My first detox diet plan was when I was just a few months old – but probably not in the way you think of when you hear ‘detox’! When I was born, I started having the same chronic ear infections as my older brother. My mom had suspicions that we were allergic to dairy, so she put us on an allergy elimination diet.
Her doctors thought she was nuts, since at the time allergies weren’t linked to ear infections. She eventually got confirmation that we were both allergic to all forms of dairy, and that she was as well.
These days, allergies are recognized to have a wide variety of symptoms, and one of the most common reactions to dairy is actually the ear infections that plagued my brother and I when we were little.
Allergies can show up in so many ways that if you have a symptom that just won’t go away, an allergy elimination diet might just pinpoint the trigger.
Allergy Elimination Diet
A detox diet plan makes for a great opportunity to test for allergies. An allergy elimination diet involves eliminating all common or suspected allergens for a period of time (usually two weeks), and then foods are added back one at a time to see if they cause a reaction.
The most common allergens include peanuts, dairy products, corn, soy, wheat, yeast, pork, shellfish, tomatoes, mushrooms and unripe fruit.
Other foods that may show up as allergens for some people are lamb, beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, lemon, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, apple, banana, peach, currant, raisin, apricot, strawberry, potato, squash, rye, oats, rice, alfalfa, eggplant, carrot, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, pepper, turnip, walnut, cashew, brasil nut, honey, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, curry, garlic, vinegar and onions.
Although a detox diet plan usually looks at the more obvious toxins, allergens act as toxins as well – they just don’t act as toxins for everyone. Figuring out if you have an allergy can really change your quality of life. When my mom discovered that she was allergic to dairy and cut it out of her diet, she was amazed.
So many symptoms fell away that she couldn’t believe she had been missing out her whole life. She had lived with them for so long, probably her whole life, that she didn’t realize what it was like to feel energized and not have constant headaches.
7-Day Cleanse Plan
If you struggle with cravings, bloating, breakouts, mental fog… a short cleanse might be just the thing for you. Fuel and nourish your body so you feel refreshed, energized and back on track with healthy habits.
- Complete weekly meal plan: recipes for every meal and snack so you’re never left wondering what to make at any given point.
- Complete grocery list: so you know exactly what you need to get at the store for each weekly plan.
- Prep guide: to outline exactly what to prepare day-by-day, so you never feel unorganized or overwhelmed.
