Living Well - Psoriasis

Mark M. makes it his mission to hike the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains near his home of Sacramento. A fitness enthusiast, the 51-year-old medical sales representative also enjoys mountain climbing, bike riding and going to the gym several days a week.

There's no question that obesity is related to a number of different health conditions. But according to the National Psoriasis Foundation, if you suffer from psoriasis, you're already at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. So how can you keep these risks down? The best way is to get moving.

Stress and psoriasis can go hand-in-hand. For some people, stress can trigger a psoriasis flare-up, and the outbreaks themselves can be stressful. “Psoriasis is unpredictable,” says Madelyn Petrow-Cohen, who has moderate psoriasis and is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist in New York and New Jersey. “You can do something one time and have it work to clear your skin. But maybe then it doesn’t work the next time, which stresses people out; psoriasis affects how you feel and look, which can be frustrating.”