Psoriasis is one of the chronic autoimmune diseases through which a large turnover of skin cells occurs, causing obviously red skin patches that can be itchy and painful. They often tend to occur over the scalp, elbows, knees, and the lower back. There is no precise cure for the disease, but there are numerous treatments that alleviate their symptoms.
One of the oldest and most holistic forms of treatment is a psoriasis ayurvedic treatment. Ayurveda, one of the ancient Indian systems of medicine, provides comprehensive remedies to balance the body against the strain of psoriasis.
In Ayurveda, it is believed that psoriasis is a result of imbalances of doshas, which are energies considered to guide various body functions. There are primarily three doshas in Ayurveda: vata, pitta, and kapha.
• Vata governs movement and body functions including breathing and circulation.
• Pitta governs metabolism and digestion
• Kapha governs bodily structure and lubrication
In psoriasis, a doshic imbalance, especially between vata and pitta, causes skin inflammation and increased cell turnover. Ayurvedic treatment psoriasis attempts to put this balance back into place using herbal treatments, diet changes, and lifestyle changes.
Ayurveda employs a number of herbs it believes will help to reduce inflammation, purify the blood, and heal. Below are some of the best Ayurvedic herbs for psoriasis, as stated in Ayurvedic medicine:
Neem: Neem has very strong antiseptic properties. It can be applied to the affected body part externally to decrease the redness and swelling or taken internally to purify the blood.
Turmeric: The anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects are pretty high in turmeric, and due to that, all the symptoms of psoriasis are reduced significantly. It can be applied as a paste on the skin or used in food or supplement form.
Aloe Vera: Being very soothing and cooling for the skin, aloe vera has super effective results upon using fresh aloe vera gel directly on the affected regions, which reduces itching and irritation caused due to psoriasis.
Guggul: This is a traditional herb in Ayurvedic medicine that’s used to cleanse the blood and reduce inflammation. Guggul supplement is among the most common supplements that are taken to enhance skin conditions.
Triphala: Triphala is a mixture of three fruits, which detoxify the body. It allows for the purification of the inside of the body and improves digestion of patients suffering from psoriasis, thus maintaining body balance.
These herbs are used in different formulations together as Ayurveda believes in treating the root cause of the disease.
Diet plays a good role in the Ayurvedic treatment of psoriasis. As Ayurveda considers, a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will ease the symptoms of psoriasis because they reduce internal inflammation and detoxify the body.
Here are some tips for diet:
Avoid processed foods: Processed foods, sugary snacks, and fried items can exacerbate psoriasis. Replace them with fresh organic produce.
Reduce intake of red meat: Ayurveda believes in lesser intake of heavy food such as red meat as they are hard to digest, create a dosha imbalance in the body, and thus should be avoided or consumed in minimal amounts.
Avoid gluten and dairy products: Some psoriasis patients have also reported flare-up improvement when they remove gluten and dairy products from their diet
. Healthy fats: Ghee or clarified butter, olive oil must be consumed in an Ayurvedic diet for psoriasis.
Hydration: Plenty of water is essential as water helps in removing toxins from the body and keeping the skin hydrated.
In addition to diets and herbal remedies, Ayurveda has much to offer in the way of modification in lifestyle as an all-around therapy to manage psoriasis. Stress is generally attributed to be a major precipitating factor for flare-ups of the disease, and hence, Ayurvedic practitioners suggest various techniques to manage stress, like:
Yoga: Routine practicing of yoga, as mentioned earlier, helps in maintaining doshas in their equilibrium, promoting circulation, and removing tension for the betterment of patients with psoriatic complaints.
Meditation: Conscious meditation relaxes the mind and body and decreases stress-induced exacerbations of the disease.
Pranayama (Breathing Exercises): Pranayama will help regulate your mind and thus lower the stress levels within the human system-the fundamental requirement in fighting autoimmune diseases like psoriasis.
Rest: Recovery and reduction of psoriasis symptoms depend on proper sleep that allows the body the opportunity to heal and return to its natural state of balance.
The most effective Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis is proved to be Panchakarma therapy. It is a five-fold detoxification methodology through methods such as herb enemas, massages, oil baths, and others, which help to remove the toxins in the body, thus assisting in attaining the dosha balance.
Basic elements in Panchakarma therapy:
Vamana, or medical vomiting: The process aims at eliminating the excess kapha in the body and helps improve the skin health of the patient.
Purgation therapy: Virechana reduces pitta dosha from the body. It is helpful to reduce inflammation in psoriasis.
Herbal enema: Basti is a procedure to clean the colon using medicated oils to balance vata dosha and removes toxins .
Bloodletting: Raktamokshana is less common, but this therapy also is useful for removing toxins from the bloodstream to improve symptoms of psoriasis.
While there is no one size fits remedy in Ayurveda, the best Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis will be based solely on the dosha imbalance of the individual. Some of the most commonly used Ayurvedic medications are listed below:
Mahamanjisthadi kwath: This has been an age-old decoction that has been in use for its blood purification properties.
Arogyavardhini vati: This is a widely popular Ayurvedic tablet that helps detoxify and improves the functionality of the liver towards the betterment of the skin.
Khadirarishta: This is a medicinal tonic that has been widely renowned for its blood purification and its wonderful rejuvenating effects on the skin.
Kumari asava: It is an Aloe Vera-based preparation. It has its benefits in the treatment of skin problems.
Ayurvedic drugs, in general, are safe. Nevertheless, one needs to discuss with an Ayurvedic practitioner and also with the primary treating doctor before the patient takes up the treatment with any novel medication. Certain herbs used under Ayurveda interact with prescription medicines; thus, one must check the safety and the chemical compatibility of such remedies/medications taken in conjunction.
All Ayurvedic treatments have to be initiated under the guidance of a healthcare professional to make sure that the approach does not conflict with one’s own health needs and medications.
