Q&A: Psoriasis, Gout

Question: Do you have a natural cure for psoriasis and/or gout? My skin is awful and my scalp is making me crazy it is soooooo itchy.

Answer: Both of the issues you mention indicate a lack of essential fatty acids in the body. Traditionally herbalists have connected psoriasis to the liver, which makes sense because the liver is one of the fat dependent organs in the body and won’t be doing it’s job if adequate fats are not available. Gout fits into the picture because an excess of waste acids in the body can cause itching as well as gout. Tart cherry juice has been considered a tonic for gout for centuries because it supports proper kidney function. Your best solution is to make an appointment for a private consultation to get everything balanced rather than continue with trial and error solutions; a phone consultation would be the second best option. Be aware also of the topical things you are using. Most soaps and shampoos, for example, are in a base of petroleum by-products, which seal the skin and encourage the buildup of dead cells that leads to the itching and scaling. The third organ implicated is the adrenal glands, which are responsible for controlling inflammation and the histamine response related to itching. I have never had a client who had suffered with psoriasis

who did not need to address their adrenals; I would probably start with licorice root as a basic. Topically I have had great results with a stress mist.