Psoriasis is one of the skin conditions that have been affecting many individuals. About six million Americans and 2-3 percent of Caucasians are affected by this condition. However, the number could even be higher if all cases were reported. Many people may neglect asking for medical help, most especially for minor cases of Psoriasis. This condition makes the skin inflamed, itchy and painful. It often affects the scalp, knees, elbows, lower back and the groin region. It was concluded that Psoriasis can develop from food allergies, stress, auto-immune disorders, diabetes and dietary deficiencies. If left untreated this may lead to Psoriatic arthritis which is a very painful condition.

High cholesterol foods and the body’s faulty fat utilization were found to play a big part in the development of the disease in many individuals. Furthermore, the high cholesterol level observed in many Psoriasis sufferers may also have a correlation to a low thyroid function. Further studies also showed that almost 50 percent of individuals who developed this condition started having the disease at the age of 20 and 25. Aside from high cholesterol foods that may trigger an allergic and inflammatory reaction, there are different factors that may trigger an outbreak of Psoriasis.

- This may be due to a hereditary factor. Some people who developed the disease already have a family history of Psoriasis.
-A defective immune system, the body fights its own causing it to develop skin injuries.
-An infection of the Streptococcus virus.
-Stress, sunburn and other skin injuries can also be a predisposing factor.
-Additionally, there are some drugs and chemicals that could lead to the outbreak of the disease such as lithium, gold and beta-blockers.
-Obesity and diet was also established to cause Psoriasis. Thus, a major restructuring of your diet is essential.

Treatments for Psoriasis are done through different techniques and medications. Topical ointments, dietary changes, nutritional supplements and systemic medications are among others. Psoriasis patients that were diagnosed to have excessive amounts of cholesterol in their skin and blood have high possibility of getting freed from the disease by reducing or eliminating their blood cholesterol levels. Weight loss for obese and overweight patients is recommended. Since alcohol and acidic foods are also factors which could lead to the outbreak of Psoriasis, eliminating them is essential part of the healing process. Sugars, fats, high cholesterol foods and other unhealthy food ingredients that may also cause food allergies should be avoided. Intake of foods or supplements with omega 3, antioxidants, fish oil, folate, zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin E, selenium and milk thistles are highly advisable. Dietary and nutritional medication can give a more manageable treatment that most prescribed medication. It can also lessen and prevent the outbreak and the aggravation of the disease.

If you are trying to find possible reasons to a current condition, let me help you out by giving more of the signs and symptoms of Psoriasis. I highly suggest consulting a doctor if you feel or see any of the following:
- Itchy skin
-Cracked, reddish skin lesions which feels sore and tender. It may appear like pink patches with scaly silver-colored surfaces.
-Uneven, tarnished and thickened toes and fingernails.
-Joint pain. This will be felt by patients with a more advance psoriasis (psoriatic arthritis).
-Blisters with pus seepage mostly on the palms or the soles of the feet.

Nutritional value of prawns

Prawns are among the best sea foods in the world. This is because they have low calorie and fat content, and are rich in proteins. They are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which are considered as a healthy solution for people with heart and circulation problems. Every 100g of prawns contain 120 mg of omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats are used to prevent blood clotting. It is also essential in the prevention of diseases such as heart attack and stroke. This type of fat also contains some anti-inflammatory properties that help in the prevention of asthma, multiple sclerosis, bowel problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and pulmonary disease.

Prawns also contain high levels of minerals such as iodine, magnesium, sodium, zinc, selenium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, and calcium. All these minerals are needed for proper functioning of your body organs. In addition, prawns contain vitamin B12 which also boosts the functioning of various body organs. These vitamins and minerals also help in the development of a strong bones and healthy skin.

Are prawns high in cholesterol?

Besides minerals and vitamins, prawns also contain a high level of cholesterol. Every 100 grams of prawns contains about 195mg of cholesterol. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 300mg of cholesterol, and therefore over consumption of prawns can increase the level of cholesterol in your blood. High cholesterol levels affect the functioning of your heart, causing complications such as stroke, heart attack and palpitations. Therefore, it is recommended that you take prawns in moderation, and prepare it in the proper way. Avoid deep frying prawns. You can serve them with a vegetable salad.

How you can reduce the level of cholesterol in your blood

There are various ways of reducing the amount of cholesterol in your blood. The first method is to reduce consumption of saturated fats. Your body still requires some amount of cholesterol in order to produce hormones, and therefore it is recommended that you take foods that contain polyunsaturated fats in order to achieve this goal. Foods rich in omega-3 fats such as oily fish are good for your body too.

Dietary fiber is also known to help reduce the level of cholesterol in your blood. High levels of cholesterol are bad for your health. You only need 300 mg of cholesterol daily, and so it is essential for you maintain the level of cholesterol in your blood. Fiber does this by converting the excess cholesterol into bile acids. First, the available bile acid is converted into energy, and then the excess cholesterol is broken down to form more bile acid. This process occurs automatically and in a natural way. It is therefore recommended that you take foods that contain high fiber content such as nuts, fruits, raw vegetables, lentils and beans in order to regulate the level of cholesterol in your blood.

The main problem with cholesterol is the raised levels within the body. This is when it can cause problems with the cardio vascular system. It is known for blocking the arteries! You definitely do not want a diet which helps to increase your chances of heart disease. Many American diets are very high in saturated fat, often eating out and taking quick meals, in the form of fast food, contributes to deterioration in the bodies arterial system. These fatty deposits form (similar to plaque on teeth) inside your body’s arteries. Plant sterols  can help stop theses deposits forming, but you should adjust your diet so that you do not have this problem in the first place. Being overweight and obese can increase heart disease threefold. Diets rich in natural fats should be your goal, coupled with regular exercise and relaxation.

Take time to understand the importance of what you are putting into your body, your body DOES need cholesterol, for tissue and organ function, but you need to keep the levels normal. Adjusting your diet to intake less processed foods and intake more foods rich in antioxidants and omega fats should be your goal. Do you routinely snack on junk foods? Then think about adding a healthy snack in replacement of these bad habit forming foods. Eating fresh fruits or having a meal replacement shake could be one way of avoiding the cravings. You also need to get your body used to reducing the intake of cheap carbs, such as refined grains, or sugars.

Animal Fats

The primary source of cholesterol from food originates from animal fats. Meats such as beef or poultry, milk and dairy products are also sources of these fats as are some sea foods, like shrimp.

In addition to reducing some of these foods, certain other foods have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, most of these are things like flax seeds, and certain food products which contain phytosterols. You should increase the amount of these foods, and also consider taking those little yoghurt drinks with plant sterols to lower bad cholesterol in your blood.

Manufacturers have become very smart. To lure customers in, they use attractive tags like LOW SALT, LOW CHOLESTEROL and LOW SUGAR. But these foods may be high in hidden cholesterols that will have an eventual effect on your body. Do take a look at these foods to avoid with high cholesterol levels that might or not be hidden.

• Bagels and processed baked goods may seem like a really great way to start your day but they are hell on your cholesterol levels. Processed baked goods contain sugar, white flour, high fructose corn syrup and several other materials that interfere with your blood sugar levels. Avoid processed foods like pate, pastrami, cured meats, sausage, and ham too as they can contain too much salts, and additives that will aggravate your health.
• This also affects your body cholesterol levels as high sugar levels can cause bad cholesterols to accumulate in your body affecting your overall health.
• Fish and fish products are supposed to be good for you. But there are several kinds of fish that can really boost your bad cholesterol levels. For example, mollusk or squid are hidden sources of cholesterol with over 500 mg of cholesterol per serving. Shrimp is another source that has very high levels of cholesterol per serving. Do remember that most fresh water or deep sea fish is really good for health but eating them steamed or coiled is the best. Deep frying or processing them in the form of fish fingers is just not good for you.
• Poultry is good for you but only a few varieties. Do not buy body parts like giblets and livers but use low fat variants like breasts and thighs. Try to avoid goose and duck too which can aggravate your body cholesterol levels.
• Dairy products are always thought to be bad for high cholesterol levels. But not all variants are bad. Avoid egg yolks, full fat milk and cheeses and you should be fine. Even fat free dressings have slightly higher levels of fat ranging up to 8 Gms per serving. Limit yourself to one helping or choose the no fat versions for the best results.

It’s not always possible to find foods that are low in cholesterol and sugar at the same time. But there are ways and means to avoid these problems. You can start by reading the food labels on each food product. Remember that each label indicates the fat in a single serving of food and most of us usually have two or more servings of food items. This can substantially raise your dietary cholesterol intake. When you are buying food items, check the labels and choose items that list individual fat limits as 1-4. Anything over four is too much. You can also switch over to fat free alternatives although you should check the food labels for those too.