Hello there! Are you tired of afternoon slumps that drag on for hours after lunch? Do you want to avoid the foods that may be tiring you? I have compiled an interesting diet guide to help you with this. You’ll love how it ends. In previous articles, I have touched on the causes of a food coma and how to deal with it. I also detailed why keeping a food diary is essential when covering effective ways to deal with a food coma. I want to switch things up and introduce another concept- the elimination diet!

Have you heard of it? In a world where fad diets are ever coming up, I would like to point out that this is not one of those ‘lose weight in 1-day’ diets. Instead, it’s an eating plan designed to find the trigger foods in your diet. At this point, we know that your food coma could be due to tryptophan-rich foods, high-calorie foods, high-fat food, alcohol, and more. However, the only way to prove that any of these foods is to blame is to single out the main trigger. (If you have not read the causes of a food coma, I would suggest that you start there to give you some bearing.)

What is an elimination diet?

Look at it this way. Most people who suffer reactions to foods can tell you what causes it. Someone will say to you that if they have dairy, things go haywire. Probably, they hardly ever touch dairy. I even know someone who says that she only has ice cream when she’s close to her home (you can imagine the repercussions of a spoonful of cheese in her case). Now, why is this important? Targeting! She knows the cause of her problem and has a better understanding of what she should avoid.

That’s the point of an elimination diet. It helps you figure out what’s causing your discomfort. Once you figure this out, you can either continue eliminating the food or somehow incorporating it into your diet.

Once again, I would like to stress that this is not a fad diet. If anything, dieticians and allergists have been using it for decades to treat their patients. If your food coma gets to a point where you need medical intervention, you may need to embrace this elimination.

How does an elimination diet work?

First, you point out foods you feel may be causing your discomfort. In my case, this would be milk (I drink a lot of milk, and the tryptophan has not been forgiving). Figure out what might be the culprit in your case by going through the list of possible causes of a food coma. Stop eating those foods for the next 2 to 3 weeks and see how your body responds. For example, you can eliminate beef, milk, and French fries from your diet. Find anything you feel your body does not handle well and note this in a food diary.

In this time, watch how your body responds. You should be feeling more energetic and have fewer gastrointestinal issues. If this does not happen, you have probably missed a trigger food and need to consider what else might be worth eliminating. If you eliminate more foods and still don’t feel like you are making headway, consulting a doctor is a good idea. You may have some other issues that need different approaches.

After three weeks, your body should be in good health, provided you eliminated the right trigger foods. It’s now time to start reintroducing the culprits one by one. Please note that you should not introduce them at the same time as this would defeat the purpose. You will want to start with one and if the body responds positively, give it time before introducing the other one. Introduce the first food over the next three days and watch out for symptoms. Ideally, you should start with the food you think has the least effect. Once it passes the test, move on to the second least likely trigger. Keep doing this every three days at a time. Note how your body responds. If your food coma resurfaces after introducing a given food, you will know you have found the problem. It will take you about five weeks to get to the answer.

Is it risky?

Eliminating specific food groups from your diet can lead to a nutrient deficiency. You should start with one or two food groups to avoid shocking your body. Also, do not eliminate any food groups for longer than eight weeks. I advise that you keep it to five or fewer weeks. If you’d like to keep going for longer, please seek the advice of a doctor.

Points to Note

• If you have food allergies to any of the items on your menu, you should not attempt an elimination diet without consulting your doctor. Only a medical professional is suited to guide you on what’s safe for you
• The instructions offered in this article are from a general point of view. For people with underlying medical conditions, drastic changes to their diet could be a source of concern. Always consult your doctor before trying anything new.
• Eliminating a food from your diet does not amount to healing from food allergies, intolerances, or other adverse conditions. Instead, it enables you to avoid the harsh reactions that come from eating the food. If you introduce it in the future, the symptoms you face now can still resurface.
• If you would like to eliminate multiple food groups at a time, please consult a dietician. They can look at the possible effects of such a move and advise you on the best action.
• The information above is not for children. If you suspect that your child may have food coma-related issues, please discuss this with their doctor. Eliminating foods from their diet can result in stunted growth, even if you do it for a few weeks.

Elimination diets are not only helpful in tracking down what could be causing your food coma, but they also work for other health conditions as well. Please note that the advice in this article is with respect to food comas alone. For more effective ways to deal with a food coma, be sure to read more here. I hope you feel better soon.