Hi Guys! Today, I want to share my discoveries with the elimination diet and what foods I’m eliminating permanently from my diet.
If you haven’t yet, make sure to read this post, in which I share the 101 on this therapeutic intervention. As well as my reasons for doing the elimination diet and recipe ideas.
My Experience With The Elimination Diet
First, I would like to begin by sharing my experience while doing the elimination diet. Which, I’m pleased to report that it has been the most noteworthy diet I’ve done. For reference, I’ve tried Keto & the no sugar diet.
Three Weeks Of The Elimination Diet
Ok, so if you follow me on Instagram (which you should), you know that I kicked off the elimination diet with a 3-day celery juice detox. This, I believe, really helped me transition into my new diet more effortlessly.
Side Note: Celery juice is exceptionally anti-inflammatory and detoxifying, as it flushes out toxins in your body. This greatly helps to maintain a healthy gut, improve digestion and reduce bloating.
Besides the foods to eliminate, I also decided to eat meatless meals for as long as I could go. Instead, opting for fish as my source of protein 1-2 times a week. Ultimately, I ate meatless for the first two weeks, and let me tell you, apart from eggs (which I couldn’t eat anyway), I did not miss meats at all during this time. In fact, I rarely craved anything outside of what I was allowed to eat for the most part.
I ate pretty much the same thing to keep it simple, with a few tweaks here and there to keep it fresh. Below I share what I typically ate in a day.
And then, this happened:
Light Days Ahead…
Around week two into the elimination diet, I got my period, and it was the lightest, cramp-less, cravings-free, and accident-free I’ve had in years. I honestly couldn’t believe that such a drastic change had occurred. For reference, I have PCOS and Uterine Fibroids, for which my OBGYN recommends having a hysterectomy and oophorectomy to treat.
Moreover, my brain fog was dissipating, my skin looked clearer, and my joints were no longer aching. Needless to say, these results alone were enough for me to witness the correlation between food and my overall health. Simply put, I now believe food can help cure almost if not every condition. But, I still had to get to the bottom of my digestion woes.
The Reintroduction Phase
Finally, after three weeks, I was due to commence the reintroducing phase. Consequently, I found myself in no rush, as I enjoyed the feeling of overall well-being my diet was providing.
However, and with some hesitation, I began by adding new food groups every three days into my diet. Meanwhile, documenting any symptoms, I experienced.
Note: You must keep track of the symptoms and wait three days in between reintroducing food groups into your diet.
Foods I’m Eliminating/Avoiding Permanently From My Diet
- Caffeine: It turns out my morning cup of coffee was causing many of the symptoms that led me to call a GI doctor. After one cup, I was running to the bathroom with the same aches and irregular bowel movements. I also was nauseous, bloated, and two days later broke out. Conclusion: Java doesn’t vibe with me.
- Legumes: More specifically beans, made my stomach and joints achy. Furthermore, I was also experiencing a runny nose, headache, and gas. However, I didn’t experience these symptoms with peas or with soy. Conclusion: Eliminate beans, monitor other legumes.
- Gluten Intolerance: Although inconclusive, I will avoid consuming gluten because the symptoms are all very similar to what I was experiencing. Conclusion: Avoid Gluten & Monitor symptoms.
My Discovery With The Elimination Diet
Finally, I have completed the elimination diet and have gained clarity on some of the foods I’m showing intolerance for. Apart from that, I witnessed how effectively our diet can treat bodily and emotional ailments.
In conclusion, I would recommend an elimination diet to anyone suffering from intolerance to an unknown food.
