So … I’m vegan. And gluten-free. Not by choice, and I don’t think I would make that choice again if I had to. But this is the first step towards battling the scarring and ugly beast known as psoriasis.

Now, I’m a meat-loving, barbecue-endorsing, burger-inventing southerner from the great country of Texas. But I hung up my steak tongs and picked up my hipster jeans to make sure that I’m healthy, not only for myself, but for my soon-to-be wife. It’s a struggle to go from nearly 5 pounds of meat a week to 0 in the course of a month, but the transition has been less stressful than I once thought. But the pain and withdrawal is real and I intend to rant and rave my pain away here. Writing is a cathartic exercise for me, and I hope that at the very least, some people will find some amusement in my ramblings.

So for the first record, I know that red meats are definitely a no-no and applying a moisturizing cream to the affected areas are a yes-yes. Lotus root and dal (lentil-like legumes)-based curries work really well for me, and even a little bit of gluten will cause tingling within minutes.

Lastly, I’d like to thank my beautiful partner for being with me through all of this and even sharing my diet so that I don’t have to suffer through it all alone. Here’s to the next year of psoriasis treatment.