Eat WHOLE FOODS

And no, I don't mean the store. There is this concept of eating that is very popular in the healthier circles. It is not a fad or trend, but basically a step back to a simpler human existence. Eating whole foods means eating the food "God intended." Unadulterated, unprocessed, unrefined, etc. I highly recommend you pursue a whole foods diet while on the elimination diet. It is really the only way you can know what you are eating.

I think people have a tendency to fool themselves. For example, you are at a burger place and you order and burger and fries. So you are thinking meat and potatoes - hard to screw up right? Well what you don't know is that the burger contains all sorts of hormones and preservatives, was corn-feed and there is gluten in the "spices" blend used to season it. Meanwhile the fries were cooked in soybean oil with wheat-covered onion rings... I admit that was a terrible example, but you get my point. You need to prepare you own food and/or get it from a source you trust, and you need to focus on eating fresh foods without a lot of ingredients. Go back to basics.

And if you want to buy something prepackaged and easy don't bury your head in the sand theorizing if you don't look it's not there; turn over the package and read every ingredient. There really is no point cheating with this "diet" - otherwise it can be all for not! Why suffer 90% of the time for compromised results? It doesn't make any sense.

Want to know more about whole foods? Watch a video on the whole foods diet from a Bastyr University faculty member Cynthia Lair: What is a whole food? (It's a little silly but informative.)

Breakfast ideas

It is important to try to get protein for breakfast. After weeks of suffering I finally figured out rice cakes and almond butter. This was a huge breakthrough for me. Normally I would eat two rice cakes with generous almond butter each morning. I really prefer the freshly ground almond butter over the bottled manufactured kind, but eat what ever you have access to.

Other breakfast ideas? Fruit and lots of it! But don't forget to avoid the citrus.

Have any ideas to suggest? Let us know.

Avoiding Gluten

Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/gluten-intolerance-against-grain

Don't eat:
Wheat and all its forms, including semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn, and farro
Rye
Barley
Triticale
Oat bran
Wheat germ
Bran
Graham, gluten, or durum flour
Farina

Do eat:
Amaranth
Quinoa
Buckwheat
Popcorn
Cornmeal (polenta and tortillas - read labels!)
Millet
Breads, cereals, crackers, and pasta made of corn, rice, potato, soy, arrowroot, tapioca, sago, flax, and hominy.

What about oats? Oats for celiac disease has been controversial, but recent research has spurred many organizations to give oats the thumbs up. The problem is possible contamination of oats with other gluten-containing grains. Case says pure oats - those not contaminated by other grains - are recommended by a majority of celiac organizations in Canada and the U.S.

Avoiding Cows Milk

Ingredients containing milk (source: http://www.cpnonline.org/CRS/CRS/pa_milkalle_pep.htm)

Foods and ingredients that contain milk:

• Milk (including milk from other animals such as goat)
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Half & half
• Cream
• Sour cream and solids
• Casein
• Whey products
• Butter, butterfat, butter oil, natural butter flavor, butter solids
• Artificial butter flavor
• Ingredients that begin with "lact" such as lactose, lactate, lactalbumin, and lactic acid
• Chocolate
• Custard
• Ghee
• Nougat
• Caramel
• Fat replacers such as Simplesse
• Hydrolyzed milk
• High protein powders and flours often contain milk proteins

Artificial and natural flavorings such as for meat, poultry, canned fish, and potato chips.
Reading labels to avoid allergens has become a lot easier. Foods that contain milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, or soy products must list the food in plain language on the ingredient list. For example, casein (milk). These possible allergens must be listed even if they are part of a flavoring, coloring, or spice blend.

Milk products are a primary source of calcium, riboflavin, and vitamin D. It is important to either take supplements or substitute foods high in these nutrients.

Avoiding Soy

Foods to avoid that contain Soy (source: http://www.cpnonline.org/CRS/CRS/pa_soyalle_pep.htm)

Foods and ingredients that contain soy

• Edamame (soybeans)
• Soya
• Soy Milk
• Soy protein
• Soy sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• Soybean (granules, curd)
• Soy (flour, fiber, albumin, grits, nuts, fruits, sprouts)
• Soy protein as hydrolyzed, concentrate, isolate
• Tofu (soybean curd)
• Tamari
• Tempeh
• Miso

Foods that often contain soy (check label or ask)

• Most Asian Foods (both packaged and served in restaurants)
• Flavoring (natural or artificial)
• Vegetable starch
• Vegetable broth or gum
• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• Hydrolyzed plant protein
• Cereals
• Baked goods
• Some infant formulas

Research shows that most people with a soy allergy may safely eat soy lecithin and refined soybean oil. Ask your healthcare provider.

Avoiding Wheat

Helpful guide on wheat and what foods to avoid. (Same source as before: http://www.cpnonline.org/CRS/CRS/pa_wheatall_pep.htm) I have seen a better list than this. I'll keep looking.

Foods that contain wheat

• Most breads, cakes, cookies, and pastries
• Bread crumbs
• Pasta
• Couscous
• Many breakfast cereals
• Kamut (cereal grain)
• Crackers
• Enriched flour
• Whole wheat flour
• Graham flour
• Wheat (bran, germ, malt, starch, gluten)
• Semolina
• Spelt
• Farina
• Durum
• Bulgur
• Cracker meal
• Gluten (one of the wheat proteins)
• High-gluten flour; high-protein flour
• Vital gluten.

Foods/ingredients that often contain wheat (check the label or ask)

• Modified food starch
• Gelatinized starch
• Hydrolyzed vegetables protein
• Natural flavorings
• Soy sauce
• Vegetable gum or vegetable starch.

You will need to prepare more meals from scratch using whole natural foods. Wheat-free food products, such as bread and pancake mixes, noodles, and substitute flours such as potato, rice, soy, and corn are often available in health food markets and the natural foods section of grocery stores. There are also Web sites where you can buy specialty foods online (such as http://www.allergygrocer.com/). To be on the safe side, buy products that have an 800 number for you to call and ask about ingredients.

Avoiding Eggs

I found a resource for hidden egg ingredients. Please check it out. http://www.cpnonline.org/CRS/CRS/pa_eggaller_pep.htm

Foods that almost always contain egg

• Breads, cakes, cookies, pastries, pastas, and cereals.
• Shiny breads, such as bagels and pretzels (egg yokes or whites are used to brush the tops to make them shine). Shiny baked goods should always be avoided.
• Orange Julius beverage.

Foods that often contain egg (check the label or ask):

• Salad dressing, candies, chocolates with cream filling, and beverages such as root beer and specialty coffees.
• Fried restaurant items (the same fryer might be used to cook egg-battered foods and other foods, such as French fries.)
• Food products that include the word binder, coagulant, or emulsifier on the label. Egg is often used as a binding agent.

Ingredients that indicate the presence of egg include (especially look for names beginning with Ovo or Ova)

• Albumin (egg protein)
• Binder
• Coagulant
• Egg (dried, powdered, white, yolk, solids)
• Egg substitutes (typically made with egg white)
• Emulsifier
• Flavorings (natural or artificial)
• Globulin
• Lecithin E322 (although lecithin is a natural component of egg, when used in processed foods, it is typically derived from soy. Many of these products may be acceptable for your child, so call the manufacturer to make sure of the source.)
• Livetin
• Lysozyme
• Mayonnaise
• Meringue
• Ovalbumin (sometimes indicated as Ov)
• Ovoglobulin
• Ovomucin
• Ovomucoid
• Ovotransferrin
• Ovovitella
• Ovovitellin
• Silici albuminate
• Simplesse (fat replacer)
• Vitellin
• Foods that may contain eggs (only use these if you can call manufacturer to clarify the makeup of all ingredients)
• Nougat
• Noodles
• Macaroni
• Marshmallows
• Marzipan

Reading labels to avoid allergens has become a lot easier. Foods that contain milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, or soy products must list the food in plain language on the ingredient list. For example, albumin (egg). These possible allergens must be listed even if they are part of a flavoring, coloring, or spice blend.