- With Mayo Clinic dermatologist
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
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Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Gibson likens bad health information on the Internet to food poisoning.
Consumers, he said, need to be aware, and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo since 1986 and is board certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He is a professor of dermatology at Mayo Medical School and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Gibson has been director of the Dermatopathology Laboratory since 1998 and chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology since 2000. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin and lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information is becoming a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he said. "It's important to avoid misinformation and provide a credible source for health information. Using this analogy, it's critical to avoid 'indigestion' or worse yet, 'food poisoning' by the ingestion of tainted information."
Symptoms (1)
- White patch on skin: A cause for concern?
Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Psoriasis diet: Can changing your diet treat psoriasis?
Alternative medicine (1)
- Ground flaxseed: Better than whole?
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Question
Psoriasis diet: Can changing your diet treat psoriasis?
Can changing my diet treat psoriasis?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Unfortunately, there is no special psoriasis diet. Though some people find that certain foods worsen their symptoms or that others improve skin inflammation, the link between nutrition and psoriasis is still unclear.
Psoriasis is cyclic, meaning that you experience periods when your psoriasis symptoms improve or go into remission alternating with times when your psoriasis becomes worse. Besides the food you eat, many factors might trigger a flare-up, including stress, an infection, change in climate or medications you're taking.
Though certain foods may neither improve nor aggravate your symptoms, eating a healthy diet overall is still beneficial. If you have psoriasis, you're encouraged to eat a diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats and fish. A healthy diet, especially when combined with exercise, can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight — factors that may improve psoriasis symptoms. If you're overweight, losing weight may also improve the effectiveness of your psoriasis medication.
As long as you meet your daily nutritional requirements, there's no harm in exploring which foods might improve your symptoms. Start a food diary and record what you eat along with the symptoms you experience. Over time, you may see patterns that are helpful in controlling your psoriasis symptoms.
Next questionGround flaxseed: Better than whole?
- Traub M, et al. Psoriasis: Pathophysiology, conventional and alternative approaches to treatment. Alternative medicine review. 2007;12:319.
- Psoriasis treatment: Your diet and psoriasis. National Psoriasis Foundation. http://www.psoriasis.org/treatment/psoriasis/diet/. Accessed Dec. 22, 2008.
- Questions and answers about psoriasis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/psoriasis/psoriasis.htm. Accessed Dec. 19, 2008.
- Gisondi P, et al. Weight loss improves the response of obese patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis to low-dose cyclosporine therapy: A randomized, controlled, investigator-blinded clinical trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;88:1242.
- Wolters M. Diet and psoriasis: Experimental data and clinical evidence. British Journal of Dermatology. 2005;153:706.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 5, 2009.
