What You Should Know About The Pagano Diet for Psoriasis

What Is the Pagano Diet?

Rather, the autoimmune condition is often referred to as an immune-mediated disease, per the National Psoriasis Foundation. A dysfunctional immune system causes inflammation throughout the body, leading to skin changes as well as affecting other organs.

Can Diet Changes Improve Psoriasis Symptoms?

When it comes to whether a meal plan for leaky gut will solve skin woes, the jury is still out.

"While there are studies investigating the relationship between the gut and psoriasis, at this time there is not enough evidence to suggest that a diet that helps with leaky gut will necessarily [improve psoriasis]," says Marisa Garshick, MD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York Presbyterian-Cornell.

At the core of the Pagano diet is the idea of inflammation.

What Is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

This kind of diet is packed with fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy sources of fats like olive oil, avocado, fatty fish and nuts, whole grains and legumes. It’s also low in processed foods, added sugars and animal products (think: beef, pork, butter, cheese).

The Pagano diet in particular emphasizes eating "alkaline foods" like fruits and vegetables (and reducing "acidic foods" like meat and grains) to "heal the gut." But the science on alkaline and acidic foods is lacking, to say the least.

Is the Pagano Diet Healthy?

Despite the fact that there's little research to support its use for the management of psoriasis, the Pagano diet is generally healthy thanks to its emphasis on nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables and a reduction in processed foods that can contain loads of added sugar and sodium.

"This part of the diet makes sense, as these are eating patterns linked with lower inflammation," Palmer says.

A focus on healthy eating is particularly key for individuals with psoriasis since the condition is linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular conditions, obesity and metabolic syndrome, all of which are linked with chronic inflammation, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Pros of the Pagano Diet

1. It May Help Improve Symptoms

"One survey found that people reported improvements in psoriasis symptoms with the Pagano diet, though similar improvements were reported with vegan and paleo diets," Palmer says.

It may be that these diets reduce calorie intake, leading to weight loss, which is a key factor in symptom improvement for people who have overweight or obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic.

2. A Gluten-Free Diet Is Helpful for Some

People with psoriasis who test positive for antibody markers of gluten sensitivity may also benefit from trying a three-month gluten-free diet in conjunction with standard medical therapies for psoriasis, Dr. Garshick adds.

Tip

Gluten needs to be in the diet at the time testing is performed, otherwise false negative results can occur.

Cons of the Pagano Diet

1. More Research Is Needed

While there's some anecdotal evidence to support eating less sugar, dairy and alcohol for psoriasis symptom improvement, currently no research specifically supports the use of the Pagano diet for psoriasis, according to The National Psoriasis Foundation.

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