How can I find out what foods I am able to tolerate?

Elimination - rotation dietThe elimination/rotation diet starts out with one or two foods being allowed at any particular meal. For the first week, wheat and milk are avoided because many people does not tolerate those foods. The easiest is to start with foods that are listed to be beneficial for someone's blood type.

Any of your favorite, commonly eaten foods are also avoided. If any food triggers a reaction, it is replaced with another, until no symptoms are experienced. When all symptoms have cleared, favorite foods are returned to the diet one-at-a-time. Foods that produce symptoms twice are withdrawn for three months. If you are already receiving cortisone therapy when they come for treatment, it is discontinued as soon as possible, because the drug hides symptoms and makes it more difficult to pinpoint offending foods.

"Dr. G. Borok, a general practitioner in South Africa, has had considerable success with intestinal problems using an elimination and rotation diet developed by Dr. Marshall of Norwalk, Connecticut. In more than 5,000 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 99.9% have experienced relief of all bowel symptoms.

In cases of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) (IBD), the response rate is between 85% to 90%. Other symptoms, such as those affecting muscles, joints, lungs, and kidneys, as well as emotional symptoms such as depression and anxiety, improve in the 80% to 90% range."

-- Based on information in: Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients, April 1998