The Multiple Food Elimination Diet by Doris Rapp is a food regimen that was designed not to help an individual to lose weight, but instead to help identify and manage food allergies and sensitivities among adults and children. If a person suspects that they may have a food allergy or sensitivity, or they want to know if one exists, the Multiple Food Elimination Diet is supposed to help make that discovery. It also focuses on allowing a person to understand how they feel after having consumed certain foods. That part of the diet is supported by claims of the Annapolis Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Research Center (ACFFRC) which states that some kinds of food can lead to a stuffy nose, headaches, or even symptoms of asthma.
The actual practice of the Multiple Food Elimination Diet involves stopping the consumption of eating a specific food and then reintroducing it in order to observe any potential reactions to that food. One at a time, specific foods are taken away and then included into the diet once more. Though this may seem slow, the process must be done this way because removing or introducing too many foods at once can lead results to be confused or distorted. For example, if you have eliminated both peanuts and milk from the diet, and then they are both reintroduced at the same time, it is difficult to know whether a reaction is being caused by one, the other, or both. The Cleveland Clinic stated that depending on how many foods are being tested, it can take up to three weeks before the Multiple Foods Elimination Diet is completed.
Throughout the Multiple Food Elimination Diet, there are certain foods that are completely banned. These are generally common allergenic foods, which include milk, wheat, nuts, eggs, and shellfish. They are, however, reintroduced closer to the end of the diet in order to test them independently. The ACFFRC also recommends that certain processed foods should also be banned in order to achieve the best possible results for this diet. In addition to processed foods, they recommend eliminating popcorn, corn, ice cream, soy, soda, chocolate, citrus fruits, and peas. Throughout the diet, these should all be reintroduced independently so that any reactions can be observed.
It is important to speak with a doctor before beginning this diet because a doctor can help to guide the patient regarding supplementation for nutrition when foods containing certain nutrients have been eliminated from the regular diet.
The Multiple Food Elimination Diet can be very helpful in determining foods that may be causing allergies or chronic health problems.
The Multiple Food Elimination Diet by Doris Rapp is very restrictive and can be difficult to follow. However if food allergies are a problem then you may find it worth the effort.
