An allergy elimination diet is designed to help you identify foods that may be causing an allergic reaction in your body. If you experience common food allergy symptoms, such as bloating, stomach cramping, hives, nasal congestion or asthma after eating certain foods, you may have a food allergy. Talk with your doctor before modifying your diet to treat any medical condition. A food allergy can lead to serious complications that could be life-threatening.
Food Allergy
A food allergy is a hypersensitivity of the immune system to certain proteins found in foods. The most common foods that cause allergic reactions are fish, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, soy and wheat, according to Medline Plus. The immune system doesn't identify the proteins in a certain food as safe and reacts as if the proteins were a harmful substance. IgE antibodies are created that attempt to ward off the allergen and lead to cells producing histamine, a chemical that's responsible for most allergy symptoms. Histamine helps to protect the body from infection, but in large amounts, it causes inflammation.
Approach
An allergy elimination diet begins with removing all possible food allergens. This may include one or all of the most common food allergens. For example, if you've noticed an adverse reaction when you drink milk, remove dairy products from your diet. If you've noticed that you can eat soy beans without any reactions, keep them in your diet. Once you've identified potential food allergens, write them down and eliminate them from your diet.
Introduction
AskDrSears.com recommends removing all possible food allergens for a minimum of 10 days or two weeks. Re-introduce one food every 10 to 14 days and keep a log of the reactions you experience after consuming them. Introduce the food in its raw form before eating it combined with other ingredients. For example, if you're introducing eggs back into your diet, eat an egg by itself and not baked into cookies. The introduction process should be guided by an allergist or medical doctor.
Report Findings
After you've re-introduced the foods you suspected you were allergic to, disclose your findings to your doctor. Your doctor may recommend allergy testing to confirm and clinically diagnose you with a specific food allergy.
Warning
MayoClinic.com says that a food allergy can cause anaphylaxis, a rare but deadly allergic reaction. If you experience constricted airways, mental confusion, dizziness or a faint and rapid pulse, call 911 immediately. You may need an injection of epinephrine to reduce the symptoms.
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