Weight loss and clearer skin
don3_16
Posts: 39 Member
Hi there, I've got psoriasis and my plaque is covering about 40% of my body. Worst it's ever been in my 21 years with this condition. I even got a UVB booth in January and aside from a 2 week clearing period, the plaques have raged back with a vengeance. I'm about two weeks into tracking calories. I haven't noticed any change, but I am down some and we'll see if losing more weight will help clearing.
Anyone have any success stories to share?
Anyone have any success stories to share?
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Replies
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So I originally posted this question to the forum and didn't get any replies.
I am now at the start of my seventh week into watching my diet, and I have to tell you, I am AMAZED with the results. I had very little expectations aside from much-needed weight loss, but as of now, I am a firm believer that my nearly 7+ years of greater than 30% plaque ps coverage has been attributed to my diet. When I signed up for MFP in mid-May 2013, I was at rock-bottom. I was 263 lbs. I was eating fast food and processed foods for virtually EVERY meal. I was not exercising and I was under considerable stress with work and family. I was in a bad place and just felt awful about myself. I was lotioning up morning and night. I was so desperate that I started using all the concoctions and home remedies that people say work for their ps. Still, my skin would "snow" everywhere I went and I would bleed on my sheets on an almost nightly basis. Desperate was what described me best.
So I realize that most controlled scientific experiments seek to change one variable at a time to pinpoint what the trigger is. *kitten* that. I was so desperate I changed EVERYTHING. Here's what I changed and what the impact was/is:
1) Diet - joined MFP mid-May. I started logging my meals and sticking to a 1 lb a week weight loss target. At first I was trying nothing but salads and sticking to the calorie count religiously. I dropped about 3-4 lbs a week. I gradually started to eat healthy fats like avocado in my salads and have been grilling chicken, fish and sometimes beef. I have tried quinoa in my rice cooker and have swapped out soy milk in place of milk for my cereal. I have dramatically cut down on my pop (was a 1 can of regular Coke a day kind of guy) and fast food (McD for lunch and pizza for dinner, minimum 2x a week). I've tried to get my water intake to the eight a day, and I have swapped out coffee and cream with hot green tea in the morning.
So technically, I haven't gone gluten free, dairy free or any other free type of diet. I just point to the whole "clean" eating and if I understand that concept clearly, I am just eating foods that are minimally processed or don't have extensive ingredients used for added coloring, flavoring, or preservatives.
2) Light Therapy - At the time, I started back on every other day light-treatments with my narrowband UVB booth. I saw some flattening/leveling of the plaque ps, but nothing that ever felt sustainable. I also experienced severe itching and discomfort that would result in more bloody sheets or sleepless nights. I also would notice that my plaques would start to "bubble" up again after 36 hours from the last exposure.
3) Topical Steroids - My wife and I were going to Cancun in early June so I started using Taclonex/Clobetasol ointment 2x a day for about two to three weeks leading up to that trip. I felt this was doing a lot more for my plaques than the light. At the same time, with the coverage that I had, it's just not feasible to make a tube of that ointment last very long. I also started using this rx oil to take care of scalp ps on my body as well. This got my skin smooth for Cancun, and the skin color "off tone", but better than it has been.
4) Vacation - Five days in Cancun on the beach. I can't argue that rest, relaxation and sun may have helped my stress levels. I definitely made use of my time in the sun. I got a great tan over that time. Ate a lot and sipped a lot of frozen, fruity drinks poolside. We got back almost two weeks ago. I remember telling my wife on Father's Day that the vacation is definitely over since my plaques started "bubbling" over again.
Then a weird thing happened. This past week, my plaque ps, most of them have been smoothing out...even the areas that were difficult to reach on my back to get with ointment. I haven't had a UVB light treatment since before Cancun. I made the switch to soy milk after Cancun and I've just kept the eye on diet since I've been back. I can tell you that the stress levels are back to where they were with work. So is it dairy? Is it the clean diet? Whatever it is, I need to listen to my body and not go back to my old ways. Another five days to Cancun wouldn't be too shabby, either.2 -
Great! I've had psoriasis for 21 years (since I was 5 years old). It's cleared up and I haven't had a severe outbreak in over a decade but I still have some stubborn spots on my elbows, knees and arms I just can't seem to get rid of. I hope with a change in my diet and exercise that it helps me with the remaining spots. I've decided to stop with the prescriptions and go the homeopathic route. I've been on medicine for this disease for as long as I can remember and I'm tired of putting my body through that. It was great reading your story! Best of luck!0
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Best of luck to you! I am cautiously optimistic, and at the same time, really excited. I have not seen my skin like this in years. I have some of the patch areas that are "bubbled" which is more like a goose bump type texture, but that's the most clearing I've had in years. Even some other skin areas that didn't get sun exposure when I was vacationing in Cancun are starting to get less red and more smoother skin.
I can't explain it, and the pessimistic side of me feels like one day it'll start coming back full force. But I've made so many changes (for the better) over these last six weeks, that I have done something to disrupt the normal ps triggers in my system. It feels great to be back to somewhat normal. Six weeks ago, I was desperate and grasping for any sort of relief. I was even considering going down the path of biologics (Enbrel, Humira, Stelara, and even MTX etc). I'm hoping a more natural diet is the answer. I wish all of you struggling with ps can feel as good as I do right now.0 -
Hello there! I just wanted to share my story with you. I have psoriasis as well (40%), I've been through many psoriasis studies, but never on actual prescribed oral medication for it. We are trying to get pregnant and oral medication is not the best option (plus, I don't want to put my body through it). I started going to the gym on September 16, I must say that my ps has not cleared BUT my skin feels amazing. A lot of the swelling has gone down maybe because I've cut off a lot of foods that I used to eat. On many of the psoriasis studies that I did, the doctors would tell me over and over and over and over that diet and exercise had a lot to do with ps even though it was never a proven fact. I've seen many dermatologist and they all have different opinions about it. I must say that I'm looking forward to the changes in my skin as I continue my weight loss journey.
God bless. Jo0 -
Hi Johanna,
Welcome to the group. Here's an update to my psoriasis status. I was mostly clear for most of the summer, which was awesome, since this was the most clear I have been in so many years. However, since it's turned from shorts weather to pants weather, my ps has started to come back in the usual spots full-force. I am lucky enough to have a Narrowband UVB booth in my basement, but I've been too lazy to do any light treatments.
I have been keeping up with the diet and weight loss since I joined in May, so I've kept that positive aspect going, although it has been so difficult to eat clean. I am sticking to my calorie limits, but not necessarily eating the best stuff to hit my calorie goals.
If you've ever seen the Robin Williams/Robert DeNiro movie "Awakenings", that's kind of how my summer went with ps. I'm grateful I had a 3 month block of time being relatively clear, no scratching, no bloody sheets, and no "snow" effect of dead skin everywhere I go. But now it's back to reality, and I'm hoping that losing weight, working out and continue doing the right things will lead to some more clear skin when next summer rolls around. If not, then I guess I'm still doing the right things for myself, and that can't be all bad.
Best of luck.0 -
Hi there! I was wondering if you ever tried going vegan/vegetarian for a longer period of time. I went vegan for a month (before just being vegetarian) about 2 years ago (March 2012) and saw the % of my psoriasis decrease and build-up go down. I'm not saying that it will work for everyone as I'm certainly no doctor, but it did help me manage my psoriasis better. Just remember to look into how to maintain complete protein intake!
Best of luck!
Sarah0 -
I've read online that they think psoriasis might somehow be correlated with weight as well so thats one of the main reasons I just joined this sight and am trying to finally motivate myself to lose weight since that might be more practical to fix then my stress level.
Not having bloody clothes or scratching all day would be amazing!
I have about 65% body coverage mostly guttate with some plaque psoriasis.0 -
geeka33, I hope you find relief through managing your weight through a combination of diet and exercise!0
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Thank you!0
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Thought I'd write in case someone taps into this board.
Although I am now suffering badly from psoriatic arthritis, my skin is now the best it's been in years. It started to clear last year when I gave up smoking. I don't think this is the cause for improvement, as I had it badly when I didn't smoke. I did give up all caffeine though, and I also stopped drinking red wine, and can only think that this has helped.0 -
Has anybody tried Pagano diet for psoriasis?0
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Has anybody tried Pagano diet for psoriasis?
I have been learning the Pagano diet but about a month ago, when I realized that I needed to restrict my foods even further. . .hoping this is only temporary and that when the psoriasis on my hands and palms clears I can slowly reintroduce foods one at a time. I plan to accept those that provide me no reaction but remain restricted from those that do. I've only been eating "clean" for two weeks but already I notice more vibrant smooth skin on my arms and hands and, in fact, yesterday I was complimented on it, even while going through a flare. Here's a list of what I no longer fuel my body with:
Coffee (starting this morning I switched out my daily Jo for green chai tea)
Gluten (although Pagano's diet doesn't say to eliminate gluten, I had a horrible flare a day after indulging in one beer)
Fruit of any kind (this was hard to do but is helping my skin right now - hoping in awhile I can add a few back)
Processed sugars of any kind
Nightshade veggies (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc)
For a year and a half prior to this I was simply using the creams my dermo prescribed for me. They were not helping so I reached out and found Pagano's book. Together between the two and making adjustments as I listen to my body and care for it as I would my own child, I believe in time this will turn around and clear as it has for others.
My psoriasis is triggered mostly by stress, versus foods. However, the stress became so imbalanced that the food adjustments seem to be supporting and aiding helping my immune system and my skin. Somewhere along the way, I also had my doctor test me for arthritis. I am so thankful the tests came back completely clear for that.
Since I only started eating clean two weeks ago, that's when I've restarted the clock.
I would love to help and support other psocratics who are self-managing their condition.
-Debra0 -
I started eating clean when my PsA first got bad, (about a year and a half ago) was following an anti-inflammatory diet that was also clean eating. (Organic low in red meat high in fruits vegetables and fatty fish) It helped for a while, then my PsA seemed to get gradually worse and I've recently had a flare of my psoriasis in a new spot on my body ~boo~ :sad:
Had blood tests done and I came back super low in Vitamin D, adding a supplement has really helped both my PsA especially, and my skin too has been clearing.
On Monday I'm off to see a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and hoping she'll have some more strategies that will assist with finding and eliminating my triggers.
I eat low carb for my PCOS but haven't eliminated Gluten or some of the other typical triggers...but that's the direction I expect the ND to go.0 -
I started eating clean when my PsA first got bad, (about a year and a half ago) was following an anti-inflammatory diet that was also clean eating. (Organic low in red meat high in fruits vegetables and fatty fish) It helped for a while, then my PsA seemed to get gradually worse and I've recently had a flare of my psoriasis in a new spot on my body ~boo~ :sad:
Had blood tests done and I came back super low in Vitamin D, adding a supplement has really helped both my PsA especially, and my skin too has been clearing.
On Monday I'm off to see a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and hoping she'll have some more strategies that will assist with finding and eliminating my triggers.
I eat low carb for my PCOS but haven't eliminated Gluten or some of the other typical triggers...but that's the direction I expect the ND to go.
****Update to the above****
I've had food sensitivity testing done that's supposed to indicate which items my body is reacting too. These items could be anything depending on the person. I'm now not eating the following items:
Wheat/Gluten
Nightshades
Yeast
Beans
Legumes
The first two I've been doing for 3 weeks already and will be starting the last 3 the next week. I've noticed a bit of a clearing with my P, and my PsA but since it goes in cycles we'll have to see long term.0
