In this course you will create a personal action plan to detox and maintain your gut health. A deeper understanding of your gut microbiota will motivate you to make these positive changes to eliminate psoriasis.

Why this is important:

The first step in healing psoriasis is to get to the bottom of it. This week we look at your gut health and understand its role in psoriasis and other auto-immune diseases that affect those with psoriasis.

FACT 1: Psoriasis is linked to our gut microbiome. The colon harbours an estimated 10 to the 14th power of bacterial cells (that’s 10 with 14 zeros after it). Most of these have a vital function is balancing our immune system and creating a healthy gut ecosystem. People with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have a different balance of their gut microbiota than those who do not. This imbalance is referred to as dysbiosis, where the change in composition and function of the gut increases the permeability of the gut lining, and increases the inflammation that bring on psoriasis.

Psoriasis is often linked with obesity and commonly accompanied by diseases such as irritable bowel diseases, psoriatic arthritis and insulin resistance. Psoriasis can be provoked or exacerbated by specific pathogens in the gut, including bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes), viruses (human papillomavirus and endogenous retroviruses), and fungi (Malassezia and Candida albicans).Clinical trials have shown that psoriasis improves when there is a balanced abundance of the beneficial strains of Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus sporogenes, and others from the Lactobacillus strain, as well as Bifidobacterium infantis and oat β-glucan.

FACT 2: We have already learnt that toxic bacteria and other substances enter our blood circulation because of gut permeability caused by an imbalance in our microbiota. This is referred to as leaky gut and is considered to be responsible for auto-immune disease such as psoriasis. When these toxins enter our body, our natural immune response is to evacuate them, through our lungs, colon, kidney, sweat glands and unfortunately our skin as psoriasis.

Plant protein in the diet increases beneficial Bifidobacterium and Lactobaccillus, which improves the gut barrier and reduces likelihood of inflammation. Animal protein in the diet increases harmful amounts of Bacteroids, Alistipes, Bilophila and Ruminococcus, reduces Bifidobacterium load, increases IBD, CVD and other autoimmune diseases like psoriasis.

Unsaturated fat in the diet increases beneficial Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria, Akkermansia muciniphila. Saturated fat in the diet increases a harmful abundance of Bacteroids, Bilophila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.

Common foods rich in polyphenol such as fruits, seeds, vegetables, tea, cocoa products, and red wine enrich beneficial Bifdobacterium, Lactobacillus and Bacteroides.

FACT 3: There is an association between the adherence to an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet and either the onset or the severity of psoriasis. Patients with severe psoriasis displayed low levels of adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Following the Mediterranean diet is simple, affordable and delicious and can easily become your way of life.

Case study

When I first detoxed to prepare myself for improved gut health, I experienced psoriasis flare-ups for around a week, even though I was eating only fruit until dinner, no coffee, alcohol, sugar and absolutely no animal protein. I thought I was doing everything right and almost gave up hope until it occurred to me. I was doing everything right and the toxins were leaving my body the best way they knew how. After a week I continued with the detox regime because it was easy and felt great, and my skin settled down and had begun the clearing process which I am still benefiting from today.

Journal activity for today

By recording these personal affirmations you are giving yourself a commitment and making these actions a possibility for yourself.

• What will you do to achieve your own gut health?
• What habits will you create or break to boost your gut health?
• What would your future-self ask you to do this week about detoxing and restoring your gut microbiota to a healthy balance?
• How can you make these changes without the need for extra money or time?
• What will be your biggest challenge in implementing the Mediterranean diet and what affirmation can you tell yourself to overcome this?
• If you have tried this previously and it wasn’t successful, what can you do better this time?

Action Plan activity

Create an Action Plan in your journal based on your success strategy from what you have learnt today. This plan motivates you and is your first step to make changes necessary to heal your psoriasis. Include in today’s action plan:

• Daily habit of oats to balance abundance of oat β-glucan.
• Daily supplement of milk fermented foods containing lactic acid bacteria, such as cultured milk products and yogurt.
• Detox your gut by eliminating animal proteins and saturated fats.
• Help your body eliminate toxins through other channels besides the skin:
  • Deep breathing (lungs)
  • Water (bladder)
  • High fibre diet and daily exercise (bowel)
  • Avoid synthetic clothing and avoid antiperspirant deodorant (sweat glands)
  • Reduce alcohol, coffee and completely give up smoking.
• Switch to a Mediterranean diet. Remove processed foods.

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These changes and improvements dig deep and some changes may be a challenge. I encourage to seek medical advice if you feel uncomfortable, and seek support through the group. I looking forward to sharing Wednesday’s course about detoxing.

Love your guts, Regi

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References

Fact 1:

Skin and Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis: Gaining Insight Into the Pathophysiology of It and Finding Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Chen, Lihui et al. “Skin and Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis: Gaining Insight Into the Pathophysiology of It and Finding Novel Therapeutic Strategies.” Frontiers in microbiology vol. 11 589726. 15 Dec. 2020, doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.589726

Fact 2:

Singh et al. “Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health” J Transl Med (2017) 15:73 DOI 10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y

Fact 3:

PsoriasisLife http://www.psoriasislife.org/psoriasis-diet/mediterranean-diet-slows-psoriasis/