Psoriasis: Eating oily fish can help alleviate the condition

Psoriasis is a skin condition that affects many people in the world. A way to alleviate the symptoms, according to a new report, is by including fish in the diet, specifically, oily fish.

Psoriasis is a skin condition that affects mostly the knees, elbows, and scalp, causing patches of skin that are red, crusty, sore, and flaky and can be quite annoying for the sufferer. Any part of the body can be prone to psoriasis, which makes it even worse for the sufferer. While there is no cure, it can still be treated through topical and systemic means. Food is also one of the factors that may or may not trigger the condition, and Express reports that eating oily fish can help.

According to Dr. Daniel Glass of The Dermatology Clinic in London, making dietary changes to alleviate the skin condition is one of the questions that they mostly get. Dr. Glass explained that there are not many controlled trials that shed light on the question, but there are some trends that prove to be promising to those who suffer from psoriasis.

One particular survey back in 2017 with 1206 participants who suffer from this skin condition showed that they consumed less sugar, less whole grain fiber, dairy, and calcium. Instead, they ate more fruits, vegetables, and legumes. According to the researchers that conducted the survey, some types of food reportedly had an effect on the symptoms, like fish oil, water, fruits, and vegetables. 10 percent of people with psoriasis reportedly found an improvement in the symptoms from these types of food. At least 50 percent of patients reported having improved symptoms from reducing the intake of alcohol and junk food.

Along with oily fish, vitamin D supplements are also said to help. Oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, and according to another report, omega-3 may help in relieving psoriasis. Although oily fish has omega-3, it can also be helped by taking omega-3 supplements. Omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties and helps improve immune system function. A high dose of omega-3 supplements is said to help relieve the redness, thickness, scaling, as well as itching, according to some experts.