Nearly two weeks into the Institute for Functional Medicine approved ‘Elimination Diet’ and I already feel a world of difference with my body. Is it a placebo or is it actually working?
I must say that the first week of the Elimination diet was the most difficult. Cutting out sugar, soy, gluten, egg, dairy, caffeine and alcohol can be challenging since these items are found in the grocery store and most restaurants. Reading labels on packaged items (usually from the Vegan & Gluten Free aisle at HEB) is a must. Pay close attention to ingredients listed in fine print such as cane sugar and corn syrup.
Frequent trips to the grocery store are inevitable since the Elimination diet focuses on fresh fruits, vegetables and organic lean meats. Even if you can plan out your whole week of meals, it’s still necessary to pick up fresh items so they don’t spoil in your refrigerator. Items I pick up most trips include fresh organic fruits and vegetables such as banana, strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, kale and zucchini.
So far I have noticed that my bloating, fatigue and lower extremity swelling have improved in the last 2-weeks. I have lost three pounds without counting any calories. It may be too soon to know if my symptoms have improved directly to my dietary changes, however, I’m pretty confident I had been eating foods in the past that my body did not like.
When you eat foods that are irritating to your gut or those that you may have an allergy/sensitivity to, you may acutely have symptoms such as bloating, dumping, or a rash. If you are exposing yourself to years of irritating substances that cause chronic inflammation, what is that doing to your overall health? Chronic disease such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol do not occur overnight. They are directly linked the the foods we are exposing ourselves to and can be preventable. Instead of waiting for disease to start, wouldn’t it make more sense to prevent these conditions from the beginning?
Throughout the many years I have trained to become a family physician, I have never really understood the power we hold to take charge of our health and better our outcomes by simply watching what we are putting in our mouths. Please continue to follow my healthcare blog to experience this journey with me.
Here are some of the dishes I prepared this week for my family…
Brown rice pasta with carrot pesto and chicken.
Grilled tilapia on a bed of black beans topped with hummus coleslaw and guacamole. Side of cut mango.
