Elimination Diet Guidance in Reston, VA
For those living with a food intolerance, or even a food allergy, every meal can feel like a game of Russian roulette. Each fork-full could be the one to set off a dreaded allergic reaction. The stress , and sometimes violent reaction, can be enough to make anyone want to stop eating altogether. That’s the basis for an elimination diet.
As the name suggests, an elimination diet is one in which you eliminate specific foods. Unlike traditional diets, however, excess fat is not the only thing being dropped. In an elimination diet, you avoid the food suspected of causing your allergy and symptoms.
How to do an Elimination Diet?
While it may seem like a simple, do-it-yourself diet, an elimination diet is completed under the watchful eye of a medical professional.
There are a series of steps to an elimination diet, allowing you to eliminate only what’s needed.
Step one:
The first thing to do is stop eating foods you and your doctor believe may be causing your symptoms. Common food allergies include milk, eggs, nuts, seafood, soy, wheat/gluten, and several more. You’ll end up ditching entire groups of foods in this step. However, with the removal of these foods, your allergic symptoms should subside. If you’re symptoms persist, it’s highly likely another food is the root of your allergy.
You’ll need to check labels and ask waiters/cooks about specific ingredients in the things you eat. A food journal is also a good idea; it’s a great way to refer to a specific meal in the event you had a violent reaction. It’s also necessary to supplement any lost nutrients with foods of equal effect and nutritional value .
Step two:
With the help of your doctor, you’ll add foods back to your diet one-by-one. This may be a nerve-wracking step, but an essential one. By adding back foods suspected of causing attacks or symptoms, you’ll likely discover that many may not pose a risk. It’s also a way for your doctor to confirm the connection between individual foods and unique symptoms. This is sometimes called a food challenge test.
Step three:
Once again eliminate foods, this time for good. In this final step, you ditch foods that produce an adverse reaction, and never eat them again. The goal is not to deprive you of foods, but remove the exact ones which cause harm from your diet. Working with your doctor and a nutritionist, you can find available alternatives to supplement the eliminated food. You may even like the alternative better.
Before You Start an Elimination Diet
Like any diet , treatment or medication, it’s best to check with a trained medical professional before starting. No two people are alike and what may work for one person, may not work for you.
If you’ve been suffering from an undiagnosed (or confirmed) food allergy or intolerance, an elimination diet may help you narrow down the specific triggers and could be the answer to staying allergy-free.
Request more information about Elimination Diet Guidance today. Call (703) 822-5003 or contact Proactive Wellness Center online.
Proactive Wellness Center
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