Why try an elimination diet?
For those of us who have struggled with weight gain, lack of energy, a growing “muffin top,” and a host of other symptoms that leave us perplexed and frustrated, an elimination diet often provides the answers we need.
That tiredness, bloating, skin rash, or brain fog we’ve been experiencing could be the result of food sensitivities. Although we try to write off these varying discomforts as nothing to be overly worried about, they really might be directly related to what you’re eating. The way to know for sure whether what you’re eating is causing you these woes is to try an elimination diet.
On an elimination diet, you avoid certain foods for a few weeks. After you get these foods out of your system and take note of the changes in your health that you experience, you’ll slowly reintroduce the eliminated foods into your diet, one at a time, and see how your body responds.
Food sensitivity symptoms
Food intolerances don’t always manifest as a major allergic reaction, such as a swollen tongue and puffy eyes. In fact, the majority of food sensitivities show up as common discomforts, such as dry skin, itching, bloating, digestive upsets, headaches, fatigue, migraines, and achy joints. You might suffer from just one of these symptoms or a combination of them.
With a food sensitivity, you have a delayed reaction to certain foods, but you may not notice the symptoms immediately. In fact, symptoms might be delayed for up to two days after you eat the problem food. You don’t need to panic if you only experience symptoms once in a while, but if foggy thinking, aches and pains, skin issues, or bloating are a daily occurrence, you should definitely try the elimination diet. Being able to do something about whatever symptom you’re facing will help you return to normal and feel more like yourself once again.
I know that most of the symptoms I mentioned above could apply to a wide swath of illnesses. However, an elimination diet will help you pinpoint the source of that mysterious bloating that occurs even when you’re not menstruating–or whichever other symptom seems to be bedeviling you.
Inflammation and the elimination diet
Inflammation is the body’s response to threats like stress, infection, or toxic chemicals. When your immune system senses one of these dangers, it responds by activating proteins meant to protect cells and tissues.
However, when immune cells start to overreact, for example, to foods that don’t serve our bodies well, inflammation can start to work against us. That’s what happens when you eat something to which you’re sensitive.
Inflammation can cause significant damage over time and, if left unchecked, can lead to many chronic illness.
Getting rid of any chronic inflammation in the body is a key benefit of engaging in an elimination diet. It will make you more aware of the foods that cause you to become inflamed.
How to carry out an elimination diet
Eager to get started? The elimination diet has 2 phases: elimination and reintroduction. I recommend that you keep a daily journal to keep track of (1) how you feel as you take certain food items out of your diet and (2) what happens when you reintroduce those foods. You want keep track of any and all changes you experience, whether good or bad.
The elimination phase
During this first phase, you must eliminate–for up to three weeks–any foods that might be triggering your unwelcome symptoms. The culprit foods that you will avoid will include dairy, citrus, corn, nuts, eggs, seafood, pork, gluten, wheat, and nightshade vegetables (eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, and several other vegetables in that family). Many of these foods are loaded with pesticides and fungicides, are often highly processed, and are genetically modified. They put an excessive load on the body’s systems.
You’ll be taking notes during these three weeks so that you can track your progress and feelings of well-being. I’ve had clients experience weight loss, increased energy, less bloating, clearer skin, and fewer headaches and inflammation.
As your symptoms begin to clear up, you’ll realize that you’re ready for the next phase of the elimination diet. If you don’t experience any changes during the elimination phase, you probably should schedule a checkup with your doctor.
The reintroduction phase
Next, you’ll slowly return those eliminated foods to your diet. The key is to introduce one type of eliminated food (gluten, soy, dairy, corn) at a time over a period of 2 to 3 days. Keep an eye out for the symptoms you were experiencing prior to starting the elimination diet. If anything you reintroduce sets off your symptoms, then you’ll know that you need to eliminate that food item.
A word of caution: Sometimes, you’ll find that several types of reintroduced foods bring your symptoms back. Should that happen, schedule a checkup with your doctor or see a dietitian or nutritionist. They can help you fine-tune your nutrition while showing you how to avoid foods that trigger your symptoms. The goal is to avoid the symptoms and still remain on a nutritionally sound diet.
Are you willing to devote the time to carry out an elimination diet? Doing so could just be the start of a life free of discomfort and inflammation. The time you invest will be absolutely worth it!
Which symptoms do you identify with that could possibly be cleared up permanently through an elimination diet?
P.S.: Spring is a mere two weeks away, and the Spring 5-Day Detox for Beginners is around the corner, too! April 8-12, 2019, is when we get ourselves spruced up from the inside out–body, mind, and spirit. Stay tuned for more details!
Leave a Reply