#psoriasissucks And I’m not the only one who feels this way. In fact, I don’t know anyone with psoriasis who doesn’t feel like this.

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And it doesn’t matter if you’re Kim Kardashian, making all the money in the world, or me, making substantially less, it still sucks. And until you can get a hold of it, it will be your worst enemy, the thing you hate most about your body, and the thing you feel is holding you back.

This post is for you if you want all the secrets, all the ideas, and all the inspiration to get rid of your psoriasis, naturally. It has all my tips and tricks. My skin is currently 100% clear of psoriasis and has been since December 2018.

I was diagnosed with psoriasis in the summer of 2016. At that time, I was eating whatever I wanted, dealing with a very stressful season of life, (and work for that matter,) and I had tried every natural thing I could think of and find that may help with my psoriasis. The thing was, nothing was working. So, I went to my dermatologist, took her advice, and started using the steroid cream that she prescribed me. Not only did I HATE using the prescription, it didn’t work either. I went back and we discussed the shots.

I wanted to get rid of my psoriasis and that was that. But I knew I needed to do something different. I didn’t want my only relief from this disease to be $100+ shots several times a month and constant psoriasis patches, inflammation, and discomfort. I went in for the shots less than 10 times in total, mostly for my elbows and legs, the spots that had the worst plaques.

I needed change. So I googled everything I could about how to change my lifestyle, from the inside out. In the winter of 2017, I took an allergy test. Among other things, the test told me that I had a sensitivity to gluten.

Gluten causes inflammation and psoriasis and inflammation have a direct link. So as of Christmas 2017, when I got the results of my test, I’ve been gluten-free. I have not turned back. And a short 15 months later, I am completely psoriasis-free. I have no plaques on my legs, elbows, or face. (Yes, I had it on my face, too. Worst ever.) Also, my scalp psoriasis, the only spot on my body I did not treat with anything, has completely cleared.

So here you go. These are all the things I have done, will continue to do, and how I have found relief from this disease. I only hope these things help you as much as they did me!

Gluten-Free

What do I eat? Well, to be completely honest, I am a healthy food lover, and proud of it. My diet is filled with fruits and vegetables. I eat meat. I eat a lot of sweet potatoes. I cut them all up, coat them in avocado oil, salt, and pepper and bake them in the oven. I also like rice. A new favorite is white potatoes covered in oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and very rarely, gluten-free pasta, because it’s my favorite.

As a Wisconsin girl, I was raised consuming all the dairy including milk, cheese, cottage cheese, full-fat cream, and the list goes on. That allergy test I took also said I was sensitive to dairy and while I have not fully cut it out, I have cut back more than I ever thought I would. Why? Dairy is inflammatory, too. And inflammation and psoriasis are the perfect match, for more psoriasis. So this is what I do. I only have cheese/dairy a few times a week, and when I do have cheese in a meal, that is the only meal with cheese in it for that day.

(Limited) Sun Exposure

Long story short, my whole life (and health routine,) revolves around my skin. Good skin,  like really great skin, comes from the inside, out. It doesn’t matter what you are putting on your skin, or how you are taking care of your skin from the outside, if you aren’t eating right and drinking water, and resting, your skin will not shine, it will not be healthy, and you will see your psoriasis not only not getting better, but getting worse.

Sorry, tangent, back to the sun. According to my dermatologist, a short amount of sun is great for psoriasis. Getting burned and extended exposure is detrimental to psoriasis, so this is the rule I follow. When I’m in the sun, it’s 20 minutes of unprotected sun for my skin. Then, it’s a safe, natural, sunscreen, every hour, until I am out of the sun. And for a reference, I’m in direct sun less than three hours a day on the regular.

Psoriasis Soap

The only non-natural product I use is CeraVe soap. I use the bar soap all over my body, including my face. Otherwise, all the products I use are natural. This means no fragrances, no parabens or sulfates, and organic and locally sourced items whenever possible. Now that I am psoriasis free, I am fairly confident I could switch to a natural soap, and be fine. But in this case, old (and psoriasis clearing) habits die hard. So for me, it’s still CeraVe.

Water

Drink all the water. This applies to everyone, across the board. There is nothing better for your skin than water. Water keeps you hydrated, keeps inflammation down (and swelling, something else I deal with,) and just makes me feel better all around. If you have read my stuff before, you have heard me say a million times to drink all the water. And I will never stop saying it. Drink the water, all the water. It will not solely rid you of psoriasis, but I guarantee, it will help.

Lotion and Oils

So let’s talk about essential oils. I love them and I will always share my love of them, uses of them, and my favorite diffuser blends. Essential oils have been around forever and are even in the bible, that’s how old they are. For me, it’s a no brainer. These natural and healthful oils work great for preventative health, natural aroma therapy, and so much more. I use sweet almond oil and Frankincense on my face, and have for several years now. I first started trying different oils on my face when I was dealing with hormonal acne. That has since passed but this face moisturizing method has stayed with me.

For lotion, it needs to be the good stuff. I use it all over my body, besides my face and upper chest (which also gets the sweet Almond oil and Frankincense,) at least 3-4 times a week and directly after a shower. The stuff I use is from Amazon and it’s called Vanicream. I have used this for several years too and it’s great. It’s non-greasy and exceptionally moisturizing. It’s free of dyes, fragrances, masking fragrances, lanolin, parabens, formaldehye, and formaldehye releasers. It’s dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, sulfate, phosphate, and gluten-free. It’s good stuff.

Alright, that’s all of it. This is my key to psoriasis-free skin. I’m not naive enough to think it will never come back and in fact, I do ‘flare’ every once in a while. This post will help you navigate those flares.

Good luck with your psoriasis! Don’t forget these tips and give me any you have found, too. Knowledge is power! XOXO