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Psoriasis Flare-ups – Triggers and ways to control
In a healthy human body, new skin cells replace old dead skin cells regularly. This is a common phenomenon but in people suffering from psoriasis, the generation of new skin cells happens around 10 times faster. As a result, the skin cells are pushed onto the surface forming bumpy red patches and white scales that are often itchy. Psoriasis can grow anywhere on the body but must often found on scalp, elbows, legs, knees and lower back.
Most common symptoms of psoriasis include plaques of red skin with white/silvery scales, discolouration and pitting of finger nails and toe nails, highly itchy skin in the affected area. Psoriasis is a chronic condition, believed to be one of the autoimmune disorders. Sometimes, the symptoms may completely subside and may not return for months and sometimes, the itch becomes unbearable.
Along with what your skin specialist or any of your doctors has prescribed, there is one other important factor that you need to know to control psoriasis – the triggering factors.
Our bodies produce sugar/glucose from the food we eat. The intestines extract the glucose from the food and send it into the blood stream so that it gets distributed to every cell, tissue and muscle inside the body and helps them function. However, in order for this distribution and absorption of sugar from blood by other body parts to happen, body needs insulin. Insulin is the door way through which the blood sugar gets absorbed. Insulin is produced by the pancreas. In people whose pancreas don’t function well and produces less insulin, the blood sugar doesn’t get absorbed into the body as well as it should and that results in diabetes.
Spike in blood sugar levels once in a while, when you eat too much sweet or consume sugary drinks is ok, as long as the body is able to bring them down to normal levels. If the high sugar levels continue to remain in your body, that is a problem because, diabetes can result in stiffening of blood vessels, cardiovascular diseases, foot ulcers, wounds not healing and kidney problems.
Factors that can trigger psoriasis
- Foods. You need to be very watchful of what you eat and how your body is reacting to the food taken by you. Usually, you should be avoiding tomatoes, brinjals (eggplants), white potatoes, rice (foods that contain high amounts of gluten), dairy products such as milk, curd (yogurt), ghee, butter etc. According to a survey done in 2017, people who identified and cut down on the foods that are flaring up their psoriasis saw their symptoms go away for a very long time or even forever.
- Consumption of Alcohol
Though there have been no extensive studies done on the link between psoriasis and alcohol, observations of doctors and medical professionals revealed that consuming alcohol has an effect on the symptoms of psoriasis. Having 5 beers a week seems to have contributed to increase the symptoms of psoriasis and they believe that the starch content in the beer might be the triggering agent.
- Excessive exposure to Sunlight
Exposing your body to mild sunlight may help you in relieving some symptoms of psoriasis but exposing it for longer periods and sun burns can make psoriasis condition worse. You do need to get some sunlight everyday but just make sure that you don’t overspend your time in the sun.
- Cold and dry weather or dry winters
When the weather is cold and dry or during dry winter season, the moisture from the weather around will be gone and the moisture on the skin is also taken away leaving dry skin. Such a situation can cause itching even in healthy individuals; in the case of people suffering from psoriasis, itching may become unbearable.
Make sure you don’t spend too much time in the cold and use a humidifier at home to keep your skin moist.
- Stress
Stress, a monster about which we can talk for hours. There is no symptom that stress can’t trigger. If you are stressed out for whatever reason (personal, financial etc), you need to calm your mind down, may be with relaxation music/techniques, yoga or meditation lest your psoriasis symptoms should get worse.
- Obesity
Obesity and being overweight can make the symptoms of psoriasis bad. Having controlled diet (excluding the foods that act as a trigger) and working on your weight can take you a long way in controlling psoriasis.
- Nicotine in Tobacco
Nicotine in tobacco can interact with psoriasis medication. You doctor may advise you to quit smoking as the results of medication may be nullified with either active or even passive smoking.
As per a study done in 2006, smoking and consumption of tobacco in any other form can increase the risk of developing palmoplantar pustular psoriasis, a rare type of psoriasis that affects hands and legs.
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- Infections
Common infections such as strep throat, thrush or upper respiratory infections can flare-up psoriasis symptoms. If the symptoms shoot up for no apparent reason, you must see your doctor and can ask for complete blood picture to check for possible infections.
If detected, your doctor will put you on to antibiotics to fight off the infection.
- Hormonal imbalance
Low levels of estrogen in women can trigger psoriasis. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235264751500026X) Typically women see the symptoms of psoriasis get worse during menopause or during puberty and subside or improve drastically while they are pregnant.
- Other triggers
Amino acid taurine and the nutrient choline may worsen psoriasis symptoms. Taurine is naturally made by the body and also present in meat, fish and certain energy drinks. Consuming such foods that have taurine or choline (liver, eggs etc) will most likely worsen psoriasis condition.
Also, start consuming small portions at any time. Instead of eating 3 meals a day, break it into 4 or 6 meals a day with small portions. That way, you will add less sugar to your blood after every meal.
How do you prevent psoriasis from flaring up?
Be mindful of what you do, what you eat and how your surroundings and foods are affecting your body and the symptoms. Take notes of what is happening after taking medicines and if any food is undoing the effects of the medication.
Spend only little time in sunlight, use sunscreens, using humidifier during dry winter or hot summer, quit smoking and changing the food that you eat can help you a lot in managing the symptoms of psoriasis. If you realize that your itching or other symptoms are worsened when you are stressed, practice meditation or see a therapist to calm you down.