After 23 years of trying, something is starting to work, I think !?

I can’t believe I am finally writing ‘my story of psoriasis’ after 23 years of suffering as something is happening !? History: I’m 50 now and at the age of 27 I went through a very stressful time with an old girlfriend and although at the time I did not realise it, I actually was going through a lot of mental turmoil. About 6 months later I found a small scab on the top of my head no bigger than your little finger nail. I scrapped it off and underneath it was very oily. It came back each time and a little bigger so went to the doctor, who said it was a disruptive hair follicle and would go away! However it didn’t and got bigger and spread all over my head, this time the doctor said it was cradle cap (like new born babies)? I then started seeing pitting in my nails, which then started to deform in shape with nail bed separation, shortly after I got plaque psoriasis on my buttocks and a little on my knee and feet. On holiday in the sun and sea it was great and would pretty much go, I also had light treatment a couple of times too which works for a good 6 months, but it psoriasis will return. After 5 years or so I then noticed my joints swelling and I got psoriatic arthritis with my heals on my feet swelling right up, my hip ached terribly and I struggled to walk, it would take me ages to get through the pain so I could walk normal each day! I was admitted to hospital and given Diazepam for the pain. Shortly after I then was prescribed Methotrexate for my psoriatic arthritis and skin, although it really only worked for my joints and no real change in my skin. Things seem to be better when I started going to the gym working out and toning up etc, I have been regularly going to the gym for about 15 years about 2 times weekly, but with COVID lock down and not going I felt lower in myself and more random spots of psoriasis showed. Prescribed meds: Dermovate - cream Trimovate – cream for more sensitive parts Betamouse – scalp Devonex - oil Capasol Shampoo Methotrexate 15mg tablets weekly. Coal Tar – cream Cocodomal – pain killer Diclofenic – joint pain Folic acid – iron absorbtion Things I researched and take: Teeth Flossing Vitamin D – 2000iu Calcium – to help vitamin D absorption Pro-biotics – Yakult drink 1 a day Vitamin C L-Glutamine – Leaky gut Moisturisers. Ginger serum for hair Things I avoid: Avoid any added sugar only naturally in foods Avoid night shades, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers etc Avoid all dairy and lactos (in the last 4 weeks) Avoid bread and gluten (in the last 4 weeks Avoid stress by breathing properly in my stomach (in the last 4 weeks) Summary: When I think back from when my psoriasis started about 20 years ago I remember one day noticing that I also had a slight damp anus, gross I know but I didn’t have it before and I noticed an odour that was not quite right. I didn’t have piles, it was a slight yellow clear colour with distinct smell and I would find that I had to regularly wipe myself to feel comfortable and clean. I had this for years and lived with it, until about 4 years ago when I visited the dentist ! He advised that there is a link between the bacteria in our mouths and many conditions such as Alzheimers and SKIN conditions ! This got me thinking as although I thought my teeth were clean when bit into an apple I always got blood and also when I brushed, if I pushed on my bottom teeth and gums I sometimes got blood and it smelled ! I started flossing straight away and my bottom teeth definitely were smelly in between, after a week of flossing and using anti-bacterial mouth wash the bleeding stopped, no more smells and I then got a full hygiene clean. After about 3 days into my flossing my bum changed ! ha !! I no longer had a wet anus and the smell had gone. Therefore I think the mouth bacteria was feeding my stomach and causing an overgrowth of bad bacteria. I also researched that if you had a history of anti-biotic medication, it can strip the delicate intestinal flora and remove the good bacteria, then your body can develop a large amount of bad bacteria that thrives inside getting fed by the wrong foods such as dairy. After some researching I read that many people had this same issue of mucusy rear anus and people recommended taking pro-biotics drinks, flooding your digestive system to get the good bacteria back in. So this is what I did taking a pro-biotic Actimel drink and increasing natural sources like sauerkraut. Leaky gut also became something that I researched, I had always strongly believed that my psoriasis was coming from the inside via my immune system response, trying to fight the foreign bodies in my body and leaky gut is just that, were toxins can leak through tiny holes in the digestive system and into the blood stream, where your natural body’s anti-inflammatory defence sends white blood cells to attack. I believe that this in turn causes my psoriasis to show and aches from psoriatic arthritis etc. Improvements in the last 4 weeks: I was taking lots of pro-biotics as I found that they improved my digestion and regularity, so I increased my natural yoghurt intake and cottage cheese too. However things seemed to get worse !? I then stopped taking the yogurts and thought my skin improved slightly !!??? This was a turning point for me and I researched Dairy and how it affects peoples skin in many ways such as eczema, acne, asthma, psoriasis! When I thought back over the years I have had milk every day in my coffee and eat cheese and butter etc. so I gave up dairy completely including eggs. I also gave up gluten and made sure I did not have any nightshades and guess what, things have started to change !!!! for the first time in years I am seeing a difference in my skin. The psoriasis is still there but its less rough to the touch and less red !! also the skin that flakes off is much thinner and it feels much flatter !!!” My bum has never felt so clean, dry and fresh ! ha !!. I also noticed my hair line is less noticeable as before it was often red, especially if I had just had a shower etc. So in the last 4 weeks I have changed a few things, although I strongly believe it’s the removal of dairy from my diet, it could be a combination of the others so I will just keep doing them and see, here is a recap of what I will continue: Remove all dairy, night shades and added sugars Take 1 Yakult daily Take Calcium and Vitamin D Wish you all the best and hope in some way that any of my points helps others !! Thanks