Could your digestive problems indicate a food intolerance?

I can’t believe that it’s already September! It is crazy how fast this year has gone by. I am ready for it to be fall because I’m sick of the really hot weather we've been having here, and I’m ready for fall food – winter squash and pumpkin everything! Speaking of fall, I just started my Eat Clean, Get Lean Fall Cleanse. I have been eating a lot of stuff that hasn't made me feel that well, so I decided that it is time to do a cleanse to reset my body.

When you realize that your digestion is much less than optimal and you feel terrible, it is time to do something about it. I have had digestive problems my whole life, and never seemed to feel well after I ate. I knew I needed a reliable way to find out WHY this was happening and, more importantly, WHAT was causing my discomfort. That’s when I found out about the Elimination Diet.

The Elimination Diet is an approach to figuring out which foods you are sensitive to so that you can eat mindfully and keep your digestive symptoms at bay. The gut is where the majority of your immune system is and is considered the “second brain” in your body, so it is important to keep it healthy and keep things running smoothly. In the elimination diet, you start by eliminating common culprits of digestive upset and common food allergens. You dial down your daily meals and snacks so that you are only eating real, nourishing foods that will not hurt your gut. In fact, you can begin to heal your gut with a proper elimination diet. The categories of food to eliminate are:

Grains – The foundation of the Food Pyramid for decades, it has now been discovered that many people have a hard time digesting grains, including corn.
Processed Foods – There are many toxic chemicals (like MSG, artificial colors, and flavorings) and other undesirable ingredients (like GMOs, trans fats, and HFCS) in processed food that can impede digestion and even cause disease.
High Glycemic Foods – Large amounts of starches and added sugars can feed a bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and other gut dysbiosis problems.
Gluten and Fructans – Found in many grains, gluten has been found to be one of the causes of leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune diseases. Fructans are found in FODMAPS (short-chain carbohydrates) and can also feed those bad bugs in your gut.
Unrefined Oils – These can cause inflammation throughout your body.
Feedlot Meats and Dairy – Meats and dairy from the conventional food system are full of hormones, antibiotics, and even poisons such as arsenic.
Eggs, Peanuts, and Shellfish – All are common food allergens.
Gut Irritants – Caffeine and alcohol can wreak havoc on your gut. Avoid these while you are healing.

There is a 3/3 guideline for adding foods back into your diet:

“Do not conclude a food causes symptoms, unless symptoms occur within 3 days of eating the food and occur consistently on 3 separate occasions after eating it.”*

You will know, as you begin to add foods back in, what works and what doesn’t. I suggest starting slow; give the diet a few weeks to work, and start adding foods back in one at a time. If a food causes symptoms on 3 different occasions, you will know that you are sensitive to that food and to avoid it for a while and try again later. Eventually you will come up with a plan that your body will love. Everyone is different and finding your own unique way of eating to feel good will change your life.

My 14 day Eat Clean, Get Lean Fall Cleanse is set up like an elimination diet so you can discover which foods are causing you discomfort. It is a whole foods cleanse (a lot of people are scared of the word "cleanse".), so you eat real food the whole time - so not a juice cleanse or one where you have to take any pills or spend hours in the bathroom. It will be launching later this month, but if you'd like to read more about my cleanses, you can click here. I am also working on a 3 month intensive coaching program to help people who have serious gut issues, which should be ready soon!

For more information on my Eat Clean, Get Lean Fall Cleanse, click here. If you have any questions about the cleanse, feel free to email me at kellysnutritionandwellness@gmail.com.

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*Heizer, W D., Southern, S, McGovern, S. The Role of Diet in Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Adults: A Narrative Review. JADA 2009; 109: 1204-1214