BEFORE
June 2012
An older picture of my P to help compare the progression over time and put it all out there how my personal struggle with weight wasn't a joke. Psoriasis is auto-immune reaction leading to inflammation. Well, inflammation isn't just some intangible word, inflammation also applies to your adipose tissue. That's right. Auto-immune diseases can make you fat!
Feb 2015
1 week after I started my journey and I decided to start taking pictures because I already noticed major improvements!
This was the first time in 19 years that my old painful plaques actually began reversing!
At this point I had lost 5 lbs in one week from 210 down to 205. Imagine how excited I was to be reversing psoriasis AND losing weight. Yeah!
Feb 2015
Painful to look at, I know. Sorry for the graphic nature of some of these pics but for those without psoriasis or for those disbelievers out there, let me tell you Psoriasis and auto-immune diseases are no joke. Seeing is believing. Those with severe psoriasis know how painful IT IS! At its worst, I had psoriasis plaques covering over 70% of my body.
March 2015
After a solid month on The Program is was seeing the plaques on my torso fade away in some places like a thinning forest and in other places like the ocean tide going back out to sea. It was MAGICAL. In 17 years I had only experienced psoriasis slowing creeping forward year after year, never receding without toxic drugs!
March 2015
A close up of the top of my One Pack. You can clearly see the outline of where psoriasis has receded and for the first time in years able to see my normal skin! Awesome!
March 2015
A little reprieve from the painful torso shots, my arms and legs were also seeing major improvements. I'm ecstatic every day to see the progress. It's at this point that I'm really feeling the need to incorporate some resistance training into my routine. Walking 30 minutes a day is AMAZING for your health but sadly doesn't do much for flabby arms! 😉
3-6 Months
July 2015
A close up of my torso. Not quite as painful to look at anymore, is it! Speaking of pain, I have had ANY pain in a couple months at this point!
July 2015
WOW. I'm feeling AMAZING and look at the difference! Yes, all I have eaten since February is healthy pasture raised meats and high-fiber veggies with almost no cheating. Only drinking water with an occasional glass of wine. Hey, we're all human! I've started strength training, at first just light weights, then slowly - almost lazily - built up over time. My psoriasis is like it was 10 years or more before. I have energy. I'm not fatigued. What a difference!
July 2015
Remember the arms? Looking good here too. Plaques are almost gone. Arms are looking more defined. Feeling great. This is easy!
July 2015
Overall I'd estimate my plaques down to about 30% coverage and I'm down to about 190 lbs. Everyday I wake up I tell myself the exact same mantra: "Stick to the Program"
August 2015
So after seven months, doing "The Program" as I call it, eating a zero inflammation diet, getting 3-4 days of 30 minutes moderate cardio, 2-3 days light to moderate strength training, here I am. I still have a couple small plaques here and there. My skin is still healing in areas of the worst, most severe plaques. But I feel like I'm psoriasis-free! At least, I am freed up from the terrible death-grip of psoriasis. It is no longer controlling my life, I am.
After
Today
It's been almost 4 years since I created my program and started my journey. I weigh 175. My BP is 110/60. Resting heart rate is 52. My cholesterol numbers are the lowest percentile for risk of cardiovascular disease. I'm psoriasis free. It wasn't easy. The hardest part was kicking my addiction to simple carbs that our society and the Standard American Diet have taught us is "healthy". Low fat high carb diets are even PRESCRIBED to people with heart disease since we've been taught carbs good fat bad. OPPOSITE!
Once I got over this deeply ingrained idea, eating THE RIGHT WAY became easy. Each time I looked at my healthy non-psoriasis-plaque clear skin it was motivation to continue on. Sugar and carbs became my enemy. Getting some moderate exercise in every day became a religion. Now this is my way of life and I will never go back to the way I was because now I have the knowledge and the power to do so. And now my friends, you do as well if you so choose!
Remember: "Eat to live, don't live to eat. Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels!"
I wish you all health and happiness. God Bless You!