6-day Elimination Diet?

[scottyfeelsick]

I have gotten so much help and encouragement from all the nice people in these forums, and I want to say thank you so much for everything. It has really helped me along with all this. O.K. so I have more questions though.

I've had enough with having bad days here and there and wondering if it was something I ate or not. So I feel like I need to just "reset" my digestive tract and find out exactly what I can and cannot eat. So I am thinking of trying an elimination diet. I found this one on the internet that only takes 6 days until I can start reintroducing foods again.( Open Original Shared Link ) Has anybody heard of this? I don't really mind if I can't eat some foods, its just the not-knowing thats killing me.

The only one I've really read about before lasts a month before any foods are reintroduced.

This one has a very restricted diet for six days. Only cod, trout, mackerel, pears, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, yams, celery, zucchini, carrots and peaches. which is o.k. with me for such a short time. Does this sound like a good idea? Does anybody know if any of these foods might be a problem for someone with a healing gut from gluten damage?

Also on that site it mentions that I could reintroduce more than one food a day. But I have read on here that I should maybe wait more like 3 days. Does anybody know more about this, like how frequently I should try a new food if I have no reaction?

Also, what is considered a "reaction"? What if I reintroduce a food one day and feel a little sluggish, but no problems in the gut or anything, does that count as a reaction? Everybody feels better some days than other days regardless of diet, I think thats just part of being human. I just don't know where to draw the line, and say a food made me feel worse one day.

Sorry for all the weird questions that probably don't make any sense. I just want to know how to do this right, so I don't ever have to do it again. I was thinking if I had a reaction to any foods, I would try them again a few months after all this is done to "double check". But I wouldn't have to do this whole process again.

Thanks for everything. scotty.

[Ursa Major]

Scotty, those foods on that elimination diet should be okay, I think. But I totally disagree on the point that you noticed as well.

You NEVER should reintroduce more than one questionable food every three days at the most. Because some foods will cause delayed reactions, which you would totally miss if you reintroduce, as they suggest, up to three foods a day.

I now get a delayed reaction from gluten (the D doesn't start until a day or two later), and the same goes for potatoes (which are also part of the nightshade family, they only mention tomatoes, peppers and eggplant).

You definitely don't have to wait a month before reintroducing foods. Six days should be enough.

And yes, feeling sluggish could be a reaction. As well as depression, anxiety, anger, being achy, headaches, back pain, forgetfulness, diarrhea, constipation, gas, stomach ache, rashes, dry or tearing eyes (one of my symptoms), itchiness, hives, sore throat, tickling throat, canker sores.......... really anything that seems out of the ordinary.

If you think you had a reaction to a food, but aren't sure, eliminate it again, and give it another try a few days later to see if you react to it (and it may not be the exact same reaction).

I hope you can figure it all out. It took me a long time to find out about all my intolerances, and I am still learning.

[scottyfeelsick]

Thanks so much Ursa Major, for your response, I really appreciate it. I will wait atleast 3 days between new foods.

When I do add new foods, should I just go crazy and eat tons of it for 3 days, or should I eat a normal amount of it? Should I eat it just for one day, and then wait 3 days without eating anymore of it to see if anything happens?

Also, I eat carrots every single day pretty much. Should I not eat those during my 5 or 6 day cleanout peroid? I was also going to eat sea vegetables(organic, with no added ingredients) along with the restricted diet. I really like them, they add a salty flavor to food, and they are supposed to be good for my thyroid problem. Would that be o.k., or do some people have problems with sea vegetables?

what about olive oil? should I go off of that as well?

Thanks again for your help. scotty.

[Ursa Major]

Yes, if you normally eat carrots every day it would be wise to eliminate them and test them as well.

And no, you shouldn't eat new foods for three days. Because then, when you try a new food, you may misdiagnose a delayed reaction to one food, for an immediate reaction to the next one!

You should eat lots of one food for a day, and then not eat it for the following days, to see if you have a reaction, including delayed ones.

Olive oil may be fine, I don't know about sea vegetables.