Natural health:  What can I do to treat my psoriasis? 

And adding garlic to your diet to boost your immune system

Stress is a well-known trigger of psoriasis flares, although it is unlikely to be the root cause of the condition.

I developed psoriasis during a highly stressful time at work. It has mostly cleared up but some scaly patches still remain. Is there a natural cream you could suggest?

Stress is a well-known trigger of psoriasis flares, although it is unlikely to be the root cause of the condition. It is also worth noting that cold weather can trigger a flare-up.

We still don’t have enough information about exactly why psoriasis occurs as it involves so many factors, including cell turnover, immune dysfunction, oxidative stress, blood vessel formation, and neuro-peptides.

For a topical treatment that may help with your current flare-up, I recommend a herbal salve called Skin Salvation. Available from Boots, where a 50ml tin costs €21.49, a little goes a long way.

The rate of cell turnover in the skin is the main symptom, with psoriasis sufferers experiencing a rate around 1,000 times higher than usual.

Most conventional treatments target cell hyperproliferation, which is important, but we also need to support gut health when addressing skin conditions and immune-related issues.

Some studies suggest that limiting saturated fat intake from animal products is beneficial for people with psoriasis. A low-fat vegetarian or pescatarian diet may help reduce inflammation in some individuals, as it typically reduces red meat intake, which is higher in arachidonic acid, a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid.

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, cold-water fatty fish, nuts, and seeds, can help reduce inflammation and ease symptoms. They also provide the mineral zinc, which is important for skin health.

Liver health is key to skin conditions, so taking a milk thistle supplement can help to clear your skin through supporting your liver function. Take nettle and dandelion root tea (separately or combined), as this may help support the organs of elimination.

Next time you visit your doctor, have them check your vitamin D levels. This is a common deficiency among psoriasis sufferers and can be easily addressed with supplementation.

For more information and support, check out the Irish Skin Foundation at irishskin.ie/psoriasis/.

I’ve started adding extra garlic to my food to help ward off winter bugs. Would it be better if I took it in capsule format to boost its protective effect?

Adding extra garlic to your diet is a good place to start. Garlic is excellent for your immune system, with antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. You are quite right in considering a garlic supplement, particularly one that optimises the benefits by delivering a standardised dose of the active constituent in garlic, allicin. My favourite garlic-based supplements are Kyolic and Allimax. You can continue to add garlic to your food as well.

Another way to treat yourself medicinally with garlic is to make garlic-infused honey. Depending on how strong you want it, you can either slice, finely chop, or crush the garlic cloves before making your honey.

Fill a clean, dry glass jar about a third full with the garlic, then add raw honey on top (you can also add the garlic to an existing jar of honey). Leave a little space at the top, as this mixture will undergo a light fermentation process and produce gas — loosen the lid once daily to release any pressure.

You can start using the infused honey after the first day but it won’t be at full strength until around a month of fermentation.

The honey becomes quite liquid as it infuses, and you will want to take one to three teaspoons daily either directly or by stirring it into a cup of warm water.