HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

How to start an elimination diet

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/1/2016 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
I've never done this correctly and I'm curious how some of you have gone about this process. Seems daunting to me because I'm not sure where to start. For example, do you just wake up and say, "I'm only going to eat eggs for two days and see how I feel."? Then add one other food? Also I'm currently in a flare so it seems like it would be hard to pinpoint if certain foods are truly exacerbating my symptoms of if I'm just having a rough day. I really want to try this and just need some direction. Is there a list I can find somewhere that gives you a step-by-step order on which foods to add? I'd assume it may be more effective to add one "class" of food at the time. Like soy, gluten, dairy, etc., however I don't want to do it too quickly or too broadly. A diet/experiment such as this would surely be quite an undertaking so I want to go about it correctly so as not to delay the process or make it any more difficult than it has to be. I'm sure this topic has come up before so forgive me if I'm plowing old ground.

Your input is greatly appreciated. This forum has been a remarkable asset to me in my pursuit of health and serves as a reminder that I'm not alone. As many of you know, it can feel terribly lonely to be sick and not have an outlet to vent your frustrations, concerns, and ideas. Since I know no one else with UC, this forum is like my confidant and friend and I can't tell you how much I appreciate some of you "old timers" who spend your valuable time helping folks. Y'all are seriously badass. God Bless ya!
Garrett
Posted 2/1/2016 10:26 PM (GMT 0)
Go look up the FODMAPS elim diet! Its the best, I did it for a month, each week a different food type. Really easy. Google FODMAP PDF to start, has a good list then buy the 30 day book. You do not need a nutritionist to do it. So easy and you will find out drfinitivly what you can and cant tolerate. Good luck! Great place to start! Smart!
Posted 2/2/2016 8:52 AM (GMT 0)
Phoenix Helix has good advice on doing elimination diets.

An alternative approach is to start with a very simple diet--carrots, chicken, homemade chicken soup, cooked apple--for two days. Then add one food every other day. It's slow, and dull, but can work.

SCD can also work--the pecan bread website has guidance on starting it.

That said, if you're in a flare, I think you'll have trouble figuring out what is what.
Posted 2/2/2016 9:29 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know whether mine is classified as an elimination diet as it's probably more of a controlled fast but when I flare I limit myself to one steamed piece of fish/salmon for dinner each night with some European yoghurt and that's all I have for one week, no breakfast lunch etc. I've started introducing my bean salad as I've found really good results with it which is a can of cannellini beans, tin of tuna, olive oil, parsley and a tiny bit of red onion. I can tolerate that and actually note that I seem to recover faster with that. I've tried all the elimination diets for years as my mum put me on them but they never worked and I'd just end up bingeing. I find them unsustainable long-term.
Posted 2/2/2016 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
FODMAPS OR ANY ELIMINATION DIET IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LONGTERM, IT ALLOWS YOU TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR SENSITIVE TO(ESP IN A FLARE) SO THAT YOU CAN AVOID THOSE FOODS WHEN YOU ARE SICK!

After that you can avoid those foods, this is a very simple concept. 😁
Posted 2/3/2016 10:35 AM (GMT 0)
I think the problem with these diets is that when you're sick it's very hard to tell what you react to because you react to everything. Conversely when I'm well I can eat things that I stay away from when I'm sick and they give me no problem. I personally don't believe diet is a huge issue if you're relatively sensible about it, stick with protein, eat cooked vegetables, limit carbohydrates/ pasta and dairy etc etc.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply