ELIMINATION DIET
Food allergies and food intolerances are a major source of undesirable symptoms that negatively impact the quality of life of many people. Many health care practitioners believe that the only definitive way to identify and manage adverse food reactions is through the use of an elimination diet followed by carefully organized food challenges. This can be a difficult process to follow as it requires strict dietary changes. However, it can be incredibly rewarding to identify foods that are causing unpleasant reactions.
Below are some guidelines for a standard elimination diet. It is best to work with your health care provider during this process.
Foods to include:
• All vegetables and fruits except those listed below
• Beans
• Brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, tapioca, and flours made of these grains
• Chicken, turkey, lamb, and cold-water fish; choose organic/free-range as much as possible
• Clarified butter (ghee]
• Nuts except soy and peanuts
• Olive, sunflower, safflower, and flaxseed oil
• Salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh herbs
• Water, herbal teas, rice milk, vegetable juice, and fruit juice (drink sparingly and avoid orange juice]
Foods to avoid:
• Alcohol, soft drinks, juice cocktails, coffee, and chocolate
• Beef, pork, veal, and deli meats
• Citrus fruit (oranges, orange juice, and grapefruit), apples, and strawberries
• Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream) and eggs
• Eggplant, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and bell peppers
• Foods containing yeast (breads and baked goods unless yeast and gluten-free)
• MSG, food dyes, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners
• Soy products (soy nuts, soy milk, tofu) and peanuts
• Sugar (white and brown) and foods containing sugar
• Trans fatty acids (hydrogenated oils, which are found in margarines and many baked goods and processed foods)
• Wheat (found in bread, pasta, cereals, sauces, thickeners, and as a filler in processed meats)
If salicylates and/or amines are a suspected allergen, then you will also need to avoid tomatoes, broccoli, olives, spinach, mushrooms, avocado, all dried fruit, smoked meats, canned fish, soy sauce, miso, and vinegars.
Follow these dietary guidelines for at least one month to cleanse the body of the offending food. Take time to plan your meals, and eat a variety of the allowed foods. Stock your cupboard and refrigerator with the allowed foods. Read food labels and find out about food ingredients and preparation methods when dining out. Keep a food diary, noting what you are eating and any symptoms that you experience.
It is not uncommon to experience withdrawal symptoms within the first week, such as headaches, food cravings, and changes in bowel function. This occurs as the body detoxifies and adjusts to your new diet. Coffee drinkers typically experience more severe symptoms such as headache and a foggy-headed feeling when caffeine is stopped.
After following the diet for 30 days, reintroduce one food item at a time into your diet. This re-addition of foods is called the «challenge» phase of the diet. On the first day of food challenges, a food is eaten one to three times during the day. Over the next few days, return to the elimination diet, and watch for the return of any symptoms. If any symptoms develop, it is possible that you are allergic or intolerant to that reintroduced food.
It can take several months to complete an elimination and challenge diet. It is best to do this only if you can commit to following the strict guidelines. Cheating will defeat the purpose and hinder your ability to detect potential allergens or intolerances. Keep in mind that if you’ve had a severe (anaphylactic) reaction to certain foods, this method can’t be used. It is advisable to work with a health care professional when considering an elimination diet so that you can get proper nutritional advice, recommendations on supplements, and monitoring throughout this process.
