Elimination Diet Examples

An elimination diet, also known as a challenge or allergy diet, is often recommended when a food allergy or intolerance is suspected. There are several medical conditions that may be related to food sensitivities, including asthma, eczema, migraines, Candida yeast infections and irritable bowel syndrome. The most common elimination diet eliminates foods usually responsible for producing allergic reactions and symptoms of intolerance---such as peanuts, chocolate, eggs and milk. There are also modified elimination diets that combine different types of foods.

Basic Elimination Diet

This diet plan typically eliminates all dairy, gluten, peanuts, chocolate, corn and all corn-based products, all processed foods and caffeine. The length of time you may be required to adhere to this diet is up to your physician, but you can expect to avoid these and possibly other foods for an average of seven to 14 days. At the end of the specified period, your physician will supervise the reintroduction of certain foods, one at a time and for only one day. If an allergic reaction or other symptoms appear, it's likely caused by that food or foods.

Your doctor may also ask you to avoid fatty meats such as beef, pork and all luncheon meats. However, chicken, turkey, lamb and cold-water fish are usually allowed. Instead of wheat, rye or barley products, which contain gluten proteins, you may be permitted to eat brown rice, quinoa or buckwheat, as well as gluten-free flours and other products.

You might be able to assist your physician in determining which food or foods to place a particular focus on before starting an elimination diet. For instance, the University of Washington suggests keeping a journal in which to note the specific foods you tend to eat the most and those that you crave.

Lamb and Pear Diet

As the name implies, this example of an elimination diet consists primarily of lamb and pears. However, according to William G. Crook, M.D., author of "Detecting Your Hidden Allergies," range-fed turkey, boiled sweet potatoes, yellow squash and brown rice or millet may also be consumed. Fruit, though, is restricted to pears or pear juice, exclusively.

Modified Elimination Diets

Other elimination diets involve eating foods that the patient rarely eats. According to Elmer M. Cranton, M.D., this kind of elimination diet is also known as the "Cave Man Diet" or "Rare Food Diet" because it attempts to model the hunter-gatherer dietary style and introduce foods that might even be considered exotic according to conventional standards. For example, suggested meat sources include Cornish game hens, quail, pheasant, deer, oysters and wild salmon.