By Andrew Gaeddert
This is the first of a two part series on skin issues, from Andrew Gaeddert’s book, Healing Skin Disorders.
Psoriasis is characterized by elevated, red, and inflamed patches on the skin that are often covered by silvery scales. The patches are usually asymptomatic, except during flare-ups when itching and a burning sensation may be present. Psoriasis can be found anywhere on the body, though typically the knees, elbows, and scalp are affected. Fingernails can show yellowing with stippling and pitting of the nail bed. With psoriatic arthritis, there may be joint pain and stiffness. A skin biopsy may be done to confirm a visual diagnosis. Medical attention should be sought immediately if psoriasis develops over a large portion of the body.
The biomedical cause of psoriasis appears to be an autoimmune phenomenon. Also, persons with psoriasis often have a family history for the disease. Flare-ups of psoriasis can be triggered by emotional stress, skin damage, cold weather, physical illness, or other factors. Medications such as lithium, quinidine, and those that treat high blood pressure and inflammation are also known to exacerbate psoriasis.
Biomedical treatment of psoriasis involves topical agents when the affected areas are limited to less than twenty percent of body surface. Such agents used include emollients, keratolytics, corticosteroids, and coaltar, among others. Systemic and more aggressive treatment is used for psoriasis that covers more than twenty percent of the body surface. Such treatment involves phototherapy and medications such as retinoids (Acitretin), antimetabolites (Methotrexate), and calcineurin inhibitors (Cyclosporin). Side effects are often associated with long-term administration of all medications, whether topical or systemic. For example, corticosteroids often become ineffective and may exacerbate psoriasis by masking symptoms.
Psoriasis can be a debilitating disease physically and emotionally because of the unsightly blemishes. Therefore, complementary therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, and yoga may be helpful. An elimination diet may get to the root of the problem, since there appears to be anecdotal evidence that diet and nutrition are causal factors for psoriasis flare-ups.
SELF-TREATMENTS
- Oatmeal baths: Use to soothe psoriatic areas (follow label directions)
- Black currant oil (3,000 mg daily)
- Pine tar soap (follow label directions)
- Antioxidant vitamin combination containing zinc
- Flaxseed oil (1 to 3 tbsp. daily) taken with vitamin E (400 to 800 IU daily), or fish oil concentrate (3 to 10 g daily)
PROFESSIONAL TREATMENTS
- Skin Balance (2 to 3 tablets, 3 to 4 times daily)
- For heat signs, add Clear Heat (1 to 2 tablets three times a day)
- For dryness add, Marrow Plus (2 to 3 tablets four times a day)
- Mobility 2 (3 tablets, 3 to 4 times daily): Use for swollen joints
- Resinall K: Apply undiluted directly to affected areas (1 to 3 times daily); if skin is too sensitive to undiluted Resinall K, then dilute 1 part Resinall K with 3 parts safflower or avocado oil and apply to affected areas (1 to 3 times daily)
- Dictamus (3 tablets, 3 to 4 times daily): Use for cases with more scaling and itching, and less redness and heat signs. (If heat signs are more prominent, use Skin Balance as above.)
CASE STUDY
Edwina, a forty-two-year-old musician, suffered from psoriasis for thirty-seven years. The lesions affected her entire body and were especially severe on her arms and legs, where the plaques were purple, thick, and scaly. During flare-ups, her skin was very itchy, particularly at night. Flare-ups were treated with ultraviolet radiation and the corticosteroid triamcinolone. She was aware that corn, chocolate, fruit, wheat, and peanuts made her symptoms worse. She also complained of poor digestion and abdominal pain, and occasional hot flashes, as she was perimenopausal. Edwina led a hectic life – teaching during the day, performing in the evenings, in addition to traveling to performances. Thus, it was no surprise that when she came to our clinic she indicated that for over a year she had been experiencing fatigue with difficulty rising in the morning.Traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis revealed that her pulse was weak and slow, and her tongue was pink, dry, and cracked, with a yellow coating.
After evaluating her overall situation, in particular her diet, we recommended that Edwina eat more lean meat and salmon, as she was consuming a preponderance of carbohydrates. When she was on the road, she usually ate things that triggered flare-ups of her psoriasis. We also urged her to chew her food carefully, as she was prone to eating quickly. She was also asked to take the formulas Colostroplex (1 tablet per day), Skin Balance (2 tablets three times a day), and Quiet Digestion (1 to 2 tablets three times a day).
She was instructed to start with 2 tablets of Skin Balance three times a day, but to reduce to 2 tablets three times a day if she developed loose stools.
After two weeks, Edwina reported her skin was much less itchy; however, she complained of stomach pain. Her pulse was wiry, slightly irregular, and weak in the first and third positions. Her tongue was still dry, pink, and cracked, with a slightly yellow coating. We recommended she continue with the herbal protocol. To address the stomach pain, we suggested she not eat so much during her evening meal since she was making up for the day’s hunger during this meal. Two weeks later, the lesions on her legs had totally disappeared, and she reported that the itching had improved ninety percent. With past flare-ups, this degree of improvement had usually been attained only with triamcinolone and ultraviolet radiation. This time, by adding the herbal protocol, she required only triamcinolone and fewer UV treatments.
At this point, she reported that bleeding hemorrhoids were her principal complaint, something that she had not indicated when she first came to the clinic. Sometimes she had to get up as many as ten times a night with the urge to defecate. Her pulse was still weak and slow, and her tongue was now pale with a dry, gray coating. We urged her to undergo standard biomedical tests to rule out other possible causes of blood in the stool. We also suggested she reduce Skin Balance (to 1 tablet three times a day), increase Colostroplex (to 4 tablets per day), increase Quiet Digestion (to 3 tablets three times a day), and add Formula H (3 tablets three times a day), a formula specific for hemorrhoids.
Three weeks later, the psoriasis was totally eliminated. During this time, Edwina had decided to go on a three-day vegetable broth fast, which had greatly helped reduce her hemorrhoid symptoms. But now she was constipated. The medical tests to determine the cause of blood in the stool were inconclusive. Her pulse was now thin and her tongue was still pale and dry. At this time, Edwina discontinued treatment, as her psoriasis was in remission.
DISCUSSION
As is typical of many persons with psoriasis, Edwina’s flare-ups were tied to emotional stress and a poor diet, although in her case, it appeared that her diet was the more significant factor in the flare- ups. As an example, she used chocolate as an instant energy boost, particularly when she was traveling. But she would end up paying for it a few days later by experiencing a flare-up. Once her diet was under control, the skin lesions began healing, and the flare- ups decreased in frequency and severity. Using herbal formulas such as Quiet Digestion helped make the foods she was sensitive to more tolerable. Skin Balance was used not only to heal her skin, but also to promote regular bowel movements so that toxins were eliminated through the stools instead of the skin.