Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (149 page)

Take a multivitamin with minerals.
Take a good-quality multivitamin with minerals every day. Look for a supplement that contains at least 25,000 IU vitamin A, 400 IU vitamin D, 400 IU vitamin E, 800 mcg folic acid, 200 mcg selenium, 200 mcg chromium, and 25 to 50 mg zinc. Each of these nutrients has been shown to be deficient in people with psoriasis. There are several vitamin A topical creams used by dermatologists for psoriasis. Vitamin A is a critical nutrient for healthy skin.

Try antioxidant nutrients.
CoQ10, selenium, and vitamin E supplements have shown benefit. One group reported improvement from use of CoQ10 at 50 mg, vitamin E at 50 mg, and selenium at 48 mcg dissolved in soy lecithin for 30 to 35 days.

Increase consumption of beneficial fats and oils.
The research on fish oils is mixed. Eating fish or taking fish oils has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect on psoriasis for some people. Fatty acids contribute to healthy skin, hair, and nails, and fish oils promote production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. It is also possible that fish oils increase the activity of vitamin D and sunlight. Eat cold-water fish—salmon, halibut, mackerel, sardines, tuna, and herring—two to four times per week or take EPA/DHA capsules along with a balance of omega-6 fatty acids such as evening primrose oil, borage oil, or black currant seed oil.

Enjoy some sunlight and get your vitamin D.
Sunlight stimulates our bodies to manufacture vitamin D, which has been shown to be an effective treatment for psoriasis. Ask your doctor to test your vitamin D levels. If low, supplement.
Cod liver oil is a good source of vitamin D because it also contains fish oil and vitamin A, both of benefit in psoriasis. In general, slow tanning improves psoriasis, with sunshine and sunlamps prescribed as part of standard therapy. Get your vitamin D levels tested. Normal levels are between 32 and 100 ng/ml. Many integrative clinicians consider levels of 60 to 100 ng/ml to be optimal for people with autoimmune illnesses. Dosage depends on levels. For maintenance, take 2,000 IU of D
₃
daily. If deficient, then take 5,000 to 10,000 IU of D
₃
daily for 8 to 12 weeks, and then retest.

A recent study done in Israel at the Dead Sea, long renowned for its treatment of psoriasis, showed that natural sunlight stimulated significant improvement in disease activity. One group was given just sunlight therapy, and the other received additional therapy in mud packs and sulfur baths. Both groups showed significant improvement in skin symptoms and with psoriatic arthritis, where present. Sunlight and ultraviolet light therapy are regular therapies for psoriasis.

Take zinc supplements and/or eat zinc-rich foods.
Many studies have determined that people with psoriasis have lower levels of zinc than people in control groups. However, studies using oral zinc supplementation haven’t always shown a clear improvement in psoriasis, though such studies have been of short duration—only 6 to 10 weeks. Even though they didn’t show improvement in the skin, they did show improvement in immune function and dramatic improvement in joint symptoms. It’s possible that either zinc needs to be used along with other nutrients, or the time frame of these studies was too brief to see improvement. Take 50 mg zinc daily.

Try chondroitin sulfate.
Several studies have reported improvement in psoriasis in people taking chondroitin sulfate. Take 800 mg daily. Continue at least two months to see if this is effective for you.

Try milk thistle (silymarin).
Extracts of the herb milk thistle have been used since the 15th century for ailments of the liver and gallbladder. Milk thistle, also known as silymarin, contains anti-inflammatory flavonoid complexes that promote the flow of bile and help tone the spleen, gallbladder, and liver. An excellent liver detoxifier, milk thistle has also been shown to have a positive effect on psoriasis. Take three to six capsules of 175 mg standardized 80 percent milk thistle extract daily with water before meals.

Try Honduran sarsaparilla.
Sarsaparilla, a flavoring in root beers and confections, has proven to be effective in treating psoriasis, especially the more chronic, large-plaque-forming type. Sarsaparilla binds bacterial endotoxins. Take 2 to 4 teaspoons liquid extract daily, or 250 to 500 mg solid extract daily.

Try lecithin and phosphatidylcholine.
Lecithin was used in a 10-year study from 1940 to 1950. People consumed 4 to 8 tablespoons of lecithin daily, along with small amounts of vitamins A, B
₁
, B
₂
, B
₅
, B
₆
, and D, thyroid and liver preparations, and creams. Out of 155 patients, 118 people responded positively. Lecithin-rich foods include soybeans, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, whole grains, eggs, and oils from soy, nuts, and seeds. Lecithin granules can be purchased in health-food stores and added to foods as a cooking ingredient. Lecithin can also be purchased in capsule form, as can the active ingredient in lecithin, phosphatidylcholine. Take 4 to 8 tablespoons of lecithin daily or one to four capsules of phosphatidylcholine daily.

Try high-dose folic acid.
There is much research on folate deficiency caused by the drug methotrexate, which is a folate antagonist medication often used for psoriasis. This seems ironic, because folic acid is one of the primary nutrients needed for proper skin formation. Jonathan Wright, M.D., recommends extremely high-dose folic acid therapy for psoriasis—50 to 100 mg daily. Alan Gaby, M.D., reports on a study of seven people with long-standing psoriasis. They were given 20 mg of folic acid four times daily. Improvements were seen in three to six months of beginning this regimen. Dr. Gaby warns that this is not a good plan for people who have taken methotrexate because it may cause adverse reactions. Be aware that if folic acid is taken by someone with a vitamin B
₁₂
deficiency, nerve damage can go undetected. If you are going to use high levels of folic acid, have your doctor test your vitamin B
₁₂
status with serum B
₁₂
, or more accurately methylmalonic acid testing. I also wonder if the same results could be obtained by using a more absorbable form of folic acid, such as methyl-tetrahydrofolate at lower doses.