I have been practicing Primordial Sound Meditation for several years now and am eating primarily a Vata-balancing diet. I have noticed a big improvement in the several patches of psoriasis that I have, but occasionally they flare up. Stress, perhaps? They are white, scaly patches on my fingers, ears, and left leg. What would you suggest as an effective ayurvedic treatment? Thank you.

Psoriasis can be a challenging problem, and the medical field’s understanding of its cause is still incomplete. There are new conventional medications that are more effective than some of the older medications, but some prefer to take a natural approach.

If you notice that you have more flare ups when you’re experiencing greater stress than usual, I’d encourage you to look for ways to manage your stress. In addition to meditation, exercise is a powerful stress-relieving technology. Some people also find that the ayurvedic herb neem helps alleviate psoriasis. If you search for neem on the Web, you will see that it is available in many topical forms, including soaps, lotions, and shampoos. Try using various forms of neem for 4 to 6 weeks and see if this has a noticeable effect on your skin.

With love,
David