I’ve always had digestive issues and was diagnosed with IBS many years ago. I had pretty much accepted that I was always going to have stomach issues and just not feel great. Then, about eighteen months ago, I had an appointment with a functional medicine doctor. Several things led me to functional medicine, which I’ll detail in another post, however the big headline from that experience was embarking on an elimination diet.
Why Try an Elimination Diet?
It’s estimated that up to a quarter of the population has food intolerances or sensitivities. They are very difficult to diagnose and using an elimination diet to determine the potential culprits is the gold standard.
Food intolerances and sensitivities are not like food allergies, which is why they are often difficult to diagnose. With an allergy, the reaction is severe and possibly life-threatening. A food intolerance is when your body can’t properly break down a food and causes diarrhea, gas and/or bloating. A sensitivity is caused by an imbalance of bacteria in your gut and can cause GI issues, fatigue, joint/muscle pain and even brain fog and headaches.
How does an Elimination Diet Work?
With an elimination diet, you remove the foods most commonly associated with sensitivities and intolerances, which in turn gives your gut an opportunity to heal. After several weeks, you re-introduce each food, one at a time, and carefully monitor your body’s reaction. During this time, you keep a food journal to capture how you’re feeling with each food or ingredient added.
Which Foods do I Eliminate?
No pain, no gain! While I felt like I was eliminating everything, there were still many options and in the end, my overall diet has significantly improved. Items I eliminated included:
- Wheat/gluten (including pasta…boo!)
- Caffeine
- Eggs
- Fish
- Processed sugar
- Nightshade (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant)
- Alcohol
- Nuts
- Corn
- Soy
- Dairy
- Legumes
It was difficult at first, but then I settled into some good options, mostly focusing on vegetables, some fruits and lean organic meats.
OMG What CAN I eat?!
Avocado, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa and roasted/pickled beets became staples. Lean, organic meats could be grilled, baked or pan-seared in olive or avocado oil. I drank lots of water.
I remember being tired the first week or so, likely because I was coming out of my sugar and caffeine high. Then two weeks into the elimination diet, I started to sleep better and feel better. When it came time to begin introducing foods back into my diet, I was hesitant because I felt so good.
What I Learned
I learned I have an intolerance to dairy and gluten. While I haven’t eliminated them completely, I eat very little of either. I’ve also cut back on processed sugar. I have a huge sweet tooth and reducing my sugar intake has probably been the most difficult change.
Another benefit of this process for me was weight loss. I’ve dropped nearly twenty pounds and have managed to keep it off. I wasn’t striving for a particular weight, but my clothes were tight and I just wanted to feel good.
This process was really good for me. I’m eating much healthier and feel so much better. I do think it’s advisable to consult with a physician or nutritionist when going down this path. It’s important to eat a healthy, nutritionally-balanced diet to be able to identify sensitivities or intolerances.
I would love to hear about your experiences with food elimination diets!
