Food Allergies or Food Intolerances are a common health problem these days. The best way to identify and manage an adverse food allergy is using an Elimination Diet Plan. An elimination diet or allergy avoidance diet are commonly prescribed by health practitioners to identify the potential source of allergy in regularly consumed food items.

Elimination Diet – What is it?

The plan includes the elimination or removal of the suspected food items/ingredients from the diet of an individual for a period of two to four weeks, until the symptoms disappear. The symptoms can be mild like itching, skin rash, fatigue or severe like eczema, psoriasis, congestion, irritable bowel syndrome, digestive tract problems, suppressed immune system, rheumatoid arthritis, brain fog, depression, etc. The test to identify food allergies is a tedious task, and it is important that the subject should maintain a detailed record of the foods consumed along with manifestations of symptoms during the course of the diet. When the symptoms have completely disappeared, food items are reintroduced, one at a time in the diet, to check how the body reacts to it. The onset of symptoms when a particular food is eaten gives a clear indication of the probable allergen. Once the cause of allergy has been identified the test is usually repeated by including then excluding the suspected food item to reconfirm the diagnosis. The most common food allergens are milk, soy, eggs, wheat, and nuts.

A Word of Caution

As the diet plan varies with the severity of the symptoms, it can range from moderate to severely restrictive diets. Thus, it is vital that while adhering to an elimination diet plans one must consult their health practitioner or dietitian to chalk out their customized routine dietary schedule not only to make their meals nutritionally wholesome, but also gain knowledge on reading and understanding food labels.

Guidelines 

·        Strictly follow the diet advised.

·        Do not eat any suspected food items. You are the best judge!

·        In case of doubt feel free to contact your doctor or dietitian.

·        Always read the food labels, menu cards carefully. Ask the store manager or chef if you are unsure about something.

·        While ordering, be specific about the ingredients to avoid and double check when the food arrives.

·        There may be withdrawal symptoms once the diet is started or the severity of symptoms may temporarily increase. Do not panic! Rest, indulge in mild exercise, and consume lots of water and juices with vitamin C. 

·        In case there is no improvement after a period of four weeks then the food being tested is not the cause.

·        A symptom free week confirms the cause of allergy.

Although, elimination diets are a gold standard for finding the allergic foods, there are also other tests like the skin test that are advised. It is best to identify food allergies as soon as possible, to avoid anaphylactic shock, a severe immunological response that is potentially life threatening. Do read through our other article on how to survive with severe food allergies entitled Food Allergy – A nightmare. 

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