What Food Should I Avoid If I Have Psoriasis?

Do you drink alcohol in moderation (for men, no more than two drinks a day, and for women no more than one drink a day)?

If you take psoriasis medications such as methotrexate and acitretin, have you completely stopped drinking alcohol?

Do you avoid junk food?

Do you avoid red meat and processed meat?

Do you avoid eggs and dairy products?

Do you avoid citrus fruits like grapefruit, lemons, oranges and limes?

Do you avoid spices such as allspice, curry, cinnamon, vinegar, paprika, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup?

If you have psoriasis and are gluten sensitive, have you removed gluten from your diet?

Based on your answers, here are a few more suggestions on what food to avoid if you have psoriasis. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels of the skin and is believed to contribute to the symptoms of psoriasis. Research shows that men who drink heavily respond less to treatment, while on the other hand they may notice that their skin improves when they stop drinking. Since psoriasis is an inflammatory condition, you should avoid junk food because this type of food is full of saturated and trans fats and refined sugar that contribute to inflammation. It is also full of calories which can further aggravate the symptoms of psoriasis.

Based on your answers, you know a lot about what food to avoid if you have psoriasis. You should avoid red meat because it contains certain fatty acids that can worsen the symptoms of psoriasis. This also applies to processed meat, eggs and dairy products. Milk also contains the protein casein, which intensifies inflammation. In some people, citrus fruits can cause allergic reactions that will trigger psoriasis. The most common are grapefruit, lemons, oranges and limes, so you can eliminate them from your diet. Certain spices also contain substances that promote inflammation. Some people with psoriasis point to curry, cinnamon, paprika, Tabasco, and ketchup as something to avoid.