Elimination Diet

[Dillon]

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and hoping someone can be of help. I am trying to do an elimination diet with my daughter who has severe Gerd as well as Barrett's Esophagus. It seems as if everything she eats makes her chest and throat hurt. She has been gluten, dairy and soy free for 6 years. I was not sure where to begin as I felt like keeping to many meats, veggies and fruits in her diet that I would never be able to figure out what is bothering her. We cannot use a dietitician for assistance as her Medicare and Medicaid will not pay for one and we cannot afford the expense out of pocket. I attempted 3 days ago to do an elimination diet with just giving her lamb, sweet potato, brown rice and banana. Two days ago we started her drinking Ginger Tea with Apple cider vinegar and aloe vera juice and taking DGL licorice and the chest pain and sore throat are gone but today ( 3 days later) she has an extremely runny nose and a cough. I don' know where to go from here as I am afraid to remove any of the 4 things she is eating right now.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

[ravenwoodglass]

Would she be able to see an allergist? If she can then when you call to make an appointment do ask if they will assist with elimination diets as not all will.

I would suggest removing the tea, aloe juice and licorice for a bit.

Keep her on the 4 foods you have her on until she has been feeling better for 2 weeks. Then add in one food at a time in pure form, for example buckwheat cereal plain as opposed to buckwheat pancakes. Keep that one food in her diet for a week unless she reacts sooner. If she reacts wait until the reaction is over before adding in anything else. If no reaction then add in another food for a week or until she reacts. That was the way my allergist had me do my elimination diet. 

I might also suggest adding in a green veggie like peas. I should also note that my elimination starting point was with foods I rarely ate as my doctor thought those would be less likely to produce a reaction.  I also was not allowed any beverage other than water and cranberry juice, no sugar, salt, pepper, coffee, tea etc.