Will My Psoriasis Ever Be Healed?

I will be turning 60 next month. As I look back over my life and I think about myself with psoriasis for 55 of those years and psoriatic arthritis for 25, I wonder what I could have done differently or what treatments I could have tried. I have lost count of the creams, lotions, pills, shots, exercises, raw food diets, light machines, tar baths, salves, cortisone treatments, fasting, cancer drugs, dead sea salts etc., etc., etc that I have tried. I don’t think there’s any more I could have done, but we never know.

If you’re suffering from psoriasis I’m sure you have tried just about anything that promises to help with the symptoms. When you’re in the middle of a flare, you search for relief anywhere you can find it. However, some psoriasis sufferers want to keep their treatments natural and avoid prescriptions they deem too risky. I’ve spoken to a few people who want to have children one of these days and just don’t want to take anything that they think could be harmful to them or their chances of having a healthy child. Some worry about long-term effects and negative side-effects the drugs may produce. So, for those looking for an alternative approach to healing, I find that Ayurveda treatments are very appealing.

What is Ayurveda?

"Ayurvedic medicine (“Ayurveda” for short) is one of the world's oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India. It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is to promote good health, not fight disease. But treatments may be geared toward specific health problems. In the United States, it’s considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)."¹

Ayurveda and psoriasis

To understand how Ayurveda may help your psoriasis, you have to understand the concept of Ayurveda. The basic principles of Ayurveda explore what makes each individual unique and different. It offers insight into one’s own health, personality, quirks and even eating habits. Ayurveda answers all of these questions with the 3 biological energies found in the human body. It governs a person’s physical and mental processes. It provides every living being with an individual blueprint for health and fulfillment.^1,2

Ayurvedic practitioners classify psoriasis as a kushtha health condition, which means chronic and incurable. Texts say that psoriasis arises due to an imbalance of two doshas: the Vata and Kapha. Vata is responsible for controlling bodily functions. The imbalance of Vata causes the dryness and skin scaling associated with psoriasis. Kapha is responsible for body growth and can lead to the itching and rapid skin cell turnover that is psoriasis. The energy imbalance causes toxins to build up in a person's system, leading to inflammation. As a result, these treatments often revolve around not only herbal applications but also diet and lifestyle advice.^1,2

Ayurveda as a treatment option

The primary aim of this treatment in cases of psoriasis is a purification of blood and tissues. Toxins are cleansed from the body and the digestion restored to prevent further accumulation. Nourishing herbs are consumed regularly to strengthen and tone the tissues that promote complete healing of the skin. Holistic treatments are considered a different approach to healing psoriasis symptoms and have not been researched enough to document results. However, many psoriasis sufferers have benefited from this practice.^1,2

This is one treatment that I have never tried, so you will need to do some research on your own and implement some practices into your life to see if this treatment is right for you. Always consult your doctor before trying anything new.