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In case you’re unfamiliar, psoriasis causes the body to make new skin cells in days instead of weeks, according to theAmerican Academy of Dermatology. These cells build up on the surface of the skin and can lead to thick, scaly patches, which are especially common on the scalp, knees, elbows and lower back.
While these symptoms may make psoriasis seem like purely a skin condition, it’s actually an inflammation-related one as well. If the psoriasis is systemic, severe, long-term and left untreated, theNational Psoriasis Foundationsays, the inflammation could lead to other diseases like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and psoriatic arthritis (whichKardashian confirmed that she has).
In June 2022, we reported thateating a vegan dietcan decrease pain and inflammation related to another form of arthritis: rheumatoid. And last month, in tandem with Psoriasis Awareness Month, Kim opened up about her own plant-based journey in a new interview for sister Kourtney Kardashian’s websitePoosh. The celeb says that goingplant-basedhas impacted her symptoms “immensely.”
Kardashian doesn’t clarify if this is fully vegan or plant-forward—the definition varies based on the diner—but does share that herplant-based tacosrecipe is a new favorite and a once-per-week dinner.
“I try to eat as many anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods as possible,” she adds. (Check out our lists oftop anti-inflammatoryandantioxidant foodsfor more info on that).
When asked how else the plant-based diet has impacted her life, she says that the transition has “made me more mindful about how what I put in my body affects me—not just psoriasis, but also my mood, my stress levels, my energy, everything.”
While this certainly isn’t as extreme as herpre-Met Gala diet, we usually are a bit skeptical of any sort of health-claim-related diet dish from celebs. This didn’t seem too extreme or off base, though, so it had us wondering, “What does research say about psoriasis and plants?”
Is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet Right for You?
What the Science Says about Diet and Psoriasis
A March 2020 case study in theInternational Journal of Disease Reversal and Preventionfound that one individual was able to completely clear up her psoriasis plaques after following a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory plant-based diet.
However, that was just one person—definitely not enough evidence to make a general Rx.
So to zoom out a bit, an August 2020 meta-analysis of earlier research in theInternational Journal of Molecular Sciencesfound that the best foods for psoriasis are rich in:
The study added that these foods and drinks tend to exacerbate psoriasis symptoms:
The 8 Worst Foods to Eat for Inflammation
The Bottom Line
Leaning into a plant-based lifestyle is just one of several things that Kardashian says help her deal with her psoriasis. (Now is a good time to jump in with a reminder that any sort of treatment for a medical condition should be done under the guidance of a medical professional.)
There is no one single way to “cure” or treat psoriasis that works for everyone, and the jury is still out about the science behind the foods to eat more of or limit to impact psoriasis symptoms, but it appears that eating more plants and probiotics and fewer added sugars, red meat and saturated fats, as well as sipping on less alcohol might be beneficial.
While it’s uncertain if a plant-based diet is better than something else, such as a Mediterranean diet meal plan, it certainly can’t hurt to keep tabs on how what you eat impacts your flare-ups if you have psoriasis. If one food or drink in particular seems to be a trigger, you can report this to your treatment team and see if a menu shift might be worth a shot.
Up Next:Anti-Inflammatory Vegan Meal Plan
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