Hi everyone
Over 4 years ago my daughter was diagnosed with vitiligo. Since then, I have done research in hopes of finding a "cure". My searches always ended up with no answers. Its been so frustrating.
About a year and a half ago, I saw this guy, Dr. Joel Fuhrman on the Dr. Oz show. He was talking about how to lose weight by eating a plant based diet etc etc. I was interested because I was about 10 -15 lbs overweight and summer was coming soon - so I looked him up on the internet and saw he had a book called Eat to Live. I ran out the next day and purchased the book, read it in 3 days and my life hasnt been the same since. His book isnt just about losing weight, its about how our diets affect us. How it affects our health is so very many different ways. Food I had no idea was bad for us. So in addition to losing the weight I wanted to, I have also become responsible for my health and this journey has enlighten me to so much I didnt know.
In addition to Eat to Live, he has another book called Super Immunity. This book goes more into the science behind why and how food affects our health. It just makes it easier to understand. And so through these 2 books, also a support group on facebook (if anyone interested I will share that link) and through other doctors and their research on the subject (nutritionfacts.org is a great informational website with tons of research done on autoimmune issues and lots and lots of informative videos by Dr. Greger) I have come to believe that my daughters vitiligo can be "cured" by changing her diet to a mostly plant based diet (this is little different than a vegan diet in that it focuses on eating mostly vegetables, fruit, beans, raw nuts and seeds, with very little grains. The idea is for our bodies to get as much nutrition on a daily basis as possible. To give our bodies what it needs to protect us against auto immune diseases, cancer, diabetes, etc etc etc.
So my problem is that although my daughter believes that I might be right, she just isnt ready to make that change to her diet. Ofcourse I am frustrated but I understand. And although I am 100% a nutritarian (phrase coined by dr. fuhrman) - I can not imposed my diet on the rest of my family. Especially since they arent little kids.
So until she is ready - I thought I would come on here and post my thoughts and beliefs and hope that someone here is interested and will give it a try. It is a drastic change for most of us. I was a meat eating, dairy eating, processed food addict, like most of the rest of America, but all of that has changed and I am a much happier and healthier person today than I was a year and a half ago.
Thanks and if and when my daughter is ready, I will let you all know how it goes :)
Replies
Debbie: we watched and read some of the same things, and made the same decision. But you're right about the balance of control/agency with children, as forcing often leads to getting the opposite of what we hope for. :) I've been a VERY healthy eater for a couple of years now, but it hasn't, unfortunately, made a difference in my Vitiligo. Which isn't to say that we all have Vitiligo for the same reason, or that it might now work for your daughter. In our family, it's me with the Vitiligo, but we do have a 15 year old daughter (who's not as into the healthy eating as we are), we like talking about food, the food industry, and what's really going on; so if you ever get to North Carolina, let me know and we'll share a healthy meal together.
Hi Steve
Just curious, are you eating a vegan plant based diet? The research that I've done (and heard about getting results for) is just that. No meat, no dairy... very little whole grains. Mostly veggies, fruit, beans, raw seeds and nuts.
My daughter does believe this is will help her but just isnt ready for it. I've been eating this way for over a year and a half. and have never felt better :)
Thanks.
Yes, plant based. And yes, I feel really good. I just haven't seen a change in my Vitiligo. I'm OK with that. Maybe her situation would be different, but if it was just moving to a plant-based diet, I think we'd have some jumping up and down around here... and that hasn't happened. Vitiligo went for me from being a curse to a blessing, but it took some real time and it took me learning how to "own" it. I think for a teenage girl it could be quite hard. It's one thing to say, "well, it's not cancer or something worse;" it's another to actually feel OK about it. Truly, though, learning how to move forward in the world with confidence even with something visibly obvious like Vitiligo has taught me so much about what truly matters in life that I wouldn't have it any other way.
Thats a wonderful outlook and I think my daughter does feel OK about it now too. She was diagnosed at 13, she is now 17, almost 18. It is on her face, so it was difficult when she was initially diagnosed, but she bounced back quickly and I feel so lucky that she hasnt let it get her down. She is a confident girl and I am so proud of her.
I am still hopeful about the change of diet (if she ever gives it a try) and even if it doesnt help her re pigment - I know how important a plant based diet is for our overall health. I'm hopefully that my whole family will follow my lead eventually. :)