All posts by : Staff

Ideally, a six-week elimination diet assesses food intolerances and irritants accurately.  A favorable response can occur within two weeks, but it is rare.

• Omit food intolerances and irritants from the diet for six weeks. 

• Reintroduce suspected food irritants or intolerances one at a time back into the diet, while checking for adverse reactions.

• Use organically grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

• Set up the diet so that foods in the same family are not repeated within a 3 day period.

The Hypoallergenic diet

Foods to eat for the six-week period:
 

Rice/Broccoli                Cauliflower                 Lettuce                        Spinach
Squash                         Cabbage                     Olive oil                      Rice Vinegar
Peaches                       Cherries                       Filtered water             Sea salt
Turkey (organic)           *Cranberries                *Apricots                    *Beets
*Prunes                         Quinoa                        Teff                             Beans
Millet                            Sweet potatoes           Yams                          Legumes
Juices from the fruits list above                                                          Lentils
Eat grains

*Cook these foods to decrease antigenicity, the degree to which a substance induces an immune response.

Common food irritants and intolerances

Foods to omit from the diet for the six-week period:

Dairy                            Refined sugar               Soy Products
Citrus                           Eggs                             Tomatoes                    Bananas
Seafood                       Potatoes                       Corn                            Pork
Beef                             Peanuts                        Wheat
Caffeine products – chocolate, tea, coffee, soda

Directions:
Withdrawal Phase

• Eat the hypoallergenic diet for six weeks.

Reintroduction/Challenge Phase

If an unpleasant reaction occurs, discontinue the food and make a note of the reactions (feelings, bloating, mucous production, mental change, chills, etc.) in the symptom diary.

1. After the six-week period, choose one suspected food irritant or intolerance.

2. Eat the suspected food at each meal for 1-2 days.

3. If there is a reaction, discontinue eating the food and wait for the symptoms to clear before introducing another.

4. If there is no reaction, it is possible that you are not sensitive to the food.

5. Reintroduce a second suspected irritant or intolerance in the same way, and observe any effects.

6. Continue reintroduction of additional foods until all foods have been checked.

Partial list of noted reactions to food irritants and intolerances

The following reactions can occur during the withdrawal phase or during the reintroduction/challenge phase of the anti-inflammatory diet.

• Skin reactions – itching, burning, hives, red spots, sweating, etc.

• Ear, Nose, & Throat – sneezing, runny nose, sore or dry throat, hoarseness, ringing in the ears, dizziness

• Eyes – Blurring, spots before eyes, watering, pain, sore or dry throat, hoarseness, ringing in the ears, dizziness

• Respiratory – wheezing, mucous formation, shortness of breath, tightness of chest, asthma

• Cardiovascular – pounding heart, increased heart rate, flushing, tingling, faintness

• Gastrointestinal – increased salivation, canker sores, indigestion, bloating, stomachache, heartburn, colic, constipation, pain diarrhea, gas, itching or burning of rectum or anus. 

One may also experience weight gain from a food intolerance

• Genitourinary – frequent, urgent or painful urination, inability to control bladder, itching, discharge, pain, water retention

• Musculoskeletal – Fatigue, weakness, pain, swelling, stiffness of joints, backache

• Nervous System – headache, migraine, drowsiness, inability to concentrate, depression, irritability, restlessness, hyperactivity, dizziness, numbness, tremors