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During my IIN training, all lecturing functional medicine professionals told us that the best starting point to an unclear health situation is our gut. This makes perfect sense to me because our digestive system is the hub for food processing and energy production. If you suspect any foods to be a culprit for some conditions like bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or more peripheral symptoms like brain fog, migraines, or simple fatigue it could be a good idea to try an elimination diet.
Just Give It a Try!
During the years I found out which foods are giving me energy and which ones causing troubles. Many people cannot digest dairy products. Others, like me, get a bloated belly from industrial wheat. And yet others get terrible migraines from the consumption of eggs. So, if you are suspecting any foods of causing troubles in your gut leave them out for three weeks and look how you feel. Just give this little project a go.
That’s why tests aren’t nearly as useful as projects. Just about anything worth learning is worth learning the hard way.
Seth Godin
Procedure
Dr Mark Hyman refers in his new book The Pegan Diet on page 101 to “FLC – feel like crap” syndrome caused by bloating, eczema, fatigue, headaches, autoimmune disease, and systemic inflammation. To find out more about your food intolerances commit to a full elimination diet leaving out the following foods for three weeks:
- Dairy products
- All grains: wheat, barley, rye, oats, rice, etc.
- Eggs
- Beans
- All soy products
- Industrial sugar-containing products including sodas
- Caffeinated beverages and products containing caffeine like chocolate
- Nightshades like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and aubergines
- Alcohol
Leave them out for 21 days and reintroduce them one at a time for at least 2 days. For example, if you are suspecting dairy to be problematic for you, drink a glass of milk on day 22 and eat some cheese or yoghurt. Repeat on day 23 and see if there are any reactions. Listen closely to your body – it tells you the truth – all the time. If there are any problematic foods, you normally will feel it right away as you also did a cleanse. After this cleanse, the body reacts more sensitive to foods that are not good for you.
Scale Back to Reduce Overwhelm
If the above list is too overwhelming start by leaving out all gluten-containing products (actually it is gliadin which causes the trouble according to Dr William Davis), dairy and sugar for three weeks.
My Experience
I did my elimination diet project while my girlfriend was on a business trip. It turned out to be much easier to manage cooking and eating times. I left out:
- All dairy products
- All grains except quinoa, rice and buckwheat
- Industrial sugar as I do for a couple of years now.
- All soy products
- Alcohol
Week 1 was tough: the rearranging of the meals was a challenge so preparation for this endeavour is key. Have a meal plan ready and do the shopping for at least 2 – 3 days in advance. I experienced a high level of fatigue and brain fog as well.
Week 2 was still a bit of a transition period, but my mood lifted and my mind got clearer every day. By day 12 you should feel much better. I tried to treat my body with love – so self-care is key during this period. I did long walks and had two relaxing baths a week. Add some Epsom salt to relieve symptoms of the withdrawal.
Week 3 was much better. I felt great and my body thanked it with more energy and overall wellbeing.
I do not see an elimination diet in the light of forgoing something. It should be the starting point to an exciting journey to find out more about your body and mind. Think of it as a tool to bring you more energy, clarity and joy.
The reintroduction phase was good too. Take your time with this one, especially if you are not aware yet which food categories are not good for you. I still cut back on dairy (especially cheese) as much as I can and all sort of cold cuts. Furthermore, wheat products also caused troubles so I still leave them out too – but this was no news as I mentioned above.
Wrap-up
To recap: If you are not sure about which foods you can tolerate start with your journey with a well-prepared elimination diet. It has several benefits:
- Deep cleansing of your digestive system: you can get rid of many toxins and waste. Your energy level can go up and your skin will be thankful as well.
- Find out which foods cause sensitive reactions in your body. This cannot be investigated by a regular allergy blood test and so it is a great addition to find out more about your body and its reaction to certain foods.
- A lesson in change and resilience: If I can do it, you can do it as well. It involves determination and stamina in the beginning, but it will pay off.
Refer to these resources for more information on the exact procedure and the effects:
- Dr Mark Hyman on the elimination diet
- Information on how to do an elimination diet with Tom Malterre
- Dr William Davis on Gliadin
- Information on brain fog
Let me know in the comment section below how it has been for you. I wish you best of luck.
Blogpost photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash.
