Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease. It affects millions of people worldwide, but Psoriasis’s root cause is still unknown. It can be caused by multiple factors including environmental, lifestyle, and even genetics. It is characterized by red scaly patches on the skin- scalp, hands, under feet, or anywhere on the body. In this autoimmune disorder, skin often becomes dry and itchy and begins to crack at multiple places due to excessive skin cell growth. People suffering from Psoriasis often lose their self-esteem due to the physical appearance of the disease and have a low quality of life. 

Many modern treatments and over-the-counter medications are available to treat this condition but it mostly works on the symptoms. Moreover, these chemical treatments can give some relief from physical symptoms, but they also have multiple side effects on the body if consumed for a long time. On the other hand, Ayurveda offers a much safer and natural approach to managing the symptoms of Psoriasis and helps patients gain their confidence back to live a better quality of life. 

The Ayurvedic approach addresses the root causes of Psoriasis and promotes permanent healing with natural Ayurvedic supplements, lifestyle changes, and natural therapies. This blog will look at how Ayurveda treats psoriasis, its underlying causes, and what remedies may be employed from this ancient healing methodology to manage and heal the condition. 

What is Psoriasis in Ayurveda: Causes and Treatment

Ayurveda is a traditional healthcare system that has been used for thousands of years to heal naturally. In autoimmune diseases like Psoriasis, Ayurveda offers all-around support to counter the symptoms, improve your overall health, and improve your quality of life. According to Ayurveda, psoriasis can occur due to two reasons. Primarily, due to an imbalance of body energies or the doshas, especially Vata and Kapha. Vata imbalance leads to dryness and flaky skin and imbalanced kapha leads to itching and discharge from the dried patches of skin. Pitta imbalance is also linked with Psoriasis as it can lead to redness and inflammation in the affected area. 

The other reason for psoriasis is linked to improper digestion (Agni) and the accumulation of toxins (Ama) in the body especially in blood and skin. These toxins affect skin tissue and cause inflammation and flaky skin. 

Ayurvedic Perspective on the Causes of Psoriasis

According to Ayurveda, the root causes of psoriasis include:

• Imbalanced Diet:  Ayurveda believes that consuming incompatible foods like dairy, and fish, and too much spicy, oily, or processed food can aggravate body doshas and cause imbalance leading to disorders like Psoriasis.
• Too much Stress: Mental stress can disrupt the natural rhythm and harmony of our body. Stress leads to disrupted sleep cycle, body functions, and metabolism, contributing to increased ama in blood. This excess ama can contribute to psoriasis.
• Lack of Physical Activity: Sedentary habits, lack of physical activities, and irregular sleep can worsen the effects of Psoriasis and lead to poor quality of life. 
• Toxin Accumulation: Improper digestion and elimination lead to Ama, which triggers skin disorders.

Ayurvedic Treatments for Psoriasis

Psoriasis Ayurvedic treatment can comprise many things. From detoxification therapies to yoga and meditation, many Ayurvedic approaches can work wonders on Psoriasis. These Ayurvedic treatments emphasize removing excess toxins from the body and balancing the tri-dosha to manage Psoriasis symptoms. Here are the primary therapies and remedies:

Ayurvedic Detoxification with Panchakarma Therapy

Panchakarma is a set of 5 therapies used to detox the body and restore balance. Panchakarma therapy can be performed by professionals only. Other than full-body detox, people should also practice daily at-home detox therapies at home like nasya, and abhyanga to eliminate toxins and restore balance. Ayurvedic detox panchakarma includes:

• Vamana (Therapeutic Vomiting): Helps to clear Kapha-related toxins from the body by inducing vomiting. 
• Virechana (Purgation): This therapy involves detoxification of the whole digestive system- from the stomach to the liver and intestine with the help of ayurvedic laxatives to cleanse Pitta-related toxins, and reduce inflammation
• Basti (Medicated Enema): It is used to balance Vata dosha and improve gut health. It involves administration of oils and herbs into the rectum to deep clean the intestines and 
• Raktamokshana (Bloodletting): Helps purify the blood and manage skin conditions.

Topical Treatments for Psoriasis Relief

Many ayurvedic-based natural oils can reduce their dryness and flaky skin. Other than oils, many topical home remedies also help to rescue itchiness from the skin. The best ayurvedic topical application in Psoriasis are:

Thakradhara (Medicated Buttermilk Pouring):  Medicated buttermilk has a cooling effect when poured over psoriasis-damaged skin. It is especially beneficial for pitta-dominant Psoriasis and reduces inflammation, redness, and burning sensation. 

Herbal Paste (Ayurvedic leap): A medicated paste made from various Ayurvedic ingredients like neem, turmeric, and sandalwood is applied to the affected areas to soothe inflamed skin and reduce scaling.  

Ayurvedic Oils: Ayurvedic oils prepared by mixing essential oils and herbs like Khadiradi Taila and Eladi Taila are extremely beneficial to rescue redness, and inflammation and moisturize skin.  

Ayurvedic Diet for Psoriasis

Ayurveda believes that food plays a vital role in helping from any disease. A balanced diet goes a long way to deal with Psoriasis. Ayurvedic diet for Psoriasis:

• Avoid aggravating foods that are spicy, sour, or salty as they aggravate Pitta and Kapha.
• Include cooling foods like cucumber, coconut water, and green leafy vegetables.
• Keep hydrated with warm water or herbal teas to improve digestion and metabolism.
• Avoid incompatible food combinations like milk with fish or fruits.
• Eat light and easily digestible food like soups, stews, vegetables, etc. 
• Include bitter foods like gourds, neem, and aloe vera as they help with natural body detoxification. 

Lifestyle Modifications and stress management

Stress and Psoriasis are related. Excessive stress can imbalance our natural cycle and body doshas which are the primary causes of Psoriasis. And Psoriasis causes extra stress. Incorporate meditation, yoga, and pranayama to calm the mind and reduce stress.

Stay active and engage in at least 30 minutes of daily exercise to keep up blood circulation and metabolism. Plus proper sleep with 8 hours of rest is important to keep your body in rhythm. These modifications can help with stress management and keep your body detoxed. 

Herbal Remedies for Psoriasis

Ayurvedic herbs are known to heal symptoms of Psoriasis. Herbs like Neem, Turmeric, and Guggul have anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate redness and swelling. Manjhistha and Alovera are great blood detoxifiers and keep your skin cool. Many Ayurvedic supplements are available online on Ayurveda Megastore that can reduce the toxins from the body and skin and heal psoriasis naturally. The top Ayurvedic supplements for Psoriasis are: 

• Dr. Bhargav’s Daruhaldi Capusle
• Dr JRK Siddha Pesin Capsule
• Kerala Ayurveda Mahathikthaka Ghritham Capsule
• Ayurveda Yogashram Remedies AZ-Tiktan Psoriasis Tablets
• Dr. JRK Siddha 777 Oil
• Vasu Cutisora Tab

Why Choose Ayurveda for Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder, and currently, there is no known cure available to eradicate it. It hampers physical health and has a deep impact on mental health. With Ayurveda, psoriasis is healed from within. It is a comprehensive approach to healing that goes beyond symptom management. It focuses on the root cause of Psoriasis rather than just targeting the symptoms. 

In Ayurvedic treatments, patients are not only focused on physical healing but also on their mental and emotional well-being. During individualized ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis, ayurvedic practitioners recommend individualized therapies for holistic healing. Plus, Ayurvedic treatment relies on natural ingredients that are not harmful to the body and are side effect-free.  

Conclusion

Psoriasis is a challenging condition. You never know when it can flare up causing uncomfortable situations for patients. Ayurveda offers a beacon of hope with its holistic, natural approach to healing. By addressing the root causes, detoxifying the body, and restoring balance, Ayurveda helps manage psoriasis effectively while promoting overall health and wellness.

If you are also struggling with psoriasis, consider Ayurveda as a long-term solution. With the right guidance and commitment, healing is not only possible but within reach.