Edgar Cayce and Psoriasis

Edgar Cayce via Wikipedia

Psoriasis is usually thought of as a disease of the skin, but Edgar Cayce looked at it very differently. He believed that the visible plaques were often the final expression of disturbances taking place much deeper in the body, particularly in the digestive system, circulation and processes of elimination.

This does not mean that every person with psoriasis has the same underlying problem. Cayce himself made that distinction. His readings repeatedly returned to similar themes, but he also treated each person as an individual and believed that the particular combination of causes could vary considerably from one case to another.

What makes his approach interesting is the question behind it. Instead of simply asking, What can we put on the plaques?, Cayce asked something closer to: Why is the body expressing this disturbance through the skin in the first place?

Edgar Cayce and Psoriasis: His Core Idea

One of Cayce's most important ideas about psoriasis concerned the intestinal wall. In several readings he described a kind of thinning or increased permeability of the intestines, particularly in the upper portion of the small intestine.

In modern language, this would often be compared with what is now called increased intestinal permeability or “leaky gut.” Cayce believed that when the intestinal barrier was not functioning properly, substances that should have remained within the digestive tract could pass into the surrounding circulation.

From there, he believed these substances entered the blood and lymphatic system. If the ordinary organs of elimination could not deal adequately with the resulting burden, the skin might begin taking on part of that work.

In Cayce's view, psoriasis could therefore be understood partly as an attempt by the body to eliminate internally generated or absorbed waste through the skin. The plaques were not necessarily the beginning of the problem. They were the place where the problem finally became visible.

This is a very different way of looking at psoriasis. The focus shifts from simply suppressing what can be seen on the skin to improving digestion, assimilation, circulation and elimination throughout the body.

The Importance of Assimilation and Elimination

Cayce frequently paired two words that are easy to overlook: assimilation and elimination. He believed good health depended on both processes functioning together. Assimilation refers to our ability to digest food, absorb what is useful and properly use those nutrients. Elimination is the opposite movement: removing what the body no longer needs through the bowels, kidneys, lungs and skin.

From Cayce's perspective, problems could arise when either side of this equation became disturbed. The body might absorb things poorly, allow undesirable substances to enter the circulation, or fail to eliminate waste efficiently enough.

This makes his theory broader than the modern idea of “detoxification.” Cayce was concerned with the whole movement of substances through the body: what comes in, how it is processed, what is absorbed and how effectively the remainder is removed.

Why the Lymphatic System Mattered

The lymphatic system was also central to Cayce's psoriasis readings. He frequently discussed the circulation of lymph through the digestive tract and believed that abnormal absorption could place an additional burden on the body.

This is an important part of his thinking because the popular shorthand “Cayce thought psoriasis was caused by leaky gut” is actually too simple. His model involved the intestines, lymphatic circulation, blood circulation, elimination and the nervous system working together.

In other words, he did not think of the body as a collection of separate organs. A disturbance in one place could eventually produce symptoms somewhere completely different.

Slippery Elm and the Intestinal Lining

One of Cayce's best-known recommendations for psoriasis was slippery elm bark water. Slippery elm has a long history of traditional use as a soothing herb for irritated mucous membranes.

Within Cayce's system, the purpose was not to treat the plaques directly. It was intended to soothe and support the intestinal lining, which he regarded as one of the areas requiring attention.

This is an important distinction. The remedy was chosen because of his theory about where the problem began rather than because of where the symptom appeared.

American Yellow Saffron Tea

Cayce also frequently recommended what he called yellow saffron or American saffron tea. This appears to have referred to safflower rather than the expensive culinary spice normally known as saffron.

He associated the tea with digestive activity, intestinal movement and elimination. In some psoriasis programmes it was alternated with slippery elm water, with each serving a somewhat different purpose within the overall treatment.

The combination illustrates Cayce's general strategy quite nicely. One part of the treatment attempted to soothe and support the intestinal tract, while another encouraged digestion and elimination.

Diet and Psoriasis

Diet was another important part of Cayce's approach. He generally favoured plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit while reducing foods he considered difficult, irritating or unnecessarily burdensome.

He often recommended limiting fried foods, excessive sweets, alcohol and heavy foods. The exact recommendations varied from person to person rather than following one completely identical psoriasis diet.

John O. A. Pagano later developed Cayce's ideas into a much more structured dietary programme. Pagano's well-known avoidance of nightshade vegetables, for example, became an important part of the Pagano system, although it should not automatically be assumed that every detail of Pagano's diet came directly from Cayce.

What I find more useful than any rigid food list is the underlying principle: look at the person's diet as part of the whole picture rather than assuming that psoriasis exists independently of digestion and general health.

The Spine and Nervous System

Perhaps one of the more unexpected parts of Cayce's psoriasis theory was the spine. In some readings he described problems in the thoracic or “dorsal” spinal region and recommended osteopathic manipulation.

His reasoning was that disturbances in spinal nerve function could interfere with the autonomic nerves controlling digestion and circulation. Poor digestive function could then contribute to abnormal assimilation and elimination.

Whether or not one accepts every part of this explanation, the concept is interesting because it again refuses to isolate the skin. Cayce was thinking in terms of relationships between the nervous system, digestive tract, circulation and skin.

This also makes his work particularly interesting alongside the study of dermatomes, referred pain and the neurological connections of the skin. The body does not function as separate departments, even though medicine often has to divide it that way for practical purposes.

External Treatments Were Secondary

Cayce did sometimes recommend oils, ointments, baths and other external preparations for psoriasis. However, these tended to be supportive measures rather than the centre of his approach.

He was not opposed to soothing the skin. Comfortable skin matters, particularly when plaques are dry, cracked or itchy. But he generally believed that simply treating the surface would not address what he regarded as the deeper process.

I think this is a useful balance. There is no reason to leave the skin uncomfortable while looking for other influences, but neither do we have to assume that everything important is happening exactly where the rash appears.

The Role of the Mind

Cayce also included what he sometimes called “right thinking” in his approach to healing. This did not mean that he regarded psoriasis as imaginary or simply psychological. Instead, he believed that physical, mental and emotional life continually influenced one another. Patience, persistence, hope and a sense of purpose were considered part of healing rather than optional extras.

This is quite different from telling someone that stress caused their psoriasis. Stress may aggravate psoriasis in some people, but Cayce's idea was broader. He believed that the entire person participates in both illness and recovery.

Cayce Did Not Believe Every Case Was Identical

This may be one of the most important parts of his approach. Cayce was specifically asked whether psoriasis always came from the same cause, and his answer was essentially no. Although disturbances of assimilation, intestinal function and elimination appeared repeatedly, the exact pattern could differ from one person to another.

That is something I strongly agree with in practice. Two people may have a very similar-looking skin condition and yet the circumstances surrounding it can be completely different.

For one person, stress may be obvious. Another may have digestive problems. Someone else may notice seasonal changes, illness, poor sleep or particular foods. Another person may live an exceptionally healthy life and still develop psoriasis without any obvious explanation. The point is not to force everyone into one theory. It is to remain curious.

From Cayce to John Pagano

John O. A. Pagano later took Cayce's scattered psoriasis readings and developed them into a much more systematic programme. His books, particularly Healing Psoriasis and One Cause, Many Ailments, place enormous emphasis on intestinal permeability.

Pagano combined Cayce's ideas with nutrition, chiropractic thinking, intestinal cleansing, herbal remedies, external skin care and his own clinical observations. In many ways, he attempted to turn Cayce's individual readings into a practical method that could be applied more consistently.

This is why Pagano is so closely associated with the “inside-out” approach to psoriasis today. Cayce supplied much of the underlying philosophy, while Pagano organised it into a recognisable therapeutic system.

Looking Beyond the Plaques

Whether or not every part of Cayce's explanation applies to every person, I find the basic question valuable.

What if the psoriasis is only one part of the picture?

The skin is visible, so naturally it gets most of our attention. But digestion, nutrition, sleep, stress, circulation, general health and emotional wellbeing can all be worth considering as part of a broader assessment.

This does not mean searching endlessly for one hidden cause. Sometimes there may not be one. More often, there may be several smaller influences interacting with one another.

My own preference is to begin with the obvious and work outward. What does the skin need? What treatments have already been tried? When did the problem begin? What makes it better or worse? What else was happening in the person's life and health at the time? Only then do we begin looking for the less obvious pieces of the puzzle.

Is There a Pattern Behind Your Psoriasis?

If your psoriasis keeps returning despite trying creams, diets or different natural approaches, it may be useful to look at the whole pattern rather than simply searching for the next remedy.

During a free introductory call, we can talk about your psoriasis, when it began, what tends to aggravate it, what you have already tried and whether areas such as nutrition, digestion, stress, sleep or other individual factors may be worth exploring. There is no obligation to continue. Sometimes a useful first step is simply having the opportunity to tell the whole story rather than focusing only on the plaques. Book a Free Call.