Some people with vitiligo may have gluten sensitivity or intolerance. They may benefit from avoiding gluten, which is present in: wheat and wheat-based flour, including all-purpose flour.
Further, it has also been reported that a gluten-free diet (GFD) can improve the symptoms of immune-related skin diseases such as vitiligo.
Gluten sensitivity
There is, therefore, a clear link between gluten and autoimmune disease in the sense that people with coeliac disease, an autoimmune disease, should avoid the protein found in wheat, barley and rye at all costs.
Whole grain: Foods like oats, brown rice, white rice, couscous, corn, quinoa is very healthy for vitiligo patients.
Make sure a major bulk of your diet consists of these vegetables, as long as you do not find it difficult to digest them. Protein – In case you yearn for animal products, opt for chicken breast, lean cuts of turkey, wild fish, and organic eggs. It is good to cook them lightly.
Stomach and Digestive Issues.
From bloating, to diarrhea, to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, to far more serious conditions, wheat is a common culprit. Many of these problems are a direct result of the inflammation and tiny holes in your intestines that are caused by gluten (which we discuss below).
People with celiac disease must stay away from all grains with gluten. People with wheat allergy often only need to stay away from wheat and can eat the other grains. So following a gluten-free diet may be limiting. But gluten-free foods should be safe for people with wheat allergy.
Like dairy products, whole-wheat products can be part of a healthy diet. However, a protein found in wheat, called gluten, is associated with inflammation and joint pain in certain individuals.
Gluten and gut inflammation
Gluten is a structural protein, which makes up about 80% of the wheat protein. It consists mostly of glutenins and gliadins. Gliadin molecules carry antigenic sites, which can cause immune activation resulting in celiac disease (a gut inflammatory disease).
Some of the foods to avoid that are known to affect the immune system in people with autoimmune diseases include: Nightshade vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. Grains like wheat, rice, oats, rye, barley, and foods made from grains such as breakfast cereals, bread, pasta.
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide, but only about 30% are properly diagnosed.
Protect your skin from the sun.
A bad sunburn can worsen vitiligo. If you have a lighter skin tone, there's another advantage to protecting your skin from the sun. Without a tan, the lighter spots and patches are often less noticeable.
Avoid inflammatory foods for vitiligo.
Sugary drinks. Trans fats, found in fried foods. White bread. White pasta.
Sometimes an event – such as a sunburn, emotional distress, or exposure to a chemical – can trigger vitiligo or make it worse.
There's no scientific evidence to suggest that people actually go through “withdrawal” when they stop eating gluten. Some people report feeling dizziness, nausea, extreme hunger and even anxiety and depression when they suddenly go from eating a lot of gluten to being gluten-free.
Recent research has shown that wheat consumption in “healthy normals” can cause a condition called leaky gut. Leaky gut tends to promote low-grade inflammation, which is an underlying characteristic of heart disease, cancer and autoimmune problems. High wheat-based diets often have a high glycaemic index, or “High GI”.
Wheat products and derivatives can be found in many foods, including ale and beer, baked goods (cakes, cookies, and muffins), baking mixes (pancakes, waffles, cakes, etc.), batter-fried and breaded foods, cereals, crackers, energy bars, pasta, pizza dough, processed meats, salad dressing, sauces, soup, and etc.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. A gluten-free product may be safe for those who are allergic to wheat because the product should not contain wheat ingredients.
A non-vegetarian diet, including meat, eggs, and dairy products, is a good source of Vitamin B12. The normal B12 consumption is 2.4 μg per day. Only fifty to sixty percent is absorbed [16,17]. Vitamin B12 has been shown to be useful for repigmentation in patients suffering from vitiligo.
Patients of vitiligo often suffer from vitamin D deficiency and foods that can help them fight this nutrient deficiency are sardines, tuna, fortified foods, salmon, egg yolk, mushrooms, etc. Oral supplements of vitamin B-3 also help fight the disease because vitamin B-3 deficiency is one of the main causes of vitiligo.
Light therapy.
Phototherapy with narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB) has been shown to stop or slow the progression of active vitiligo. It might be more effective when used with corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors. You'll need therapy two to three times a week.