Allergy Rotation Diet Plan

Allergy rotation diet plans are useful for people with multiple allergies in preventing new allergies and identifying hidden allergies in common foods. Rotation diets are sometimes used along with elimination diets to treat existing food allergies and prevent new ones from developing. Rotation diets involve eating biologically related foods on one day, and then avoiding those foods for a period of time.

Significance

An estimated 12 million people in the United States suffer from an allergy to one or more foods. When one of these foods is ingested, the body mistakes the food protein for a harmful invader. The resulting immune system reaction is what causes the symptoms of allergic reaction. Repeated exposure to potential allergens increases the risk of developing an allergy to those items.

Features

Rotation diets work by limiting exposure to potential allergens, and providing the body and immune system with a rest period following ingestion of high-risk foods. High-risk foods include all of the "big eight" allergens (egg, wheat, soy, cow's milk, peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish), along with any suspected allergens. Typically, if a high-risk food is eaten one day, you must avoid that food for the following three to five days. Members of the same food family also must be avoided during that time. For example, if you eat yogurt on day one, you cannot eat any dairy products, or foods containing dairy, for the following several days.

Benefits

In addition to reducing the risk of developing new allergies, allergy rotation diet plans help uncover hidden causes of allergic symptoms. By strict adherence to the diet plan, it may be possible to identify mild allergic symptoms to foods that went unnoticed while on a regular diet. You are then able to remove these foods from your diet. By limiting exposure to potential allergens and high-risk foods, your immune system is less likely to respond defensively to those items. This makes it less likely you will develop a new allergy, and actually increases the number of foods you can tolerate. Health benefits are noticeable within a few weeks.

Drawbacks

For anyone not used to monitoring his diet, rotation diets can be difficult to implement. They can also be expensive to begin, as replacement foods must be purchased before beginning the diet. However, this increase in cost will eventually even out. It may also be extremely difficult for anyone who frequently has meals outside of the home to track every potential allergen ingested. This is because many common ingredients used in food preparation in restaurants contain potential allergens, such as milk, wheat, soy or egg.

Warning

Allergy rotation diet plans are not safe for everyone. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffer from any health conditions other than allergies, a rotation diet is not recommended. Young children should also not follow a rotation diet, as it may lead to nutritional deficiencies and impair growth and development. Allergy rotation diets should be developed with assistance from a doctor or a certified nutritionist.