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$Title{How do Elimination Diets Work?}
$Subject{Elimination diet Diets Work symptom symptoms cause causes caused
allergy allergies food foods headache headaches tired fatigue test tests
testing blood vitamin Vitamins mineral minerals medication medications weight
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Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


How do Elimination Diets Work?


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QUESTION:  I know I have been suffering from a variety of symptoms caused by
an allergy to certain foods.  They include a severe headache, and a tired
feeling that strikes after dinner.  However, blood tests and skin tests have
failed to reveal the exact nature of the problem, nor the food that causes my
misery.  A new doctor has suggested an elimination diet to track down the
cause, but he failed to describe how it works.  Can you possibly give me that
explanation?  I would be very grateful.

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ANSWER:  When skin tests and blood analysis fail to offer the clues necessary
to track down an offending food, an elimination diet provides an interesting
method of discovering the culprit.  A careful history always starts the
process to completely describe the exact nature of your symptoms.  This will
occur over a two week period as you keep a diary, carefully describing all the
troubling symptoms as well as a notation of all the foods you eat.  These
descriptions will form the basis for comparison in the future as the diet
proceeds.  After the symptoms have been identified, you will be instructed to
remove certain foods from your daily diet.  You should receive a comprehensive
list from your doctor, who may also include a list of foods you may eat and
how they are to be prepared.  An elimination diet does not permit the same
foods to be eaten more than twice over the 7 to 10 day period.  Vitamins,
minerals and some non-essential medications may also be removed from your
daily intake.  You will have to keep careful records, and your limited diet
may also cause a weight loss over time, not a drawback for most Americans.  If
your symptoms subside or are substantially reduced by more than half, it is
probable that food is at the root of your trouble.  You will then be asked to
replace certain foods as a challenge test, until one or more types of food
provoke the same symptoms that were present at the outset.  Many patients are
happy to know the cause and will often be willing to allow the symptoms to
return once in a while, as the price for eating a favorite food.  Others will
permanently eliminate the guilty substance and become symptom free for all
time.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.