Natural Remedies for Psoriasis
As medical science has not yet managed to find a cure for psoriasis, it should be obvious that nature has unfortunately not to been able to provide a complete cure either.
However, there are many different natural treatments that you can try which have proved to be effective for different people at different times in alleviating, reducing or removing the plaques and lesions that are the most common external indication of psoriasis.
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to know exactly what is going to be effective for any particular individual so to a large extent, finding what works for you is likely to be a process of trial and error. That being said, there are plenty of options that you can try to see if they alleviate or calm your condition, so all of the following alternatives are worthy of consideration.
Natural Remedies for Psoriasis with Milk Thistle:
Milk thistle has been shown to inhibits the production of T-cells, so whilst no specific tests have been done as to how to effective milk thistle will be as a treatment for psoriasis, the fact that it can halt the growth of the cells that cause it suggests that it is worth trying. You can purchase milk thistle products at the health store or pharmacy in liquid or tablet form, and there are no adverse side-effects apart from minor gastrointestinal disturbances when you first start taking the supplement.
Natural Remedies for Psoriasis using Oregano oil:
Oregano is a commonly used spice in cooking which has antibacterial and antifungal qualities which can be helpful in keeping some of the infections that might be associated with psoriasis at bay. Oregano can be safely ingested in almost any form, and many people report that taking a daily ‘dose’ of oregano has significantly helped to keep their psoriasis under control.
Natural Remedies for Psoriasis with Turmeric:
Turmeric is a popular ingredient of Indian curries, and whilst you can once again buy this particular spice in food supplement form, it is easier and far cheaper to mix the spice into your food (no more than one teaspoonful is necessary). Turmeric has been shown to help reduce inflammation in every part of the body, including on the skin, as well as alleviating the pain and swelling associated with arthritis.
Natural Remedies for Psoriasis with Shark Cartilage:
Studies over the past few years indicate that shark cartilage extract can help to delay the formation of new blood and skin cells which are both believed to play a significant role in the development and growth of psoriatic lesions. Shark cartilage is also believed to have highly effective anti-inflammatory qualities as well.
One particular form of shark cartilage AE-941 (known by the brand name Neovastat) has shown significant promise as a treatment for psoriasis but it is still not widely approved for general usage, because the long-term effects of usage are not known, and in the short term, it has been seen to prompt nausea and vomiting.
Natural Remedies for Psoriasis with Oats:
It is no coincidence that there are so many skincare products on the market that use oats as one of the main constituents, because oat extract has been used for many centuries as a soothing topical agent to manage and calm irritated or itchy skin. There are plenty of ways that you can use oats to take advantage of its soothing and calming qualities:
Take 1 cup of dried oats and quarter of cup and dried milk before mixing it in two tablespoons of apricotskernel oil. Slowly grind the mixture together in a food blender before putting it into a muslin bag or failing that, an old sock! Drop the bag or sock into a warm bath and then gently squeeze the water from the contents of the bag onto the affected areas of your skin, as this releases the beneficial ingredients from the mixture to soothe your skin.
Look for body lotions and moisturizers that use oats or oat extract as their main active ingredient. Apply the moisturizer liberally in the morning and in the evening, focusing in particular on any affected areas of the skin.
Make an oat compress by wrapping oats in a bag of cloth, soaking it in buttermilk and applying the compress to any affected area of your skin. This combines two materials (oats and curd) that are both believed to have healing effects, so you should expect to see results from this particular method fairly quickly.
Natural Remedies for Psoriasis with Capsaicin:
Derived from cayenne peppers, capsaicin when applied to the skin has been shown in some studies to reduce redness, minimize scaling and to get rid of itching as well. This is believed to happen because capsaicin interrupts the activity of a molecule that affects how your brain recognizes itching and pain known as substance P.
It is for this reason that many over-the-counter arthritis pain relief products contain capsaicin, and certainly in various tests with different groups of psoriasis suffering individuals, a topical application of 0.025% cream to effected skin areas definitely reduced scaling, redness and itching.
On the downside, some individuals did report a short lived burning sensation but if you are willing to risk this happening to you, then applying a very weak capsaicin solution to your lesions could bring some much sought relief.
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