This is the story of how my psoriasis started and what led me to begin this experiment.
My Life Before Psoriasis
My diet mainly consisted of rice, beans, eggs, and a lot of processed foods along with frequent fast food, sweets, and potato chips. I drank large amounts of coffee (around 5–8 cups per day) and soda, while plain water was rarely part of my routine.
I had been smoking cigarettes since my early teens and had experimented with various drugs over time. However, my daily staples were cigarettes, cannabis, and coffee.
My schedule was almost entirely reversed. I stayed awake through the night and slept during the day, which meant I was getting very little sunlight.
Most of my time was spent distracting myself with video games and endless doomscrolling.
First Symptoms
During the COVID restrictions in the winter of 2020, I experienced a period of homelessness and spent about two weeks living alone in a cave in the mountains.
During that time, my diet consisted almost entirely of chocolate and protein bars. I felt extremely isolated and was under constant stress.
It was then that I first noticed small patches of psoriasis on my arms and scalp. The spots were very small but intensely itchy.
At the time, I didn’t think much of it and assumed I had just injured myself or that it was something minor like an insect bite.
Psoriasis Progression
About a year later, the condition had spread significantly. I had numerous patches of psoriasis on my scalp, face, across my entire back, as well as on my arms and legs, even under my fingernails and toenails.
The itching was intense, and I found myself scratching to the point of bleeding in multiple places every single day.
At that time, I strongly refused to take a COVID test or wear a mask, which meant I was not able to see a doctor about it.
I believed it would go away on its own if I just gave my body enough time to heal, but that turned out to be a mistake, and it only kept getting worse.
What I Tried So Far
I then started researching the condition in depth and came across the YouTube channels of Anthony Chaffee, Ken Berry, Eric Berg, and Judy Cho, among others.
In particular, the interview with Stephen Lashbrook titled “Finding Out The Truth About Psoriasis After 30 Years of Suffering” really opened my eyes and gave me hope that by radically changing my lifestyle, I might be able to free myself from it.
The core idea I took from this was that psoriasis might not just be a skin condition, but could be linked to gut health—often described as “leaky gut”—similar to what is claimed about many other autoimmune conditions.
So I changed my diet and began eating mostly meat, eggs, and cheese. Within just a few months, the psoriasis on my scalp disappeared completely. The other affected areas stopped itching and gradually began to fade.
This was a huge breakthrough for me, and it made me feel like I had some level of control over the condition.
However, I continued consuming coffee and smoking. There were also many times when I didn’t strictly follow the carnivore diet and would eat bread, potatoes, pasta, or sweets. Whenever I did, the affected areas would worsen and start itching again.
Even on days when I hadn’t eaten anything yet and only had a cup of coffee, the itching would return. Because of this, I believe that stimulants have a very negative effect on my psoriasis.
From my experience so far, my biggest triggers seem to be sugar, gluten, grains, flour, carbohydrates in general, and nightshade vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and chili.
I also notice that when I’m doomscrolling or feeling stressed, the affected areas start to itch again.
Why I Started This Experiment
First and foremost, this experiment is meant to help me truly change my lifestyle, especially my diet, and stick to it consistently. I also want to completely quit smoking and cut out coffee for good.
The idea that this experiment might help others in the future is an additional source of motivation for me. More details about the specific changes I’m making and what I track each week can be found on the “The Experiment” page.
Why I Haven’t Seen a Doctor (Yet)
In my view, doctors generally follow established protocols and prescribe medications based on symptoms. This often means treating the symptoms rather than addressing the root cause itself.
From what I’ve seen and read, this approach does not always address the underlying causes and may not lead to long-term improvement for everyone.
In the case of immunosuppressive/immunomodulator medications, it can also come with significant side effects.
Before turning to medical treatment, I want to do everything within my control and make meaningful changes to my lifestyle. I believe that, in many cases, illness can be a signal that something in one’s lifestyle may need to change. Simply going to a doctor and taking medication regularly, without addressing the underlying causes, doesn’t feel right to me.
I am aware that medical treatment is an option, and I may consider it in the future.