Certain foods can have a negative or intolerant effect not only to our guts but our whole body. Some of the symptoms and suggested associated symptoms are as follows:
- IBS
- skin complaints
- other stomache issues including nausea, diarrhoea and bloating
- tiredness and lethargy
- muscle and bone issues
- sleep problems
- memory and concentration
- attention and behavioural problems
- weight loss or muscle gain issues
- athletic performance short falls
So knowing all of this it's worthwhile finding out if and what foods cause issues within our body. Conducting an elimination diet is a time proven method. Lots of athletes and other individuals have changed their lives and improved their performance by removing foods.
How to do an elimination diet
Remove an important item like milk and one you can do without like a nut type. Once you have taken the food types out make notes in a diary on how you feel each day with as much information as you can: sleep,energy,mood and skin are just a few. The more restrictive the better at this stage, yes, it’s more work. But, as with most things, the more work, the greater the payoff.
To begin with, a good elimination diet will remove gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, corn, pork, beef, chicken, beans/lentils, coffee, citrus fruits, nuts.
Some foods are intolerant because we have too many off them and too often so there is no reason we can't eat them again in the future. The aim is to eliminate the foods and then slowly reintroduce them, one at a time, so you can monitor yourself for symptoms.
So, at the end of the 3 weeks of elimination, you should reintroduce a single food for a single day only. And then monitor your symptoms for two days. For example, you might decide to reintroduce dairy on a Monday and have a large glass of milk and some cheese on that day.
Make a diary and make notes on energy, sleep, mood, skin and any thing else when you remove and when you reintroduce your foods. Even with persistently intolerant foods you can try and introduce 3-9 months later following the normal reintroduction protocol.
Good luck folks
I am doing an elimination diet myself, let me know how you get on or if you need some help.
Glenn(the go to guy) chester le street