An elimination diet is a procedure doctors and nutritionists recommend to determine whether you are suffering from food allergies, according to the World's Healthiest Foods. In a typical elimination diet, you will avoid all possible allergens until your body has adjusted, then slowly add back in the foods you have eliminated to see if one causes a return of your allergic symptoms.
Headaches
While you are following an elimination diet, you may experience headaches, according to the World's Healthiest Foods. Headaches are caused by your body detoxifying and ridding itself of additives and possible allergens that you used to consume normally. Headaches are especially common when you eliminate caffeine from your diet, as caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches. Eliminating alcohol from your diet can also cause withdrawal headaches, according to Medline Plus.
Muscle Pains
The World's Healthiest Foods states that muscle pains may be a side effect of an elimination diet. If you experience muscle pains while following an elimination diet, let your doctor or nutritionist know. Your doctor may want you to keep a journal of your symptoms during your elimination diet to help determine which foods are causing your allergic reactions.
Fatigue
Fatigue is a typical side effect of an elimination diet, according to the World's Healthiest Foods. Because of side effects such as fatigue, you should only follow an elimination diet for a short time while under the direction of a doctor or nutritionist. Usually fatigue symptoms disappear after the first week on an elimination diet, so let your doctor know if you experience continued fatigue while following an elimination diet. You may be able to rearrange the foods on your diet to reduce your fatigue symptoms.
Disappearance of Allergy Symptoms
Medline Plus states that the point of going on an elimination diet is to get rid of the allergic symptoms you were experiencing to determine what foods or substances are causing your allergies. When you have been on an elimination diet long enough for your allergen to be cleared from your body, you should experience a relief from your allergy symptoms. At this time, your doctor will have you reintroduce foods one at a time to determine which food is causing your allergic symptoms.
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