Why do an elimination diet?

The elimination diet is a great way for you to identify how a particular food contributes to your chronic health condition. Here is a brief list of just some of the symptoms caused by food sensitivities/allergies:

• Skin irritations or break outs
• Sinus congestion
• Gas, bloating and/or abdominal pain
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Headache
• Fatigue, depression, anxiety, lack of concentration, hyperactivity
• Muscle or joint pain
• Candida

Various Elimination Diets

There are a number of different ways to approach an elimination diet. For the purposes of discussion let me tell you what I eliminated (did NOT eat):

• Grains: corn, wheat, gluten, oats
• Legumes: soy, peanuts
• Fruit: citrus
• Vegetables: nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant)
• Animal: animal milks, cheese and eggs
• Sugars: cane, agave nectar, maple syrup, corn syrup, beet juice, honey, fructose
• Stimulates: chocolate and caffeine (including decaf coffee)
• Alcohol (I am such a square I forgot to mention this)
• Meats: eat only organic and grass-fed meats.
  

There are some elimination diets that limit you a lot more than this. I don't think there is a wrong way to approach it but maybe some are more (or less) extensive than others.