Role Of Diet In Vitiligo

• Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition marked by white depigmented patches that develop and enlarge in certain section of the skin. Formation of these patches is associated with destruction of pigment called melanin. This pigment melanin is responsible for giving color to the skin.

• Any skin condition is treated better and faster if proper diet is observed during the treatment. Vitiligo is also not an exception.

Following points should be kept in mind as far as diet is concerned in vitiligo

Increase intake of foods containing vit B12: Dairy products like skimmed milk, curd and sprouted beans are also a good source of Vit B12. So patients of vitiligo should consume above items more.

Increase intake of omega 3 fatty acids: Omega 3 fatty acids are very important in terms of skin nutrition. One should include flax seed, flax seeds oil, walnut, chia seeds.

Avoid junk foods: Studies have shown that children who have habit of eating a lot of junk are at a high risk of developing vitiligo. Also a lot of intake of chocolates, cheese, coffee is also not good for patients with vitiligo.

Vitamin D: Include Vitamin D in the diet. So increase intake of milk and soymilk in the diet. Best and free source of Vitamin D is the sunlight. One should make a habit of sitting and exposing the vitiligo affected part to the sunlight.

Whole grains: Eating whole grains have a great benefit as they contain lots of fibers, they free the body from toxins. Grains like oats be taken in a large amount in vitiligo. Oats are having high content of Vitamin E which is known to boost skin health.

As far as possible opt for vegetarian diet: Avoiding non-veg foods and starting with pure vegetarian diet offers a great benefit to the vitiligo patients. Spinach and Garlic have more benefits. Spinach is known to repair skin damage and garlic is a good source of natural antibiotic. So These two should be consumed more.

Following food items should be avoided if you are suffering from vitiligo

Avoid sour fruits like oranges, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries etc

Beef, red meat etc. should also be avoided. Because they are very heavy to digest and if not digested well they can form toxins in the body. Which in turn aggravate the vitiligo.

Pickles, spicy food, preservative added foods, soft drinks, carbonated drinks etc. play havoc with the health in vitiligo and they aggravate the condition. So these items are a big no in vitiligo.

Foods with added artificial colors and flavors are also to be avoided in vitiligo.

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