Although official medical sources are skeptical, the Pegano diet really helps in the fight against psoriasis. Thanks to dietary nutrition, the body becomes stronger, toxic accumulations are removed from it, and the functional state of the digestive tract is normalized. As a result, remission occurs, which is maintained without the use of medications.
The role of proper nutrition in the fight against skin disease
Proper nutrition plays an important role in the prevention of skin diseases.
Eating unhealthy foods causes intestinal dysfunction, leading to nutritional deficiencies. First of all, a lack of vitamins and minerals affects the condition of the dermis. The skin becomes dry, thinned, and unable to withstand negative environmental factors. Against this background, various diseases arise, including psoriasis.
To cure skin diseases or put them into remission, you need to review your diet. This will renew the intestinal flora, replenish the deficiency of nutrients, and also eliminate factors that trigger the development of the disease.
Step-by-step cleansing technique
The theory was recognized by doctors and patients as an effective way to combat the disease.
The doctor identified 4 stages for complete recovery:
- cleansing the intestines and releasing unnecessary substances;
- balanced diet. A proper diet is the key to success. It is necessary to avoid: smoking, fatty foods, fried foods, as well as canned foods. Confectionery units should be excluded. Tobacco and alcohol are the first enemies on the path to recovery. All this must be replaced with fruits and vegetables, which will provide a supply of the necessary fiber. It is necessary to focus on plant foods in their original form;
- correct spiritual disposition. Thoughts, feelings, nervous breakdowns, stress affect health. Therefore, a person must work on his emotional state: take a walk in the forest, get up earlier, enjoy his surroundings;
- sports, physical activity. Dr. Pegano came to the surprising conclusion that the occurrence of psoriasis is directly related to the stagnation of harmful substances in the body and improper functioning of the intestines.
Highlights of John Pegano's book “Treating Psoriasis. Natural way"
According to Pegano, treatment of the disease requires:
- removing accumulated toxins from the body;
- stopping the slagging process.
Compliance with the D. Pegano diet creates an absolutely healthy environment in the intestines in which harmful microorganisms cannot exist and multiply.
All products allowed for consumption are divided into 2 groups - those that cause an alkaline and an acidic reaction.
Moreover, the former should predominate in the diet (they account for as much as 70%).
To achieve results, you need not only to eat right, but also to lead a healthy lifestyle. Running, fitness, exercise, walks in the fresh air and other types of physical activity are encouraged.
It is also recommended to avoid stress, which can negate all positive results.
Doctors' opinion
Nutritionists and gastroenterologists say that disruptions in the nutritional system are harmful to everyone, not just those with psoriasis. Most often, lovers of meat, flour and sweets come to appointments with gastrointestinal problems. Since the Pegano menu excludes these products, it can be considered healthy for everyone.
Nutritionists do not recommend overdoing it - sudden changes in stomach acidity can dramatically worsen your well-being. The reason is that the cells are destroyed, the enzymes cease to perform their normal functions. The goal of treatment is to gently adjust the diet to support the body, and not to cause new stress. In practice, patients with psoriasis who follow a diet recover much faster and achieve stable remission. Want to achieve optimal results? We will have to build a long-term nutrition program. A consistent diet with slight deviations will help get rid of plaques and prevent their occurrence in the future.
Stages of a therapeutic diet
The Pegano diet includes 3 stages:
- Complex cleansing of the body. At the first stage, it is recommended to follow a fruit diet (for 3-5 days) and do cleansing enemas. These activities improve metabolic processes and cleanse the body of harmful substances. It is also recommended to stimulate daily bowel movements by taking 2 tbsp. l. olive oil on an empty stomach.
- Active lifestyle . To improve the effect obtained in the first stage, you need to move more. In particular, it is recommended to perform a set of exercises to strengthen the spine.
- Skin cleansing. After the internal cleansing of the body has come to an end, you can begin to fight psoriatic plaques. To do this, it is recommended to use soft peelings and all kinds of masks. It is advisable to perform such procedures during the period of remission.
Useful tips
To obtain the most positive result, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:
Moderation in food intake should be observed. Meals should be fractional so as not to burden the digestive system
To preserve all the necessary substances, it is recommended to use fat-free cooking recipes. It is important that the patient has regular bowel movements. To do this, there are recipes for preparing dishes high in fiber (vegetables, fruits), which is a natural laxative.
It must be remembered that the fight against psoriasis using the Pegano diet should be carried out after consultation with the attending physician, who will determine the severity of the disease and give the necessary recommendations for treatment and the possibility of following the diet menu. Contraindications to the use of the Pegano diet are pregnancy and breastfeeding, children's age of patients and the stage of exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.
Food table
The Pegano diet is based on the division of food into two categories, which form: acid and alkali. You can find out which products belong to which group in the table below.
| Form acid | Form alkali |
| Fish: salmon, sturgeon, flounder, sardine, cod, halibut, mackerel | Berries and fruits |
| Lean lamb, chicken, turkey | Vegetables, except members of the nightshade family. In limited quantities - legumes, corn, mushrooms, rhubarb, Brussels sprouts |
| Cereals | Freshly squeezed fruit juices |
| Fermented milk products, skim milk | Alkaline mineral water |
| Eggs | Lecithin |
| Vegetable oils | Glycothymoline |
| Herbal drinks | |
| Cow butter | |
| Seeds |
What not to eat
D. Pegano's diet implies the presence of some prohibitions.
In particular, you should not use:
- spicy;
- roast;
- smoked;
- sweet;
- flour;
- canned.
The diet should be as simple and healthy as possible. It excludes sweets, whipped cream and creams made from them, milkshakes, and ice cream. Drinks such as coffee, soda, and tomato juice are prohibited. As for vegetables, you cannot eat tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, Brussels sprouts and bell peppers; from berries - currants, cranberries, blueberries and plums.
Salting food is allowed, but within reasonable limits. But you will have to completely abandon spices. It is equally important to reduce your sugar intake (if desired, you can replace it with honey).
What can you eat
The Pegano diet involves an emphasis on alkaline foods (they should make up 70% of the diet).
Such foods include fruits, vegetables (beets, onions, including green ones), cucumber, garlic, green beans, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, asparagus, zucchini, squash), vegetable and fruit juices.
As for melons, bananas and apples, it is not recommended to mix them with other products.
The remaining 30% of the diet should consist of acidic foods. These are almost all porridges (except white rice and semolina), seeds, legumes, pine and almond nuts, whole grain and coarse bread (can be replaced with crackers without additives and crispbread), mushrooms (optimally wild mushrooms). You can season food with any vegetable oils.
As for meat, it is better to give preference to poultry (chicken fillet, turkey) and lean lamb. Eating boiled or baked fish is also allowed. If you are allowed to eat meat only twice a week, then there are no such restrictions on fish. You can eat 3-4 eggs. per week, it is recommended to cook them soft-boiled or hard-boiled. Dairy products are allowed, but only with a minimum amount of fat.
It is also recommended to include lecithin in the diet. The supplement is taken 45 ml/day. (5 days on, 5 days off, etc.). Lecithin is sold in most pharmacies. It is better to give preference to dietary supplements made from sunflower seeds.
It is equally important to establish a drinking regime. A person with psoriasis should drink at least 8 glasses of water per day (not including soups, teas and other liquids). You can also include other drinks in your diet - an infusion of watermelon seeds, herbal teas and teas (for example, chamomile), a drink made from chicory.
Eliminate nightshades!
According to John Pegano, it is important for psoriasis patients to exclude nightshade family products from their diet.
The nightshade family includes:
Tomatoes and any products containing them, including sauces and ketchups; Potato; Eggplant; Peppers (except black); Red pepper – paprika; Tobacco – promotes acidification of the body. Therefore, you should quit smoking completely or at least significantly reduce it (to several cigarettes a day). Smoking has been shown to worsen psoriasis.
And also completely eliminate hot and spicy dishes, especially those made from nightshades.
Menu for the week by day
Some patients find it easier to see a menu in front of them and cook according to it, rather than inventing some dishes on their own. Below you can see the diet according to D. Pegano for a week.
Monday:
- 1 meal - up to 0.5 liters of yogurt without additives;
- Meal 2 - chicken broth, oatmeal, grated berries;
- Meal 3 - steamed white meat cutlet, cabbage salad.
Tuesday:
- 1 meal - hard-boiled or soft-boiled egg, whole grain bread sandwich with cucumber;
- Meal 2 - carrot and broccoli puree soup, vegetable stew with stewed lamb, pear;
- Meal 3 - wheat bread, almond and red cabbage salad.
Wednesday:
- 1 meal - wheat porridge with fresh cherries;
- Meal 2 - borscht without meat, beans stewed with garlic and herbs;
- Meal 3 – melon (not whole).
Thursday:
- 1 meal - cottage cheese with the addition of dried apricots;
- Meal 2 - vegetable soup, grilled fish, fruit puree, onion-radish salad;
- Meal 3 - vinaigrette without adding potatoes, freshly squeezed orange juice.
Friday:
- 1 meal - oatmeal with any permitted nuts, bread;
- Meal 2 - baked beets, broth with eggs, broccoli salad with tofu;
- Meal 3 - baked fish with spinach, pumpkin soufflé with grapefruit juice.
Saturday:
- 1 meal - 2 bananas;
- Meal 2 - mushroom soup, steamed fish cutlets, cucumber and green onion salad with vegetable oil or low-fat sour cream;
- Meal 3 - a piece of whole grain bread with cottage cheese.
Sunday:
- 1 meal - pumpkin muffins, oven-baked apples;
- Meal 2 - light chicken soup, mushroom caviar, leek and cabbage salad, freshly squeezed pineapple juice;
- Meal 3 – turkey/steamed chicken, green beans.
Recipes for patients with psoriatic arthritis
The most popular recipes for people with psoriatic arthritis are presented below.
Oatmeal recipe
To prepare oatmeal you will need 1 liter of water, 200 g of whole grains, 30 ml of vegetable oil, a small amount of salt.
The porridge is prepared as follows:
- Rinse the cereal, add clean water and leave for a while. This can be done before bed or between meals (the cereal will swell no earlier than after 3 hours).
- Drain the water and rinse the cereal again. Pour 600 ml of cold water over the oatmeal and put on fire. When the liquid boils, reduce the gas and cook the porridge for half an hour. Then add another 400 ml of water and cook until thick. Before serving, add salt/sugar and any vegetable oil to the oatmeal. If desired, the porridge can be decorated with nuts, fruits (dried, fresh) or vegetables.
Recipe for diet chicken cutlets
To prepare the cutlets you will need 4 breast fillets, 1 carrot, 1 chicken egg, 50 ml cold. water, 15 ml vegetable oil, salt, herbs, onion.
The cutlets are prepared as follows:
- The breast is washed under running water, cut into pieces, and passed through a blender or meat grinder.
- The carrots are peeled, chopped, and fried in sunflower oil.
- Egg, herbs and carrots are added to the finished minced meat. Lightly add salt.
- Cutlets are formed from this mass and placed in a double boiler.
- Cook the dish with the lid closed for 8 minutes.
These cutlets can be eaten for lunch or dinner. You can add fresh or stewed vegetables to them.
Changing your usual lifestyle and adhering to clear principles
The John Pegano Diet for Psoriasis requires strong willpower to develop the right habits. This is about:
- healthy eating on a regular basis throughout life;
- mood for complete recovery;
- taking care of the internal cleanliness of the body.
Healthy nutrition is based on several principles that are important to remember to achieve successful results. The principles are based on the following:
- Your daily diet should include plenty of drinking from purified, unboiled water (the normal amount of liquid is at least 2 liters of water);
- It is forbidden to eat fatty, fried, spicy, canned, sour foods;
- sweets, baked goods, flour products are completely excluded;
- be sure to consume foods rich in fiber;
- It will be useful to season fresh vegetable salads with sesame, sunflower, and olive oil to maintain intestinal function;
- healthy eating is separate eating. You should not overeat or eat both grains and flour in one meal;
- It is not recommended to eat citrus fruits with milk (for example, yoghurts with fruit additives);
- A course of taking herbal teas is encouraged, for example, for lunch;
- you need to completely eliminate the use of alcoholic beverages of any kind;
- It is effective to drink freshly squeezed juices. Packaged juices should be avoided.
Reviews of treatment using the method of Dr. D. Pegano
Konstantin, Moscow: “I started eating according to the Pegano diet when the doctors gave up on me. After complete cleansing of the body, there was a noticeable improvement. The main thing is not to stop there and continue to eat right.”
Zinaida, Omsk: “The Pegano diet helped make periods of remission longer.”
Thus, the diet of the American doctor significantly improves the condition of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. To achieve the desired result, it is recommended to lead an active lifestyle and not ignore alternative therapy prescribed by your doctor.
