Help me with my elimination diet!

rainbowbow · February 2016

I am doing an elimination diet on my own for 4 weeks and then i'll be adding in some of the foods back slowly week by week to check for reactions. i have put this off for a few years now, but i feel it's necessary that i atleast give this a try.

I am eliminating the following in my diet for the first 4 weeks:
dairy
gluten
nuts
eggs
soy
corn
artificial sweeteners
foods with artificial coloring
Veggies including: artichokes, asparagus, garlic, leek, onions
Fruits including: apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, and prunes

This in itself is going to be a daunting task for me and I am having a hard time figuring out what the hell this leaves me to eat.

I have put this off for such a long time because i am a vegetarian and it's going to make my already restrictive diet restrictive.

For those that have been on an elimination diet, please give me some support or ideas. If you have recipes, shopping lists, etc. that would be amazing. If anyone has suggestions on how to not completely ruin my strength gains, get enough protein, etc. PLEASE let me know! I have no clue how i'm going to get enough protein without eggs, dairy, or soy.

Thanks everyone!

queenliz99 · February 2016

Why are you doing this?

sunnybeaches105 · February 2016

Why? What possible good will come from eliminating additional nutritious foods from your already restricted diet? What healthy habits will it help you form?

rainbowbow · February 2016

P.S. I have a valid reason for this elimination diet. I am having a bunch of skin and gut issues that may be related to an allergy or intolerance. I wanted to get the ALCAT or a prick test done but my doctor wont do it until i've done this diet.

Skin problems in the form of: eczema, worsening rosacea, keratosis pilaris, dry skin prone to hives. edit: i should also mention symptoms of dry eyes (which i'm now on restasis for because i was scratching up my cornea), dry mouth (which i have to use special rinse for), and dry brittle nails.

Stomach problems: Significant bloating in my upper gut, gas, constipation, nausea after eating small amounts.

And with some foods i have allergy(??) symptoms: Like tingling in my lips and tongue, breaking out in hives, etc. Or dairy, sometimes (depending on the fat% which is strange) i will have symptoms of lactose intolerance.

rainbowbow · February 2016

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

Why? What possible good will come from eliminating additional nutritious foods from your already restricted diet? What healthy habits will it help you form?

Please dont give me the "what healthy habits" shpeel. i've been on MFP for over 5 years, i've already lost and maintained my weight loss, I'm a personal trainer as my profession and am incredibly active.

This is not an attempt to lose weight but to find whatever the hell is causing me all these issues.

AmazonMayan · February 2016

Tingling in the mouth and hives is an allergic reaction so whatever you eat that causes that definitely stop eating it immediately. If those sensations get worse or your throats feels like it's closing get emergency medical help immediately. I can't eat celery (raw)

or okra (at all). I miss pickled and fried okra!

Since you have so many restrictions and are a vegetarian it might be easier to list what you can/will eat.

A lot of main proteins are out so what about quinoa? Oats. Certified gluten-free of course. Are you planning to find out if it's the whole egg or just whites or just yolk? Beans, lentils. Can you do quorn? I was looking up more plant based that might work.

As far as artificial sweeteners and food colors, I have to avoid a lot of commercially made foods because of issues with some of them. And carrageenan.

I basically make most of my meals with whole foods or as near to whole foods as I can get but I also eat meat so protein is easy for me.

My skin/eczema is always better when I get plenty of healthier fats as well as avoiding a lot of the artificial additives. That's my allergies/issues and yours may vary. I've eaten a few non normal things the last couple days with family that's visiting and I'm a ball of hives.

sunnybeaches105 · February 2016

rainbowbow wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

Why? What possible good will come from eliminating additional nutritious foods from your already restricted diet? What healthy habits will it help you form?

Please dont give me the "what healthy habits" shpeel. i've been on MFP for over 5 years, i've already lost and maintained my weight loss, I'm a personal trainer as my profession and am incredibly active.

This is not an attempt to lose weight but to find whatever the hell is causing me all these issues.

Then find a doctor who will work with you. I've been down the road you're on. Tried to die a few times early on in life and grew up going through testing, elimination, etc. Take control of the process. Best of luck

singingflutelady · February 2016

@rainbowbow are you going to slowly introduce them back one at a time to see if you get any reactions or are you just eliminating them for good?

ninerbuff · February 2016

rainbowbow wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

Why? What possible good will come from eliminating additional nutritious foods from your already restricted diet? What healthy habits will it help you form?

Please dont give me the "what healthy habits" shpeel. i've been on MFP for over 5 years, i've already lost and maintained my weight loss, I'm a personal trainer as my profession and am incredibly active.

This is not an attempt to lose weight but to find whatever the hell is causing me all these issues.

Wouldn't the first step be to go to an allergist to find out what you may be specifically allergic to, then deduce from there? From there you should consult with an RD (who has studied this) and can help you.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

rainbowbow · February 2016

AmazonMayan wrote: »

Tingling in the mouth and hives is an allergic reaction so whatever you eat that causes that definitely stop eating it immediately. If those sensations get worse or your throats feels like it's closing get emergency medical help immediately. I can't eat celery (raw) or okra (at all). I miss pickled and fried okra!

Since you have so many restrictions and are a vegetarian it might be easier to list what you can/will eat.

A lot of main proteins are out so what about quinoa? Oats. Certified gluten-free of course. Are you planning to find out if it's the whole egg or just whites or just yolk?

As far as artificial sweeteners and food colors, I have to avoid a lot of commercially made foods because of issues with some of them. And carrageenan.

I basically make most of my meals with whole foods or as near to whole foods as I can get but I also eat meat so protein is easy for me.

My skin/eczema is always better when I get plenty of healthier fats as well as avoiding a lot of the artificial additives. That's my allergies/issues and yours may vary. I've eaten a few non normal things the last couple days with family that's visiting and I'm a ball of hives.

Thanks so much! Glad to know i'm not the only one!

I should point out that i've been a vegetarian my entire life (my mom was a strict vegan actually when i was born until i was around 10 or so) so eating this way is perfectly normal to me. but doing this diet will be cutting out some of my favorite and most commonly eaten foods.

I've found that i get the oral allergy issues from: pineapple, cantelope, and honeydew. Also olives, hazelnuts, and almonds.

And you're right, i probably need to compile a list of the foods i CAN eat. I am trying to come up with ideas of foods to eat that are high in protein and i didn't even think of quinoa! Duh! There's also things like beans, lentils, and and chickpeas (although i'm not sure...don't these usually cause gas for people? I wasn't planning on cutting them out, but maybe i should since that's one of my problems...)

With oats, are they not usually gluten free? Sorry, i've never done this before and have no freaking clue. My store has a gluten free section, so i guess i can look into that as well.

I am starting to compile a list now. I knew this would be an incredibly daunting task and it's why i've put it off for such an incredibly long time. i'm just at my wit's end.

My skin and gut problems are getting way worse, and my rosacea is currently in one of the worst flare ups i've ever had.

Shalalaubidoo · February 2016

Also ask your dr about oral allergy syndrome . http://acaai.org/allergies/types/food-allergies/types-food-allergy/oral-allergy-syndrome

Elimination diets are hard, but often helpful in sorting out allergies , with some items the time of year, cooked vs un cooked can impact the reaction,

ninerbuff · February 2016

rainbowbow wrote: »

My skin and gut problems are getting way worse, and my rosacea is currently in one of the worst flare ups i've ever had.

You do realize that some of this can actually be attributed to physical stress?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

rainbowbow · February 2016

ninerbuff wrote: »

rainbowbow wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

Why? What possible good will come from eliminating additional nutritious foods from your already restricted diet? What healthy habits will it help you form?

Please dont give me the "what healthy habits" shpeel. i've been on MFP for over 5 years, i've already lost and maintained my weight loss, I'm a personal trainer as my profession and am incredibly active.

This is not an attempt to lose weight but to find whatever the hell is causing me all these issues.

Wouldn't the first step be to go to an allergist to find out what you may be specifically allergic to, then deduce from there? From there you should consult with an RD (who has studied this) and can help you.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Yes, i've seen my physician who will not refer me to an allergist for the prick test or alcat (food intolerances) test until i've done an elimination diet. Personally, i would rather they just take my blood or stab me a few times to tell me what the problem is, but apparently they don't see people until they've done this diet to see the types of allergens to test for.

My physician told me that i have very classic allergy and intolerance symptoms and that certain foods may be related to a certain allergy. For example, he said that the allergy to pineapple and melons are common for people allergic to pollen and ragweed. He also said that the fruits i mentioned are "rosacean fruits" which may be triggering my flare ups.

I'm supposed to figure out what is triggering these symptoms and cut them out of my diet for a minimum of 3 months. if my symptoms go away and get better then i'm to continue on. if they don't they will send me for additional testing.

AmazonMayan · February 2016

I added beans, lentils and quorn after you read. I was looking at a plant based protein rich food list.

Sometimes oats and other grains are processed in a factory where gluten products are as well. I learned that from a friend that has celiac disease.

I wouldn't buy much "gluten-free " processed foods since they may have some of the additives, but definitely the oats and quinoa especially if you decide to try pastas. Can you have rice?

Soak beans several hours and keep draining and adding fresh water at least hourly or so if you can and it takes a lot of the gas out.

rainbowbow · February 2016

ninerbuff wrote: »

rainbowbow wrote: »

My skin and gut problems are getting way worse, and my rosacea is currently in one of the worst flare ups i've ever had.

You do realize that some of this can actually be attributed to physical stress?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I think it's possible. But, this has been ongoing for roughly 4-ish years. i just happen to have a particularly bad flare up right now. It's at the point right now where if i even so much as take a hot shower my entire body will be broken out in hives.

Of course this diet i'm supposed to be doing is NOT contributing to lower stress. thats for sure!

rainbowbow · February 2016

AmazonMayan wrote: »

I added beans, lentils and quorn after you read. I was looking at a plant based protein rich food list.

Sometimes oats and other grains are processed in a factory where gluten products are as well. I learned that from a friend that has celiac disease.

I wouldn't buy much "gluten-free " processed foods since they may have some of the additives, but definitely the oats and quinoa especially if you decide to try pastas. Can you have rice?

Soak beans several hours and keep draining and adding fresh water at least hourly or so if you can and it takes a lot of the gas out.

Yes! Fantastic, because i have all three of those at home.

I wont be buying much of the processed gluten free stuff simply because i don't want to have to read through the labels for cross conflicting items. But good to know that i need to get the oats and quinoa from that section. i can have rice!

I will definitely follow the process for the beans as well. hopefully that helps!

rainbowbow · February 2016

singingflutelady wrote: »

@rainbowbow are you going to slowly introduce them back one at a time to see if you get any reactions or are you just eliminating them for good?

I'm supposed to slowly introduce them back in. One week at a time, and eat the item once per day. i'm supposed to note any reactions i see immediately after eating, as well as any reactions that occur over that week period.

quiltlovinlisa · February 2016

Going off gluten on your own is a bad idea. If gluten is the cause, then going off, you will feel better but it will make medical diagnosis impossible. If truly you feel gluten is the cause, see your doctor for GI testing, while you're on gluten.

rainbowbow · February 2016

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

rainbowbow wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

Why? What possible good will come from eliminating additional nutritious foods from your already restricted diet? What healthy habits will it help you form?

Please dont give me the "what healthy habits" shpeel. i've been on MFP for over 5 years, i've already lost and maintained my weight loss, I'm a personal trainer as my profession and am incredibly active.

This is not an attempt to lose weight but to find whatever the hell is causing me all these issues.

Then find a doctor who will work with you. I've been down the road you're on. Tried to die a few times early on in life and grew up going through testing, elimination, etc. Take control of the process. Best of luck

thanks so much! Glad to know i'm not the only one who has gone through this. it's quite frustrating!

Francl27 · February 2016

Ugggh. Can you find another doctor? Seriously, it's completely ridiculous... He won't refer you to a specialist but doesn't give you any guidelines for your elimination diet? What a crock.

rainbowbow · February 2016

Francl27 wrote: »

Ugggh. Can you find another doctor? Seriously, it's completely ridiculous... He won't refer you to a specialist but doesn't give you any guidelines for your elimination diet? What a crock.

Unfortunately, no.

I'm currently living overseas and my doctor is assigned to me by the government. My healthcare is completely free, but in order for me to go to a specialist for these expensive tests they make you try this first. In allhonesty, my doctor is pretty great and my healthcare IS paid for... so... i'm not too upset about it.

He gave me a sheet of foods that i'm supposed to cut out. it matches what i typed above. He didn't tell me what i COULD eat, just "don't eat these foods" along with instructions on re-introducing foods and the notes he wants me to take for how i feel once they've been added back in. I mean, i guess he did give me guidelines, I just haven't ever been in this situation or tried to do this.

sunnybeaches105 · February 2016

rainbowbow wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

rainbowbow wrote: »

sunnybeaches105 wrote: »

Why? What possible good will come from eliminating additional nutritious foods from your already restricted diet? What healthy habits will it help you form?

Please dont give me the "what healthy habits" shpeel. i've been on MFP for over 5 years, i've already lost and maintained my weight loss, I'm a personal trainer as my profession and am incredibly active.

This is not an attempt to lose weight but to find whatever the hell is causing me all these issues.

Then find a doctor who will work with you. I've been down the road you're on. Tried to die a few times early on in life and grew up going through testing, elimination, etc. Take control of the process. Best of luck

thanks so much! Glad to know i'm not the only one who has gone through this. it's quite frustrating!

Let me suggest that rather than going through the full elimination process that you back out one item that you already suspect causes you problems. If you're counting then you know what you're eating and when. Go through your diary and, at the same time, keep a log of your symptoms. The doctor doesn't have to go through the pain of a full elimination diet. You do. I'd do everything I could to minimise the pain of the process.

We also did this with our daughter recently after several visits to the allergist. She was throwing up and having other stomach problems. Fortunately, her symptoms were very mild compared to mine, but I didn't want her to go through the shots an pin pricks and crazy diets I went through. We sat down and figured it out. Popcorn. She gets stomach problems from it.

arditarose · February 2016

OP, is there anything on the list that you strongly believe could be the cause? You could start by just cutting that out.

rainbowbow · February 2016

arditarose wrote: »

OP, is there anything on the list that you strongly believe could be the cause? You could start by just cutting that out.

That's just it. I have no freaking clue. =/

I thought at first it may be dairy, but i'm able to eat dairy products just fine one day and then the next i'm not.

of course the foods i know cause allergies i have already cut out (like those nuts/melons), but as far as the other possible allergen stuff? *shrug* I eat all of these things on a daily basis, and i kind of feel like i have these problems regardless. I don't ever eat just one of these foods and have a reaction, i kind of have an all day- everything i eat feels bad man reaction.

arditarose · February 2016

rainbowbow wrote: »

arditarose wrote: »

OP, is there anything on the list that you strongly believe could be the cause? You could start by just cutting that out.

That's just it. I have no freaking clue. =/

I thought at first it may be dairy, but i'm able to eat dairy products just fine one day and then the next i'm not.

of course the foods i know cause allergies i have already cut out (like those nuts/melons), but as far as the other possible allergen stuff? *shrug* I eat all of these things on a daily basis, and i kind of feel like i have these problems regardless. I don't ever eat just one of these foods and have a reaction, i kind of have an all day- everything i eat feels bad man reaction.

Ah gotcha. That is frustrating then! I was having a reaction to food and I was finally starting to pinpoint it, but as you said, I eat very similarly every day so it was tricky.

Lovee_Dove7 · February 2016

I would suggest getting the foods you CAN eat into your pantry and fridge, and going from there. I know that sounds obvious, but that's what I did when I had temporarily omitted certain foods from my own diet. It's just the best starting point for me in that situation.

Also, can you afford to do ALCAT food sensitivity testing? (this is NOT allergy testing, that is something entirely different).
If you can do ALCAT testing, it's worth the money. It will tell you exactly what you are sensitive to, and to what degree. I did this a few months ago, and it gave me such relief!! No more guessing. And I was soooooo surprised at what I was NOT sensitive to. I thought I couldn't eat wheat, for example. NOPE! I can eat wheat and gluten with no problems! It's the millet grain added to so many whole grain products I am sensitive to!! I can also eat dairy, peanuts...but not macadamia nuts...who knew??

I did ALCAT through my chiro, who did not mark up the testing at all, I paid her price for it.

rainbowbow · February 2016

Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »

I would suggest getting the foods you CAN eat into your pantry and fridge, and going from there. I know that sounds obvious, but that's what I did when I had omitted certain foods from my own diet. It's just the best starting point for me in that situation.

Also, can you afford to do ALCAT food sensitivity testing? (this is NOT allergy testing, that is something entirely different).
If you can do ALCAT testing, it's worth the money. It will tell you exactly what you are sensitive to, and to what degree. I did this a few months ago, and it gave me such relief!! No more guessing. And I was soooooo surprised at what I was NOT sensitive to. I thought I couldn't eat wheat, for example. NOPE! I can eat wheat and gluten with no problems! It's the millet grain added to so many whole grain products I am sensitive to!! I can also eat dairy, peanuts...but not macadamia nuts...who knew??

I did ALCAT through my chiro, who did not mark up the testing at all, I paid her price for it.

yes, this is exactly the test i want done combined with an allergy prick test (because some people can not have an intolerance to food, but be allergic). In order to get it done I have to complete this first.

this is what i'm kind of scared of though. Being under the impression i can't eat something (like you said, wheat or something) when in all actuality i CAN. Ya know?

I don't want to be one of those people with beliefs about what i can/cant eat and being all strict when i don't have to be.

meh, i'm going to trust the process and if it doesn't work then i'll be getting referred where i can have both of these tests done!

and yes, i am compiling a list of all the things i can have and i'm going grocery shopping shortly!

Lovee_Dove7 · February 2016

Another suggestion: Check your ingredients for a food additive called carrageenan. That stuff rips my gut, and it is an intestinal irritant. Yep. They add it to food for texture. It's used in lots of different foods, dairy, dairy substitutes, lunch meats, protein bars, even baked goods. Nasty stuff, and many people really react to it. It takes me a week to get over the inflammation in my gut, if I even take a bite of it.

If you have insurance for it, have your doctor or NP order blood tests for food allergies. I did this before the ALCAT. I had no allergies at all. Via ALCAT, I learned I actually have very few sensitivities also. But what I was sensitive to, I was eating often. Strawberries, tea, chocolate, for example. Interestingly, you can heal from sensitivities, if you exclude them as much as possible for a period of time. I have normal digestion/elimination now. I was a mess a few months ago, it was soooooo discouraging!

amusedmonkey · February 2016

Have you ever tried buckwheat? It's gluten-free and nice on protein. I love it, but some people don't. How about rice for a calorie filler? Rice is usually not an allergen. When I did my elimination diet I was given a comprehensive list of foods I could and couldn't eat. I pretty much lived on zucchini and cucumbers for the first few days, so depending on your particular case these might be safe foods to add. I remember also being told to stay away from caffiene, so no coffee or real tea. I was allowed certain herbal teas like thyme, chamomile.. etc. On my list vinegar was okay but ketchup wasn't. Are you allowed to have millet? If you suspect a peanut or legume allergy, lentils are also off the table. As for nuts, I believe pine tree allergy is quite uncommon so out of all nuts these could be the safest choice. Oils, I was told to avoid safflower, sunflower, canola, and sesame oils and stick to olive oil.

rainbowbow · February 2016

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Have you ever tried buckwheat? It's gluten-free and nice on protein. I love it, but some people don't. How about rice for a calorie filler? Rice is usually not an allergen. When I did my elimination diet I was given a comprehensive list of foods I could and couldn't eat. I pretty much lived on zucchini and cucumbers for the first few days, so depending on your particular case these might be safe foods to add. I remember also being told to stay away from caffiene, so no coffee or real tea. I was allowed certain herbal teas like thyme, chamomile.. etc. On my list vinegar was okay but ketchup wasn't. Are you allowed to have millet? If you suspect a peanut or legume allergy, lentils are also off the table. As for nuts, I believe pine tree allergy is quite uncommon so out of all nuts these could be the safest choice. Oils, I was told to avoid safflower, sunflower, canola, and sesame oils and stick to olive oil.

I've never tried buckwheat! googling it now!

I was told to watch for caffeine, tomatoes, fried foods, alcohol, and spicy foods because they may be triggering rosacea from my diet. I'm keeping these at a minimum and rarely drink coffee or caffeinated teas. I'm fairly certain that atleast spicy food, tomato, and alcohol are definitive triggers for my rosacea.

i can have millet, lentils, beans, peanuts, etc. as we know these are not triggers.

Interesting about pine nuts! I love them but rarely eat them, so maybe this will give me a reason to incorporate them more!

i was told the same about olive oil as being acceptable as well as coconut oil.

PHLLLY · February 2016

Good luck to you! My friend (she's an RD) is putting me on an elimination diet because something on my foods list is giving me some pretty bad stomach problems lately. My wife is making me go vegetarian so I'll be switching up my protein powders to pea, rice, and hemp proteins. Plant based proteins. Strength gains won't be lost, eating you caloric allotment with adequate complete protein through your diet even through elimination. Making sure to take multivitamins so in case if anything absent from the diet is not adequate at least on the vitamin and mineral side I'm covered.

Help me with my elimination diet!

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