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Can Turmeric (Curry) Cure Psoriasis?

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Turmeric (an element of curry) is a yellow-colored spice found in many Indian foods, which is also believed to offer a wide range of health benefits when taken as a dietary supplement.  In addition to it’s effects on psoriasis, researchers are also looking into how turmeric (or its relative, curcumin) might help people to recover from some kinds of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, digestive ailments and traumatized skin.  Much testing still needs to be done before turmeric / curcumin can earn its place as mainstay in the medical community since some studies have found that it also might be carcinogenic.

Turmeric has been used traditionally as an anti-inflammatory agent, which is not doubt related to the therapeutic effect it can have on psoriasis.

Turmeric as a medicinal agent can be administered in the form of topical cream or as a pill supplement.

One of the few risks to eating turmeric (curry) is that one might become allergic to it over time.

An increasing number of people are turning away from harsh, expensive and sometimes dangerous psoriasis treatments to more affordable, gentler, natural treatments as a long term solution for this troublesome condition.   The right dietary supplements and lifestyle changes can build up the body’s defenses, which can then better fight off psoriasis.  This can be a more sustainable and more effective treatment regimen over the long run.

There are many medical conditions that require drastic medical intervention, but because of the nature of psoriasis, it can be more beneficial to seek recovery via natural means.  The cause of psoriasis is still somewhat of a mystery, as is it originates in a fundamental failure in some basic bodily functions.  It’s not a stretch to say that bringing these same bodily functions back to normal would be the most effective cure for psoriasis.

Expensive Psoriasis Shampoos Vs. Holistic Treatments

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

psoriasis shampoos

You don’t have to be a math whiz to figure out that medicated psoriasis shampoos are a lot more expensive than standard shampoos.  Whereas basic shampoo brands such as Suave can go for about 99 cents for a bottle, you would be lucky to find any kind of psoriasis shampoo for five bucks (or less).  Occasionally my local grocery store, Fry’s, puts T/Gel on sale for about 5 dollars a bottle, but I have come to expect about 6 dollars a pop.  As you can see in the picture above, such pricing leads me to leave the shampoo bottles upside down until I can squeeze every last drop out of them.

Included in the picture above:

  • T/Gel — Extra Strength (4% Neutar) and Stubborn Itch Control (2% Neutar as well as menthol)
  • T/Sal — Active ingredient: Salicylic acid.
  • Selsun Blue, with menthol and 1% selenium sulfide, which is a common dandruff medication

Cost is a major factor that must, by necessity, be calculated into one’s daily psoriasis-battling regimen.  If insurance doesn’t cover a certain medication, if copays add up to too much or if you don’t have any insurance at all then, short of taking up a life of crime, you will have to seek out other options to treat your psoriasis.  It is because of such resource limitations that holistic treatments (changing your entire lifestyle to treat psoriasis) are sometime necessary.  This can be a good thing much of the time since treating psoriasis generally involves becoming more healthy all-around.

In addition to being more affordable, holistic, herbal and generally more natural treatments can be more effective in the long run for treating your psoriasis.  If your body is equipped from the inside-out to fight off this condition, then additional brute-force drugs such as steroids or immunosuppressants will become unnecessary.

This is similar to the effect that drinking less caffeine has on my ability to concentrate and work effectively.  It’s nice to get that jolt of energy, but there is inevitably a let-down afterward, during which work seems even more difficult than before.  During the let-down phase I feel compelled to drink more caffeine, thus increasing my dependence on this drug.  But, when I opt for sleeping enough and drinking more water, my brain works better over longer periods of time.

The theory behind holistic psoriasis medications is similar to the principal of sleeping more rather than drinking caffeine.

Modern medicine is adapting to the fact that the body is, much of the time, better equipped to deal with biological issues than any man-made drug.  This points to the general fact that you, if you are suffering from psoriasis, should use shampoos such as those listed above but, at the same time, keep exercising, eating right and maintain a healthy state of mind to the best of your ability.

Is the Swine Flu (H1N1) Vaccine Safe for People Suffering from Psoriasis?

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Would it be dangerous for a person with psoriasis to take a Swine Flu (H1N1) shot?

You should ask your doctor whether taking the Swine Flu vaccine would clash with your current psoriasis medications, especially if you are taking immunosuppressants such as Humira or Enbrel.  Immunosuppressants can be very effective at clearing up moderate to severe psoriasis since they inhibit the body’s defenses from over-reacting (thus preventing scaling, irritation and swelling), but this inhibition can make the body vulnerable to other infections.

If you’re pressed for time try calling a nurse / medical professional hot-line if your insurance company provided you with one (I know Blue Cross does this).  You can also call the National Psoriasis Foundation at 503-244-7404 or 800-723-9166 (phone numbers from their website).

Any medication, including supplements, could potentially react badly when another medication is thrown into the mix.  A vaccination is not a medication per se, but it is designed to change some of the body’s fundamental chemistry and can cause minor side effects while the immune system is acclimating to the shot.

Would the Swine Flu itself cause your psoriasis to flare up?

Anything that detracts from your immune system can potentially lead to a psoriasis flare-up.  Holistic therapies that seek to make the body better equipped to fight off psoriasis using natural means depend on the immune system doing its natural job.  Thus, a slight handicapped, or preoccupied defense system in the body might give the psoriasis disease the opening it needs to break out again.

Some of the more notorious psoriasis agitators:

  • Retroviruses such as HIV, which break down the immune system.
  • Bacteria such as strep throat (streptococcus pyogenes)
  • Fungi, in particular Malassezia, which is best known for causing itching and dandruff.

Seeking a Cure for Psoriasis — Is it Worth the Trouble?

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Psoriasis can have a lot of detrimental effects on a person’s life.  It is physically uncomfortable — from having an itchy scalp to all around inflamed and irritated skin to swollen, arthritic joints.   It can also be psychologically uncomfortable well since people who do not understand the disease will sometimes either stare or ask inconsiderate questions.

Thus, for the sake of improving a person’s quality of life, it would be worth it to change one’s daily routine, including diet and other activities, to prevent further psoriasis outbreaks.  But how much time and effort would be worth it?  It seems counterproductive that a psoriasis treatment would consume a one’s time and energy more than the disease itself.

In any case, it is up to each person to decide what their priorities are an then decide what level of dedication they are willing to invest to treat/cure this condition.

Natural remedies stress an overall lifestyle change to cure psoriasis long term.  This change tends to be most challenging at first, but less so as time goes on and the individual in question gets accustomed to the different diet and routine.

Also, researchers are constantly working to advance the drugs that are now being used to treat psoriasis.  Johnson and Johnson, for example, recently released a new treatment called Stelara that is supposed to show dramatic improvements for people with moderate to severe psoriasis.  Stelara is extremely expensive, but it also powerful and convenient — only five injections per year to cut the legs out from underneath this bothersome disease.