Vitiligo is an auto-immune disease in which the cells responsible for the colour of the skin are destroyed and damaged by the immune system resulting in white patches on the skin.

Dietary and lifestyle changes can make a difference. Here are a list of few foods you should eat and avoid to prevent the worsening of the skin disease.

According to the vitiligo support International, vitiligo is also caused due to various deficiencies and therefore increase in intake of certain foods can improve the skin condition and prevent its worsening.

Though there is no diet that is customised for vitiligo patients, diet rich in nutrients and lots of water can boost the immune system with beta-carotene, photochemical and antioxidants.

• According to Healthline, foods like bananas, apples, radish, carrots, chickpeas, figs and dates can be helpful in preventing vitiligo.

• People with celiac disease who eat gluten-free diet can benefit from it and reduce the symptoms of 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. Foods that can prove to be beneficial include: fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, legumes, whole grains, etc.

According to the Vitiligo Speciality Clinic, there are certain foods that should be avoided to manage the symptoms of vitiligo.

• Juicy fruits rich in vitamin C like oranges and lemon, fermented foods like yogurt, alcohol and others like red meat, fish can cause the white patches to spread and worsen the condition.

• Omga-3 triggers vitiligo spots. Therefore, people should avoid omega-3 capsules and reduce the intake through foods too. The foods that are rich in omega-3 include flax seeds, walnuts, kidney beans, soya oil, chia seeds, seaweed, etc

• Certain meats can act as a foreign body for the pigment producing melanocyte cells and disturb their re-pigmentation process as well. Avoid over consumption of meats and milk as milk protein disrupts the re-pigmentation cycle which is important for vitiligo prevention.

• Certain vitamins and herbs may help reduce discolouration of the skin. They include beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin D, enzymes, ginkgo Biloba and amino acids.

• You can prevent recurrence of vitiligo with a few minerals like copper, zinc and iron. Use copper bottles or utensils to drink water.

• You can cook your food in a cast-iron skillet to increase the iron intake. Since foods containing zinc are often restricted in a vitiligo diet, you can take oral supplements for them.