What’s the Deal with the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

If you have ever looked for answers about diet and wellness trends, you understand how difficult it is to separate the fads from the truth. The truth is there is no diet that will cure a chronic disease like psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and anyone claiming to have the answer is either overstating the effectiveness of certain foods or is simply wrong.

It is not all bad news, though. There are foods that have been shown to reduce inflammation. And some of them are probably foods you already eat. And we do know that a healthy and balanced diet is an important factor in your overall health.

Why the Focus on Inflammation?

If you have psoriatic disease, you know that psoriasis is not a skin disease and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is not simply a joint disease. Psoriatic disease is associated with systemic inflammation – inflammation throughout the body – that puts people with psoriasis or PsA at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and other related health conditions, called comorbidities.

To treat psoriatic disease properly, you have to treat the underlying systemic inflammation, making foods that may reduce inflammation of particular interest for people with this chronic disease. Food is not a treatment in and of itself, but diet can be beneficial.  You should consult a qualified health care provider about the appropriate treatment for your own experience of psoriatic disease and how diet can be part of your treatment plan.

Healthy eating, including an overall balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates from sources like fish, beans, avocado, and other fruits and vegetables, may improve your overall health and may help to reduce the impact or frequency of your psoriatic disease symptoms. However, everyone reacts to food differently, so remember to work with your health care provider before changing your diet. [1]