[CH] Salsa & Psoriasis
R.Solarion - Apollonius.Net (damis@apollonius.net)
Mon, 17 Apr 2000 15:29:55 -0600
The People's Pharmacy, By Joe and Teresa Graedon
The Dallas Morning News, 17 April 2000
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/
QUESTION : I would like to thank you and the gentleman who wrote to you
about salsa relieving the symptoms of psoriasis.
After years of salves, ointments and other topical medications (extremely
expensive), I tried salsa, and the psoriasis is slowly disappearing. The
only other therapy that helped me was PUVA light treatments, but I worried
about skin cancer as a side-effect.
I've eaten salsa every other day since your article appeared with
surprisingly good results. I hope other people will benefit.
ANSWER : We are pleased to learn of your success with salsa. Andy Flynn in
Durham, Maine, told us about his experience eating hot chili peppers. We
were surprised at his chance discovery that spicy food made his psoriasis
better.
When we searched the medical literature, we found that dermatologists have
used capsaicin (the "hot" in hot peppers) in creams and ointments to treat
psoriasis. But until Andy and you wrote to us, we have seen nothing on the
benefits of oral capsaicin for this skin condition.