When and How to Follow an Elimination Diet?

Elimination diet, This involves removing foods from your diet that you suspect your body doesn't tolerate well. While you look for symptoms that are a reaction to the intolerant foods, those foods are then reintroduced into your diet one by one.

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This process takes only 5-6 weeks and is used to help determine which foods are triggering symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerance, or food allergies.

In this way, an elimination diet can alleviate symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea. After successfully identifying a food that your body doesn't tolerate well, you can remove it from your diet to prevent bothersome symptoms in the future. There are many types of elimination diets, each involving eating or removing specific types of food.

However, if you have a known or suspected food allergy, you should only try an elimination diet under the supervision of a medical professional. An elimination diet done without supervision can reintroduce the food allergen and trigger a dangerous condition called anaphylaxis. If you suspect you have a food allergy, be sure to consult your doctor before starting an elimination diet. Allergy symptoms may include rashes, hives, swelling, and difficulty breathing.

What is an Elimination Diet?

In a nutshell, elimination dietIt is a short-term diet that helps you identify foods that your body doesn't tolerate well and removes them from your diet.

How does an elimination diet work?

An elimination diet consists of two phases: elimination and reintroduction.

Elimination phase:

The elimination phase involves removing foods you suspect are triggering your symptoms, typically for a short period of 2-3 weeks. You can start by removing foods from your diet that you think your body can't tolerate and that are causing bothersome symptoms.

Some of these foods may contain processed vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, canola), soy, dairy products, sugar, wheat, gluten, grains, additives such as monosodium glutamate and sodium nitrite, colorings, flavorings, and preservatives.

At this stage, you can determine whether your symptoms are caused by food or something else. If your symptoms persist after removing certain foods from your diet for 2-3 weeks, please consult your doctor.

Re-launch phase:

The next stage is the reintroduction phase, where you slowly reintroduce the foods you removed from your diet. Each food group should be given separately over 2-3 days while looking for symptoms. When each removed food group is reintroduced into your diet, certain symptoms need to be carefully monitored, and these symptoms include:

Redness and skin changes
Joint pain
Headache or migraine
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping
Changes in breathing
Swelling
Stomach pain or stomach cramps
Changes in bowel habits

If you don't experience any of the symptoms listed above when reintroducing a food group, you can conclude that you tolerate the introduced food group well and move on to introducing the next food group into your diet. However, if you experience negative symptoms like those mentioned above, then you have identified a trigger food through elimination and should remove it from your diet. The entire process, including elimination, takes approximately 5-6 weeks. If you plan to eliminate many food groups, please consult your doctor or a dietitian. Eliminating too many food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

In short, an elimination diet works by removing foods from your diet that you feel are causing you discomfort. Then, to control your symptoms, the foods you removed are reintroduced one by one.

Which foods can't be eaten on an elimination diet?

The best elimination diets are the most restrictive. However, there is no single elimination diet. In the most basic elimination diet;

Processed Vegetable Oils (Corn, Sunflower, Rapeseed)
Soy,
Dairy products,
Candy,
Wheat, Gluten, Grains,
Additives such as monosodium glutamate and sodium nitrite, as well as colorings, flavorings, and preservatives, are removed.

The more foods you remove from your diet during the elimination phase, the greater the chance you have of discovering which foods trigger bothersome symptoms. However, elimination diets that involve removing a large number of foods should be done under the supervision of a doctor.

Foods typically eliminated during the advanced elimination phase include:

Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits.
Night-growing vegetables: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, white potatoes, bell peppers, and red peppers.
Nuts and seeds: All types of nuts and seeds.
Legumes: All legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas, and soy-based products.
Starchy foods: Wheat, barley, corn, spelt, rye, oats, and bread, as well as other foods containing gluten.
Meat and fish: Processed meats, deli meats, beef, chicken, pork, eggs, and shellfish.
Dairy products: All dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.
Fats: Butter, margarine, hydrogenated oils, mayonnaise.
Beverages: Alcohol, coffee, black tea, soda, and other sources of caffeine.
Spices and seasonings: Sauces, condiments, and mustard.
Sugars and sweets: Sugar (white and brown), honey, maple syrup, corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, candies, and chocolate.

If you suspect other foods not on this list are causing you discomfort, it's highly recommended that you eliminate them as well. In short, a good elimination diet is very restrictive, which helps you identify as many trigger foods as possible.

What foods can be eaten on an elimination diet?

Although an elimination diet is very restrictive, there is enough variety of foods to make healthy and delicious meals.

Some foods you can eat include:

Fruits: Most fruits, except citrus fruits.
Vegetables: Most vegetables, except for nocturnal vegetables.
Meat and fish: Including turkey, lamb, wild game, and cold-water fish such as salmon.
Dairy substitutes include coconut milk and unsweetened rice milk.
Oils: Cold-pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil, and coconut oil.
Beverages: Water and herbal teas.
Spices, seasonings, and others: Including black pepper, fresh herbs and spices (except paprika and red pepper flakes), and apple cider vinegar.

To stay motivated during this restrictive phase, you can try designing new recipes and experimenting with herbs and spices to add a delicious flavor to your dishes.

Other Types of Elimination Diets

In addition to the traditional elimination diet described above, there are several other types of elimination diets.

Here are a few different types of elimination diets:

Low FODMAP dietThese are short-chain carbohydrates that some people cannot digest. FODMAPIt removes the 's.
A few foods Elimination diet: It involves eating a combination of foods you don't regularly eat. One example is the lamb and pear diet, popular in the US, where lamb and pears are not commonly eaten.
Rare foodsn removesion diet: It's similar to a rare food diet, but you can eat only foods you rarely eat because they're less likely to trigger your symptoms. Common foods on a rare food diet include potatoes, buckwheat, and star fruit.
Fasting handImmunization diet: This involves drinking only water for up to five days and then reintroducing food groups. This type of diet should only be done with your doctor's permission, as it can be dangerous to your health.
Other elimination diets: These include lactose-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, and wheat-free diets, among others.

Benefits of Elimination Diet

Elimination diets help you discover which foods are causing symptoms in your body, so you can find them and remove them from your diet.

However, an elimination diet has many benefits, such as those listed below:

Irritable bowel syndrome bsigns acan reduce

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common bowel disorder affecting 10-15% of people worldwide.

Many people find that an elimination diet improves IBS symptoms such as bloating, stomach cramps, and gas.

In one study, 150 people with IBS followed either an elimination diet that removed trigger foods or a sham elimination diet that excluded only foods associated with bothersome symptoms. Those who followed the true elimination diet reduced their symptoms by 10%, and those who adhered best to the diet reduced their symptoms by as much as 26%.

It can help people with eosinophilic esophagitis.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is a chronic condition in which allergies trigger inflammation of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach). People with EE have difficulty swallowing dry and dense foods, putting them at risk of choking. Many studies have shown that elimination diets are effective in improving EE symptoms.

In a study involving 146 patients with EE, it was observed that more than 75% of all patients experienced significantly fewer symptoms and less esophageal inflammation through an elimination diet.

It can reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a behavioral disorder affecting 3–5% of all children and adults. Studies have shown that elimination diets can reduce ADHD symptoms. One analysis reviewed 20 studies that restricted specific foods to improve ADHD symptoms. Researchers found that elimination diets helped reduce ADHD symptoms among children sensitive to certain foods. However, children with ADHD should not follow an elimination diet without the supervision of a medical professional. Elimination diets restrict many essential nutrients important for growing children, and long-term restriction can hinder their growth.

It can improve skin conditions like eczema.

Eczema is a group of skin conditions that manifest as red, itchy, cracked, or inflamed skin. There are many different causes of eczema, but many people find that eating certain foods can worsen their symptoms. Several studies have found that elimination diets can reduce eczema symptoms. In one study of 15 participants with eczema, 14 participants experienced a reduction in symptoms after following an elimination diet that removed symptom-triggering foods.

It can reduce chronic migraine.

In the US alone, approximately 2-3 million people suffer from chronic migraines. The causes of migraines are still unclear, but studies have shown that inflammation may be a trigger. Elimination diets have been shown to identify foods that cause inflammation and reduce the incidence of chronic migraines. In one study, 28 women and two men with frequent migraines followed an elimination diet for six weeks, helping them reduce the number of headache attacks from nine to six during that time.

Risks of Elimination Diets

While elimination diets are a great way to discover which foods cause you problems, they also come with some risks. For starters, elimination diets should only be followed for a short period, between four and eight weeks. Following an elimination diet for longer than that is not recommended, as it can lead to nutritional deficiencies as a result of eliminating certain food groups. Additionally, children and individuals with known or suspected allergies should only undertake an elimination diet under the supervision of a doctor. Because elimination diets are restrictive, even briefly removing certain food groups can hinder a child's growth. Furthermore, in children, reintroducing a food group into their diet can lead to serious reactions such as anaphylaxis. This is because their bodies become extra sensitive to foods after being kept away from them.

In summary, elimination diets can reduce the intake of important nutrients if followed for too long. Children and individuals with known or suspected allergies should not follow an elimination diet unless supervised by their doctor.

Conclusion

Elimination diets can help you identify which foods your body is intolerant to. If you're experiencing symptoms you think might be related to your diet, an elimination diet can help you discover which foods are causing them. However, elimination diets aren't suitable for everyone. Children shouldn't try an elimination diet unless under the supervision of a doctor or dietitian. Similarly, people with known or suspected allergies should only try an elimination diet under a doctor's supervision. Finally, it's important to note that elimination diets should only be done short-term, as long-term restrictions can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

0212 900 33 00 from the telephone line or From WhatsApp You can contact Habit dietitians to discuss whether elimination diets are right for you.

Important Note: This text, health line This text has been taken from and translated from the website. Habit Gıda AŞ bears no responsibility for the content of this text. This text is for informational purposes only, translated from English to Turkish, and is not intended to provide any health advice. Habit Gıda AŞ cannot be held responsible for any health problems that may arise in readers as a result of this text. Readers should not take any action regarding the content of this text without consulting their doctor about their own health condition. You should consult your doctor about all matters related to your health.