Psoriasis Awareness Month! Psoriasis is an auto-immune condition, and many of the suggestions here will help ease other auto-immune issues. Psoriasis is an often-painful condition where skin cells replicate too fast, resulting in thick, rough areas on the skin. The medical treatments are often ineffective because they treat the skin-irritation (symptom) rather than the root cause. If the symptoms resolve, they often return.

Inflammation is a key aspect of our immune response. It can be very helpful, but chronic inflammation plays a role in almost every chronic disease-from heart disease to cancer, diabetes to dementia, and even mood disorders. Medical schools don’t yet teach how to find the causes of inflammation in chronic diseases. They teach how to relieve the symptoms.

Autoimmune conditions result from a runaway immune response. The immune response is a systemic inflammation, which fights off trouble and helps heal tissues. Chronic immune response can result in your body attacking its own tissues. Discovering and eliminating causes of inflammation from your diet and environment can calm many auto-immune disease processes. Autoimmune disorders occur almost exclusively in developed countries. There is a strong lifestyle component. Here are a few lifestyle tips to try:

• Supplements: fish oil, 1,000–2,000 grams daily (Fish oil is anti-inflammatory and can aid in the healing of psoriasis). Vitamin D3 5,000 IU daily. Milk thistle 250 milligrams three times daily (Milk thistle helps promote liver detoxification and reduces cellular growth). Probiotics-50 billion units daily to build healthy gut bacteria for good digestion.
• A whole-foods, anti-inflammatory diet. Eat fish more than meat and dairy products. Studies shown eating fewer protein-rich foods eases psoriasis flare-ups.
• Check for and treat hidden infections like yeast, viruses, bacteria, Lyme, etc. And treat them!
• Check for hidden food allergens with IgG food testing. The UltraSimple Diet, is designed to eliminate food allergens, and can be a good way to start.
• Fix your gut. Digestive issues are linked to psoriasis. Leaky-Gut (inflammation weakens the intestine lining and larger molecules enter the body) is associated with auto-immune disease. Try bone-broth, avoid processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and eat small meals when hungry. Increase vegetables, fruits, herbs (turmeric, aloe vera), beans, nuts, and fiber. For many, a gluten-free diet improves symptoms.
• Exercise regularly-it’s a natural anti-inflammatory.
• Practice deep relaxation: sit outside, use deep breathing, get massages. Stress worsens the immune response.
• Other home remedies for psoriasis include “cleansing” with juice or simple foods, aloe vera, getting 20 minutes of sunshine a day, and essential oils ( a few drops of lavender or Tea Tree oil mixed with coconut oil and rubbed on affected area).

Rise Well-Being Center provides all you need to care for yourself holistically. Come visit! First classes free! We teach current science and ancient practices to support you on your healing journey.

Marcia Childress
Rise Well-Being Center