Psoriasis Free For Life

What is Psoriasis and How can we Cure it?


What exactly is psoriasis and how does one get it?

Well, first off let me explain that I personally have psoriasis and despise it greatly! It has destroyed my self-conscious, and is doing a really good job destroying my social life as well.

Psoriasis is a common chronic, relapsing, non-contagious skin disorder characterised by red patchy lesions, with grey or silvery-white, dry scales, which are frequently painful, itchy and may bleed. Lesions are typically distributed symmetrically on the scalp, elbows, knees and essentially any part of the body. It's a condition where skin is replaced more rapidly than normal skin; the skin cycle that generally takes 28 days to complete in normal skin will take around four days to complete with psoriasis. It is often characterized by painful, itchy skin, which in some cases can be chronically debilitating and affect the quality of life, leading to depression, anxiety, and stress. Often, psoriasis is mistaken for other skin diseases, which results with many being treated for something irrelevant, allowing their psoriasis to fully manifest. Awesome isn't it? This so called "skin condition" afflicts over four million people in the United States alone, and scientist believe that certain people may be genetically predisposed to develop psoriasis. Can you BELIEVE that? I can't...

Plaque Psoriasis is the most common form, and effects eighty percent of all psoriasis sufferers. Patches appear most frequently on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, and lower back. Scalp psoriasis is another common type of this skin condition, and is said to be present in at least half of the people with the disease. Psoriasis of the scalp, for many sufferers, continues to be a horror story, and is one of the most socially embarrassing of conditions, even causing victims to actually lose their hair! That's just terrible, and trust me, I've been a sufferer of psoriasis for at least 3 years now, and it has been nothing short of miserable. To top it off, it can also affect the fingernails, the toenails, and the soft tissues of the genitals and inside the mouth, but wait because it doesn't stop just there! Oh no, plaque or guttate psoriasis is only the beginning, because you're also susceptible to psoriatic arthritis! That's when you're LUCKY enough to have joint stiffness and swelling, as well as extreme pain! Can you sense the sarcasm in that sentence, huh, can you?

We all know that skin care is very important, and since skin is one of those forefront body aspects that say a lot about our internal and external health, psoriasis does a great job at letting everyone know, or at least think that you're some diseased, contagious freak! Skin reactions, including itching, sunburn, and blistering are common, that's right, COMMON for people with psoriasis!

For you to truly understand what this disease is and how it effects people, it is very important that you know the causes or 'triggers' and find out the appropriate drugs that can attempt to cover the symptoms. Treatment begins with the prevention of flare-ups, and doctors treat psoriasis based on the severity of the disease, the size of the areas involved, the type of psoriasis, and the patient's response to any initial treatments. Treatment focuses on the control of symptoms and prevention of secondary infection, as well as using topical lotions, shampoos, and cold tar preparations. To be completely honest, and I'm sure most sufferers will agree, current skin treatment is NOT very satisfactory, because there is no specific remedy or cure. Topical vitamin D analogs for treatment include calcipotriene ( calcipotriol ), calcitriol , and tacalcitol. There's plenty more where that came from, and initially they all work pretty well, but then the disease becomes resistant and the creams fail to do ANYTHING!

The American Academy of Dermatology, the U.S Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all discourage the use of tanning beds and sun lamps, however both UVB and UVA are found in natural sunlight, although the beneficial effect for psoriasis is attributed primarily to UVB. Treatment with ultraviolet light usually involves standing in a "light box" where the whole body receives the ultraviolet light, not just the areas affected by psoriasis. Light therapy patients need to protect uninvolved skin during treatment, usually using washcloths to cover up sensitive areas. Studies have shown that combining ultraviolet light treatment and a retinoid, like acitretin, adds to the effectiveness of UV light for psoriasis. I haven't personally tried it so who knows, but ANYTHING is worth a shot am I right?

Lotions, creams and ointments are applied directly on the skin and are often a first line of therapy, though topical tar preparations, including shampoos, creams, and other preparations are recommended to be used once or twice daily.Topical high-potency corticosteroid solution or ointment works best when covered by cellophane wrap at bedtime, or so I've heard.


Now for the GOOD stuff!



Natural home cures have helped a large number of people to eliminate psoriasis as a problem within their lives, and continues to help MORE and MORE people each day! Natural psoriasis treatment can help your traditional treatment and help you control your psoriasis so you can feel MUCH better about your own skin. Natural treatment using herbs and oils works wonders, and one natural remedy for psoriasis is to use sea salts in your baths. It is a very traditional way of fighting against the infection because we often use salt to clean other types of wounds and infections in the body and skin. A few of the superior herbal remedies for psoriasis are Neem, which is used as a topical cream or taken internally in capsule form, Oregon Grape as a tonic or as a detoxifier and Tea Tree Oil. Other natural home remedies include daily baths to soothe irritation and loosen and soften the scales formed by plaque psoriasis, frequent utilization of heavy moisturizers, topical use of creams produced from aloe vera extract and ingestion of fish oil supplements, which is an excellent source of inflammation-fighting Omega-3 essential fatty acids. If you're like me, and are DYING to know anything and everything about curing your psoriasis, then I urge you to pick up a copy of this natural psoriasis treatment here.



It also comes with a ton of informative books to help keep your skin fresh and clean!

What is Low-Dose Naltrexone and How is it Going to HELP your Psoriasis?

To start this off, let me explain what Low-Dose Naltrexone is ( hereby referred to as LDN ).

Snippet from the LDN website:
"Naltrexone itself was approved by the FDA in 1984 in a 50mg dose for the purpose of helping heroin or opium addicts, by blocking the effect of such drugs. By blocking opioid receptors, naltrexone also blocks the reception of the opioid hormones that our brain and adrenal glands produce: beta-endorphin and metenkephalin. Many body tissues have receptors for these endorphins and enkephalins, including virtually every cell of the body's immune system."


Now that that's taken care of, here's another post about how it's going to help your psoriasis;
The brief blockade of opioid receptors between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. that is caused by taking LDN at bedtime each night is believed to produce a prolonged up-regulation of vital elements of the immune system by causing an increase in endorphin and enkephalin production


Alright, so essentially what this is saying is that when you take LDN at night, it's going to block your opioid receptors, and since between 2 a.m and 4 a.m is when your body is producing endorphins and enkephalin, it will basically 'trick' your body into producing more. This is a good thing because that means you're going to have more 'bodyguards' and 'soldiers' in your immune system to help get it back to a normal, perfect state which will cause your psoriasis to get much better. That's the run-down, but if you really want to get scientific and know a lot more then I suggest going to this website: http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/

Okay, I'm going to say one more thing and then I'm done with this post; LDN has done wonders for me, but not just it alone. I'm under the assumption that prolonged usage of LDN will only decrease the visibility of my psoriasis, and increase the clarity of my skin, which is what I want! Still, I'm not sure how long it would take using LDN alone, so a month or so ago I decided to introduce this natural psoriasis treatment I found searching around online and ever since then I've had a tremendous amount of relief! Don't believe me, try them both out for yourself! LDN cost around 25-35 dollars I believe, and the natural remedies aren't too expensive either. You'll end up spending a lot less than you probably do or would on any of the DEADLY biologics they're giving everyone these days. I mean, some people find a lot of success with these so kudos to them, but I'm not really achin' to give them a try and have to constantly see a doctor to check out how my body is doing. LDN has virtually no side effects, although you might have a hard time sleeping for a week or two, but THAT'S it!

Hope this was informative and enlightening, and may you find success in all your endeavors,

Derek







Monday, March 28, 2011

Psoriasis Help - Tough News

So I went to my doctors the other day to examine some blood work I had done and to also talk to him about getting prescribed to LDN so I could get pills compounded and sent to me. I've been ordering LDN from India and compounding it myself by dissolving the 50mg pills into the same amount of distilled water. Although I do think this method is somewhat effective, I'm just not satisfied with where I'm at right now. I do however know that it is definitely working, because if I stop taking the LDN for even 3 days the psoriasis starts to get bad all over my body. I think the pills compounded over here would be far more effective, but it's a little tricky getting your doctor to believe you that a drug used for alcohol and opioid addictions can help psoriasis or any auto-immune disease.

He said he'd take a look on the med website he trusts, and if he happens to find any research or anything that suggests that LDN could be beneficial for psoriasis then he'd gladly prescribe it, but for now I got nothing. For some reason I just think that he won't really find anything on the websites he's looking at and so I'm really about to abandon the LDN and go back to my dermatologist and force him to prescribe me on the best biologic. It's to hard to order from overseas and have to wait, plus I'm not even sure how legit the LDN I'm getting from over there is, and so I'm ready to take any risk involved with biologics with hopes of getting all this disgusting crap off my skin. My doctor did however give me some more depression meds, but I'm not sure they will really do anything so long as I'm still afflicted with psoriasis.

Anyways this was just a quick update, so thanks for reading and if anything changes with the LDN or I do end up getting on some biologics then I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.

Sincerely,
Derek

Sunday, March 20, 2011

NEW Homeopathic Remedies!

I was surprised a couple of days ago when my parents brought home at least 80 or more dollars worth of homeopathic remedies from the natural cures store in the town next to us. This "care package" consisted of a bar of natural tar soap, a tube of Psoriaflora, which is supposed to relieve scaling, redness and itching, and so far has done a pretty decent job, though it's only my third day using it. They also bought me two bottles of pills; Glutathione and some other bottle in which I can't seem to find. The Glutathione pills are a tripeptide amino acid produced in the liver primarily from cysteine. It acts as a cellular antioxidant by inhibiting free radical proliferation. Basically they're supposed to stop or at least slow down the rapid skin production process that happens with psoriasis. I've been taking them for three days now so I haven't noticed any big change, but I'll make sure to keep everyone posted, especially if they really help. I'm using all of this stuff in combination with the LDN AND the other natural remedies that I read in the psoriasis free for life book, so I'm really stoked to see if I can achieve complete clearance within the next month or so.

Something else of note is that I have a moisturizing thing hooked on to my shower, so after I use the psoriasis shampoo and soap I can use the moisturizing thing to first wash my body with a soapy substance, and then moisturize it with another liquid that's supposed to open pores and help out skin. I do this right when I'm about to get out of the shower and it really helps my skin stay moist and not get so dry and itchy. I highly recommend looking into it, and if you really need to know the name of the one I have just leave a comment and I'll let you know.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Inspiration, commitment, and Sheer Passion

When I look upon my reflection in the mirror, I see but a shell of my former self. Is this because I'm a depressed, self-loathing, infected individual who doesn't posses enough strength to stand on his own, or because I feel so completely empty inside that it hurts, as if something was destroyed or misplaced within me. Maybe it's a combination of the two, but whatever it is it effects me greatly. I often wonder why I'm always exhausted, why people see and view me the way they do, why I can't stay motivated for anything, and why thoughts of failure constantly and consistently dilute my mind and intoxicate my brain. I do what I must to push these thoughts aside and practice positive affirmations, but one can only do so much by and for themselves before the weight baring down on them finally kneels them and collapses them to the ground. Life is not perfect, I understand this, and finally I've begun to see my calling. Perfectionism is mere bull crap that should be dismissed at first thought, and should be replaced by the thought that because NOTHING is PERFECT...everything is actually unique and special. Nature isn't perfect, and it was countless trials and errors to create this beautiful world we see today, constant change to create this amazing earth that has had so much blood spilled upon it that it saddens me to the very core.

Anyways, the point of all this is to tell you that no matter where you are in life, and no matter how hard any weight is pushing on you, trying to make you collapse and give in; don't, stand strong and fight for everything you passionately believe in. My calling is to do my part to change this earth, and as I think more and more about it I feel this enlightening feeling throughout my entire body, a feeling so strong that it actually makes me shed a tear. Psoriasis may be one of the worst diseases in the category of life hampering, but I want each and every one of you to know that no matter what, through thick and thin, I'm standing there right by you.

The greatest boost of spirit, I hope you all may let it help you as much as it has helped me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM


Sincerely,
Derek

Saturday, March 12, 2011

LDN and Natural Remedies Update ONE

Okay, this is going to be a new thing I'm going to start doing probably once every week or two. It's already been about 2 or so months since I first started using LDN, but I'm going to start keeping you guys posted about how my skin and I are doing, so here we go.

My skin is not 100% clear, but it's also not doing too bad. The inflammation has died down A LOT and really all there is anymore is light, almost smooth scales. I probably had more than moderate coverage before starting LDN and the natural remedies, and now it's barely moderate if not less than moderate. I still have light pinkish dots scattered around on my back, but those too are starting to go away. My legs were burned badly on a canoeing trip over summer in Arkansas, and that caused a lot of patches to appear, but those are pretty faded now, though if I miss a day taking the medication they start to come back with a brighter red. My arms are doing way BETTER, but still not as good as I would've hoped, so I guess we'll see how much better it all gets over the next couple months. I read that it could take up to seven or eight months for complete clearance, but I'm hoping with the natural psoriasis remedies I'm doing that I can make that time come MUCH quicker.

One more note; my scalp is really the only thing that's been irritating me a lot lately, because it doesn't seem like much is helping it. I'm sure it looks better, but my hair has grown out a lot and I can't see, so all I know is that its constantly itching and I'm consistently peeling skin from it, which screams disgust to the pit of my stomach. I'll keep everyone posted, and I hope to hear from some of you about how you're doing with your LDN treatment.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Psoriasis Facts

  • Psoriasis is a medical condition that takes place when skin cells mature too quickly and defective signals in the immune system cause new skin cells to form in days rather than weeks.
  • Psoriasis is caused when healthy T cells in the body turn on the skin cells, which is a malfunction of the immune system.
  • Psoriasis most often manifests as a silvery, scaly, red rash that occurs in clumps.
  • Psoriasis can also cause inflammation of the joints, which is known as psoriatic arthritis.
  • Psoriasis  can appear on the body after a deep cut or injury. This is called the Koebner Phenomenon
  • Psoriasis can spread to the lower back, the buttocks and in between the inner thighs and genitals.
  • Psoriasis has no predictable pattern of spreading and may manifest in any form.
  • Psoriasis is able to be caused by numerous different factors or a host of things all mixed jointly.
  • Psoriasis can get worse over time, but it is not possible to predict who will go on to develop extensive psoriasis and those in whom the disease may appear to vanish.
  • Psoriasis isn't contagious, though it looks like it might be.
  • Psoriasis is believed by some to be a genetic disorder.
  • Psoriasis is one of the most obstinate skin conditions, which affects the skin and the joints of an individual.
  • Psoriasis is an extremely complicated disease to understand. A psoriasis natural treatment that may help one individual may have no benefit for another; various natural treatment choices are available for curing psoriasis.
  • Psoriasis generally affects the scalp, stomach, hands, elbows, knees and feet.
  • Psoriasis  is most common between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five, and is not infectious.
  • Psoriasis has a predictable course; each case has its own course.
  • Psoriasis may be one of the oldest recorded skin conditions.
  • Psoriasis natural treatments have been around for thousands of years.
  • Plaque psoriasis affects the back of the elbows and the front of the knees as well as the back and scalp (scalp psoriasis).
  • Guttate psoriasis is characterized by numerous small, scaly, red or pink, teardrop-shaped lesions.
  • Inverse Psoriasis generally appears around the breasts and groin area,  and this psoriasis is often caused by friction and is seen in people who are overweight.
  • Pustular psoriasis is another manifestation of the disease that appears as red bumps on the skin that are filled by pus.
  • In severe psoriasis, the lesions may extend throughout majority of the body and may require hospitalization.
  • In reality, psoriasis could affect just about anyone, regardless of age.
  • A proof that psoriasis is caused by an abnormal function of the immune system is the observation that immune-suppressing treatments could effectively clear the skin disorder.
  • The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but it is linked to an abnormal response of the immune system and appears to have a genetic component.
  • Seeking relief from psoriasis can be a lifelong quest. You can search everywhere for the perfect cure and never quite find it.
  • About 10% to 15% of psoriasis patients are found to have psoriatic arthritis.
  • Common treatment of psoriasis includes anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen, but these just temporarily ease the symptoms.
  • Some people even get psoriasis in their nails, which causes the nails to become pitted and malformed and even to break away from the skin. And in some rare cases, a type of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis develops.
  • There are many psoriasis cures websites out there, and it can be hard to know who to trust.
All in all, go with your intuition (your gut), and don't be fooled by people who are obviously scamming you. I highly recommend you look into a drug called Low-Dose Naltrexone and then combine this with natural remedies found in the Psoriasis Free For Life book.

Common Psoriasis Questions

Question:


I have a patch of dry scaly red skin on my thigh that is itchy. How can I tell if it is psoriasis or eczema?


Answer:


My guess is you have eczema a.k.a. dermatitisPsoriasis is usually constant, more intense, usually involves a lot of flaking, and can be very widespread. From what you describe it sounds like an occasional localized flare-up, so that's why I think it's dermatitis. If this is a rare or one-time occurance, I'm thinking contact dermatitis, meaning you rubbed your thigh against an irritant. If it happens regularly, it may be atopic, meaning it's most likely triggered by pollen, weather, or food.

Try keeping it moisturized. You may have to experiment with different products to find the one best suited for your skin. If you're not going to see a doctor, try any of the various OTC steroid-based creams and ointments out there.





Question:


I have psoriasis on my scalp which tends to be worse in the winter and is also triggered by stress. The foam works great on my scalp but makes my hair feel gross when the foam dries. How long after applying the foam is it okay for me to wash my hair without washing off the foam too?


Answer:


There isn't any "best" answer to this, but typically anywhere from 3-5 minutes should suffice. I typically massage the shampoo into my scalp, sit down and relax in the shower for 10-15 minutes, and let the water soothingly rain down on my chest. Very relaxing!


Question:


I won't be able to see my dermatologist until January, and my psoriasis is spreading. My cream has run out. I'm using T-Gel shampoo for my scalp. I don't have anything for the psoriasis on my skin though. What is a good over the counter treatment that can keep it under control until January?

Answer:

Natural Cures

Aromatherapy: The following essential oils are recommended: bergamot (to help heal skin plaques), lavender (to reduce excessive itching), melissa (for irritated skin), jasmine (for dry sensitive skin), geranium (for dry irritating skin), and sandalwood mysore (for dehydrated, inflamed, and sensitive skin).

Diet: Screen for and eliminate all foods to which you are allergic or sensitive. Eat a varied diet of organic, whole foods, rotating foods as much as possible. Eliminate wheat and wheat products for 1-3 months. Consume seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, and each day, on a rotating basis, take one tablespoon of olive or flaxseed oil, and be sure to drink plenty of pure,filtered water. Organic beef, venison, poultry, garlic, onions, parsley, organic plain yogurt, and sauerkraut are also recommended.

Flower Essences: Rescue Remedy Cream® applied topically can soothe symptoms.

Herbs: Combine equal parts of burdock, sarsaparilla, and cleavers tinctures and take one teaspoon three times a day. Silymarin (milk thistle) is also helpful for psoriasis due to its positive effects on liver function.

Homeopathy: Useful homeopathic remedies include Psorinum, Sulfur, Graphites, Cuprum met., and Arsen alb.

Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is the application of water, ice, steam and hot and cold temperatures to maintain and restore health. Treatments include full body immersion, steam baths, saunas, sitz baths, colonic irrigation and the application of hot and/or cold compresses. Hydrotherapy is effective for treating a wide range of conditions and can easily be used in the home as part of a self-care program. Many Naturopathic Physicians, Physical Therapists and Day Spas use Hydrotherapy as part of treatment. I suggest several at-home hydrotherapy treatments.
*Purified water is essential for any hydrotherapy treatment. Remedies for Treating Chlorinated Bath Water offers clear instructions and recommendations.

Juice Therapy: The following juice combinations can be helpful: apple and carrot; beet, cucumber, and grape; and beet, carrot, burdock, yellowdock and garlic.

Lifestyle: Mild cases of psoriasis may be helped by daily exposure to sunlight. Frequent exercise is also recommended.

Nutritional Supplementation: The following nutrients can be helpful: evening primrose oil, omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin B Complex, vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, folic acid, lecithin, zinc, and a multimineral supplement. Taking hydrochloric acid (HCL) with each meal can also be of use.

In Europe fumaric acid treatment in the form of fumaric acid tablets, ointment, lotion, and scalp lotions is widely used to reverse symptoms of psoriasis

Topical Treatment: Apply seawater to the affected skin several times daily. Linseed oravocado oilaloe vera gel, and/or capsaicin cream applied topically can reduce the scaling, thickness, redness, and itching.

Best of health to you

Question:

I suffer with psoriasis on my neck. I was wondering, if it can flare up when I eat certain foods? I've tried ointments but nothing is working. I couldn't get a doctor's appointment until mid-March. What can I do to help myself now?

Answer:

Fried foods are a big culprit.

Eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables. Keep the idea in mind to stay as close to the earth as possible (as in fruits and vegetables).

Smoking, alcohol, stress, and normal weather associated with winter months will haveadverse effects.

Try to stay away from synthetic materials and harsh soaps.

Supplementing with health food store quality probiotics can work wonders, as well as supplementing with GLA from Evening Primrose Oil (1,000-3,000 mg/day).