07 Apr To Eliminate or to Get the Tests done?

To Eliminate or to Get the Tests done?

In Australia, we are seeing a rising epidemic of intolerances and auto-immune diseases that are caused by food. There are foods that cause inflammation within the body and creating an unfavourable reaction to the victim’s body in forms of rashes, acne, psoriasis or eczema, bloating, blocked airways, diarrhoea, lack of concentration and irritability to name a few.

If you had an inkling that food may be affecting you, the conventional practice would be to go to the doctor, get a referral to the specialist for some tests, go to the specialist and go one or both of the following routes. First, a blood test to indicate if you are genetically predisposed to have an autoimmune disease. Secondly, have a colonoscopy for further inspection into your case.

We recommend that if a food doesn’t agree with you that you swap the food out. If it’s causing an irritation to your body or your biochemical make up, it seems silly to keep it within your diet… However, with that said, how do you tell if it’s an irritant?

We encourage an elimination diet. A “30-day detox” as such. Remove the main foods that cause the general population the most grief. These foods are gluten, dairy and sugar. By Allowing 30 days you give your body the time it needs to “heal” or reduce inflammation. This puts your body back to a base level in which you can reintroduce the foods one week at a time after the 4 weeks are up. By introducing the allergens one by one week by week it allows you to see the true affect it has on your body.

If an allergen has a negative affect on the body, we suggest removing it from your intake. For instance, if you reintroduce bread, pasta or beer and you find your guts are churning or other side effects it’s probably a good sign that you’re better off without them. Replace them with real whole foods like balanced meals of meat, vegetables and good fats rather than the “gluten free” variation of that food causing you grief.

Now, although you haven’t got scientific proof that you’re allergic or intolerant to the food, you do have anecdotal evidence that it doesn’t respond well within your body, so why keep it in your diet?

There are different studies out there (especially around gluten) to show that unless you have an autoimmune disease that it’s not the allergen that’s affecting you however might be the way that the food is heavily processed that causes the impact on your body. So then why eat it anyway! It’s processed and causing stress on your body!

Without over complicating it, if you’re having symptoms and you haven’t tried attacking your nutrition we simply recommend you remove the allergens for 30 days, reintroduce them and see if side effects dissipate or exacerbate. Depending on which way your test goes will depend on how you dictate your next step. For help on a guided meal plan to suit your needs The Chief Life can help. Find out more and definitely get assistance from a qualified professional if you are unsure how to progress.

If, however through this trial and error process you don’t have any success with your symptoms we’d strongly advise seeking help from your health practitioner, your local Naturopath or Holistic Doctor.