OHC Week Three of the Elimination Diet Begins...

As week two of the elimination diet rounds out, I have a few reflections to share with you all. First I'll give you the lowdown about how the past week has gone for me. In two words: Pretty Awesome!!! I have felt darn good lately, other than the occasional bouts of grumpiness for being deprived of certain guilty pleasures!! But, alas, I am wholeheartedly connected with my reason for doing this which is to provide a testament for eating whole foods and healing your body naturally.

 Most notably, I've noticed a difference from not having caffeine. I never have that big zip of energy that caffeine provides, but I also don't have the crash. I am just more balanced lately without it. This has affected my mood a great deal while at work. The grumps tend to come on full swing when my energy level plummets and the people around me, well, let's just say they notice. This has evened out since I've been off the coffee during this time and hopefully they are noticing!! Ha! So, I do plan to enjoy coffee sometimes after the elimination diet is completed, but I'm going to do my best to keep it in check as not to burn the proverbial stick at both ends.

Next up, COOKING!! I love making all of my own food. Yet, it is consuming my life. When people say  they are too busy to make all these meals it definitely resonates with me. Certainly there are many ways around  cooking yourself three meals a day, such as, making large quantities to have over the entire week, making salads that only take a few minutes, blending up a green smoothie, or throwing together a quick veggie stir-fry. Honestly, it is never the cooking that takes the time for me! It's the flipping through pages of a cookbook and drowning myself in food blogs looking for the perfect thing to make!! I'm a little obsessed! But this is my passion and we all need a little passion...

In other news, I've had no reactions to the foods I've tested! Lemons, limes, and raw apple cider vinegar are all Sassy Shellie's system approved!! Woo!! I made guacamole today (sans tomatoes) and ate it with veggie slices!! Yes, I did want a tortilla chip but I still devoured the heavenly guac!!! And I'm addicted to sunflower seed butter on celery. Almonds and almond butter were the two things that I was most worried about not being able to snack on so I'm happy that they are easily replaceable with sunflower seeds.

In a few days I get to test some more foods. I can't decide if I want almonds or tomatoes first! I will probably go with almonds because they are staring me down in the pantry!!!

To close out I am gonna link you to a wonderful recipe for something sweet that has literally gotten me through these past two weeks. A treat that wards off the evil urge to eat a whole bag of Easter chocolate. Please try this deliciousness!!!
 Eat your heart out
 (I used organic coconut oil and didn't add any sweetener because it doesn't need it!!!)

Thank you so much for reading about my journey! I can't believe the hardest parts are behind me! 

Have you tried eliminating anything from your diet in order to feel your best??? If not, Spring is a WONDERFUL TIME to BEGIN!!!

Sassy Shell's OHC Week One Reflections

Hello Friends!

So today is the fifth day of the Optimum Health Challenge, a.k.a. the elimination diet! This week has been very interesting for me. I’ll just come right out and say it, the first two days were NOT fun! I drank green smoothies until I was blue (or green) in the face and I unwittingly did not taper off my caffeine intake before the detox began which had some negative consequences.

  

So here’s how it went down:

The elimination diet that I am following begins with a two-day smoothie cleanse and emphasizes green veggies being the main component of these smoothies.  So, Monday morning I woke up and had my first smoothie consisting of an apple, a pear, a few leaves of cabbage, a few leaves of kale, a handful of spinach, a small piece of ginger, parsley, and filtered water. The first one wasn’t THAT bad! And I wasn’t THAT hungry after slurping it down.  So the day continued and I drank some more of this kind of smoothie. It gets kinda foamy/fizzy as it hangs out in the fridge and definitely becomes a little less palatable...

Anyway, towards the evening, while at work I got a major migraine headache. Light sensitivity, nausea, the whole shebang.  I went to bed very early and woke up Tuesday with remnants of the headache. I made another smoothie and drank it, but I still felt pretty bad. By that evening I was feeling a little better and managed to get through work alright. By then I was just really proud of myself for surviving!

 I actually began attributing the migraine to caffeine withdrawals after speaking with a few people and doing some searching on the web. All the symptoms matched and I do consume a pretty large amount of caffeine on most days. 

*This is why I recommend tapering off your caffeine intake before going cold turkey off the caffeine. Take into consideration any tea, coffee, or soda that you may be drinking…the caffeine adds up!

The next few days were awesome! I broke my fast on Wednesday afternoon with a spinach salad. I’m pretty limited right now in terms of being able to have salad dressings, so I went plain with some high-quality, cold-pressed, organic olive oil drizzled on the greens with broccoli sprouts, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, and avocado. It was spectacular!!!! 

Eating simple, healthy, deliciousness is actually VERY easy if you’re willing to let go of some of your attachments to food and get your butt in the kitchen and make something great for yourself! It’s fun! It’s EMPOWERING!

So, I’ve had some ups and downs over the past week, but I’m almost six days into the Optimum Health Challenge and I feel soooo good. I’m big on teas and coffees, so I’ve been sipping a lot of water throughout the day to replace those delightful beverages and staying hydrated all day makes me FEEL REALLY GREAT. I also have tons of organic herbal teas, such as rooibos, peppermint, and chamomile to sip on while relaxing in the evening. These teas are great for replacing any evening bevvies that don’t make the cut while doing the elimination diet (i.e., wine, liquor, beer, diet decaf pepsi!).  Some of these herbal teas are also very good for digestion, which is really beneficial during a detox! 

I'm leaving you with a recipe that I absolutely love and, with a few changes, it meets all my dietary requirements while I’m on the elimination diet. I recommend trying this satisfying recipe and then you will see that YOU CAN do an elimination diet or YOU CAN incorporate healthier choices into your daily life without sacrificing ANYTHING!  

ENJOY!

Coconut Quinoa Pilaf

 Serves 4

2 cups quinoa

1 can coconut milk 

2 cups of water

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced small*

3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red chili flakes*

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1. Rinse the dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under warm running water. Quinoa has a natural saponin coating that repels insects and birds and can create a bitter taste. Rinsing the quinoa with warm water removes the saponin. 

2. Place rinsed quinoa into a medium saucepan with the coconut milk, water, sliced green onions, diced red bell pepper, garlic, sea salt, and chili flakes. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn heat to a low simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.

3. Remove pot from heat and let pilaf cool in the pot fro about 10 minutes. Then add chopped cilantro and gently fluff with a fork. Serve hot. 

*Omit ingredients if following WLN Elimination diet.

This tastes great with a roasted sweet potato! 

Sassy Shellie's Pre-Optimum Health Challenge Musing

So, here we are, ready to begin our journey to wellness!!

I am very excited about beginning the Optimum Health Challenge!

 I don’t know exactly what to expect, but I do know that taking the time to learn about my unique body will bring a new sense of awareness and empowerment that I will be able to use throughout my life.

From this starting point, I would like to share with you folks some of the steps that I have taken in order to begin this Optimum Health Challenge journey.  

A few weeks back, Tara and I began talking about finding a detox program and getting everyone involved as a healthy kickoff to spring. I was familiar with The Whole Life Nutrition blog and cookbook and I really liked the concept of the elimination diet. So we decided to go with this program (as well as the simplified version) and invite you all along to do it with us. 

 Since deciding on the program, I have spent a lot of time looking at the recipes and familiarizing myself with the website, as well as familiarizing myself with the food lists and what to expect. I have done my own research about the different foods that are avoided in the phases in order to pinpoint any symptoms that may occasionally bother me.  You should do this too. For instance, in Phases One and Two we cannot have any nightshade vegetables. Nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and peppers. Some people experience arthritic symptoms from eating nightshade vegetables and when they are eliminated the symptoms disappear. This was new information to me but I’m delighted to know it and it may become relevant to me as I delve into the Optimum Health Challenge! 

The next step to get ready for this challenge was to stock the fridge with the necessities to succeed. I got lots of organic fruits and veggies to be ready for the two-day smoothie phase and I also stocked up on quinoa, brown basmati rice, brown jasmine rice, and dried mung and adzuki beans to prepare for Phase One. So, I have a great foundation of the foods that are allowed!! I even made and froze my own vegetable stock (which was extraordinarily easy)!!  On the smoothie days I will be soaking my beans and getting them ready to cook so I will have lots of good food to eat after day two!! Preparation is KEY!!!

 *I also got rid of most of the products that I will not be using during the 28 days as to not torment myself  by staring at foods I must avoid. ;)

I would love to say that the last thing I did before beginning the Optimum Health Challenge was to have a huge healthy wonderful salad…but that’s not what happened. I decided to eat whole wheat pancakes and savor every last bite. It was wonderful! And now I am ready to embark on a wheat free (amongst other things) journey and discover where it takes me! I recommend you do the same and lighten up on yourself the day before so that you’ll be okay with the rigidity of a two-day smoothie fast to kick off the Optimum Health Challenge! 

These are my tips thus far but keep watching because I am your go-to guinea pig for all your elimination diet needs, questions, and concerns!! And I will continue to give you any advice or insight that I find helpful during this journey!

Refer here for ideas for the two-day smoothie cleanse: Smoothie Recipes (omit lemons until Phase 2!)

Here's a link for homemade vegetable stock using the scraps you've accumulated throughout the week! 

Homemade Vegetable Stock

Keep in mind, only use vegetables that are A-OK for Phase 1: Lists of Phases

I hope you are excited about this journey! We are doing it together!
GOOD LUCK!

Optimum Health Challenge~Simplified Elimination Diet

         
Did you know?  Every bite of food you eat sends some sort of message to your body with the body responding accordingly. Our gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the interface between food and body. This huge organ system, the size of a tennis court when stretched end to end, is responsible for converting our food into chemical messages through the processes of digestion and absorption.

However, the GI tract doesn’t just digest and absorb food. Surprisingly, the GI tract also has the enteric nervous system. Therefore, the GI tract is rich in neurotransmitters, hormones, chemical messengers, enzymes, and bacteria. Indeed, it’s even home to seventy percent of your body’s entire immune system!

The Tract to Optimum Health

Given the amount of resources devoted to the proper function of the GI tract, it seems obvious that a healthy body starts with a healthy GI system. Want to lose fat? Gain muscle? Improve sports performance? Shine with good health and vitality? If so, better get that GI system working properly.

But a whole lot can go wrong in the gut. The following can wreak havoc on our GI health:
enzyme deficiency *microbial imbalance* motility issues detoxification abnormalities* inflammation

Interestingly, food intolerance or sensitivities can contribute to every single one of these problems, either directly or indirectly. Indeed, a growing body of evidence shows that food allergies, or more accurately food sensitivities, can harm numerous other body systems and cause a wide range of unwanted symptoms.
Food sensitivities/reactions and GI Disturbances have been linked to:

• asthma and allergies
• autoimmune disorders
• skin conditions
• arthritis
• atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases
• neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia
• mood disorders
• ADD/ADHD
• narcolepsy
• addiction
• migraines
• kidney problems

Wow, that’s a huge list! And, with more research, the list grows. In fact, because of the number of conditions now correlated to either gut dysfunction or food sensitivities, anyone who feels like their GI system is working sub-optimally should at least consider trying a dietary approach known as an elimination diet. Honestly, there are many ways to treat GI-related health conditions. But the first, easiest, and most effective place to start is by eliminating or removing foods that might be causing a problem.

The Elimination Diet
Obviously there’s no such thing as a perfect diet. Biochemically, we’re all unique and have individual needs for how much to eat, what to eat, and when to eat. Not to mention the fact that there are social and psychological components to eating well. So we also have to do our best to find the best nutrition/lifestyle match.

However, when suffering from GI-related complaints, the elimination diet is one approach that’s extremely useful. It addresses many of our individual needs, and benefits nearly everyone who tries it. Plus, it’s sorta fun. It’s like planning your own research project – on yourself.
Again, if you don’t have any gut-related complaints, there’s probably no need to experiment with an elimination diet. Nevertheless, if you’re suffering from food sensitivities, following an elimination diet for a few weeks could be the most profound dietary change you’ll ever make. For some people, the results can feel nothing short of miraculous.
So what is an elimination diet? Well, it’s all in the title: you eliminate certain foods for a period of time, usually three or four weeks, then slowly reintroduce specific foods and monitor your symptoms for possible reactions.

Elimination diet philosophy and practice
Four principles guide the elimination diet plans we assign to our patients.

1. Science: We look to the published research for data on how certain foods impact digestion and health.
2. Experience: Although not based on published research, we use our experience to guide other recommendations.
3. Theory: Based on both science and our experience, we come up with explanatory models for what we’re doing.
4. Practicality: In the end, it all comes down to what people can actually stick to.

How To Do It
The best elimination diets remove the largest number of foods. Generally speaking, the more restrictive the better. Yes, it’s more work. But, as with most things, the more work, the greater the payoff.
To begin with, a good elimination diet will remove gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, corn, pork, beef, chicken, beans/lentils, coffee, citrus fruits, nuts, and nightshade vegetables. That might sound like a lot, but it leaves plenty of options for a relatively satisfying diet comprised primarily of rice, meat (i.e. turkey, fish, lamb), most fruit, and most types of vegetables.
The following table gives an example of what to include and exclude during an elimination diet.

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	Foods to include	Foods to exclude
Fruits	Almost all fresh fruit	Citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, etc)
Vegetables	Almost all fresh raw, steamed, sautéed, or roasted vegetables	Tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes (sweet potato and yams are okay)
Starch	Rice*, buckwheat*	Wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, oats, all gluten-containing products
Legumes		Soybeans, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, all beans, peas, lentils
Nuts and seeds		All seeds and nuts
Meat and fish	Fish, turkey, lamb, wild game	Beef, chicken, pork, cold cuts, bacon, hotdogs, canned meat, sausage, shellfish, meat substitutes made from soy
Dairy products and milk substitutes	Unsweetened rice milk*, almond milk, coconut milk	Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, non-dairy creamers, eggs
Fats	Cold-expeller pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil	Margarine, butter, processed and hydrogenated oils, mayonnaise, spreads
Beverages	Drink plenty of fresh water, herbal teas (e.g. rooibos, peppermint, etc.)	Alcohol, caffeine (coffee, black tea, green tea, soda)
Spices and condiments	Sea salt, fresh pepper, fresh herbs and spices (i.e. garlic, cumin, dill, ginger, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, turmeric)	Chocolate, ketchup, mustard, relish, chutney, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, vinegar
Sweeteners	Stevia (if needed)	White or brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, desserts

*May also be removed if you suspect specific sensitivities to grains.
As mentioned, this is a fairly restrictive elimination diet. There are lists available on the internet allowing more, and sometimes fewer, foods in the diet. The key here is to not get too dogmatic. Self-experimentation rules the day. So try different things and see what works for you.
The only caveat here is that the more you remove, the more likely you are to discover foods you’re intolerant to, which is a good thing for your health.
And here’s another tip: consider removing any other foods you eat frequently. For example, eat turkey or asparagus every day? If so, try replacing them during the elimination experiment. You may find that you’ve become i
ntolerant to one of your daily staples because you’re eating it so frequently.

Length of Diet    *Optimum Health Challenge is 28 Days The length of an elimination diet can vary depending on your age and the severity of symptoms. Children can usually see benefit from a 7-10 day elimination diet, while most adults seem to do well following the program for around three to four weeks. Just don’t make things too complicated on yourself. Macronutrient ratios, calorie intake, etc aren’t very important during an elimination diet. The only really important thing is to completely avoid the foods discussed above.  Also, during the elimination diet, be sure you consume adequate amounts of water. Anywhere from 2L to 4L daily should do the trick.

Reintroduction

Of course, it’s not the purpose of the elimination diet to get rid of all the foods above forever. That would be awful. Rather, the point is to eliminate the foods and then slowly reintroduce them, one at a time, so you can monitor yourself for symptoms.
So, at the end of the 3 weeks of elimination, reintroduce a single food for a single day only. And then monitor your symptoms for two days. For example, you might decide to reintroduce dairy on a Monday. That day you could eat some cheese, ice cream, and drink a glass of milk. While getting right back to your elimination diet, monitor for any abnormal reactions on Tuesday and Wednesday.
If you have no observable symptoms, you may try reintroducing another food (i.e. eggs) on Thursday. You can continue this process for a couple more weeks, reintroducing one new food every few days, until you’ve determined what foods may cause you an issue (if any).
The whole process will take approximately 5-6 weeks and, at the end of the experiment, you’ll know a heck of a lot about how your body responds to different foods.

How Do You Feel?

The key to the approach is this: pay attention to how you’re feeling. For example, you’ll want to monitor your sleep, mood, energy, digestion, bowel habits, etc.
In fact, we recommend keeping a journal during the elimination phase and tracking any physical, mental, or emotional signs and symptoms. If you feel better during the elimination period (i.e. more energy, better sleep), it may indicate that a food you commonly eat is causing you a problem.
The second thing to watch for is symptoms – negative or positive – during the reintroduction. Negative reactions can include:insomnia,   fatigue,   joint pain/ inflammation,   skin breakouts /rashes,   headaches,   bowel changes or GI pain,    bloating,  brain fog, sinus or other respiratory issues

Because you’ll be introducing eliminated foods one at a time, you can be very observant of food-related changes. And virtually anything that is different than you felt during the previous three weeks could be a symptom, negative or positive.  Interestingly, some people actually report increased energy when a given food is reintroduced. Unfortunately this may be created by a stress response to the particular food. And that’s actually a negative thing. So it’s important to keep a log of all reactions, positive or negative.

The Pulse Test

Another tool you can use during the reintroduction is the pulse test. First thing in the morning, after resting for about 5 minutes, take your resting pulse rate for one minute. Then consume the food you’ve decided to reintroduce (i.e. dairy), and retake your resting pulse rate at 20, 40, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the challenge.
A change in pulse, either increased or decreased, greater than 10 beats per minute, can indicate sensitivity to a given food. Repeat the test again later in the day after a second exposure to the food. If the same thing happens, this can definitely suggest a food intolerance.
Obviously pulse rate can vary for a number of reasons and therefore this test is not diagnostic of food intolerance. But, when correlating it with symptoms, it can add additional valuable information.

Tips for Success

By now you should realize that the elimination diet isn’t necessarily easy. But it’s not that hard either. It just requires that you have a plan and you pay attention. Of course, the more you put into the elimination diet, the more you get out of it. So here are some tips for having success with this plan.
The number one key to success with this diet is preparation. People that spend the week prior to starting the program looking up recipes that are elimination-diet-friendly do far better than people that jump right into it.
Have the foods that you will need on hand. Know how to cook them. And prep as much as possible in advance. For example, making a large pot of rice, complete with vegetables, protein and seasonings ahead of time can help increase compliance during those times when you get hungry and have few options nearby.
Also, clean out your kitchen. Get rid of the foods that are not part of your elimination phase. (Or hide them really well). People aren’t particularly good with willpower. So make it easy on yourself and eliminate the need for it.
Finally, keeping a journal of symptoms, energy and mood throughout the day can help identify any patterns with food intake and physical/mental symptoms. Don’t try to rely on your memory. Remember, this is a self-experiment. And every good scientist needs a lab book in which they can keep their notes and experimental details.

If you think you might be suffering from food intolerances, you might want to try an elimination diet. Food has the power to promote health or create disease, and following an elimination diet can be a rewarding and eye-opening experience.
So, give it a try if you think your gut health needs a check-up. What you give up temporarily in creature comforts you’ll gain in lasting and unequivocal knowledge about your own health and well-being! 

How To Do An Elimination Diet    by Bryan Walsh,

Optimum Health Challenge: Smoothie Recipes

Fruity Veggie Smoothie

The fruit in it changes according to the seasons. In the summer we use peaches and nectarines instead of pears and apples. This smoothie has been paramount in the lives of many people we have helped. It can literally change your health in a matter of days and hours. The fruit is a rich source of soluble fiber and a host of vitamins and antioxidants. The greens offer powerful phytochemicals. Cabbage is a potent food that affects many pathways in the body. Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory. The lemon offers vitamin C and bioflavonoids. And yes, it tastes great, as many of the people in our cooking classes will tell you. This smoothie makes enough to fill a Vita-Mix so divide the recipe in half if you are using a regular blender.

Serves 2 to 4

2 apples, cored and cut into chunks

2 ripe pears, cored and cut into chunks

1 to 2 cups water

2 lemons, juiced

1 to 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

5 kale leaves, rinsed and torn

5 romaine lettuce leaves, spinach leaves, or collard greens, rinsed

1 cup coarsely chopped green cabbage, optional

Place the apple chunks, pear chunks, water, and lemon juice into a blender fitted with a sharp blade, blend until smooth and creamy.
Add the ginger, black kale, romaine lettuce, and green cabbage, and blend again until very smooth. Add more water for a thinner smoothie.
You can taste it now and if it is too “lettucy” for you then add another pear and blend again. Add more water for a thinner consistency.

Blueberry-Cucumber Smoothie

Serve this icy cold, refreshing smoothie for a late afternoon summer snack. It is thirst-quenching and full of powerful antioxidants. It can also be frozen into popsicle molds for a nutritious, kid-friendly snack. Happy Summer!

1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup apple juice or water

2 cups ice cubes

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for about 60 to 90 seconds. Serve immediately. Source: www.NourishingMeals.com

Optional Additions:

Kiwi fruit

Fresh parsley or mint

Flax seeds

Soaked Goji berries

Bee pollen

Super Antioxidant Smoothie


1 peach, pitted
1 apple, cored (I like the Ginger gold apples)
3 Italian plums or 1 large plum, pitted
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
4 cups packed spinach leaves
2 cups water

Place all ingredients into a powerful blender,  blend on high until smooth. Store any unused portions in a glass jar and place in the fridge for a near future, cell-protective, antioxidant party!

Winter Green Smoothie

When making smoothies without lemon you need to consume them the day they are made, otherwise the fruit will begin to oxidize. Lemon juice does such a great job of preserving them. Try adding in frozen blueberries or cherries, though your smoothie won't be green anymore (and may not look very appetizing). Frozen peaches work great too. The key to a great tasting smoothie is to use tart Granny Smith apples and a handful of fresh or frozen cranberries. You can follow my recipe below or get creative with what you have on hand.

2 apples, cored and cut into large chunks

2 pears, cored and cut into large chunks

handful of fresh or frozen cranberries

1 to 2-inch piece of fresh ginger

2 cups of water

6 to 7 large kale leaves

4 to 5 large collard greens

large chunk of green cabbage (about 1 to 2 cups chopped)

handful of fresh parsley

Place apples, pears, cranberries, ginger, and water into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Stuff in the greens and blend again until smooth. Add more water for a thinner smoothie.

Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a day.
Source: www.NourishingMeals.com.

Optimum Health Challenge~ WLN Elimination Diet

Whole Life Nutritional Elimination Diet
Is a program of eating designed to calm inflammation and balance the body. Once the body is calm, and the disease symptoms diminish, it becomes noticeable to a person when a “trouble” food is eaten and the symptoms come back. If you have felt sluggish, had chronic health complaints, or just not felt quite right then an elimination diet is a useful tool that may help bring you to that optimal state of health you desire. Yes the elimination diet usually results in, on average, a 10 to 15 pound weight loss, but more importantly it promotes healing at the cellular level by identifying foods that are causing an immune reaction.

The main focus of the Elimination Diet is on getting the gluten, dairy, eggs, yeast, and soy out of your diet for 28 days. Doing this, along with eating a diet high in plant fiber, calms inflammation and gives your body a break. Other foods that might be problematic for some are citrus, nightshade vegetables, and certain nuts. These foods are removed in the first phase and are slowly added back in before day 28 to note any negative reaction.
PHASES FOOD LIST

Phase 1 Excellent Foods

-brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, amaranth, teff

-apples, pears peaches, nectarines plums, apricots

-berries (except strawberries) cherries grapes

-figs (dried and fresh) , mango

-kale, collard greens lettuce, spinach dandelion greens

-bok choy, cabbage

-parsley, cilantro, sprouts (all types)

-Brussels sprouts broccoli, cauliflower beets, carrots, parsnips

-winter squash (all types) yams and sweet potatoes

-avocados, onions, garlic, and ginger

-sunflower and pumpkin seeds, sunflower and pumpkin seed butters, pine nuts

-mung beans, adzuki beans, lentils

-wakame seaweed, kombu seaweed

-nori seaweed, dulse flakes, fresh herbs

-coconut milk,coconut oil and olive oil

-kudzu, arrowroot (be sure its GF)

-guar gum (in small amounts), agave nectar and maple syrup

Foods to Avoid : (these foods are to be strictly avoided until added back in during the later phases)

-gluten grains and their flours (wheat, spelt, kamut, rye, barley) oats, millet, buckwheat

-bread (even gluten-free) flour (even gluten-free flours) yeast

-dairy products (including goat’s milk) eggs

-soy products (tamari, miso, tofu,tempeh, soy milk, soy protein powder, soy lecithin)

-corn (remember cornstarch)

-nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) mushrooms

-pineapple, papaya citrus fruits kiwi fruit, bananas strawberries

-all tree nuts and peanuts

-all beans (except for mung, lentil,adzuki)

-sesame seeds, refined sugar

-alcohol, caffeine (sorry, no coffee or tea)

-chocolate, vanilla extract, vinegar (all types)

Phase 2:

Go ahead and enjoy:

(add in these foods now one at a time in 3 day increments)

-lemons and limes tamari

Phase 3: Go ahead and Enjoy:

(add in these foods now one at a time in 3 day increments)

-nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant)

-all beans

-all tree nuts (no peanuts)

-bananas, papaya, pineapple

-fish (salmon, halibut, mackerel, cod)

-chicken (be sure it’s organic)

-turkey (freshly cooked organic, no packaged pre-cooked)

-soy products (tempeh, tofu)

Challenge Phase: Go ahead and Enjoy:

(start with these foods and add one at a time in 3 day increments)

-kiwi fruit strawberries oranges

-peanuts sesame seeds

-refined sugar alcohol caffeine chocolate

Challenge Phase (part 2) Go ahead and enjoy:

(start with these foods and add one at a time in 3 to 14 day increments – the longer the better)

Many people are feeling so good they may not add these foods in now
-gluten, dairy, eggs, yeast, and corn

-gluten grains and their flours (wheat, spelt, kamut, rye, barley)oats millet

-bread (gluten-free) yeast

-dairy products (including goat’s milk) eggs corn

The Elimination Diet is a program of eating designed to calm inflammation and balance the body. Once the body is calm, and the disease symptoms diminish, it becomes noticeable to a person when a “trouble” food is eaten and the symptoms come back.

The Detoxification Phase  The first 2 days, in which green smoothies are the only thing consumed, will begin to calm the immune system and clear the gut.

Phase 1  Is to establish a baseline diet, consisting of foods that normally don’t cause an immune response and are anti-inflammatory. When you eat foods that your body does not tolerate you will have a high amount of chemicals circulating in your blood that regulate inflammation. Inflammation is a sign that your immune system is battling something. Anytime there is a battle, you have collateral damage. So along with the foreign cells that are attacked by the immune system, good cells are damaged or destroyed as well.

So what happens when you eat Phase 1 foods? Balance. If you have been causing damage 3 to 5 times a day then you not only stop the damage, but increase the beneficial chemicals coming into your body from your food. You start the healing process.

Phase 2  We introduce foods back into the diet one by one, to note any reaction. Lemons and tamari are first on the list to add back.

Phase 3  Consists of slowly adding back foods that sometimes cause irritations in people. These include nightshade vegetables, fish, bananas, kiwi, and others. You can introduce soy back in at this time, though we recommend waiting until the challenge phase to introduce this. Take it slow. There is no need to rush the diet. By now you will have plenty of foods to eat.

The Challenge Phase  If you want to, you can add back foods that often cause an irritation in most people, to some degree. These foods include gluten, oats, corn, *soy, dairy, eggs, and yeast.  It is very important to isolate these foods. For instance we use rye to test for a gluten reaction.

Benefits of the Diet  Most people lose weight, yet at first, a lot is water weight from inflammation in the body. Then, eventually, as your body becomes more efficient and your digestive system more effective, you will begin to lose excess fat. People who are underweight will tend to gain weight. Energy levels are increased, You simply have more energy and feel great! Nearly every aspect of your physical and emotional body is altered when doing this diet and it is simple! Nearly all that do this do not go back to their old eating habits because they feel so good.

Resource: Nourishingmeals.com