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While the 41-year-old reality star, designer, businesswoman and mother has been candid about her past experiences on social media, on TV and in interviews about dealing with her autoimmune condition, she hasn't exactly "kept up" with everything. about Kim Kardashian's life, you may have overlooked the fact that she has psoriasis.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, in case you don't know it, psoriasis causes the body to grow new skin cells in days, not weeks. These cells build up on the skin's surface and can cause thick, scaly patches that are particularly common on the scalp, knees, elbows, and lower back.
Although these symptoms make psoriasis appear like a skin condition, it is actually associated with inflammation as well. When psoriasis remains systemic, severe, long-term, and untreated, the inflammation can lead to other conditions, including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and psoriatic arthritis (which Kardashian has confirmed), according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.
In June 2022, we reported that a vegan diet may reduce pain and inflammation associated with another form of arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis. And last month, in celebration of Psoriasis Awareness Month, Kim opened up about her own herbal journey in a new interview on her sister Kourtney Kardashian's website, Poosh. The celebrity says switching to plant-based foods "had a huge impact on her symptoms."
Kardashian doesn't specify whether it's fully vegan or plant-based (definition varies by restaurant), but she does say her plant-based taco recipe is a new dinner favorite and is served once a week.
"I try to eat anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods as much as possible," she adds. (See our lists of the best anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods for more info.)
When asked how a plant-based diet has impacted her life, she said this transition "has made me more aware of how what I'm putting into my body is affecting me, not just my psoriasis, but mine Mood, my stress level, my condition". Energy, everything.
the story goes on
While it's certainly not as extreme as her pre-Met Gala diet, we're generally a little skeptical about celebrity health-related diet meals. It didn't seem too extreme or unreasonable, though, so we asked ourselves, "What do the studies say about psoriasis and herbs?"
Also See: Is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Right for You?
What the science says about diet and psoriasisA case study published in March 2020 in the International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention found that a person was able to completely clear psoriasis plaques after consuming a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, plant-based diet.
However, this was just one person, certainly not enough evidence to create a generic recipe.
So to zoom out a bit, an August 2020 meta-analysis of previous studies in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that the best foods to treat psoriasis are high in the following:
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Found in walnuts, flaxseed, and vegetable oils, including canola oil, soybean oil, and corn oil.
Vitamin D: Salmon, tuna, eggs and fortified dairy products, and orange juice are good sources.
Vitamin B12: Found in shellfish, tuna, nutritional yeast, salmon, beef, dairy and fortified cereals.
Selenium, which you can get from shellfish, Brazil nuts, pork, poultry, beef, dairy, eggs, and mushrooms.
Fiber: It is found in many plant-based foods.
Probiotics: They are found in all fermented foods.
The study adds that these foods and drinks tend to make psoriasis symptoms worse:
saturated fat
simple sugars
Red meat
alcohol
Also see: 8 Worst Foods for Inflammation
However, there cannot be one "best diet" for psoriasis. A June 2022 meta-analysis in the journal Psoriasis found that current science suggests probiotics may be particularly beneficial for people with psoriasis. When it comes to supplements, scientists say there is currently not enough evidence to include them in your daily routine. But when it comes to your overall eating style, it probably depends on other details related to your health. A low-calorie plan may be beneficial for people in the "obese" BMI range (ICYMI, here's a quick look at why many health experts question this bodyweight range). A gluten-free diet is important for people with psoriasis and celiac disease, and the Mediterranean diet can also be another strong contender when plant-based foods seem too restrictive.
bottom lineSwitching to a plant-based lifestyle is just one of the many things Kardashian says is helping her manage psoriasis. (Now is a good time to remember that any treatment for any disease should be under the supervision of a physician.)
There is no single way to "cure" or treat psoriasis that works for everyone, and there is still no scientific evidence on which foods to eat more or limit to affect psoriasis symptoms, but it appears that Eating more herbs and probiotics and less sugar added to fat, red meat and saturated fat, and drinking less alcohol can help.
While it's not clear if a plant-based diet is better than something else like the Mediterranean diet, it certainly doesn't hurt to look at how what you eat affects your breakouts when you have psoriasis. If a specific food or drink seems to be a trigger, you can let your care team know and see if it's worth changing the menu.
Above: An anti-inflammatory vegan meal plan