Do you Struggle with Strange Symptoms
or Unexplainable Illnesses?
… Bloating, Indigestion, Brain Fog, Weight Gain, Headaches or Fatigue?
Food sensitivities might be the culprit.
The process of elimination, in the Exclusion Diet, helps people identify the subtle – sometimes gradual – reactions to the foods – common to their diet – that are, more than likely, causing their strange symptoms.
The Exclusion Diet is like pushing the “reset” button for food sensitivities and strange symptoms. During a short 2 weeks, the exclusion diet helps your body clear out any sensitivities and the antibodies that the body has produced over time. Most people feel dramatically better, and they may even lose some weight!
Afterwards, you add each food you have excluded – one by one – to test whether the body’s response is good or bad – and the mystery will be solved.
Here’s the food that you should eliminate to start with:
1. Gluten (wheat, rye, and barley)
2. Eggs
3. Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
4. Soy
5. Corn
6. Peanuts
7. Sugar (table, tropical fruits, fruit juices)
8. Vinegar
9. Alcohol
10. All artificial preservatives, additives, dyes, sweeteners, etc…
IMPORTANT: Many people have food sensitivities to more than one food. Unless you eliminate all these foods, you may not notice a difference in how you feel or you won’t necessarily see improvement.
The Only Rule for the Exclusion Diet is: Failing to Plan – is Planning to Fail
… so, make a grocery list AND BUY the foods you CAN eat such as:
- Organic meat protein sources (fish, chicken, bison, beef)
- Healthy fats like avocado or coconut butter, coconut oil or coconut butter, olive oil, nut oils and grape seed oil
- Make sure to get a variety fresh green and colorful vegetables that grow above the ground, apples and pears – and vow to try something new every day!
- Milk alternatives, like coconut milk and almond milk
- Lemon or Lime Juice (to replace vinegar)
- Be sure to stock up on snack foods like: apples, pears, raw nuts, seeds, and nut butters.
… then, plan meals, eat a wide variety of whole foods and do not restrict your calorie intake.
If you don’t experience an improvement with your strange symptoms associated with food sensitivities during the 2 weeks, you either don’t have any food sensitivities or you may need further testing, such as acid testing or a comprehensive analysis for parasites.
Exclusion Diet – Issues & FAQ’s
What if you’re still hungry?
If you find yourself hungry during the elimination diet, first ask yourself “Am I really hungry?”
There are other reasons people eat like: boredom, emotions and fatigue. If you are not experiencing any of these and you’re still hungry, you are probably not eating enough fat. Increase your intake of healthy fats like: avocado on top of burgers, or adding walnut, sesame or coconut oil on top of roasted veggies and vegetable salads. Plus, you can snack on nuts, nut butter or coconut butter dips for meat and vegetables.
The first few days will be the hardest as your body goes through withdrawal from sugar and your cravings will be more intense or your strange symptoms might intensify.
Symptoms you may experience in the first week or so can include changes in sleep patterns, lightheadedness, headaches, joint or muscle stiffness and changes in gastrointestinal function. Such symptoms rarely last for more than a few days. Learn more
You may find yourself walking around looking for something to eat and nothing sounds good.
This is usually because we have trained ourselves to snack on processed sugary foods, especially when we are bored or tired! You can drink a vegan safe, non-dairy, vitamin and mineral enriched shake like NUPRO’s Body Designer to help. And, be sure to start your day with a healthy vegan-safe breakfast shake mixed with almond or coconut milk, too.
What do you do – after you finish the 2 week Exclusion Diet?
The goal of the Exclusion Diet is to reconnect you to how food makes you feel.
There is no typical or normal response and each person may differ in how they feel. The key is that you reestablish your connection with food and begin to understand how food affects the way you feel.
After the 2 weeks, you can start to reintroduce the foods that you have excluded.
It is VERY important to do so one by one, with only one new food introduced every 2-3 days.
That way you can monitor your body for return of symptoms, such as brain fog, water retention, or bloating. If you notice symptoms with a certain food, take that one back out and try something else.
The Exclusion Diet will provide you with a sense of what foods agree with you – and which ones make you feel terrible.
You decide what you are willing to tolerate then continue avoiding the foods that make you feel the worst.
Changing habits, especially involving food, can be difficult. I promise you the health reward will be well worth it. And soon you’ll be feeling so much better that you will not even miss the foods you’ve given up!
If you need additional guidance,
please contact our office or another qualified Natural Health Consultant for an appointment.
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