ModerateGBS: 78 (Moderate-High Risk)nutrition

Psoriasis Healing Protocol

Developer: John Pagano, functional dermatology

3-6 months for improvement, ongoing management

Protocol Overview

Root-cause protocol addressing gut-skin axis, inflammation, and immune dysregulation in psoriasis. Emphasizes gut healing, diet, and detoxification.

Conditions Treated

Psoriasis

plaque psoriasis

psoriatic arthritis

Protocol Steps

Understanding: Psoriasis is autoimmune (immune attack on skin), driven by gut permeability ("leaky gut"), inflammation, and genetic susceptibility (HLA-Cw6). Not just skin disease - systemic.

Pagano diet: Alkaline-forming foods (80% of diet): Non-citrus fruits, vegetables (except nightshades), fish, lamb, poultry

Avoid: Nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, tobacco), red meat, dairy, gluten, sugar, alcohol, processed foods, fried foods

Gluten elimination: Mandatory - celiac disease 10x more common in psoriasis, gluten worsens even without celiac (molecular mimicry, gut permeability)

Gut healing: L-glutamine 10g 2x/day (heals intestinal lining), zinc carnosine, DGL licorice, slippery elm, aloe vera juice, bone broth daily

Probiotics: High-dose multi-strain 50-100 billion CFU (gut-skin axis, immune modulation)

Omega-3: 3-4g EPA/DHA daily (anti-inflammatory, reduces psoriasis severity in studies)

Vitamin D: High-dose 5000-10,000 IU to achieve 60-80 ng/ml (low D associated with psoriasis, immune modulation) OR topical vitamin D (calcipotriene)

Vitamin A: 10,000-25,000 IU daily for 3 months (skin health, immune modulation) - monitor, high-dose toxic long-term

Turmeric: 2-3g daily (anti-inflammatory, reduces TNF-alpha)

Milk thistle: 300mg 3x/day (liver detox, endotoxin clearance)

Apple cider vinegar: Topical diluted 1:1 with water on plaques (reduces scale, soothes - stings initially)

Dead Sea salt baths: 2 cups Dead Sea salt, soak 20 minutes 3x/week (minerals, reduces plaques)

Sunlight: 15-30 minutes daily (UV B stimulates vitamin D, immunosuppression in skin) - don't burn

Eliminate triggers: Strep infections (treat aggressively - strep throat often precedes guttate psoriasis flares), stress, alcohol, smoking, skin trauma (Koebner phenomenon)

Detoxification: Colonics or enemas weekly for 1-3 months (Pagano emphasizes bowel cleansing), castor oil packs over liver 3x/week

Slippery elm tea: 1-2 tsp powder in water 2-3x/day (soothes GI tract)

Saffron tea: 3-5 threads in hot water (blood purification per Pagano)

LDN (Low-Dose Naltrexone): 3-4.5mg nightly (immune modulation for autoimmune)

Topicals: Coal tar (anti-proliferative, old but effective), salicylic acid (scale removal), topical steroids short-term (rebound risk), vitamin D analog (calcipotriene), tacrolimus (Protopic - non-steroid immunomodulator)

Phototherapy: NB-UVB (narrowband UVB) 3x/week at dermatology office - highly effective for moderate-severe psoriasis

Systemic medications: For severe psoriasis - methotrexate, cyclosporine, biologics (Humira, Enbrel, Stelara, Skyrizi) - natural approach complements or may reduce need

Avoid: Alcohol (worsens psoriasis dramatically), smoking, beta-blockers, lithium, antimalarials (can trigger flares), NSAIDs (gut damage worsens underlying leaky gut)

Key Resources

Healing Psoriasis by John Pagano, "The Psoriasis Cure" by researchers, National Psoriasis Foundation, gut-skin axis research

Contraindications & Risks

High-dose vitamin A toxic long-term (monitor), phototherapy increases skin cancer risk (UVB), biologics have infection risks

Important Notes

Psoriasis affects 8 million Americans - chronic autoimmune skin disease. Red, scaly plaques (elbows, knees, scalp typical). Genetic (HLA-Cw6) + environmental triggers. NOT contagious, NOT poor hygiene. Systemic disease: 30% develop psoriatic arthritis (inflammatory arthritis), increased CVD risk, metabolic syndrome, depression. Pagano protocol: Emphasis on gut healing and alkaline diet (controversial but many patients swear by it). Based on theory that leaky gut allows toxins/endotoxins into bloodstream → skin attempts to eliminate → psoriasis. Gut-skin axis: Emerging science - gut dysbiosis in psoriasis patients, increased intestinal permeability. Celiac disease 10x more common (gluten elimination helps many even without celiac). Strep connection: Group A strep throat often precedes guttate psoriasis (immune cross-reactivity - strep antigen mimics skin antigen). Aggressive strep treatment important. Nightshades: Controversial - Pagano says avoid (alkaloid content), mainstream dismisses, but many patients report flares with nightshades. Trial elimination. Vitamin D: Low in psoriasis, supplementation helps (oral and topical - calcipotriene is vitamin D analog). Omega-3: Multiple studies show reduced psoriasis severity. Phototherapy: NB-UVB highly effective (60-70% clearance) but requires 3x/week clinic visits, increases skin cancer risk long-term. Biologics: Revolutionary for severe psoriasis (TNF-alpha, IL-17, IL-23 inhibitors) - 75-90%+ clearance, but expensive ($50k+/year), infection risk, long-term safety unknown. Natural approach works for mild-moderate, severe may need biologics. Alcohol: Dramatically worsens psoriasis (dose-response - more alcohol, worse psoriasis). Quit or drastically reduce. Stress: Major trigger (cortisol, immune dysregulation). Meditation, therapy, stress reduction crucial. Psoriasis is chronic but manageable. Pagano approach helps many (gut healing, diet, detox). Combine with topicals, phototherapy if needed, biologics for severe cases. Address systemic inflammation (reduces CVD risk, arthritis risk).

Also Effective For

Psoriasis

Key Supplements & Herbs in This Protocol

Supplements

L-Glutamine

Herbs

Licorice

Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Gan Cao)

Slippery Elm

Ulmus rubra

Milk Thistle

Silybum marianum

Turmeric

Curcuma longa

Critical Safety Warning

This protocol is documented for educational purposes only. The Gabriel Bullshit Score (GBS) of 78 reflects significant institutional response and controversy. Some alternative health protocols have resulted in serious harm or death.

Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals before beginning any treatment. Do not delay or forego proven medical care.

Quick Overview

Evidence LevelModerate

GBS Score78 / 100

Categorynutrition

DeveloperJohn Pagano, functional dermatology

Duration3-6 months for improvement, ongoing management

About GBS Score

The Gabriel Bullshit Score reflects the magnitude of institutional response, controversy, and documented concerns. Higher scores indicate greater institutional pushback, not necessarily inefficacy. This is a research tool, not medical advice.