My Daily Diet Plan For Psoriasis (Meal Plan & Recipes)

The following post details my regular Monday routine following the smart psoriasis diet plan.

If you have read my about page, you will know that I am not a fan of wasting time or energy on activities that do not bring adequate results.

Call me boring, but it has served me well in my professional life, so I thought it would be “smart” to try and apply these principles to once and for all control my psoriasis.

I hope that the following description of my regular Monday following the Smart Psoriasis Diet Plan will remove any level of anxiety you may be experiencing which is causing you not to take action.

I like to follow this mantra: Imperfect action is better than no action at all.

This helps you avoid procrastination and it’s always easier to change course when you are moving forward then when trying to start from scratch.

The aim of the Smart Psoriasis Diet Plan is to help people living with psoriasis, i.e. you, focus on the following three areas

• Vitamin D levels
• Stress Levels
• Psoriasis Friendly Diet

The following is how I ensure the three focus areas are being looked after, the smart way.

This is my regular Monday routine…

Morning Time Ritual

Pre-Smart Psoriasis Diet era, I used to rush everything in the morning, which lead to a hectic start to the day.

I would stay up late and then get five or six hours sleep before a quick shower, no breakfast and straight to work.

I would sit at my office desk, trying to keep my eyes open, overdosing on caffeine and vow never to stay up late again, but it never happened!

These days, my morning ritual is as follows:

• Get up 1.5 hours before I have to leave to go to work.
• Have a cup of black coffee or warm water and half a freshly squeezed lemon
• Perform a 2-minute stress journal exercise
• Have a shower and apply coconut oil liberally
• Enjoy a healthy breakfast

Stress Journal

I use a physical diary for my stress journal, but you could easily use your smartphone or tablet to keep track.

In my stress journal, first I write 5 things in my life I am thankful for which helps remove any negative thoughts that may have been lingering from the night before.

Next, I note down my current level of stress or anxiety on a 0 – 2 scale

• 0: No real stress or anxiety to note
• 1: Anxious about an event or task but will pass once that event is over
• 2: Anxious or stressed about something that seems to have no end point and you cannot seem to rationalise it

If you know the reason for your increased stress levels, note it down and focus on action points to overcome it.

Related: Can Stress Cause Psoriasis [Case Study]

Coconut Oil Topical Treatment Number 1

After my shower, I will apply extra virgin coconut oil liberally on affected areas. You can read the exact step by step process here of how I use coconut oil to treat psoriasis.

Breakfast

For breakfast I usually mix it up between tinned sardines, salmon or mashed avocado on gluten-free toast or else I will have a green smoothie.

Announcement: Smart Smoothies For Psoriasis eBook Now Available

Sometimes I will have both especially if I plan to go to the gym around lunchtime.

Green smoothies are a great way to ensure you are getting your daily dose of healthy natural nutrients into your diet.

I also take my multivitamin, fish oil and probiotics supplement in the morning time.

Related reading: Smart Psoriasis Diet 7 Day Meal Plan

Lunch Time Routine

Nearly every lunchtime I will either have a large salad such as Sesame Chicken with Baby Spinach Salad or I will have leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. Baby spinach is my favourite type of leafy green salad

Preparation Time 20 mins | Cooking time 10 -30 mins | Serves 1

For the chicken

• ½ lime, juice only
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp organic raw coconut aminos
• 250g/9oz chicken breast, skinned and cut into thin slices lengthways
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp runny honey
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing

• ½ clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. organic raw coconut aminos
• 170g/6oz spinach
• pomegranate seeds (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. For the chicken, mix the lime juice, garlic and organic coconut aminos in a large bowl. Toss the chicken in the resulting sauce.
2. Heat a frying pan with oil and add the chicken slices. Fry the chicken for 3 minutes, then add the honey and sesame seeds. Fry for five minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. For the dressing, mix together the garlic, oil, and organic coconut aminos. Add the spinach leaves (and pomegranate seeds optional) and toss together.
4. Spread the dressed spinach over a plate and place the chicken on top and serve

If eating protein and I have a psoriasis flare-up, I will take a digestive enzyme supplement with the meal. Read my case study on digestive enzymes here.

Evening Time Routine

Coconut Oil Topical Treatment Number 2

First thing I do once work is finished and at home is to apply a fresh layer of extra virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil applied topically melts away the dry psoriasis flakes and leaves your skin moisturised for 6 to 8 hours. It always feels great! If you have scalp psoriasis, I also advise to use it there liberally.

Stress Journal Part 2

I like to measure my stress levels three times per day. The second time is that period about one hour after you have finished work. It may be on your way home from work or just as you arrive home. I recommend entering your score on your phone so that you can transfer it later into your journal at night time.

Again, I use the same measurement process as earlier in the morning (level of stress or anxiety on a 0 – 2 scale)

• 0: No real stress or anxiety to note
• 1: Anxious about an event or task but will pass once that event is over
• 2: Anxious or stressed about something that seems to have no end point and you cannot seem to rationalise it

Dinner Time

On Mondays, especially during winter, penne with broccoli pesto is one of my favourite vegetarian meals.

Preparation Time: 20 mins | Cooking time: 10-30 mins | Serves 4

• 300g/10½oz dried penne (brown rice penne)
• 350g/12oz broccoli (about one head), broken into florets
• 30g/1oz fresh basil leaves
• 3 tbs pine nuts or walnuts
• ½ garlic clove, finely grated
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• sliced radish (optional)
• sliced avocado (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook the penne pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli over a pan of boiling water for 6 minutes, until it starts to soften but is still a vivid green.
3. Place the broccoli in a food processor bowl, add the basil, pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice and pulse until just blended.
4. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Add sliced radish and avocado (optional)
6. Drain the pasta and return to the pan, then add the pesto and stir through to combine. Serve

Related reading: Smart Psoriasis Diet 7 Day Meal Plan

I will take a fish oil supplement after the meal. As always if I eat protein, I will also take a digestive enzyme supplement.

Evening time is a time for relaxation. Enjoy conversations with your spouse, partner, family or friends. Have a bath, catch up on your favourite TV shows or read your favourite book.

Regarding exercise, Monday is usually a day off for me and I prefer Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday as my cardio exercise days. I like to jog outside so that I get exposure to sunlight which keeps my vitamin D levels topped up as well as stay fit all at the same time!

During the winter time, I will supplement daily with 2000 iu of Vitamin D3. You read more about vitamin D deficiency and psoriasis here.

Saturdays is a day for going for a nice long walk to unwind and get some sunshine, as long as the weather permits.

Before Bed Ritual

Coconut Oil Topical Treatment Number 3

During a flare-up, it is essential to apply extra virgin coconut oil at least three times a day. If you can fit in an extra application at lunchtime, then go for it.

Night-time is especially important as it will moisturise your skin which stops you from scratching, therefore,  allowing you to get a better nights sleep.

Stress Journal Part 3

Once in bed, copy your stress level score you noted down earlier in your smartphone into the journal. Then note down your current stress level score.

Finally, in the stress journal, also note down your daily rating of your psoriasis in the following categories. Use a rating of 0 to 10 to keep track of your progress.

• Scale – 10 being extreme scaling, big flakes and easy to bleed, 0 being no scaling
• Color – 10 being aggressive red in colour, 1 being light pink
• Itch – 10 being extreme itchiness, 0 being no itch

The aim if this is to mark your progress. It is harder to notice the changes when you are the one experiencing this day to day. However, if you look back at how you scored your psoriasis 3 weeks earlier, you will be able to see how much you have improved.

Sometimes the improvement may not be a reduction in the area affected but by how it feels and how it looks. By using the scale, colour and itch ratings it is easier to see the overall improvement.

You know it is improving when your plaques are becoming more flat and starting to see pinkish skin breakthrough from the centre out.

Usually it, takes 3 weeks to start noticing those subtle changes, so please stick it out.

How To Make Sense Of Your Psoriasis Stress Scores

At the end of each week, combine all your daily stress level scores.

Score Of Zero

If you score zero on a weekly basis, then you are the most stress free individual ever! If you have a psoriasis flare up, it is going to be related to to your diet or lack of some essential vitamin and should be easy to rectify.

Score 1 to 3

If you score 1-3 consistently on a weekly basis, you have low to normal levels of stress and should be well able to keep your psoriasis under 5% coverage with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Score 4 to 6

If you score 4-6, you are reaching danger territory with your stress levels especially if this is the average weekly score. It probably means your work/life balance is very much one sided towards work. Even if you have an impeccable psoriasis friendly diet and take all the essential vitamins, you could still be looking at 5 – 10% coverage.

Score 7+

If you score 7+ consistently, you are severely stressed and probably in a never ending cycle that you cannot seem to get out off. It could be work, personal and financial issues all piling up and you need help.

Unfortunately, your psoriasis will be more aggressive and harder to get in control until you understand the reasons why you are constantly stressed and try to make a plan to distance yourself from these stressors. At this stage it, is vital you talk to someone you trust or even a professional therapist.

The SPD Conclusion

As you can see from above, stress management is vitally important as part of the Smart Psoriasis Diet Plan. While changing your diet can be tough for a lot of people, controlling your stress levels is paramount to getting big improvements in your psoriasis.

So, while some of our readers may have tried a psoriasis diet before and failed, it may be worthwhile to think back and try to remember if you were under more stress or suffering from anxiety at that time?

I hope you enjoyed my Monday Smart Psoriasis Diet Meal Plan above. If so, you can check out my 7 day meal plan here which I use each week to take the decision stress out of eating time!

Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide To Psoriasis Diet Plans