Can the Carnivore Diet Help Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin condition that affects the quality of life of millions of people around the world. Unfortunately, there’s no known cure yet for this condition. But can the carnivore diet help psoriasis?

Let’s dig deeper.

Can the Carnivore Diet Help Psoriasis?

There’s no conclusive evidence that can prove the carnivore diet in helping psoriasis. But some people who have tried it claimed that their psoriasis has been cured. The reason for this is that this diet eliminates foods that can trigger flare-ups. It may also lower the risk factors for this skin condition.

To better understand whether or not the carnivore diet can help this condition, let’s first talk about what psoriasis is.

Read: Can the Carnivore Diet Cure IBS?

What is Psoriasis? 

It’s an immune-related skin disease. Psoriasis is non-contagious. It means that you won’t get infected when someone with this condition will touch you.

But if you do suffer from this disease, this condition can manifest in scaly patches on the elbows, scalp, trunk, and scalp. Unfortunately, the inflammation can affect other parts of the body, too.

Psoriasis doesn’t pick a certain age group. Although it is prevalent around the world, the number of sufferers is lower in Asian and African populations but higher in Scandinavian and Caucasian populations.

Read: Is the Carnivore Diet Safe for Long Term?

What are the Causes of Psoriasis? 

Scientists are still researching psoriasis. Hence, the exact cause of it is still unknown. What doctors know is that it is an auto-immune disease mediated by a T-cell. Your genes may also have a factor.

Genetics

Many genes have been identified to make individuals more vulnerable to developing this skin condition. However, not all people with particular genes would develop psoriasis. But if you have first and second-degree relatives with this condition, then you are likely to be affected.

Autoimmune Disease 

If the body overproduces new skin cells, psoriasis occurs.

For healthy individuals, skin cells grow and die in one month. However, for psoriasis patients, the process of growing new skin cells and shedding them can take a shorter period.

Because of the shorter process, skin cells can quickly build up on the skin’s surface. As a result, it creates patches of flaky, inflamed skin.

The reason for the overgrowth is that the immune system is confused, at least this is what scientists think. It’s an auto-immune condition so it sends t-cells to fight healthy skin cells because they thought they are “enemies.” As a result, more skin cells are being produced than normal.

But it’s also possible that the immune system is not baffled. Rather, it could be that it’s doing exactly what it needs to do. Thus, it attacks abnormal proteins the protein amino acids are replaced by plant non-protein amino acids. (NPAAs). These proteins might have played a part in triggering autoimmune conditions, such as psoriasis, SLE, and many others.

What are NPAAs? 

They are non-protein amino acids. Plants produce them to protect themselves from pathogens and competing plants. You can find them in many plants, like fruits, seeds, nuts, fungi, and seaweeds, among others.

Unfortunately, some NPAAs are toxic to humans. 

NPAAs are similar to protein amino acids. Because of the similarity, they can be used mistakenly during protein synthesis. As a result, the body produces abnormal proteins.

Unfortunately, these proteins can’t function properly.

Because the immune system finds them to be abnormal, they attack them causing autoimmune diseases.

In that case, your immune system is not really overreacting. Rather, it’s doing its job.

Read: Is a Carnivore Diet for Weight Loss?

Removing NPAAs

NPAAs are used mistakenly in protein synthesis. Since these NPAAs come from plants, it makes sense that a carnivore diet may help this skin condition.

By removing plain foods from your diet through the carnivore diet, you are removing foods that can potentially cause autoimmune disease.

Unfortunately, though, there’s not enough research about it this area. Even though there’s some logic in it, scientific research is lacking.

Because studies about the carnivore diet in helping psoriasis are scarce, you should not attempt to use it without first talking to your doctor.

On the other hand, you may consider it for a shorter term. Follow it as part of your elimination diet.

For instance, you may follow the carnivore diet for two weeks to see whether or not your condition improves. If not, then it can be that your condition is not related to plant foods. It must be something else.

It’s also important to note that plant foods are not the only triggers of psoriasis. Other things can also affect it. Alcohol and tobacco consumption are associated with the risk of developing this condition. They, too, can trigger outbreaks.

When you eliminate plant foods through the carnivore diet, you are also eliminating plant toxins and anti-nutrients, which are known to be sources of information.

Many advocates of the carnivore diet claimed that our ancestors consumed mostly meat. They did eat plant foods but they ate them whole and unprocessed.

Unfortunately, many of our foods today are processed. They are full of irritants that can trigger inflammation in the body.

Read: Is a Carnivore Diet Bad for Kidneys?

What Other Benefits of the Carnivore Diet? 

The carnivore diet may be safe for short-term use. Since scientific research about it is scanty, it’s best to avoid it long-term without first talking to your doctor.

If you follow this diet, you may lose weight. This diet offers a high satiety level. After all, you’re eating only meat. Because of that, you are not likely to overeat.

Furthermore, since you are eating meat high in proteins, it may support muscle synthesis and can help in boosting your metabolism.

It may help you lose weight because it calls for a low-carb intake. In that case, it prevents fat storage while encouraging fat burning.

Should You Follow Carnivore Diet for Your Psoriasis? 

You should talk to your doctor first before you embark on this journey. Keep in mind that, although this diet may have the potential to help your condition, it is not suitable for you if you suffer from kidney disease.

Summary 

Can the carnivore diet help psoriasis? It may have the potential to fix this condition because it gets rid of plant foods that can trigger inflammation. But there’s not enough research about it. Thus, make sure to talk to your doctor about this diet before you start eating only meat.