Flake case

Ask anyone with psoriasis what the worst part of this chronic skin condition is and you're likely to get a number of different answers. "It itches." "It's so embarrassing." “It’s ruined my life.” And most people with moderate to severe psoriasis will try practically anything for relief. David, a friend of mine who suffers from the condition, explains it this way: while psoriasis won’t kill you, it takes such a heavy toll on your health, both physically and emotionally, that you almost wish it did. Now, that may be hard for the rest of us to understand. But, for the nearly six million people who suffer from the condition, it’s like their skin is on speed. Normally, skin cells go from birth to death in about 28 days. But when you have psoriasis, your skin cells complete the whole process in a mere three to four days – almost nine times faster than usual. As a result, affected areas develop thick, red patches of skin covered with flaky, silvery scales that itch – constantly. In severe cases, pus-filled blisters form on the palms of the hand or soles of the feet and the nails may become pitted and discolored. So when a new drug comes out promising relief, it gets a lot of attention. ------------------------------ Promises, promises ------------------------------ Technically, Enbrel isn’t a new drug. The FDA approved this biologic wonder in 1998 to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The problem is, while Enbrel might ease RA, it can cause infection, kidney inflammation, heart attack and intestinal bleeding. In 2000, Enbrel's labeling was updated to include warnings about the possibility of central nervous system disorders (think multiple sclerosis) and pancytopenia, a drop in the body's number of red and white blood cells. And the FDA recently looked at the association between Enbrel and the risk of lymphoma. That hasn’t stopped Amgen, the maker of Enbrel, from looking for new ways to promote the drug. Now it seems that they’ve found one. The pharmaceutical company is seeking FDA approval to market Enbrel as a treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis. But a lot of doctors aren’t waiting. Off-label use has skyrocketed over the last couple of years – damn the risk. Of course, when it comes to treating psoriasis, doctors have been pushing risky treatments for years. The most widely used treatment is methotrexate – a drug that binds to an enzyme involved in the rapid growth of cells. But it doesn’t just affect skin cells. The drug also impacts fetal cells, bone marrow and sperm cells. If that weren’t enough to make you think twice about taking methotrexate, other side effects include nausea, anemia, tiredness, insomnia and liver damage. Topical treatments aren’t a whole lot safer. Steroid creams, the most popular treatment for mild to moderate cases, aren’t a good option for long-term use because they can cause permanent skin damage – including skin thinning, bruising, stretch marks and redness – so you might just be trading in one skin condition for another. And, if you regularly use the cream over a large part of your body, the steroids can be absorbed through the skin and may cause high blood pressure, diabetes and muscle problems. ------------------------------ Just say no ------------------------------ If you suffer from psoriasis, by now you probably know that there isn’t a magic cure. The best you can hope for are ways to control the disease. But there are treatments that are considerably safer and more effective than the pharmaceutical fixes I’ve told you about. For some people, it can be as simple as changing the way you eat. Turkish researchers from Erciyes University recently found that people with psoriasis have low levels of the key antioxidant vitamins, A, C and E. But eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will ensure you are getting adequate amounts of antioxidants to support healthy skin. Selenium also plays an important role in the disease. One case-controlled study of 59 psoriatic patients and 38 patients without the disease discovered that those with psoriasis were deficient in selenium. Selenium can be found in whole grains, garlic, onions, broccoli, tomatoes and Swiss chard. A diet rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids like fish and flaxseeds can also tame the inflammation that accompanies psoriasis. Surprisingly, sunlight can help send psoriasis packing – at least temporarily. In fact, some doctors employ prescription ultraviolet light boxes combined with synthetic psoralen drugs that increase sun sensitivity. But this “new” treatment is actually thousands of years old, says herbalist James Duke, PhD. Known as heliotherapy, ancient Egyptians rubbed red, scaly skin with plants containing psoralens and then sat in the sun. According to Dr. Duke, psoralen-rich herbs, including angelica, carrots, celery, citrus fruits, fennel, figs, lovage and thyme, can provide a safer, gentler way to boost the healing power of the sun. For a pleasant treatment, Dr. Duke suggests trying his Psoriaphobic Citrus Juice. “Simply toss a mixture of citrus fruits, a carrot and a celery stalk into your juicer,” he says. Once you’ve finished drinking this tasty treatment, go out into the sun for some homemade heliotherapy. But, since long-term use of this type of therapy can increase your risk of skin cancer, Dr. Duke advises that you practice it with caution. Even without the benefit of the sun, herbs can play an important role in controlling psoriasis. When compared to a synthetic anti-psoriatic treatment, scientists from London’s King’s College discovered that gotu kola was just as effective at slowing the rampant production of skin cells. Another study of 49 psoriasis patients found that an ointment containing Oregon grape also helped put the brakes on overactive cell production. What’s more, earlier research shows that Oregon grape can boost the skin’s immune response and soothe moderate psoriasis by reducing inflammation and itching. Recent studies have also found that fumitory can help patients with severe psoriasis. Although why this particular botanical works is the topic of hot debate, some researchers believe that the fumaric acid esters in the herb modulate the T-cell response. Dr. Duke recommends brewing a strong tea and applying it to the affected area with a cotton ball. One last thing . . . When it comes to caring for psoriatic skin, I asked my friend, Denise Santamarina, for some tips. Denise owns a nontoxic salon in my hometown that caters to folks with autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis. Denise suggests gently dry brushing the skin with a natural-bristle brush to exfoliate the build-up of dead skin cells. Begin at your feet and work your way up over your legs, torso and arms using smooth, upward strokes. Then hop in the shower to wash all of the dead skin away. For an even more effective treatment, follow your dry brushing with a bath containing Dead Sea salts. High in magnesium, potassium, calcium and iodine, a double-blind controlled study of 23 patients by Israeli researchers found that Dead Sea salts significantly reduced psoriasis symptoms. This just in . . . If you read the e-bulletin “How low can you go” (7/24/03), you already know my stance on statins. Not only do statin drugs like Lipitor and Pravachol deplete the body of CoQ10, they impair the immune system, increase the risk of cataracts and may put users at risk for rhabdomyolysis, a life-threatening condition that destroys muscle cells and releases them into the bloodstream, a condition that can eventually cause fatal kidney failure. Now it seems that we can add another problem. According to Duane Graveline, M.D., statin drugs have been linked to sudden memory loss this can involve some degree of retrograde memory loss that can go decades into the past. Along with amnesia, other memory problems such as disorientation, confusion and forgetfulness can also occur. The good doctor should know. His own experience occurred six weeks after he started taking Lipitor to control his cholesterol. One morning his wife found him wandering aimlessly. He had no idea who she was. About six hours later, the condition abruptly passed. But, since no one, including his family doctor, made the connection between the amnesia and the Lipitor, Dr. Graveline kept taking the drug. Six weeks later it happened again. But this time, Dr. Graveline couldn’t remember anything past his high school days. For twelve hours his entire adult life vanished. He didn’t remember his marriage or his four children. He didn’t know that he had graduated from medical school, served as a USAF flight surgeon, or that he was the author of several books. Fortunately Dr. Graveline’s memory returned – and he set out to discover what had happened. His search let him to a small handful of studies linking statin drugs to memory loss. Among the studies that have been done was one conducted by Duke University that reviewed 60 case reports of memory loss, mostly implicating Lipitor and Zocor. Dozens of other cases have been reported to Dr. Beatrice Golomb, the chief investigator of an ongoing statin study at the University of California-San Diego. According to Dr. Golomb and her team, memory loss and cognitive problems are common complaints among statin users. During an interview, Dr. Golomb admitted that she was surprised that more attention hasn't been paid to these memory-related side effects. That’s funny – since statins are among the most profitable drugs on the market, I’m not surprised in the least. Yours in health and happiness, Bonnie Jenkins Advanced Natural Medicine Bulletin References: Augustin M, Andrees U, Grimme H, et al. “Effects of Mahonia aquifolium ointment on the expression of adhesion, proliferation, and activation markers in the skin of patients with psoriasis.” Forschende Komplementarmedizin. 1999; 6, Suppl 2: 19-21. DeMott Kathryn. “Dead Sea Soak + UVA Significantly Improves PASI.” Skin and Allergy News. Online edition. Aug 2002. Vol. 33, No. 8. Accessed at www2.eskinandallergynews.com. Mrowietz U, Christophers E, Altmeyer P. “Treatment of severe psoriasis with fumaric acid esters: scientific background and guidelines for therapeutic use. The German Fumaric Acid Ester Consensus Conference.” British Journal of Dermatology. 1999; 141: 424-429. Ssnellman E, Lauharanta J, Reuanen A, et al. “Effect of heliotherapy on skin and joint symptoms in psoriasis: a 6-month follow-up study.” British Journal of Dermatology. 1993; 128: 172-177. Wagstaff LR. “Statin-associated memory loss: analysis of 60 case reports and review of the literature.” Pharmacotherapy. 2003; 23:871-880.