Overview
Do you have a hunch that something in your diet is preventing you from feeling your best? It may be a sign that you have a food sensitivity, and a qualified health professional can help you know for sure. Not all food sensitivities are easy to test for, and that's why clinicians may use an elimination diet as part of the diagnosis process. Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, CLT, of PilatesNutritionist.com attests, "Elimination diets remain the gold standard in confirming food sensitivities." Strange as it may sound, it's important not to dwell on the "elimination" part of the process. Elimination diets should be about finding the foods that work best for your body.
Why Would You Try an Elimination Diet?
If you're experiencing consistent symptoms, including stomach upset, skin rashes or fatigue, an elimination diet might be right for you. By eliminating some foods for a short-term period, you can identify "trigger foods" that may be causing these side effects. More importantly for the long term, an elimination diet helps identify the foods that will nourish and delight without negative side effects. Elimination diets are unique to the individual, therefore there is no one "best" elimination diet. An elimination diet may not be right for you if you know you have a food allergy that causes anaphylaxis, in which case you should be working closely with your health care team, including a qualified dietitian, to manage your condition.
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What Is the Elimination Diet?
Briefly, the elimination diet includes five steps: assess, plan, avoid, challenge and change. The assessment phase includes keeping and analyzing a food and symptom tracker. The plannning phase involves preparing yourself, your household and your kitchen for what you're about to do. The avoidance phase is when you eliminate all of the trigger foods identified in the assessment phase. This is the phase when you are putting a lot of your preparation and planning into action. The challenge phase is when you start to reintroduce foods, one at a time, back in to your diet to determine whether they are safe for you. The change phase is when you incorporate changes to the way you will eat for the long term so that you can keep your symptoms at bay. Your diet during the change phase is the foundation for an ongoing maintenance diet.
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RECIPE 1: Kale, Avocado and Hemp Seed Salad With Pickled Onions
This recipe is incredibly flavorful and is a great example of the worlds of flavor that are possible outside of the major eight allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy). This is more proof that an elimination diet is not about eliminating foods, but is ultimately about finding the right foods for you. Think of it as an opportunity to enjoy great food. Recipe courtesy of Rachel Begun, M.S., RDN, special diets expert and certified natural chef. CALORIES: 530
Related: See Complete Recipe and Nutritional Info in LIVESTRONG.COM's Calorie Tracker
RECIPE 2: Grilled Chicken With Basil-Garlic Pesto
Grilled chicken is a snap and super healthy, and pesto is simple and delicious (plus, you can save leftovers in ice trays and use them for recipes later in the following days and weeks). According to the "Food Lover's Companion," a pesto is made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan or Pecorino cheese and olive oil. However, pesto can actually be made with any of a number of herbs, and we can adapt the classic ingredients to make it elimination-diet friendly. CALORIES: 409
Related: See Complete Recipe and Nutritional Info in LIVESTRONG.COM's Calorie Tracker
RECIPE 3: Sweet and Savory Grain-Free Granola
Once you've figured out what you can and can't eat in order to feel your best, then it's time to explore all the great-tasting and healthful foods that will work for you. If gluten, wheat or other grains are giving you trouble, try this healthy and hearty granola recipe, courtesy of Rachel Begun, M.S., RDN, special diets expert and certified natural chef. CALORIES: 388
Related: See Complete Recipe and Nutritional Info in LIVESTRONG.COM's Calorie Tracker
This dish is great any time of year, but its rich textures and deep flavors are perfect on a brisk day in fall. Wild rice is earthy and strong enough to stand up to the flavor of Brussels sprouts, and sweet potato has that satisfying mouthfeel and touch of sweetness that complements the pork. This recipe is from my book, "The Elimination Diet Workbook" (Ulysses Press, 2014). CALORIES: 556
Related: See Complete Recipe and Nutritional Info in LIVESTRONG.COM's Calorie Tracker
RECIPE 5: Steamed Artichoke With Olive Oil and Lemon Dipping Sauce
A steamed artichoke is a simple, beautiful thing. When fully cooked, some of the outer leaves may still be tough; simply discard them and go for the more tender outer leaves that have more "meat" on them. When you get to the inner leaves, some will be so tender you can eat them whole. Last but not least, remove the fuzzy choke to reveal the prized artichoke heart. This recipe is from my book, "The Elimination Diet Workbook" (Ulysses Press, 2014). CALORIES: 98
Related: See Complete Recipe and Nutritional Info in LIVESTRONG.COM's Calorie Tracker
What Do You Think?
Do you think you'd benefit from an elimination diet? What would be the most challenging part for you? Would you seek out a qualified health professional to coach you through the process? In addition to food allergies and sensitivities, there is something to be said for eliminating "junk" from the diet. Are you simply interested in resetting your palate and sharpening your senses to sugar, salt and processed foods through a few weeks of simple eating? Thinking about optimal health (versus food sensitivities), what kinds of foods would you be willing to cut out today?
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