Home remedies for Psoriasis #1: Herbal liver tonics, together with tissue and blood cleansers, or alteratives, form the most important initial part of herbal treatment for psoriasis. Slightly less important are nerve tonics, or nervines, which soothe the nerves and lessen the itching of psoriasis.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #2: Applying aloe vera gel to the lesions can help. Dr. Andrew Weil reported that 83 percent of psoriasis patients who applied aloe-vera cream three times a day for up to four weeks noted an improvement. Dr. Weil recommends using pure aloe vera gel instead of an aloe vera cream that contains other ingredients.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #3: Apple-cider vinegar diluted in water can be used to temporarily help relieve itching and scaling. Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can also be diluted in three to four times as much lukewarm water and poured over the head, rubbed in, left for one minute, and then rinsed out. Or you can add 1/2 cup of cider vinegar to a tubful of bath water to help restore acidity to the skin.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #4: Banana peel is a key ingredient in Exorex. This is a lotion concocted from coal tar and a specific essential fatty acid from banana peel that is associated with the immune system. Reportedly, the idea was derived from Zulu folklore, in which banana peels have been used for a variety of skin ailments for years.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #5: Burdock root can help improve flare-ups of psoriasis. Take 20 to 40 drops of tincture three times a day.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #6: Chamomile is widely used in Europe for treating psoriasis. It contains anti-inflammatory flavonoid compounds. If you have ragweed allergies, however, do not use chamomile, as it is a member of the ragweed family.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #7: Castor oil is particularly helpful when left overnight on thick, small, well-circumscribed lesions. If cold-pressed castor oil is mixed with baking soda, it has been found to greatly improve thick, scaly heel skin, as long as the skin isn't cracked.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #8: Cayenne pepper has anti-inflammatory properties and helps with healing. Two clinical trials reviewed in the November 1998 issue of Archives of Dermatology reported that 0.025 percent capsaicin cream, made from hot peppers, works to reduce the redness and scaling in psoriasis. Capsaicin cream is available over the counter as Capzasin-P or Zostrix. It should be used over a six-week period. Care should be taken not to apply it to broken skin.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #9: Common figwort helps to clear psoriatic plaques. The recommended dose is 2 milliliters of tincture, taken twice a day.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #10: Dandelion tincture is useful for stimulating bile flow and clearing toxins out of the system. It is frequently combined with yellow dock (see below) for this purpose. The recommended dose is 30 to 60 drops twice a day.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #11: Echinacea tincture is occasionally used for psoriasis. It boosts the immune system, and so may decrease the incidence of colds, which can lead to flare-ups in some individuals. The recommended dose is 20 to 30 drops three times a day for up to ten days. Stop for two weeks, then repeat.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #12: Emu oil contains essential fatty acids and may be helpful for psoriasis. Apply it to the lesions as directed by the manufacturer.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #13: Flaxseed oil is chemically similar to fish oil and helps treat psoriasis. Adding flaxseed oil to salad dressing is a good way to get this helpful supplement into your diet. Take 1%2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #14: Fumitory contains fumaric acid, which has been found to be very helpful for psoriasis. Make a strong tea from fumitory and apply it to the affected areas with a cotton ball twice a day.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #15: Garlic is detoxifying and includes a number of sulfur-containing compounds. Sulfur deficiency may contribute to psoriasis. Take three to six gar-
lic capsules daily.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #16: Goldenseal tincture helps to clear the body of toxins that lead to flareups. Take 20 to 30 drops twice a day for up to ten days at a time.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #17: Gotu kola extract reduces inflammation and speeds skin healing. In India, it has been used for psoriasis for hundreds of years. Take 200 milligrams three times a day for one month.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #18: Liquid licorice extract, applied directly to the affected areas with a cotton ball, is felt by some naturopaths to work as well as corticosteroid creams.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #19: Flaxseed oil, applied to affected areas twice a day, is said to help heal psoriasis. Avocado, garlic, and walnut oils, applied topically twice a day to the psoriatic patches, are equally helpful for moisturizing and healing.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #20: Milk thistle cleanses and protects the liver, increases bile flow, and helps in blood purification. It also helps to correct the abnormal cell replication present in psoriasis. Take 300 milligrams of milk-thistle extract three times a day.

Home remedies for Psoriasis #21: Neem-seed oil, an Ayurvedic herbal remedy, is highly recommended by some psoriasis sufferers. It was introduced to the United States in 1994 from India and Pakistan. Neem lotions are usually found in East Indian markets