ElimiDiet Blog: It's about identifying allergies

How I became an elimination diet chef:

To determine why our four week old baby boy could not stop crying or lie comfortably in his bassinet, we first visited the pediatrician.  It wasn't until the second visit to the doctor when our son offered a visual aid to express his discomfort.  Immediately, the pediatrician ordered a blood test, prescribed an acid reflux medicine (infant Zantac), and suggested that the nursing mother stop eating all dairy and eggs.  Within a about four days the constant crying subsided, which meant our baby was finally not enduring constant pain in his throat and stomach.  We were relieved and life felt manageable once again.

As time went on we eliminated foods from the mother's diet, one at a time, until our baby appeared 100% comfortable.  Within months, we had a very healthy baby no longer on medication who didn't cry or even spit-up.

Eliminating foods from my wife's diet uncovered some food intolerances of my own.  I learned that intolerances and allergies can manifest in very subtle ways, including.  Has your nose ever seemed to be stuffy, your skin turn slightly red, or your eyes water  for no apparent reason?  Do you have eczema or frequent gas or bloating?  All of these things can be symptoms of food allergies, or intolerances, and can be helped by avoiding certain foods or ingredients.

Through personal experience and some research, here is a list of benefits of eliminating allergy foods from your diet:

1) Increase sense of taste  -  since your nose isn't stuffy, you experience more smell/flavor

2) No more gas  -  I never feel gassy or burpy after eating, ever!

3) Comfort  -  I feel noticeably more comfortable in the abdomen region.

4) Avoid disease  -  Subjecting your digestive system to foods it is allergic to can increase the risk of various diseases as your GI tract either cannot process these foods or your system overreacts to them, taxing your system unnecessarily. Consult a physician or medical resources for more information.

I hope blogging my family's experience with the elimination diet and allergy-free eating, we may help other people learn how to get through such a life change in a manageable way and without sacrificing flavorful, savory meals (and certainly without starving).