psoriasis Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Treating Psoriasis with Aloe Vera

AHA Publisher — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 08:00:25 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that affects about one in 40 people, making it “one of the most frequent chronic skin diseases worldwide.” There are a lot of different drugs for it, some of which cost more than $100,000 a year to get a response. There are cheaper ones, like cyclosporine, but they carry long-term risks of kidney damage, hypertension, and malignancies. In fact, cyclosporine can cause cancer and kidney toxicity in more than 50 percent of the patients treated long-term, and, in terms of risk of malignancies, it carries up to 42 times the rate of cancer. And it doesn’t even work that well: It only keeps the disease at bay in a little more than half of the patients over a four-month period. There’s got to be a better way. What about plants? “Topical botanical agents for the treatment of psoriasis?” As I discuss in my video Aloe Vera for Psoriasis, aloe vera gel is said to possess “anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic [anti-itching], and wound-healing properties.” You may recall that it actually made things worsewhen it was put to the test for healing wounds. (See my earlier video Is Aloe Effective for Blood Pressure, Inflammatory Bowel, Wound Healing, and Burns?.) “The exploitation of aloe preparations has been accompanied too often by misinformation and exaggerated claims in advertising literature and commercially-inspired articles in the press and popular periodicals.” There is some impressive evidence, though. For example, to test its anti-inflammatory properties, it was tested head-to-head against steroids for exposure to mustard gas. Mustard gas is probably the most widely used chemical warfare agent. It was first used in World War I, and the last widespread military use was in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war, with more than 100,000 military veterans and civilians exposed, “and many of them are still suffering from long-term complications,” predominantly itching. Even decades after surviving a gas attack, 70 to 90 percent of victims are still suffering. Topical steroids, the most frequently administered medications, do help, but long-term use is associated with a variety of side effects and is not recommended. How about safer agents, like aloe vera? Sixty-seven veterans injured by chemical warfare were randomized to apply either steroids or an aloe vera and olive oil cream, and the aloe vera mixture appeared to work as well as the drug, as you can see in the graph below and at 2:27 in my video. So, researchers decided to give it a try for the management of psoriasis. By the end of a month-long study, the aloe vera-based cream had cured 83 percent of the patients, compared to the placebo’s cure rate of less than 10 percent, and resulted in “significant clearing of the psoriatic plaques,” the skin lesions. That’s compared to an inactive placebo, though. How about compared to steroids? Aloe was found to be “more effective…in reducing the clinical symptoms of psoriasis,” as you can see in before-and-after photos below and at 3:02 in my video. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of a commercial aloe vera gel for the treatment of slight to moderate psoriasis, conditions improved in 70 percent of the sites treated with aloe, compared with 80 percent of the placebo-treated areas improving. The placebo beat out the aloe. Indeed, “the high response rate of placebo indicated a possible effect…in its own right, which would make the Aloe vera gel treatment appear less effective.” The placebo was essentially xanthan gum and water, and the researchers figured that, instead of aloe failing, maybe xanthan gum works, too! All in all, for psoriasis, the “results on the effectiveness of Aloe vera are contradictory,” but applying it on the skin appears safe, so why not give it a try? You may be interested in my video Is Aloe Effective for Blood Pressure, Inflammatory Bowel, Wound Healing, and Burns?. I have many others in my extended series on aloe, and the most amazing one is probably Can Aloe Cure Cancer?. Also check out Aloe Vera Gel: Best Treatment for Lichen Planus? and Aloe for the Treatment of Advanced Metastatic Cancer. PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live, year-in-review presentations—2015: Food as Medicine: Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet, and my latest, 2016: How Not to Die: The Role of Diet in Preventing, Arresting, and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers. Key Takeaways One of the most frequent and chronic skin diseases worldwide, psoriasis may be treated with drugs that have side effects, such as causing cancer and kidney toxicity. Aloe vera gel has been touted as being anti-inflammatory and anti-itching, as well as having wound-healing properties. Misinformation and exaggerated claims are too often associated with aloe preparations in advertisements and commercially-inspired press. When tested against steroids for exposure to mustard gas, the most widely used chemical warfare agent, aloe appeared to work as well as the drug. In a month-long study, an aloe-based cream cured more than 80 percent of psoriasis patients, compared to the inactive placebo’s cure rate of less than 10 percent. When compared to steroids, aloe more effectively reduced clinical symptoms of psoriasis, but, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, a placebo of xanthan gum and water was more effective in treating slight to moderate psoriasis than aloe, 80 percent improvement compared with 70 percent, respectively. Topical application of aloe appears to be safe, so why not try it for psoriasis? To read the original article click here.

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6 INCREDIBLE Probiotic Foods to Improve Digestion and Immunity

AHA Publisher — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 07:00:54 +0000

Michelle Marks via NaturalHealth365 – Probiotics are foods that help build the population of healthy bacteria in the gut. Why is this so important to human health? Because poor digestive health leads to a wide range of health issues from allergies to many forms of cancer. Unfortunately, too many people have consumed synthetic antibiotics – which kill healthy bacteria. As healthy adults, we are supposed to carry around 3 to 4 pounds of “good” bacteria and yeast in our gut. But, every time we take antibiotics, we kill beneficial bacteria inside the digestive tract. Dysbiosis Has Been Linked to a Multitude of Chronic Health Conditions, Scientific Evidence Suggests Eventually, a condition called dysbiosis can occur – which can cause arthritis, autoimmune illness, vitamin B deficiency, chronic fatigue syndrome, food allergies, and food sensitivities, irritable bowel disorders plus skin problems like, eczema and psoriasis. THESE Are Some of the Best Probiotic Foods to Improve Digestive Health Try eating fresh sauerkraut and pickles. Finely shredded cabbage, which gets fermented, is a super-rich source of probiotics. A 2007 study published in the journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology revealed that more than 13 different species of gut-friendly bacteria are present in sauerkraut. Naturally speaking, pickles and sauerkraut are some of the best probiotic foods to eat – especially after a heavy dose of antibiotics. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to make your own sauerkraut at home by combining finely shredded cabbage with Himalayan sea salt. Just store it in a mason jar at room temperature. In the presence of sea salt, the cabbage releases water, and the surface bacteria on the cabbage helps in the process of fermentation. If you want to buy sauerkraut, be sure to avoid the ‘commercial’ varieties that are heat-treated and pasteurized for obvious reasons. My personal favorite store brand is Real Pickles. Miso soup is one of the mainstays of traditional Japanese medicine and is commonly used in macrobiotic cooking as a digestive regulator. Made from fermented rye, beans, rice, or barley – you can easily add a tablespoon of miso paste to hot water to make an excellent (quick), probiotic-rich soup. One of my favorite companies for quality miso paste is South River Miso Company. Kefir, which is similar to yogurt, is a fermented dairy product. High in lactobacilli and bifidus bacteria, kefir is also rich in antioxidants. Look for a good, organic version at your local health food store to improve digestive health and help restore your microbiome. Kombucha is a form of fermented tea that contains a high amount of healthy gut bacteria. This probiotic drink has been used for centuries as a natural way to boost energy levels, improve digestion and achieve weight loss goals. Just keep in mind that kombucha, with its natural sugars, may not be for everyone – especially if you suffer from candida. Tempeh – as long as it’s non-GMO – is a probiotic-rich, fermented soybean product. It’s also a delicious meat substitute for vegetarians or vegans and a nice source of vitamin B12. Kimchi is the Asian form of pickled sauerkraut. It’s actually an extremely spicy and sour fermented cabbage – typically served in Korea. Kimchi is rich in beta-carotene, calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, B1, and B2, plus a great source of probiotics. However, proceed with a bit of caution, as this food has an intense spicy flavor. But Wait, That’s Not All! THESE Foods Also Offer Probiotic Benefits Remember, to restore your gut bacteria, it is also important to consume a variety of raw fruits and vegetables – as often as possible. We say ‘raw’ because, although most produce gets washed before consumption, some bacteria clings to the surface, providing natural probiotic benefits. Improving gut health is relatively inexpensive and loaded with health benefits like a stronger immune system and greater clarity of mind. If you suffer from serious health problems, work with an experienced healthcare provider to restore healthy bacteria today. Sources used for this article: NIH.gov NIH.gov NIH.gov This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

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Discover the AMAZING Skin-Protective Benefits of Black Seed Oil

AHA Publisher — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 07:00:55 +0000

Stephanie Woods via NaturalHealth365 – Every day millions of dollars are spent by people trying to be more attractive, look younger, or resolve a skin problem like acne, eczema, or psoriasis. Every day, many of those people are sorely disappointed. There are many commercial products out there that are loaded with chemicals and synthetic ingredients that can do more harm than good. By contrast, nature has again and again provided superior remedies for so many of these skin concerns. One of the shining stars among them is Nigella sativa – black seed oil. Black Seed Oil Has Been Used for Centuries for Its Therapeutic Effects The Nigella sativa is a flowering shrub commonly found in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. Its tiny black seeds are used as a spice in traditional Middle Eastern cooking. You may know them as black cumin, black caraway, or black onion seeds. These seeds can be pressed to extract the oils inside. This oil is used in many different skincare products and used in its natural form as a treatment for a variety of skin issues as well as several medical conditions. The benefits of these tiny seeds can be found in study after study. Looking for Natural Eczema Relief? Black Seed Oil Works as Well as or Better Than Prescription Steroids, According to Research Black seed oil’s powerful emollient properties nourish the skin while providing a hydrating, non-greasy protective layer. In one study, it reduced the severity of eczema as well or better than prescription steroid medications. One of the primary features that made it preferential to the prescription treatment for eczema was the lack of side effects. Black seed oil has no side effects, while steroid creams and medications can have quite a few that are very troubling. But Wait, That’s Not All! Black Seed Oil May Help Protect Against Skin Cancers Several studies have found that black seed oil effectively fights a wide range of cancerous cells, including two common forms of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. In addition, studies have found that the oil actually inhibits cancerous cell growth and kills cancerous cells in squamous cell carcinoma. This has led many researchers to believe that black seed oil is indeed an effective natural treatment for skin cancers and some other cancers in the human body. Oil Extracted from THESE Tiny Seeds Moisturizes Skin and Regulates Immune Cells It is estimated that more than 8 million people in the United States have psoriasis. It can be challenging to manage or treat. Black seed oil has been found to be very effective as a topical treatment for psoriasis. It provides moisture while regulating the immune cells within the body. This increases the body’s ability to manage the proliferation of abnormal cells, easing symptoms and helping people manage their condition more effectively. Thanks to Its Unique Compounds, Black Seed Oil Helps Fight Acne and Fungal Infections Black seed oil’s powerful antifungal and antibacterial properties make it an effective treatment for acne and fungal skin infections. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory to decrease redness, swelling, and other signs of inflammation in the skin. The oil is very effective in treating other fungal infections such as athlete’s foot ringworm, jock itch, and fungal nail infections. Using black seed oil for acne provides several benefits. First, it reduces inflammation which in turn reduces the appearance of acne. It also has an anti-oxidative effect which makes the skin look healthier. In addition, it is packed with nutrients that help the skin heal from the inside, regenerating and repairing skin that is inflamed and damaged. Restore Your Skin’s Vitality and Get Vibrant, Younger-Looking Skin As we age, our skin loses its vibrance. As a result, it can start to look dull, making you appear tired and even older than you actually are. Black seed oil’s anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and nutritive properties help restore the skin’s youthful vitality. It can be applied topically or taken orally to improve skin health, giving it a more youthful, glowing, vibrant appearance. There are so many benefits that black seed oil provides. You definitely want to add it to your natural health toolbox. Sources for this article include: GreenMedInfo.com NIH.gov NIH.gov NIH.gov NIH.gov Psoriasis.org NIH.gov ScienceDirect.com To read the original article click here.

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Switching to a Balanced Diet Restores Gut Health and Suppresses Skin Inflammation

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 07:00:28 +0000

University of California – Davis Health via News-Medical – The secret to healthier skin and joints may reside in gut microorganisms. A study led by UC Davis Health researchers has found that a diet rich in sugar and fat leads to an imbalance in the gut’s microbial culture and may contribute to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, suggests that switching to a more balanced diet restores the gut’s health and suppresses skin inflammation. “Earlier studies have shown that Western diet, characterized by its high sugar and fat content, can lead to significant skin inflammation and psoriasis flares. Despite having powerful anti-inflammatory drugs for the skin condition, our study indicates that simple changes in diet may also have significant effects on psoriasis.” Sam T. Hwang, professor and chair of dermatology at UC Davis Health and senior author on the study What Is Psoriasis? Psoriasis is a stubborn skin condition linked to the body’s immune system. When immune cells mistakenly attack healthy skin cells, they cause skin inflammation and the formation of scales and itchy red patches. Up to 30% of patients with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis with symptoms such as morning stiffness and fatigue, swollen fingers and toes, pain in joints and changes to nails. Diet Affects the Microbial Balance in the Intestines and Skin Inflammation Food is one of the major modifiable factors regulating the gut microbiota, the community of microorganisms living in the intestines. Eating a Western diet can cause rapid change to the gut’s microbial community and its functions. This disruption in microbial balance – known as dysbiosis- contributes to gut inflammation. Since bacteria in the gut may play key roles in shaping inflammation, the researchers wanted to test whether intestinal dysbiosis affects skin and joint inflammation. They used a mouse model to study the effect of diet on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. They injected mice with Interleukin-23 (IL-23) minicircle DNA to induce a response mimicking psoriasis-like skin and joint diseases. IL-23 is a protein generated by the immune cells responsible for many inflammatory autoimmune reactions, including psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Hwang and his colleagues found that a short-term Western diet appears sufficient to cause microbial imbalance and to enhance susceptibility to IL-23?mediated psoriasis-like skin inflammation. “There is a clear link between skin inflammation and changes in the gut microbiome due to food intake,” Hwang said. “The bacterial balance in the gut disrupted shortly after starting a Western diet, and worsened psoriatic skin and joint inflammation.” One critical finding of their work was identifying the intestinal microbiota as a pathogenic link between diet and the displays of psoriatic inflammation. The study also found that antibiotics block the effects of the Western diet, reducing skin and joint inflammation. Is the Damage Caused by an Unhealthy Diet Reversible? The researchers wanted to test if switching to a balanced diet can restore the gut microbiota, despite the presence of IL-23 inflammatory proteins. They fed mice a Western diet for six weeks before giving them an IL-23-inducing agent to trigger psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis features. Then, they randomly divided the mice into two groups: a group that continued the Western diet for another four weeks and a group that switched to a balanced diet for the same duration. Their study showed that eating a diet high in sugar and fat for 10 weeks predisposed mice to skin and joint inflammation. Mice that were switched to a balanced diet had less scaling of the skin and reduced ear thickness than mice on a Western diet. The improvement in skin inflammation for mice taken off the Western diet indicates a short-term impact of the Western diet on skin inflammation. This suggests that changes in diet could partially reverse the proinflammatory effects and alteration of gut microbiota caused by the Western diet. “It was quite surprising that a simple diet modification of less sugar and fat may have significant effects on psoriasis,” said Zhenrui Shi, visiting assistant researcher in the UC Davis Department of Dermatology and lead author on the study. “These findings reveal that patients with psoriatic skin and joint disease should consider changing to a healthier dietary pattern.” “This work reflects a successful collaboration among researchers, especially with Professor Satya Dandekar and her team at the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and Professor Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan at the Department of Medical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine,” Hwang said. To read the original article click here.

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Developmental Origins of Eczema and Psoriasis Discovered

AHA Publisher — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 08:00:31 +0000

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute via EurekAlert – Scientists have created a highly detailed map of skin, which reveals that cellular processes from development are re-activated in cells from patients with inflammatory skin disease. The researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Newcastle University and Kings College London, discovered that skin from eczema and psoriasis patients share many of the same molecular pathways as developing skin cells. This offers potential new drug targets for treating these painful skin diseases. Published on 22nd January in Science, the study also provides a completely new understanding of inflammatory disease, opening up new avenues for research on other inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Part of the global Human Cell Atlas effort to map every cell type in the human body, the new comprehensive atlas of developing and adult skin is a valuable resource* for scientists worldwide. It could also provide a template for regenerative medicine, helping researchers grow skin in the laboratory more effectively. Our skin acts as a barrier, protecting us against invading bacteria or viruses, and is vital for health. Inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic eczema and psoriasis are chronic conditions, where the immune system becomes overactive, causing itchy or flaky skin that can be very painful and prone to infection. These conditions can have significant impact on people’s lives, but the trigger is unknown and there is no cure, with treatments only helping to relieve the symptoms, not the cause. Skin is a complex tissue made up of many different types of cells. To learn how skin forms and how this relates to adult health and disease, the researchers studied cells from developing skin**, comparing these with biopsies from healthy adults, and eczema and psoriasis patients. Using cutting-edge single cell technology and machine learning, the team analysed more than half a million individual skin cells, to see exactly which genes were switched on in each cell. This allowed them to find out what each individual cell does and how the cells talk to each other. To their surprise, the researchers discovered that the diseased skin cells shared many of the same cellular mechanisms as developing cells. Professor Muzlifah Haniffa, co-senior author from Newcastle University and Associate Faculty at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “This Skin Cell Atlas reveals specific molecular signals sent by healthy developing skin to summon immune cells and form a protective layer. We were amazed to see that eczema and psoriasis skin cells were sending the same molecular signals, which could over activate immune cells and cause the disease. This had never been seen before. Discovering that developing cell pathways re-emerge is a huge leap in our understanding of inflammatory skin disease, and offers new routes for finding treatments.” Dr Gary Reynolds, a first author on the study from Newcastle University, said: “While our study focused on inflammatory skin disease, there is potential that other inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease could be triggered in the same way. This research shows the importance of studying development, and could open up entirely new avenues for inflammatory disease research.” The study uncovered how healthy skin tissue develops, and revealed the cells that are present in adult skin. This has great implications for regenerative medicine, especially for burns victims. Professor Fiona Watt, co-senior author from Kings College London, said: “There have been decades of research on skin cells grown in the laboratory. However, it is not always clear how the properties of the cells change in the laboratory setting. By revealing the detailed make-up of cells immediately on isolation from developing and adult human skin, this Skin Cell Atlas can act as a template for researchers trying to reconstruct healthy skin in regenerative medicine. Our data is openly available, and we hope this will aid research into creating skin tissue in the laboratory.” Dr Sarah Teichmann co-senior author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge, and co-chair of the Human Cell Atlas initiative, said: “Part of the international Human Cell Atlas initiative to create a ‘Google map’ of the human body, this skin cell atlas study reveals that studying development can not only help understand how tissues are formed in the first place, but also shed vital light on diseases. This map reveals a completely new way of thinking about inflammatory diseases, and is an important reference that other scientists can use to investigate the causes of disease, and inform potential new treatments.” To read the original article click here.

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Western Diet Rich in Fat and Sugar Linked to Skin Inflammation

AHA Publisher — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 08:00:23 +0000

UC Davis Health via Newswise – A Western diet rich in fat and sugar may lead to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis, a study by UC Davis Health researchers has found. Newswise — (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — A Western diet rich in fat and sugar may lead to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis, a study by UC Davis Health researchers has found. The study, published today in Journal of Investigative Dermatology, suggests that dietary components, rather than obesity itself, may lead to skin inflammation and the development of psoriasis. A common and chronic skin disease, psoriasis causes skin cells to form scales and red patches that are itchy and sometimes painful. Diet and Skin Inflammation Previous studies have shown that obesity is a risk factor for the development or worsening of psoriasis. The Western diet, characterized by a high dietary intake of saturated fats and sucrose and low intake of fiber, has been linked to the increased prevalence of obesity in the world. “In our study, we found that short-term exposure to Western diet is able to induce psoriasis before significant body weight gain,” said Sam T. Hwang, professor and chair of dermatology at UC Davis and senior author on the study. For the UC Davis Health study, which used a mouse model, Hwang and his colleagues found that a diet containing both high fat and high sugar (mimicking the Western diet in human) was required to induce observable skin inflammation. In four weeks only, mice on Western diet had significantly increased ear swelling and visible dermatitis compared to mice fed a controlled diet and those on high fat diet alone. “Eating an unhealthy diet does not affect your waistline alone, but your skin immunity too,” said Zhenrui Shi, visiting assistant researcher in UC Davis Department of Dermatology and lead author on the study. Bile Acids and Skin Inflammation The study detailed the mechanisms by which inflammation happens following a Western diet. It identified bile acids as key signaling molecules in the regulation of skin immunity. Bile acids are produced in the liver from cholesterol and metabolized in the intestine by the gut microbiota. They play an important role in dietary lipid absorption and cholesterol balance in the blood. The study found that cholestyramine, a drug used to lower cholesterol levels by binding to bile acids in the intestine, helped reduce the risk of skin inflammation. The finding suggests that bile acids mediate the development of psoriasis. The binding of cholestyramine to bile acids in the gut and its subsequent release through the stool allows for lowering of skin inflammation. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanism behind diet-induced skin inflammation and the interaction between metabolism, microbes and immunity. This study was supported by a National Psoriasis Foundation Discovery Grant, an NIH/NIAMS R01 grant (1R01AR063091-01A1) and an NCI/NIH grant (U01-CA179582-03A1). Other collaborators include Xuesong Wu, Mindy Huynh and Mimi Nguyen from Department of Dermatology at UC Davis, Prasant Jena and Yui-Jui Yvonne Wan from Medical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UC Davis and Sebastian Yu from Department of Dermatology at Kaohsiung Medical University. To read the original article click here.

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