It's been almost a year since I wrote about starting on a psoriasis-friendly diet. It hasn't completely eradicated it but is seems to have helped a bit.

I did a bit more reading on-line and found various lists of suspect foods, which often included:

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Aubergines
• Potatoes
• Caffeine
• Alcohol

There were also some foods which were recommended, such as dried fruits or oily fish.

An awful lot of this information seems to have originally come from an American psychic called Edgar Cayce who, according to an article in Fortean Times magazine, would often go into a trance and diagnose illnesses or suggest cures. His suggestions have been repeated over the years and regularly features in advice on reducing the symptoms of psoriasis. Normally I'd be sceptical but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that it has some effect.

I initially stopped eating tomatoes and drinking red wine. I also started taking probiotic and omega-3/fish-oil supplements daily. As the psoriasis was mainly on my scalp I'd been keeping my hair short, but recently started having it cut even shorter (only no. 8 on the hair clippers but that's still shorter than I like it).

With all that going on it's hard to tell what has had the greatest effect but it has definitely got slightly better. It hasn't gone away but it isn't as thick on my scalp and areas of 'normal' skin have started to appear by my hairline. Cutting out the various prohibited foods helped but didn't stop it so I've returned to eating them but only in moderation. I've since started drinking squash drinks with red berries in, and having small amounts of tomatoes about every other week, and probably a bottle of red wine once per month. Other foods such as aubergines and potatoes are easier to avoid (I always have rice or pasta instead of chips).

I've been drinking green tea for a number of years, but increased my consumption because of anecdotal evidence of it being useful. This has since been confirmed by researchers. Sadly, I've not noticed any improvement through drinking it.

The psoriasis comes and goes in cycles - I'm not sure whether the waxing and waning is anything to do with diet. The weather may have some effect - ultra-violet light is known to help. I keep my hair short to let more light get to my scalp. As long as I don't let it get too thick, it doesn't cause many problems.

The title should really read I shouldn't have any cake. After the foodfest which is Christmas, Emma and I decided that we should probably start to eat a bit more healthily (at least once the cakes and chocolates have been finished off). At the moment we are in some kind of compromise situation where we have healthy meals but are still eating the cakes etc. which were left over from Christmas.
This would all be ok if it wasn't for the free cakes which turn up occasionally in work. So far this week this has happened 3 times (2 birthdays and 1 leaving). 3 free cakes in a 4 day week isn't bad going, but hopefully this won't continue for long.

I think last week might not have been the best time to start a diet. There were several people leaving work and one birthday, all of which involved people bringing cakes in to share.
At least my policy of walking to the station instead of taking the bus is having a useful side-effect. I'm usually there in time for the early train which means I get to work early and can have a long lunch break and still manage to leave early!

On a similar food related note, for about 3 weeks now there has been a 'Greggs' bag in the fridge in work. It looks about the right shape and size to be a pasty or savoury slice some kind. Nobody seems to know who it belongs to. Perhaps its original owner decided to go on a diet and left it there...

I seem to be putting on some weight, or at least some waist. My belt feels a bit tighter than normal. Although I try to eat healthily, eating very few take-aways and ready-meals, I probably do cook slightly over-large portions.

At least my new policy of walking the mile-and-a-bit to the railway station is increasing my daily exercise so that should help. I'll also try to take less for lunch - possibly one sandwich instead of two, and should probably be a bit more restrained when free food turns up in work (cakes on birthdays or when people are leaving, spare sausage rolls or sandwiches when there have been meetings, etc). Todays lunch should be reasonably healthy: lettuce, tomato, home made potato salad using extra-low fat mayo, and some shredded chicken.

Hopefully all this should be enough. Although I don't have any scales to weight myself, if I keep using the same belt size then I should be able to tell whether it's working