When it comes to getting help to maintain their beauty, celebrities stop at nothing.
Reality star Kim Kardashian West, 38, who was diagnosed in 2011 with psoriasis- a skin condition that speeds up the life cycle of skin cells - has expanded her treatment to the spirit world, calling on a medical medium for help.
In a recent episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, West, takes a meeting with medium Anthony William, who has 1.9 million followers on Instagram, in the hopes that he can provide some guidance or healing for her condition.
“The medical medium can talk to spirit, but he’s not a real doctor,” says West. “I’m all about mediums, I’m so obsessed. Anyone that knows me knows I love connecting to the spirit world. So yeah, if he can tell me anything about my psoriasis and how to fix it, I’m down to see what happens.”
The episode shows West meeting with William, and she shows him a blotchy red psoriasis flare-up on her leg. His proposed cure?
“Celery juice is gonna neutralise that copper,” he says. “Your psoriasis will start going away, and that’s why I want you on it.”
William’s website bills him as the originator of the “Global Celery Juice Movement”, which encourages people to drink it daily on an empty stomach as a “healing practice” for problems like digestive issues, skin conditions, migraines and fatigue.
While medical medium consultation is not common in South Africa, globally it has taken off as an alternative source of healing.
It’s been endorsed by stars such as singer and producer Pharrell Williams, supermodel Miranda Kerr, and actor Sylvester Stallone.
Unine van Rooyen, national corporate trainer at Dermalogica South Africa, says when you’re investigating treatment for chronic skin diseases like psoriasis, it’s important to separate fact from fiction and understand how complex inflammatory skin diseases are, and more specifically what psoriasis is.
“It’s a skin disease that involves the immune system, genetics, environmental factors and even lifestyle. No one knows exactly what causes psoriasis.”
Van Rooyen says with any advice you seek, whether nutritional, medical or skin health, consulting an expert in the field is crucial. Unfortunately one approach is not always possible to manage skin conditions that have multiple triggers and factors involved.
The skin is the largest organ of the body and greatly impacted through lifestyle, stress, environment (climate, pollution, UV rays), diet and hormonal balances.
A healthy lifestyle, avoiding common triggers and following the advise of your dermatologist and skin care expert are all crucial in managing psoriasis. This skin disease has been around for centuries - medical professionals and scientists have been researching triggers and treatments for many years.