Psoriasis Liver, Is that Even a Thing?

World Psoriasis Day 29 October 2024

Inspiring Hope and Empowering Individuals with Psoriasis

Is there such a condition as psoriasis liver or psoriasis of the liver? Most experts say “no”, and believe that the whole phrase “psoriasis of the liver” was actually a misuse of the word when speaking of cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis…psoriasis…kind of makes sense.

Cirrhosis and Psoriasis

Once you understand the basics of each disease, you’ll probably come to the same conclusion as most in the medical community; that psoriasis and cirrhosis are two different and unrelated conditions.

Cirrhosis is a condition whereby scar tissue on the liver has reduced its ability to function normally. Probably the most common cause of cirrhosis is long-term use of alcohol, although other diseases can damage the liver to the point of developing cirrhosis.

Psoriasis on the other hand, is actually an auto-immune disease, whereby the body begins to attack itself producing dry, flaky skin and scaly patches. Another type of psoriasis causes arthritic-like joint pain and swelling, aka “psoriatic arthritis”.

However, before you leave thinking you know all you need to about psoriasis liver, you might want to keep reading. While psoriasis is a skin disease and you’re not going to find livers sporting plaques, there is a connection between liver and psoriasis.

Plaque psoriasisPlaque Psoriasis

The Liver and Psoriasis

The liver’s purpose is to purify the body of toxins, and there are some in the medical field that strongly believe that an unhealthy liver directly impacts the development and severity of psoriasis.

In the book, Healing Psoriasis, by Dr. John Pagano, he explains the necessity of detoxifying the entire body, especially the liver, as the initial step to healing psoriasis from the inside out. As the body is cleansed of toxins in the liver, there is often a correlating cleansing of the rest of the body. So as the liver is detoxified, the skin often responds positively.

What Causes a Toxic Liver?

Several foods and drinks, as well as environmental toxins can cause a liver to be toxic and thus exacerbate or contribute to psoriasis. These substances include:

·      Fried foods

·      Alcohol

·      Hydrogenated oils

·      Refined sugars

·      Refined flour

·      Aerosol sprays

·      Spray paints

·      Insect sprays

Even if you don’t eat any of the foods mentioned, doing an occasional liver cleanse is a good idea just because of the environmental toxins you are exposed to on a regular basis.

Support the Liver

In addition to avoiding toxic substances, you can take a few steps to support the liver, while also relieving stress on the kidneys and skin.

  •     Drink plenty of fresh water
  •     Avoid alcoholic beverages
  •     Avoid caffeinated drinks
  •     Take a quality daily vitamin supplement,    that contains A, D, E,         
  •      Reduce stress
  •      Proper diet
  •      Exercise

How to Detoxify the Psoriasis Liver

You only need to do a quick search on “how to do a liver detox” to find numerous recommended cleansing and detoxifying regimes. Some of these recommended detoxes include fasting and ingesting copious amounts of lemon water, or apple cider vinegar, mixed with pure maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

However, it is possible to detox your psoriasis liver by simply cutting out the foods and beverages mentioned earlier, and by adding a few things to your regular diet. They are:

  • Garlic – it helps protect the liver from toxic damage, but you should also be aware that garlic is a natural immunity booster and as such can be detrimental to take with an auto-immune disease.
  • Grapefruit
  • Green tea
  • Leafy green vegetables like arugula, spinach, mustard and dandelion greens and chicory.
  • Avocados – some research suggests that        consuming one to two avocados a week for a    month can actually repair a damaged liver.
  • Walnuts
  • Turmeric 

So while there’s not much evidence to suggest that a condition called “psoriasis liver” actually exists, a healthy, functioning liver is vital to overall skin health.

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