QandA
In most cases, herbal treatments greatly improve psoriasis.
September/October 2002
By Kathi Keville
In every issue of Herbs for Health, professionals from a variety of health-care fields answer your questions about using medicinal herbs. In this issue, Kathi Keville and Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa answer your questions on psoriasis and high blood pressure.
RELATED CONTENT
Willow bark is a powerful alternative to pharmaceutical pain relievers....
Conventional treatments aren’t always effective and often rely on antibiotics and topical steroids ...
Q. Are there any known herbal cures for psoriasis? Are there herbs used for helping clear up the le...
News for the garlic lover is good: Studies conclude that garlic supplements significantly lower blo...
Stress reduction, herbs and dietary changes can help with hypertension....
Kathi Keville is director of the American Herb Association (www.aha herb.com) and the author of eleven herb and aromatherapy books including Herbs for Health and Healing (Rodale, 1996). She teaches seminars throughout the United States.
Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa has more than twenty-five years of experience with medicinal herbs and specializes in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and North American healing traditions. He is a licensed dietitian/nutritionist, a massage therapist, and a board member of the American Herbalists Guild.
Please send your questions to Herbs for Health “Q & A,” Herb Companion Press, 243 E. Fourth St., Loveland, CO 80537; fax (970) 663-0909; or e-mail us at HerbsforHealth@RealHealthMedia.com. Provide your name and full address for verification, although both will be kept confidential.
The information offered in “Q & A” is not intended to be a substitute for advice from your health-care provider.
Garlic appears to reduce blood pressure levels.
—Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa
HELP FOR PSORIASIS
Are there any known herbal cures for psoriasis? Are there herbs used for helping to clear up the lesions that appear on the skin? Any information would be deeply appreciated.
L. B.
via e-mail
Keville responds: In many cases, herbal treatments can greatly improve psoriasis and sometimes make it disappear altogether. This skin condition causes cells to grow too quickly, producing reddish lesions and silvery scales that pile up and flake off. Itching and bleeding are common. Psoriasis can come and go, and just when you think you have it under control, there it is again! The longer you’ve had it, the longer it may take to clear up, so have patience.
For an external treatment, use a salve or cream that contains skin-healing herbs such as calendula (Calendula officinalis) and St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) with essential oils of tea tree and lavender. Apply the salve twice daily directly on the psoriasis. Another good idea is to wash with herbal cleansers designed for dry skin instead of soap, which can irritate and dry the skin more. In addition, exposing the area to direct sunlight (or a long-wave ultraviolet light lamp) is very effective in treating psoriasis.
Correcting abnormal liver function is important in the treatment of psoriasis. One of the liver’s many jobs is to filter and detoxify the blood, and when that’s not happening efficiently, the result can manifest itself on the skin. Even if you’re not sure you need to treat your liver, you might as well—it will only make you healthier. Some liver herbs favored by herbalists to treat psoriasis include burdock (Arctium lappa) and milk thistle (Silybum marianum). There may also be a connection with your immune system and especially to food allergies. You can treat both your liver and immune system with bupleurum root (Bupleurum chinensis) and pau d’arco bark (Tabebuia spp.).
Page: 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Next >>