What is an elimination diet?

This is a procedure which is designed to discover, by elimination, whether you are allergic to one or more of the foods which commonly give rise to allergic symptoms. What you do is to remove all of the items in one group completely from your diet for a full six days. Then on the seventh day you try a small helping of one of the items. If you are allergic to the item, your symptoms will re-appear. Remember that the exercise is useless if you cheat - you will only be cheating yourself!

The groups are listed in the order that you are recommended to try the procedure. If you think that one group is particularly likely to be the cause of your symptoms then test this one first. Remember, too, that although several items are mentioned in each group you may not be allergic to all of them. Each will need to be tested separately in the same way if you seem to be allergic to the group. Alternativelty, you may well be allergic to more than one group or to something else not mentioned since the list is not exhaustive.

Food Groups:

1. Milk and all other dairy products including cheese, yoghurt, butter, etc. It is worthwhile excluding beef as well during this test. Remember that most margarines contain whey so use 'Tomor' or similar.
2. Wheat and all other cereals except rice.
3. Tea, coffee, cocoa and chocolate
4. Citrus, including orange, lemon, etc.
5. Artificial colourings, especially tartrazine (E102) and sunset yellow (E110)
6. Yeast, which is present not only in bread but also in Marmite, beer, etc.
7. Eggs

You will need to read the small print on labels - many of these items are unexpectedly included in pre-packed and convenience foods. Although this involves a great deal of effort and inconvenience, if you do discover an allergy then the removal of the offending item from your diet can make life very much more comfortable.

Suggested reading:

Not All in the Mind' by Richard Mackarness - Pan

'E for Additives' by Maurice Hanssen - Thorsons

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