Elimination Diet
An elimination diet is a temporary, structured way of investigating whether a particular food may be contributing to symptoms. It should not become a permanent list of forbidden foods.
This full Space to Breathe Therapy Nutrition Library guide explains the five key stages: establishing a baseline, targeted elimination, planned reintroduction, interpreting the result and returning tolerated foods to the diet.
The guide covers symptom tracking, when medical assessment should come first, coeliac testing before gluten removal, allergy safety, red-flag symptoms and why broad self-directed restriction can make the picture less clear.
There is detailed guidance on replacing nutrients when dairy, wheat, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds or soya are removed, alongside practical advice for labels, eating out and maintaining enough overall food.
Dedicated sections explore ARFID, autism and sensory needs, multiple allergies, eating disorders and restrictive eating, and the additional considerations for children.
The guide also challenges common myths about commercial intolerance testing and explains why reintroduction is often the most informative part of the process.
It finishes with a personal check-in, evidence sources and a supportive message from Space to Breathe Therapy.
The central message is simple: an elimination diet should narrow uncertainty, not narrow your life indefinitely.
Space to Breathe Therapy
Educational information only. Do not deliberately reintroduce a food at home where there is a risk of a serious allergic reaction. This resource does not replace personalised medical or dietetic advice.
