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Elimination Diet
  Elimination Diet
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An elimination diet is used to detect foods that might be the cause of allergies and consists of fasting or consuming foods which have a low allergic rate (such as rice, lamb, cabbage) for 4-7 days until symptoms clear. If symptoms disappear during this period, commonly consumed foods are then reintroduced one at a time in the hope of finding the culprit. An elimination diet can be accurate, but difficult at the same time. Most food allergy symptoms do not appear soon enough after consuming the food to easily make the connection. However, after avoiding the food for some time, as in an elimination diet, reintroduction of the offending food results in a more rapid and pronounced symptom onset. This makes it easier to identify which food is causing the problem.





Elimination Diet can help with the following:
Allergy  Allergy to Foods (Hidden)

Respiratory

  Asthma
 Although most people with asthma do not suffer from food allergies [J Asthma 1991;28: pp.5-9], unrecognized food allergy can be an exacerbating factor. [JAMA 1959;169: p.1158] A medically supervised allergy elimination diet followed by reintroduction of the eliminated foods, often helps identify problematic foods. A healthcare professional must supervise this allergy test because of the possibility of triggering a severe asthma attack during the reintroduction. [N Engl J Med 1992;327: pp.380]

Skin-Hair-Nails

  Body Odor
 Dietary changes are very important in eliminating various sources of odor. Certain foods, such as meat, onions, garlic, exotic spices, and drinks such as coffee and alcohol can lead to body odor. Try eliminating these from your diet for a week or two and see if this makes a difference. Although you can usually smell your own B.O. if it is from your armpits many people don't realize they have general body odor because they have become accustomed to it. Have someone you can confide in do a "smell test" - before and after you start eliminating certain foods. That may be the only way you will find out.

Uro-Genital

  Urinary Stress/Urge Incontinence
 An elimination diet can deal with both food allergens and food irritants which may be causing the irritable bladder.


KEY
May do some good
Likely to help
Highly recommended


GLOSSARY

Allergen (Allergens)
A substance that is capable of producing an allergic response in the body.

Allergy (Allergies)
Hypersensitivity caused by exposure to a particular antigen (allergen), resulting in an increased reactivity to that antigen on subsequent exposure, sometimes with harmful immunologic consequences.

Asthma (Asthmatic)
A lung disorder marked by attacks of breathing difficulty, wheezing, coughing, and thick mucus coming from the lungs. The episodes may be triggered by breathing foreign substances (allergens) or pollutants, infection, vigorous exercise, or emotional stress. Extrinsic Asthma is triggered by pollen, chemicals or some other external agent; Intrinsic Asthma is triggered by boggy membranes, congested tissues, or other native causes… even adrenalin stress or exertion.




Last updated: May 11, 2008


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