The diet guidelines we use at LaValle Metabolic Institute exclude any food that contains cow’s milk or wheat. This surprises many people because they’ve been trained by good advertising and marketing to think that cow’s milk dairy products and whole-wheat products are the only way to get calcium and fiber. While these staple foods can be nutritious, they can tear down your health if you have developed a sensitivity to them.

Food allergies and other intolerances are quite common. Symptoms can include anything — gas and bloating or other digestive discomfort; runny or stuffy nose; joint aches; rash; headache; noticeable fatigue or tiredness; and even mood changes.

The good news is that years of experience have shown us that eliminating these two common food allergens can make quite a difference in a person’s health.

If you’re having any of the above symptoms it’s a good idea to do some exploration in this area. Lab tests are available for food allergies or sensitivities, but they sometimes only find the most severe of reactions. But there is another way to find out if you’re having food reactions — and it’s free.

It’s called an elimination diet. This simple method can help identify whether certain foods like wheat or cow’s milk dairy may be causing you a variety of health problems.

How do you do it? Simply eliminate these foods from your diet for a minimum of 4 weeks. Then reintroduce the foods, watching for any signs or symptoms of intolerance. Because traces of wheat and dairy products can often be found in a lot of other foods, it is helpful to eliminate most processed foods during an elimination diet. Foods like fresh fish, poultry, meats, beans, fruits and vegetables should be the mainstays of your diet.

When you reintroduce wheat and dairy, start with one or the other. In other words, don’t eat a food that contains both wheat and dairy or you won’t know which one you reacted to. Eat a normal sized portion of the food and then watch over the next 24 to 48 hours for any signs of intolerance. If you did have a reaction, wait a few days until the symptoms subside and then try the other foods.

While an elimination diet cannot tell you the exact medical classification of your intolerance, it can tell whether you are having symptoms from certain foods. And while some symptoms, like runny nose, may not seem that serious — any reaction to food is a sign that it is disrupting your body. So avoid foods that you reacted to until you can take measures to correct the underlying problems.

Your intestinal health is the main factor contributing to food intolerances and immune system reactions. Different medications, excessive consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates, and chronic stress are just a few of the things that can influence your intestinal function and make you more prone to develop intolerances to foods.

Taking probiotics to help re-establish the friendly bacterial flora that keep intestinal tissues healthy is one of the most important measures you can take. While yogurt does contain some probiotics, it will only exacerbate your problems if you are reactive to the milk proteins. Some probiotics are grown on lactose, so make sure to choose a dairy-free probiotic supplement.

The following broccoli soup recipe is great to try during your elimination diet. It’s a good source of calcium, and is wheat and cow’s milk free.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention. To learn more click here.]

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