A woman who has battled Psoriasis for more than 35 years has told how she "cured" the health condition in two weeks after she adopted a vegan diet.
Paula Taylor, 48, was diagnosed with the inflammatory skin condition, which affects 2 per cent of the British population, when she was just 11 years old.
The Preston native explained that several of her flare-ups were so bad that she was hospitalised - and although doctors tried every solution, none of them got to the root of the problem.
Paula said that the condition stopped her from having the life she was supposed to have and played a part in her divorce from the father of her children.
Paula said: "When I was a child my mum would find me standing in front of a mirror crying my eyes out.
"Nobody knew how to stop it and it kept getting worse, by this point I was getting into my teens and I just hid myself from the world."
She added: "I didn't have the teenage life everyone is supposed to have, I spent my years inside, fully clothed and away from other people - it made me feel abnormal.
"The effects of the condition carried on throughout my life, it hospitalised me twice, it played a part in my divorce and my interactions and activities with anyone I met.
"Being intimate was tough because I'd be horrified at the thought of showing my body without any clothes on - I didn't feel like anyone would be attracted to me.
"I did marry, he's the father of my children and we're friends still to this day, but nothing helped, my psoriasis in one way or another effected everything, and we later divorced."
After a painful flare-up in February, Paula said that she switched to a plant-based diet after reading Hanna Sillitoe's book 'Radiant: Eat Your Way to Healthy Skin' in a bid to alleviate her symptoms.
After coming across the health book online, she swapped meat, dairy and alcohol for juices, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and is now psoriasis-free in 17-days after battling what she calls an "imprisoning condition".
"I found this recipe book and thought I should give it a go, it's anti-inflammatory so it cuts out dairy, meat, junk and alcohol," she began.
"Day by day, my skin was getting better, I was gorging on nut roasts, fresh fruit, vegetables and corn instead of chips, gravy, crisps, bacon, sausages and everything I usually had.
Adding: "After 17 days, my skin was clear, I was cured, and I can't even begin to explain how my life has changed. I wear bikinis, skirts, shorts, I go to the gym, and my life is finally mine again, I'm not a prisoner in my own skin anymore.
"I know I put the hard work in, and I thank myself every day, but I also thank Hanna and her book, in a way, Hanna has given me back my life - everyone should be speaking to her if they suffer with psoriasis."
Now, she is adamant that this diet is the key to beating psoriasis which makes a point of cutting out meat, junk food, alcohol and any other inflammatory foods and drinks.
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By eliminating junk food, which contains sugary carbohydrates and bad fats, it stops insulin levels to spike and stops an inflammation flare-up.
Much like junk food, dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods we can eat thus if you suffer from psoriasis, more often than not it will cause your skin condition to go into overdrive, so Hanna says to avoid it.
Hanna also explains that those suffering with psoriasis should avoid alcohol, which is a natural diuretic, as it sucks the moisture from your body, but more importantly your skin.
Discussing how the book has changed her life, Paula added: "I can't even begin to describe the difference between myself a year ago and now.
"It's not just the physical appearance of my body, which is important, but the mental side is like another world. I'm proud of my body again, I feel like a totally new woman and this diet has saved me."
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