We all know the importance of eating healthy food; but do we really know what is healthy for us? Many people do not even know if the food they are eating is actually helping them out or not. People who have food allergies will get to know easily as their body shows some or the other. What is even scarier is that many of us do not even understand if we are allergic to something or not. Elimination diet is a technique that helps you to understand what kind of food allergies you have. Through this article you will understand principles of elimination diet and how to make the right dietary changes for better results.
What is the elimination diet?
The Elimination diet is an eating plan that helps you to pinpoint what foods are you intolerant to and what you are allergic to. This short-term diet change focuses on improving the immunologic and gastrointestinal health. It also helps a person to understand which foods causes digestion problems in the body. You will also get to understand the various the components that affects the intestinal track. Through the elimination diet reintroduction schedule you can easily understand the difference between food allergy and food intolerance.
The principles of elimination diet to differentiating between food intolerance and allergy
The generic term used for people who suffer from food intolerance and allergy is called Food Hyper-sensitivity. When people are allergic to a particular food, their bodies give out prominent or visible signs like rashes, itchy skin with red patches or choking. Some foods that people are allergic to include peanuts, wheat, soya, tree nuts, sea food, milk and eggs.
On the other hand, the term food intolerance is the term that is used when a person suffers from digestive issues after eating certain foods. For a person to see visible symptoms, he/she needs to have a serving size that is significant enough to show it. Bloating and constipation are some of the indicators of a person suffering with food intolerance. One such example known is lactose intolerance. The importance of the elimination diet planwill give you a good idea on what foods your body cannot tolerate so that you can make the changes accordingly.
Applying the principles of elimination diet on food choices
Now that you know the difference between food intolerance and food allergies, the next thing we will look at is the food do’s and don’ts. In order to reap the benefits of the elimination diet; it is essential to follow a particular diet plan.
Foods that you can eat
The principles of elimination diet emphasizes on the fact that while working with the elimination diet, you need to only eat certain kinds of foods. You can eat fish however swordfish and tuna is not advisable. Similarly, unprocessed food, fresh whole foods and fiber rich foods are allowed in this diet. The elimination diet also allows you to eat healthy fats that you will find in avocados, walnut oil, flax oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, ghee and even olive oil.
Foods that you should avoid
The strict regime of the elimination diet does not go well with most food eating habits. For example, if you are a fast food lover who loves to eats pizzas, burgers, pastas etc; then it will take a little time for you to adjust to the diet since you would need to give up a lot of your favorite foods. During the elimination diet reintroduction schedule; you can slowly introduce certain foods back again. For the start, the foods that you would need to avoid would include processed health bars, gluten free crackers, cereals and breads which are loaded with carbs. It is also advisable to avoid oats during this time since they contain gluten.
Understanding the philosophy, practice and principles of elimination diet
In order to understand the importance of the elimination diet plan; it is important for you to understand the philosophy, practice and principles of elimination diet. It is on the basis of four basic principles that people are advised the kind of elimination diet that is beneficial for them. These principles help to enhance the outcome and overall benefits of the elimination diet while targeting the foods that are causing problems in the body. The 4 principles of elimination diet are:
1. The science of the elimination diet
This also includes elimination diet reintroduction schedule. Through the science, we can understand how foods can impact our overall health and digestion. It also helps us to understand what kind of foods we should have based on our body requirements to avoid food allergies or food intolerance.
2. The experience in the principles of elimination diet
In order to recommend the right diet based on an individual’s needs; the dietician should have the relevant experience to understand what kind of diet should be recommended. More than that, it is also essential to have the right kind of research information from industry experts to help his/her patients.
3. The importance of the elimination diet plan theory
The theory factor helps to combine the experiences and science based facts to customize the right diet plan. Given the fact that every individual is different; theoretical knowledge helps to ensure that the accurate guidance is given to the every person who wants to opt for the elimination diet.
4. The Practicality and implementation of elimination diet
Not every person can actually stick to a diet; keeping this factor in mind, it is important that a dietician should develop a diet plan that is not heavy on a patient. Based on the principles of elimination diet; you can develop a diet plan which is easy for you to follow without compromising on your taste buds.
A final note on the benefits of the elimination diet
The elimination diet is perfect for people who want to understand what kind of foods is beneficial for them. It also helps them to understand the difference between food intolerance and food allergies. Through this form of dieting, you can easily take care of various ailments and diseases only by making mild alterations in the kind of food you eat. Moreover, the elimination diet also helps you to take control of your life.
