Improving your health through maintaining good weight and avoiding certain bad habits is not specific to psoriasis. It can make it easier to cope and reduce its impact on your quality of life. A healthy lifestyle can also help to reduce the risk of developing other conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Ideally, all of us should:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Be smoke-free
- Drink alcohol in moderation, or not at all
- Manage our stress
Some bad habits can be particularly bad for psoriasis patients.
Emotional stress has been linked to the development of psoriasis and may be a factor in flare-ups and itching. Most of us can’t avoid all stress, but there are a number of ways to better manage your stress. For example, exercise is an excellent stress reliever. Many people benefit from practicing yoga, tai chi, pilates or meditation. And just talking with someone you trust can be helpful. Sometimes, just closing your eyes for 15 minutes can be very soothing.
Many people with psoriasis live a sedentary lifestyle and have an increased risk of gaining excess weight. Being overweight can make it difficult to treat plaque in the creases or folds of the skin.
Studies suggest that smokers have an increased risk of developing psoriasis. Smoking, particularly for a long time and being a heavy smoker, greatly increases the risk of heart disease. And smoking can impact how well some medications work. Quitting is not easy but your doctor can help with supports and options.
There is evidence that excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of psoriasis. Some medications – including some medications for psoriasis – can interact with alcohol. You need to talk to your pharmacist about any possible interactions.
Many people with chronic diseases have high cholesterol or an unhealthy cholesterol profile, and people with psoriasis are no exception.
Need some help with improving your health? Check Resources & Links for some ideas. And talk to other patients in Taking Action to see what’s working for them and share what’s working for you.
