Psoriasis – An Herbalistic Approach

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, immune-mediated systemic disease characterized by periods of remission and relapse, and by skin lesions – red-scaly patches, papules and plaques – which usually itch. But hey, if you have it, you probably know these already. What you should also know is how can herbs help you and that’s what the following lines are all about.

If you want to fight psoriasis, you must do it internally and externally at the same time. The following herbs can help you, just make sure that you use only one in each category at once, because you’ll want to know which one works best in your case (psoriasis is still a mystery to the scientific world and that is mostly because the way symptoms evolve varies from person to person).

FOR INTERNAL USE

Plants that nourish the skin

• Evening primrose (oil, capsules 500 mg)

3 capsules a day

Plants that relieve stress and anxiety

• Ashwagandha (tincture 1:3 with alcohol 45%)

20 drops in a glass of water, 3 times a day

• Lavender

Add 2-3 g of dried flowers in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 3-4 cups a day, between meals.

• Linden

Add 5 g of dried flowers in 1 l of hot boiled water and let steep for 5 minutes. Drink 1 cup before bedtime.

Plants with anti-inflammatory properties

• Turmeric (tincture 1:5 with alcohol 70%)

20 drops in a glass of water, after a meal, 3 times a day

• Black currant

Add 5 g of dried leaves in 1 l of hot boiled water and let steep for 5 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day.

• Licorice

Add 1-2 teaspoons of root powder in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 10 minutes. Drink 2 cups a day.

• Nettle (tincture 1:4 with alcohol 25%)

20 drops in a glass of water, after a meal, 3 times a day

Plants that protect the liver and have detoxifying properties

• Dandelion (capsules 300 mg)

3 capsules a day, with plenty of water

• Artichoke (capsules 300 mg)

1 capsule a day

• Milk Thistle (pellets 200 mg)

1-2 pellets a day

FOR EXTERNAL USE

• Fumitory

Add 2 teaspoons of dried flowers in 150 ml hot boiled water and let steep for 10 minutes. Soak a poultice in the infusion and apply 2-3 times a day on affected areas.

• Lavender

Add 20-100 g of dried flowers in 1 l of hot boiled water and let steep for 15 minutes. Add the infusion to your bath and stay in for at least 15 minutes.

• Red clover

Add 2 teaspoons of dried flowers in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 10 minutes. Soak a poultice in the infusion and apply for 15 minutes, 2-3 times a day, on affected areas.

• Birch

Add 50 g of dried leaves in 1 l of hot boiled water and let steep for 15 minutes. Wash the affected areas 2-3 times a day with this infusion.

• Oat

Boil 20 g for 3 minutes in 1 l of water and then wait 10-20 minutes before filtering. Add the liquid to your bath and stay in for 15-20 minutes.