Elimination Diet For Autoimmune Disorders

  • Has anyone done an elimination diet for autoimmune disorders?

    I have 3 autoimmune conditions, recently diagnosed with the 3rd. I am going to be doing the CLEAN GUT elimination diet protocol.

    Just curious if there's anyone else out there who has done anything similar?
  • I've done it. I also have autoimmune issues with my thyroid, I have Hashimotos. My Naturopathic Doctor had me do it years ago- on her protocol, you cut everything out of your diet you could possibly be allergic to. No dairy, alcohol, eggs, shellfish, wheat, corn, processed foods of any type, citrus. The list of no's was huge. It was hard, and I had to do it for 3 weeks and then only was able to add one food back in every three days- you load up on it on day 1, and then wait 2 more days to see if you have any reaction. Then you can try another food. It's how we identified that I had a dairy allergy- the day I added dairy back in, I got hives and a migraine by lunch.

    I've also done the Primal Blueprint and the anti-inflammatory diet which are quite similar, and then last year I got really sick and got put on the mother-of-all-elimination-diets. For weeks all I could eat- seriously- was lamb, rice and pears. That's it. I still eat a very restricted diet that makes the elimination diet look like a smorgasbord.
  • I've been preparing and doing a lot of research. I'm ready to embark on this journey though. I just want to feel better...
  • I'm 53 years old. Approximately a year ago I developed Lichen Sclorosus (a skin condition/disease), which is a suspected autoimmune disease. I am in menopause and have hypotyroidism, a good candidate for LS, though anyone can get it at any age. I was misdiagnosed for a long time and finally did my own research to learn about LS. I went to a dermatologist who confirmed my own diagnosis.

    I was given an injection (can't remember what it was called), given a two week dosage of prednisone and a couple of different creams. I'm still on the creams, but couple days after my prednisone dosage ran out (just a few days ago), the itching started again. I was mortified! I decided, since it's suspected that LS is an autoimmune disease, I'd try cutting gluten from my diet and I just eliminated it today. I hope doing this puts the LS in remission because although it's treatable, it isn't curable. I refuse to go back on the prednisone because I was eating uncontrollably while on it and it made me so moody I couldn't stand my own self. So, I'm going to try doing what I can to improve my own condition.

    Thank you for asking this question. I look forward to reading replies from others, too.
  • Quote: I'm 53 years old. Approximately a year ago I developed Lichen Sclorosus (a skin condition/disease), which is a suspected autoimmune disease. I am in menopause and have hypotyroidism, a good candidate for LS, though anyone can get it at any age. I was misdiagnosed for a long time and finally did my own research to learn about LS. I went to a dermatologist who confirmed my own diagnosis.

    I was given an injection (can't remember what it was called), given a two week dosage of prednisone and a couple of different creams. I'm still on the creams, but couple days after my prednisone dosage ran out (just a few days ago), the itching started again. I was mortified! I decided, since it's suspected that LS is an autoimmune disease, I'd try cutting gluten from my diet and I just eliminated it today. I hope doing this puts the LS in remission because although it's treatable, it isn't curable. I refuse to go back on the prednisone because I was eating uncontrollably while on it and it made me so moody I couldn't stand my own self. So, I'm going to try doing what I can to improve my own condition.

    Thank you for asking this question. I look forward to reading replies from others, too.
    My most recent diagnosis was a suspected autoimmune disorder - which is also a chronic skin condition - called HS. Interesting... Like yours, treatable but not curable. I too am hoping to put it in remission. Glad you replied. Hopefully we can start a group here for chat about this! Have a great day
  • Quote: My most recent diagnosis was a suspected autoimmune disorder - which is also a chronic skin condition - called HS. Interesting... Like yours, treatable but not curable. I too am hoping to put it in remission. Glad you replied. Hopefully we can start a group here for chat about this! Have a great day
    I'd love to hear how you come along with your condition. Please keep me updated. I'm going to look up the Clean Gut diet you're doing. I'd love to know if it helps you.

    I know me, and I will NOT stick to anything too restrictive. I started out yesterday with the idea of excluding things with gluten, but I'm going to include sugars in that, too. I'm not saying never on the sugary stuff, though. I'm just not going to keep it in the house, and if I have a craving now and then, make it where I have to drive for a treat. That'll keep me from going overboard. If it's in the house, I'll eat junk on a daily basis.

    I feel for you having skin and other autoimmune conditions. Is your thyroid one of those? I'm just wondering because I wondered what your symptoms are with that? I'm lightheaded on and off constantly and have a hard time with memory and focusing because of it. That's not a good thing because I'm job hunting right now and...well, that's another story.. lol

    I love the idea of starting a thread for people with autoimmune conditions. I'm surprised there isn't one already because so many people are affected by them and they can affect our weight, as in thyroid issues. Good idea!
  • I decided to do an allergy elimination diet a few years ago after my doctors diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. I have eczema and asthma so I was wondering if a food allergy could have been part of my problem.
    The diet took me about three months. I cut out sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, processed food and pretty much lived on brown rice, fish, vegetables,soups, salads and fruits. I had withdrawal symptoms and migraines in the first week but after that I started to feel great. At the end of the initial elimination stage I didn't want to reintroduce foods but I knew I had to. The only food I had a particular reaction to was dairy. It was only a mild reaction and after a few days it went away so I concluded that I had no food allergies and went back to my old fairly unhealthy diet.
    I kept looking for answers to my chronic pain and finally when I started supplementing vitamin B12 I got better. I am really glad I did the elimination diet though. I felt so amazing on a diet of simple unprocessed foods but I allowed myself to fall back into bad eating habits. I am now making an effort to eat a whole food, vegan diet and I know I'll be able to do it because I was able to stick with the elimination diet fairly easily. The elimination diet really is a great way to understand how different foods affect your body and the huge impact diet can have on your health.