The Elimination Diet For Allergies

When you suspect that yourself or a loved one may be allergic to a food, but are not sure, then the elimination diet should root out the cause of illness. Any restricted diet puts health at risk and any long term removal of major foods should be carried out under professional guidance. Pinpointing culprit foods is difficult since only a few people are sensitive to one single allergen. Eliminating only one food from the diet is rarely effective. All the suspect foods have to be cut out simultaneously for at least a fortnight for any improvements to be observed. Testing' the effects of individual foods by returning them piecemeal to the daily regime is futile unless all symptoms have gone.

The following foods should not be eaten during the first two weeks of the exclusion diet:

Foods:

Preserved meats, Bacon and Sausages, Smoked Fish and Shellfish, Citrus fruit, Wheat, Oats, Barley, Rye and Corn, Potatoes, Onions and Sweetcorn, Nuts, Corn oil, Dairy products, Cheese, Margarine and Eggs.

Drinks:

Tea (other than herbal), Coffee, Alcohol, Fruit Squashes and Fresh Citrus juices.

These should all be omitted from the diet, as should vinegar, yeast, chocolate and all foods containing chemical preservatives.

After 14 days introduce foods back into your diet in this order: Potatoes, Cow's milk, Yeast, Tea, Rye, Butter, Onions, Eggs, Oats, Coffe, Chocolate, Barley, Citrus Fruits, Corn, Cheese, White Wine, Shellfish, Yoghurt, Vinegar, Wheat and nuts.

Try only one new food every two days and if there is a reaction, do not try it again for at least a month. Continue to add new foods again when symptoms have stopped.

Keep a record of the foods you return to your meals and you can soon build a list of food your body tolerates- and those which should be eliminated. There is no reason to avoid foods which don't cause problems when returned to your diet.

Though every doctor's approach to the elimination diet differs, overall results are remarkably consistent. Initially, affected by withdrawal, the patient often feels worse, but after six or seven days there is improvement as the symptoms disappear.