The Diet

           It takes approximately six to twelve weeks to complete the Hypoallergenic Diet program. For some conditions it may take longer, so it is important that you plan ahead. The diet is basically divided into two phases: The Food Elimination Phase, and The food challenge phase.

            The elimination Phase usually takes three weeks. For some individuals with extensive gastrointestinal symptoms and long lasting history of chronic symptoms it may be necessary to continue on this phase for an extra two to three weeks (total of six weeks) before the GI system gets a chance to heal  and the allergens are cleared from the body. During this Phase you will follow a diet devoid of most food groups that have been shown to cause allergy or sensitivity. These are foods that in general are harder to digest and/or have a high allergenic potential and halt the healing of the gut.

            Once the symptoms have been reduced and gastrointestinal system has had sufficient time to repair the eliminated foods are reintroduced into the diet one item at the time. This is called the Challenge phase. This reintroduction will underline the specific foods that were the cause of allergies and sensitivities in your case. By restricting these underlined foods from your daily diet you then take charge of your gastrointestinal health and your symptoms.

            It is simple to follow a hypoallergenic diet program. You will find a pronounced effect when following the diet under the supervision of a trained Naturopathic or Medical Doctor, since your doctor can modify the length of the diet and restrict or expand the eliminated food lists to reflect your specific needs and condition. Also many doctors use adjunct therapies and supplements to facilitate the healing of the GI tract and this may be necessary given the medical history, specific symptoms, and the extent of gastro-intestinal damage

The following charts include the foods to consume or avoid during the diet:
            For three to six weeks consume only the allowed foods, and avoid others. (You’re Naturopathic or Medical Doctor may recommend further restriction to reflect your specific symptoms and medical history). At the end of the Elimination Phase you will begin to Challenge (reintroduce) these foods one item at a time. Each Challenge item should be consumed at least two portions a day, on two consecutive days and symptoms should be monitored for a total of three days. If symptoms are present after the first consumption, there is no need to consume the food for two consecutive days. When symptoms are present you should wait until they resolves before challenging the next food.

Vegetables:

Consume
  1. All fresh vegetables (try to incorporate all vegetables such as asparagus, Brussels sprouts, celery, cauliflower, cabbage onions, garlic, carrots, beets, leeks, green beans, broccoli, leafy greens – kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, watercress etc.)
  2. Sweet potatoes, Yams, Squash, Pumpkin, (Very soothing on the GI)
  3. Sprouts: sunflower sprouts, pea and bean sprouts (esp. alfalfa & red clover  as they help with detoxification)

 

Avoid
  1. Tomatoes, corn, mushrooms, green peppers, red pepper, bell peppers, potatoes
  2. If ragweed allergy present then eliminate artichokes, iceberg lettuce, sunflower seeds, dandelion, chamomile and chicory.

Fruits:

Consume
  1. All fresh/frozen fruits (see exceptions below)
  2. All berries fresh or frozen (except strawberries)
  3. All jams and fruit sauces of allowed fruits (with no sugars or preservatives added)

 

Avoid
  1. Bananas (are often treated with ripening chemicals)
  2. Citrus (oranges, grapefruit, and any citric acid containing beverage)
  3. Melons (often contain and promote mold growth)
  4. Strawberries
  5. Peaches and apricots
  6. Apples
  7. Dried fruits (does not include dates, organic-sulfite free raisins, sulfite free-figs, or unsweetened dried sulfite free cranberries)

Grains and Cereals:

Consume
  1. Brown rice, rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, tapioca, teff, amaranth
  2. Pasta, cereals and pastry made from these grains.

 

Avoid
  1. All gluten-containing grains (wheat, spelt, rye, oats, barley) and breads, pasta & other products from flour of these

Legumes and Lentils:

Consume
  1. All legumes: beans and lentils (all beans, fresh/frozen/dried)
  2. All peas (fresh/frozen/dried)

Avoid
  1. Soy beans & soy products (tofu, soy milk, soy sauce, miso, tempeh, TVP)
  2. Soy is another common allergen.

Nuts and seeds:

Consume
  1. Raw almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
  2.  

Avoid
  1. Peanuts, pistachios, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts
  2. Any nuts or seeds that are salted or flavored in some way

 

Animal products:

Consume
  1. Free-range chicken & turkey breast (best if organic)
  2. Lamb (best if organic)
  3. Wild game
  4. Wild Fish of any kind (except Shark, Swordfish, King mackerel, and Tilefish)
  5. Farmed organic fish

Avoid
  1. Red meats (beef, pork, bacon), processed meats (hotdogs, salami, wieners, sausage, canned meats, smoked meats) these all contain flower additives and coloring and preservatives
  2. Dairy (milk, cream, sour cream, cheese, butter, yogurt)
  3. Eggs
  4. Sea food: Shell-fish, Shrimp, Lobster, Scallops, Crab
  5. Catfish, Shark, Swordfish, King mackerel, and Tilefish
  6. Farmed Inorganic Fish

Oils:

Consume
  1. Virgin olive oil, cold or with low heat cooking
  2. Coconut oil for high heat cooking
  3. Cold pressed sunflower oil, sesame oil, and flax oil for dressing and no heat recipes

 

Avoid
  1. All other oils
  2. Refined oils, margarine, shortening

Condiments:

Consume
  1. Sea salt
  2. All herbs (e.g. parsley, coriander, watercress, dill, basil, thyme, oregano, garlic, ginger)
  3. Most spices (e.g. turmeric, fennel, cinnamon, black pepper)
  4. Spreads: nut/seed butters (e.g. almond, sesame (tahini), sunflower), bean dips (e.g. hummus)
  5. Sauces: pesto, mustard w/ no additives
  6. Apple cider/ brown rice vinegar
  7. Sweeteners: stevia (green/brown, unprocessed) and un-pasteurized honey in moderation.

Avoid
  1. Regular table salt (table salt is not necessarily a food allergen, it just does not have the added minerals and benefits of sea salt)
  2. Avoid peppers from the nightshade family (Cayenne pepper, red pepper, paprika, jalapeno, curry mix)
  3. All sweeteners (corn/ brown rice/ maple syrups, molasses, brown/ white sugar, glucose, maltose, maltodextrose, etc.) This includes desserts & all processed foods high in sugars.
  4. MSG
  5.  All food additives, preservatives, and coloring.

 

Drinks:

Consume

 

  1. Filtered water, at least 6-8 glasses/day
  2. 100% fresh fruit & fresh vegetable juices
  3. (Herbal teas: roobois tea, peppermint, nettle leaf tea, chamomile, licorice root, passion flower, dandelion, milk thistle, and any other herbal tea)
  4. Green tea
  5. Rice milk (unsweetened)
  6. Nut milks (unsweetened)

Avoid

 

  1. Caffeinated beverages (coffee, black tea, soda) (green tea is an exception)
  2. Alcohol
  3. Dairy (milk & other dairy products)
  4. Soy milk
  5. All fruit drinks high in refined sugar and added sugar
  6. All vegetable drinks high in salt
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