New here - my Story

[tex]

Louis,

If you are listing your vitamin D level as 40 ng/ml (which we use in the U. S.), then that is fine. But in Europe, vitamin D levels are listed in units of nmol/L. So if your vitamin D level is actually 40 nmol/L, then that is deficient, and you need to take much more supplemental vitamin D. Any number below 50 nmol/L is defined as deficient, and any number below 75 nmol/L is considered to be insufficient.

Since Polly is an American, I'm pretty sure that when she said:

Vitamin D3 is good - you want to keep your blood level between 60-90 if possible.

she was using standard English units (ng/mL). 60–90 ng/mL would be equivalent to 150–225 nmol/L.

I'm sorry for the confusion that exists because of the differences in the units used in different countries.

Tex

[louis]

Oh, thats good to know.
So I probably should go for like 6000 ui a day? Would it be better to take 3x2000 over the day or all at once?

[tex]

Yes, that's a much better dose. Taking vitamin D once a day is fine, and that will work just as well as splitting the dose several times each day.

Tex

[Lilja]

As soon as I omitted gluten and casein in 2013 (cow's milk, cheese, youghurt +++) from my diet, my psoriasis just disappeared.Lilia

Thats very nice, do you still eat things like pseudograins and eggs? Also the magnesium thing might be something i should look into, as i often have muscle cramps when doing sport.

I quit eggs & soya in October last year, and I haven't tried to reintroduce them in my diet yet. Maybe I'll try the egg yellow (yolk?), as I understand that the egg white can cause an allergic reaction. As to pseudograins, I will wait for a while, as I've read that there is too much fiber in grains, and that this may cause a sandpaper like reaction to the lining of the intestines.

As you see, I'm very cautious, since I'm now healing, and I don't want to rock the boat.

Muscle cramps are often a sign of lack of vitamin Bs and magnesium. Magnesium tests are not quite reliable, as I've understood from the forum, but if you try some good magnesium supplements like magnesium oil spray or Epsom-salt baths, you will rapidly notice if it has any effect.

Have you tested your vitamin B-levels, B12, B6 and B9?

Herzliche Grüsse,
Lilia

[jessica329]

Welcome Louis,

Through hard work of diet I was able to successfully stop medication and control the MC. I still get bad flare-ups every so often but they will last for only 4-5 hours. Have you tried keeping a food journal to look for patterns? I found that gluten, dairy, plant-based milks and food with high sugar provoked a flare-up. I noticed that you said that you take a probiotic. Is it dairy based? Perhaps some of the supplements could be contributing to diarrhea based on ingredients (such as gluten and dairy).

[louis]

Have you tested your vitamin B-levels, B12, B6 and B9?

The last vitamin-test i did was in February 2014, as they are very expensive. B-12 were fine, however mangesium, selen and zink were very low. I dont know about B6 and B9.
Similair to you, i find it hard to debate with myself, what i can safely eat and what not. Butter, Eggs, red meat or buckwheat dont cause flare ups for me, but im concerned if its still causing inflammtion over a certain time. My psoriasis got worse after reintroducing eggs, meat and butter (I stopped butter now).
But on the other hand i dont want to miss too much zinc or selen in my diet.

Welcome Louis,

Have you tried keeping a food journal to look for patterns? I found that gluten, dairy, plant-based milks and food with high sugar provoked a flare-up.

Not yet, but its something i thought about. But without direct reactions, such as gluten, lentils or beans give me, its still hard to tell what food causes flare ups over time.

Yesterday i finally got the stool test-kit from enterolab. Does anyone here not from the US did the test and can tell me how to stay out of trouble with the custom office? Or what was the courier you used to return the stool test. If I send it on monday it has to arrive until thurstay, right?

[tex]

Louis,

I believe that most non-U.S members send their sample by DHL International. If you don't have DHL service, try UPS. If it gets stuck in Customs, it shouldn't be a major problem. Eventually they will get tired of smelling it and will send it on. One member, in Hong Kong sent a sample that got stuck in Customs for 3 or 4 days or more, but they finally sent it on, and the tests worked OK.

Tex