Natural Treatment for Psoriasis

If you're suffering from psoriasis, you will no doubt be searching for suitable treatment options. Something certainly needs to be done to treat the skin flare-ups that lead to itchy, thick, red and scaly skin. Unfortunately, it can be a matter of trial and error to come up with an effective treatment.

The first line of conventional treatment tends to be the use of topical creams and ointments such as steroids or emollients. In more severe cases internal medication or injections will be prescribed. Another treatment for psoriasis offered is ultra-violet light therapy or phototherapy.

However, if you are looking for a natural treatment for psoriasis here are some of the options available.

Get Out In the Sun

The simplest natural treatment is to allow your body to be exposed to the sun which produces Vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is essential for healthy cell function and growth and recent studies have suggested that Vitamin D may help protect against autoimmune disease.

However, too much exposure to sunlight can carry health risks such as skin cancer and the worsening of symptoms in some psoriasis sufferers. Another option is to take Vitamin D supplements although they aren't quite as effective as soaking up the heat from the sun. Remember, too much sun exposure can lead to sunburn, so make sure that you apply sunscreen.

Herbal Supplements

A second natural psoriasis treatment method worth trying out is the use of herbal supplements. Although still scientifically unproven, many psoriasis suffers have found relief using milk thistle, oregano oil, turmeric, sarsaparilla and aloe vera. You could also check out an herb called mahonia quifolium, better known as Oregon grape. Evidence suggests that using a cream made from Oregon grape helps reduce the symptoms of psoriasis by slowing the rate of abnormal cell growth and reducing inflammation.

Watch your Diet

Improving your diet is always good for your overall health. Try to avoid refined
and processed foods containing hydrogenated fats and white sugar. Tea, coffee, alcohol and tobacco are also best avoided.

Eat foods that are rich in essential fatty acids such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, flaxseeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.
Essential fatty acids are important for making prostaglandins, hormone-like substances, which regulate many activities in your body including inflammation.

You could also add a few tablespoons of granular lecithin to salads, soups, morning cereals as well as to smoothies. Lecithin has proved effective in the treatment of psoriasis.

Get in the Water

Many people travel to warm countries to use natural sunlight and swimming as a form of therapy for their psoriasis. This is often referred to as climotherapy and the most recognized site for climotherapy is the Dead Sea in Israel. Studies have been conducted in Israel that show that 85-90% of psoriasis sufferers who combined daily sea bathing with sun exposure became completely clear or vastly improved within a month.

If you can’t get to Israel or other warmer climes, a cheaper and easier solution is to add one to four pounds of Epson salts or Dead Sea salts to your hot bath water. Soak in the bath for at least 20 minutes. Additionally, you could make up a solution of mineral salts to apply to the scaly patches several times a day.