ELIMINATION DIET:

THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, AND THE SURPRISING HEALTH PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT SOLVE
Ailments like asthma, migraines, mood disorders, and skin problems could be the result of a food sensitivity. Here’s how to suss it out.

FOOD SENSITIVITIES WREAK GI HAVOC TELLTALE SIGNS OF GI DYSFUNCTION

Eating foods you’re sensitive to can throw off gut bacteria and enzymes, • Constipation • Gas • Heartburn symptoms
causing vicious cycles of poor digestion, infection, and inflammation. • Loose stools or diarrhea • Bloating • Foul smelling stool
• Burning in stomach • Undigested food in stool • Nausea
• Bad breath
Decreased stomach acid
Unfortunately, being free of GI symptoms doesn’t mean you have no food sensitivities.
Rapid or delayed movement of food
through digestive tract
Poor nutrient absorption UNHEALTHY GUT: A DOMINO EFFECT
Damaged gut cells
Low immunity from invading pathogens Problems in the GI tract can ultimately disturb hormonal, metabolic,
Microbial imbalance/infection
and immune functions, potentially leading to:
Decreased nutrient synthesis Brain fog
Asthma and allergies
Increased inflammatory proteins Autoimmune disorders
Intestinal permeability Skin conditions
Arthritis
Heart disease
Neurodegenerative disease
HOW TO DO AN ELIMINATION DIET Mood disorders
ADD/ADHD
Narcolepsy
Cutting out certain foods for awhile can help you detect dietary sensitivities you Addiction
weren’t aware of. Use this chart as a guide for your elimination diet, which Migraines
should last three to four weeks. Kidney problems

Foods to Eat Foods to EliminatE

HOW TO REINTRODUCE THE FOODS
Almost all fresh fruit FRUITS Citrus fruits After the elimination period, reintroduce a single food group* for one day only, then monitor your symptoms for two days.
Continue this process for a few weeks to determine what may be causing issues.

Almost all fresh raw,

Tomatoes, eggplant,
steamed, sautéed, VEGETABLES
white potatoes FOLLOW THIS
or roasted vegetables PROCESS PRECISELY TO FIGURE OUT
IF YOU HAVE ANY FOOD SENSITIVITIES.
Wheat, corn, barley, spelt,
Rice*, buckwheat* STARCH kamut, rye, oats, all WEEK 1
gluten-containing products
WEEK 2 ELIMINATION PHASE
WEEK 3
Soybeans, tofu, tempeh,
LEGUMES soy milk, all beans, WEEK 4
MONITOR YOUR
SYMPTOMS
MONITOR YOUR
SYMPTOMS

peas, lentils
WEEK 5 MONITOR YOUR
SYMPTOMS
MONITOR YOUR
SYMPTOMS

WEEK 6 MONITOR YOUR

SYMPTOMS
MONITOR YOUR
SYMPTOMS

NUTS AND All nuts and seeds

SEEDS

Beef, chicken, pork, eggs,

*The fewer foods you introduce in a given day, the more likely you are to pinpoint sensitivities
cold cuts, bacon, hotdogs,
Fish, turkey, lamb, MEAT AND (but the longer the process will take).
canned meat, sausage,
wild game FISH shellfish, meat substitutes
made from soy SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR
DAIRY Milk, cheese, cottage During reintroduction, pay attention to how you’re feeling.
Unsweetened rice milk*, cheese, cream, yogurt,
PRODUCTS
butter, ice cream,
Write down any changes you notice, whether positive or negative.
coconut milk AND MILK
SUBSTITUTES non-dairy creamers SIGNS OF FOOD SENSITIVITY INCLUDE:
• Insomnia • Brain fog • Sinus or other respiratory issues
Cold-expeller pressed Margarine, butter,
olive oil, flaxseed oil, processed and • Fatigue • Skin breakouts or rashes • Marked increase in energy
FATS
coconut oil hydrogenated oils, • Joint pain • Headaches (this can actually be a physical
mayonnaise, spreads sign of stress)
• Bloating • Bowel changes or GI pain
Drink plenty of fresh water, Alcohol, caffeine
herbal teas (e.g. rooibos, BEVERAGES (coffee,black tea, green
peppermint, etc.) tea, soda) ADDITIONAL TOOL: THE PULSE TEST
Sea salt, fresh pepper,
fresh herbs and spices Chocolate, ketchup, mustard, A pulse that’s faster or slower by more than 10 beats can indicate a food
SPICES AND relish, chutney, soy sauce,
(i.e. garlic, cumin, dill, sensitivity if other physical symptoms are present. Here’s how to track it.
ginger, oregano, parsley, CONDIMENTS barbecue sauce, vinegar
rosemary, thyme, turmeric) To confirm
a reaction, you can
repeat the test later
White or brown sugar, in the day after a
honey, maple syrup, corn second exposure
Stevia (if needed) SWEETENERS to the food.
syrup, high fructose corn
syrup, desserts After sitting for five minutes, make Take a bite of the food Retake your resting pulse
note of your resting pulse — the you’ve decided to one minute later.
number of beats that occur in one reintroduce.
minute.

*May also be removed if you suspect specific sensitivity to grains.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

ALSO CONSIDER ELIMINATING ANY FOODS YOU EAT VERY FREQUENTLY. SHOPPING LIST

CONSTANT EXPOSURE CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE YOU TO DEVELOP A SENSITIVITY.

CLEAN OUT KEEP
PREPARE: YOUR KITCHEN: A JOURNAL:
People who spend the
week prior to an elimination Get rid of foods that aren’t Writing down symptoms,
HELPING YOUR CHILD WITH AN ELIMINATION DIET? diet shopping for the right foods and part of your elimination phase. energy and mood throughout the
FOR KIDS, THE PROCESS SHOULD ONLY LAST SEVEN TO 10 DAYS. looking up recipes do far better than day can help you identify patterns
those who jump right into it. related to the food you eat.

For the full article explaining this infographic:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/elimination-diet