Actually Getting Started On Elimination/provocation Diet

[Dr. Keiser]

I have done an elimination/provocation diet as a "first line" of testing and it has changed my whole world. I have two great friends that I think this kind of dietary test would be great for both of them to see how any food allergens may be affecting their health (both are hypothyroid).

I need some help to understand maybe why they are apprehensive about getting started (its too hard, it'll cost too much, sounds like too much work, I don't feel THAT bad, I'll start next month...are mostly what I'm working against...)?

Any insights or kind words would be a huge help to them (I am hoping hearing from other people that have been through this will help)

Thanks so much!

[Jestgar]

If you find out something, you either have to act on it, or knowingly do something that damages you. If you don't try the test, you don't have to worry about finding out anything.

[cahill]

If you find out something, you either have to act on it, or knowingly do something that damages you. If you don't try the test, you don't have to worry about finding out anything.

this is too true

[cahill]

I am currently doing an elimination diet,,,my suggestion ,my choice and it is still overwhelming.

I have given up so much already and going into this I knew I would most likely have to give up the remaining foods that " i just cant live without". , I am proving to my self just how much these foods effect me, mind and my body. I dont want it to be true,But it is true ,, I dont know what or how to eat without them.But I am learning

One of the hardest parts is reinterducing a food that I am concerned is a problem,,,I feel I may be deliberately making my self ill but I have to prove the food one way or another to eliminate it from my normal food intake.

My health and sanity are worth every minuet

[ravenwoodglass]

I would never have been diagnosed if not for a very savvy elderly allergist who put me on an elimination diet. Was I thrilled to have to eat only 5 foods I hated for weeks before adding something back in, no. Am I really glad I did it? You bet as it is the reason I am alive today. I never would have been diagnosed as all doctors looked at my false negative celiac tests and considered that the final say as far as celiac goes. It wasn't until after the elimination and the allergist referral back to the GI doctor that I was diagnosed.

I do understand peoples reluctance though, until I got as sick as I was I never could have imagined going through the elimination. Give up my coffee, bread, butter, any spices, drink just water, have to cook everything myself and so plain.... well it would have been unimaginable if I hadn't been so close to death.

As much as you want to help sometimes people just have to get to the point of desperation before they will act. The more you push the less likely they are to listen. Share your knowledge, leave reading materials if you have them then all you can do is wait to see if they come to you.

[Dr. Keiser]

thank you so much, I really appreciate the insight. Ravenwoodglass, you mentioned leaving some reading materials. Do you all know of any ways that would help me bridge the gap and make it easier for them to take the first step?

[ravenwoodglass]

thank you so much, I really appreciate the insight. Ravenwoodglass, you mentioned leaving some reading materials. Do you all know of any ways that would help me bridge the gap and make it easier for them to take the first step?

Start a B&B and invite them for a two week free stay? There was a naturopath in my area who used to invite people into her home on the lake, for a very high price of course. She would educate them and feed them during that time. Unfortunately though unless people are willing to take that first step there isn't much you can do. As my allergist told me many do eliminations kind of backwards by trying to eliminate one thing at a time without really knowing they are still eating it in some form or another. To use gluten as an example think of people that give up wheat but continue to eat cereals, eat at restaurants, drink beer etc. An elimination/provocation diet, like the one I was prescribed, is really tough to talk folks into unless they really have a desire to do it. There are many people on the board who have family that have celiac symptoms but refuse to even consider trying the diet. Many of us live with the frustrations you are.

[Cinnamongirl]

I'm currently reading a book called CLEAN by Alejandro Junger. Although not aimed specifically at celiac, it is a manual for an elimination diet that is well laid out and easy to understand and motivating. The material in the book really clicked with me. I decided to try the "cleanse" which means breakfast and dinner are liquid (home-made smoothies, juices or soups - 21 recipes all together) and lunch is a solid meal. Since the liquid recipes make two servings, breakfast and dinner are taken care of in just 10 minutes in the morning. So you only have to cook one meal a day. There are recipes for 21 solid meals which are free of wheat/dairy/soy/nightshades/eggs/red meat, etc. I've only been trying it for four days, but I can say, it is not hard since the recipes are all included. I also haven't had any problems with hunger (but then I'm not a big eater).

I shopped for groceries on-line and then picked them up at the store which I found much easier than hunting all over a big store for items I'm not used to buying. I can just sit at my computer an enter ingredients from the recipes and add them to my cart. Saves me a lot of time and frustration hunting for things like "coconut water".

I can't say I feel "great" yet on this diet, but it's pretty easy to follow and I'm willing to give it time...

[missy'smom]

Food Allergies and Food Intolerances by Johnathan Brostoff, M.D. and Lind Gamlin is a good resource and has elimination/challenge diet protocol.

I started on a modified elimination/challenge diet last year after allergy testing. I eliminated and challenged the 26 foods that I tested pos. to. I had already been gluten-free 2 years and already free of all grains and fruits due to diabetes. I'm still working on it. Some foods are still out and some will be RI in time. Honestly, it's hard and I have the skills to do it. I do have a kiddo who's on the same journey with different challenges so together we had 36 foods to contend with, and these were foods that we regularly included in our diet. I really struggle when it's time to RI a food, you'd think I'd be happy to try and get it back but it's alot of work and requires mindfulness. This kind of diet requires alot of cooking and sacrifice of time and convenience that some people just aren't able to manage. I keep at it because it was/is VERY helpful. I've gotten ALOT of relief but I had NO idea going into it that these foods affected me, how they did or how much! I don't think I would have emarked on this on my own. I went in for milk allergy testing and walked out with that whole list. I really need the support and tests from the allergist. Esp. that first year. Now, I know more and have learned to trust my instincts, but having the re-testing after year 1 really helped us keep track of what is going on and confirmed suspicions about new allergies etc.