Elimination diet
An elimination diet is a dietary approach used primarily to identify food sensitivities and intolerances. This method involves removing specific foods from the diet, often common allergens, for a period typically ranging from two to eight weeks. During this time, individuals monitor their health and any symptoms they experience to determine if the removal of these foods leads to improvement. After the elimination phase, foods are gradually reintroduced one at a time to observe any adverse reactions, allowing individuals to pinpoint specific problematic foods.
The process is based on trial and error and can require patience, as it may take time to identify the triggers. Common symptoms that elimination diets may address include digestive issues, skin reactions, and fatigue. The diets may include well-known plans such as the low-FODMAP diet or gluten-free diet, and they often involve the exclusion of a range of food groups. Historical context shows that elimination diets were popularized in the early 20th century as a more reliable method for diagnosing food allergies than previous testing methods. Overall, this approach emphasizes careful observation of health and nutrition while navigating dietary changes.
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Elimination diet
An elimination diet is a type of diet used to diagnose food sensitivities in patients. It is also referred to as an exclusion diet and involves figuring out which foods create adverse health effects. These effects may be the result of food allergies intolerances, or a combination of several factors. Elimination diets usually begin with a comprehensive removal of common food allergens or triggers. Foods can be eliminated in groups or individually. This elimination usually lasts between two to eight weeks. During this period, the patient tries to determine how the food’s removal has affected his or her health. The food is gradually reintroduced into the diet to assess any changes in health. If the food proves to be the cause of certain symptoms, it can be permanently eliminated from a person’s diet. The process relies on trial and error and can take a long time before the problem food is identified. Some common elimination diets include the low-FODMAP (indigestible carbohydrates) diet, gluten free diet, the few foods elimination diet, and the rare food elimination diet.
Overview
Elimination diets date back to the early twentieth century when California-based physician Albert Rowe introduced his dietary theory in 1926. Rowe found that the common practice of skin scratch tests was unreliable to identify food allergies in patients. He laid out an elimination diet plan to identify food allergies, which he believed was the most definitive way to diagnose the allergies and specific trigger foods. Rowe and his colleagues recommended that patients remove potential allergens from their diet to see if symptoms improve. Once symptoms seem to have been resolved, the eliminated foods are reintroduced into the diet one at a time to see if the symptoms return. If symptoms reappear, the food causing the symptoms is eliminated from the diet. If the symptoms do not reappear, the food is cleared for continued consumption. Rowe stressed the importance of good nutrition while engaging in elimination diets, making sure patients knew to replace any nutrients lost during the elimination process.
Modern eliminations diets follow essentially the same guidelines. Eliminations diets can be used to treat an array of symptoms related to food allergies/intolerances and gut health issues. Some common symptoms elimination diets may help treat include gas, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, rashes, hives, swelling, and fatigue. Sometimes it is difficult to know what foods are causing health issues, so doctors assemble a group of common foods that cause allergies and sensitivities and often advise patients to begin eliminating these foods from the diet in groups or individually. These foods include nuts, eggs, dairy products, wheat, seafood, and soy. Other foods commonly eliminated during exclusion diets include meats, legumes, seeds, nightshade vegetables, stimulating beverages like coffee and alcohol, spices, and sugary foods.
The elimination period usually lasts at least two weeks and some doctors encourage up to eight weeks of elimination. Patients keep a close eye on their health and check for symptom relief. The eliminated foods are gradually reintroduced after a few weeks. If a patient’s symptoms return, the patient knows the food in question is the culprit. If symptoms do not return, the patient can continue to eat that food and must retry the elimination diet with a different food or food group.
Bibliography
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Newcomer, Laura, and Elizabeth Bacharach. “What’s the Point of an Elimination Diet—And Should I Try It?” Women’s Health Magazine, 16 July, 2019. www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19977355/elimination-diet-0/. Accessed 7 May. 2020.
Raman, Ryan. “How to Do an Elimination Diet and Why.” Healthline, 2 July 2017, healthline.com/nutrition/elimination-diet#section5. Accessed 7 May. 2020.
Rowe, Albert H. Elimination Diets and the Patient’s Allergies: A Handbook of Allergy, 2nd Edition. Lea & Febiger, 1944.
Sass, Cynthia. “5 Things You Should Know Before Trying an Elimination Diet.” Health, 13 Sept. 2016, www.health.com/nutrition/elimination-diet. Accessed 7 May. 2020.
“What’s an Elimination Diet?” WebMD, 21 Nov. 2018, www.webmd.com/allergies/allergies-elimination-diet. Accessed 7 May. 2020.
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