Are you concerned or have you already found that an elimination diet is a pointless, difficult and ineffective way to try to improve your health?

You might be right and here’s why:

Elimination diets are too general if you are trying to determine EXACTLY what you should or should not be eating.

Elimination diets are theoretically a great idea and they help many people feel and function better. Removing wheat/gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts and other common allergens is an effective way to decrease inflammation, improve energy, lose weight and improve cardiovascular health. Simply stated, the offending foods just mentioned cause low-level chronic inflammation in most people to some degree and eliminating them for a trial period or indefinitely can be helpful in some cases.

Unfortunately, the fact is that elimination diets can create problems and ignore others.

Problem 1

Elimination diets designed to eliminate food sensitivities are too general. There are thousands of foods and limitless food combinations. Statistically, it is impossible that any one approach could be right for every person.
Solution: Use a simple testing method to see EXACTLY what foods you are sensitive to NOW. Food sensitivities that can cause fatigue, bloating, chronic inflammation and more CHANGE! Food allergies that cause IMMEDIATE reactions like hives or swelling do not. Sensitivities can come and go for numerous reasons two of which are:
-Eating the same food over and over.
-Intestinal permeability also called “Leaky Gut Syndrome.” This can be confirmed with stool analysis tested for a substance called Zonulin. Testing info can be found here. Don’t guess… TEST!

Problem 2

Elimination diets may cause people to begin frequently eating foods that they are even more sensitive to than gluten/wheat/eggs/dairy etc! Though gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts and more can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation, you may have even worse sensitivities to other foods you may turn to once these the ultra-common foods removed on an elimination diet are not available. Did you know that even organic, non-GMO, pesticide-free foods can cause sensitivities as easily as traditional processed and toxic foods?
Solution: Use a simple testing method to see what foods you are sensitive to NOW.

Problem 3

Traditional “allergy” tests typically just look for ENVIRONMENTAL allergens like mold or pollen. Even typical food sensitivity tests are narrow and only test for a limited amount of foods.

Solution

You guessed it! Use a simple but SPECIAL testing method to see what foods you are sensitive to NOW.

Again, a simple but special blood panel can tell you the TRUTH about hundreds of foods in one simple test! Re-testing can tell you when it is safe to eat certain foods… even when it is safe to eat wheat, dairy, eggs and more!

The bottom line is: elimination diets are a great idea but can prompt people to aggravate their food sensitivities and are incomplete at best.

If its not broke don’t fix it. If elimination diets help you, KEEP DOING THEM. But, if they have caused you to become more confused, have caused you to rely on food sources that could unknowingly be causing MORE sensitivities and inflammation or if an elimination approach has just not given you acceptable results, you need more info.

Knowledge is power.

You can get a simple food sensitivity home-testing kit sent to you anywhere in the world. Food testing info can be found HERE. Don’t guess… TEST!

In Health,

Dr. Daniel Farkas, DC, CFMP
Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner
Professional speaker and presenter at Whole Foods’ “Whole Cities” community health awareness initiative.
Click here for a VIDEO EXPLAINING FOOD TESTING.