The Elimination Diet

On the advice of my physical therapist, I went to see a new doctor recently.  She specializes in diet and nutrition; my physical therapist thinks she may be able to help me with my inflammation which could be due to a food sensitivity.  I had filled out a bunch of paperwork beforehand.  The doctor asked me lots of questions, examined me, and sent me home with information on the “Comprehensive Elimination Diet.”  The purpose of this diet is to “clear the body of foods and chemicals you may be allergic or sensitive to, and , at the same time, improve your body’s ability to handle and dispose of these substances.”  I cannot eat wheat, corn, rye, dairy, eggs, oranges, pork, beef, sausage, shellfish, cold cuts, soy products, peanuts, peanut butter, butter, margarine, processed oils, salad dressing, mayonnaise, alcohol, coffee (no caffeine), soft drinks, refined sugar, white/brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, chocolate, most condiments, and more.  Wow.  This is a challenge.

Before I could begin the diet, I needed to go shopping to purchase alternative foods.  I was give a shopping list, a 7-day menu, and recipes.  I ended up visiting three stores, the last one a natural foods store, to find everything I needed.  It was expensive.  The first 2 days I followed the menu and did a lot of cooking.  Our refrigerator was overflowing with vegetables and containers.  As the days pass, I am learning to simplify and reuse leftovers in new ways.

How is it going?  I am now on Day 11.  The first few days I had a horrible, splitting headache from caffeine withdrawal.  My physical symptoms which caused me to seek help have, so far, remained.  I was warned that it might be best to avoid strenuous activity while my body adjusts to this huge change in diet.  I have ignored that and continue to exercise and attend my tap class.  I have noticed that I have much less energy.   I have learned that this is not a very portable diet.  A few days ago, I attended a conference and had to take all my own food AND distilled water and tea.  However, I am learning a lot about what is in the food we eat.  I am forced to read labels.  The food we buy in our supermarkets has so many additives and contaminants.  Buying organic food can be frustrating (to find) and expensive.  No matter what I discover from this diet, I now have a new awareness about the food I put into my body.