dr. john mcdougall elimination diet - free

The standard McDougall approach of a low-fat, vegan diet and exercise will solve the problems for most people.  And the Maximum Weight Loss Program that eliminates refined foods (including flour products) and sugars will help even the most calorie efficient person lose weight  The “elimination diet” is truly for those people who are desperate and want to get well NOW – and who feel they have tried everything else.
The elimination diet was originally devised for people suffering from allergic problems.  The ultimate and best test for identifying a substance suspected of causing an allergy is to eliminate the substance (whether it is a food, or a pollen, or a chemical compound), and then to note if the symptoms disappear and the person’s health improves.  Confirmation of the diagnosis is made by adding the offending substance back to the diet and observing if the illness returns.  Don't overlook the obvious truth that elimination of the villainous substances is also the ultimate – and only-treatment for "curing" the allergy and other food-induced problems.
The elimination diet asks you to eat the foods that are least likely to cause you any type of adverse reaction, including allergic reactions.  When you begin this diet, allow about one week in order to completely clear your body of foods that were eaten before starting the diet.  By the end of this week, if the trouble was indeed due to foods, you will be relieved of your problems, in other words “cured.”  You have found a place you can go for relief.
During the elimination period, all foods should be thoroughly cooked, because cooking alters the proteins, making them less likely to provoke an adverse response.
This can be beneficial if your gut is healing from medications, cooked foods are easier to digest.
FOODS TO EAT ON AN ELIMINATION DIET
Starches (all cooked), including:
brown rice
sweet potatoes
winter squash
taro (or poi)
tapioca
rice flour
puffed rice
Most Green and Yellow Vegetables (all cooked), including:
beets
beet greens
chard
summer squash
artichokes
celery
string beans
asparagus
spinach
lettuce
Avoid onions, green pepper, cucumbers, and radishes; they can be very troublesome for the stomach (indigestion).
Fruits (all cooked)
Avoid all citrus fruits, including oranges, pineapples, grapefruits, tangerines, lemons, limes, etc. and tomatoes.
peaches
cranberries
apricots
papaya
plums
prunes
cherries
Condiments:
Only salt is allowed (if not restricted for other health reasons).  This means no salad dressings, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, pepper or other condiments.
Beverages:
water (sparkling water is OK)
After one week, your food-caused problems should have ended and you should be feeling well.  If this is the case, you can begin adding other foods back to your diet, but only one at a time, to determine if any of these caused your unpleasant reactions.  For testing purposes, each "new" food should be eaten in large amounts three times a day for two days.  If the food does not cause a reaction, you can conclude that it is not a troublemaker.  Most reactions occur within a few hours, but some may not show up for several days.  Each food must be tested individually; do not introduce two new foods at once.  When you do have a reaction to a specific food, you must wait four to seven days before testing the next item.  This interval gives you the time you need to clear your system of that allergy-causing food.
If the elimination diet seems too severe for you right now, then follow the McDougall Program, which eliminates six of the leading causes of food allergies: dairy products, eggs, chocolate, nuts, shellfish, and fish.  If your problems persist, then the next suspects to eliminate are wheat, corn, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and strawberries--the most frequent causes of adverse reactions among foods in the vegetable kingdom.
A dietary approach is the safest, most sensible, least expensive, and most effective step you can take for testing and for treatment of health problems that once seemed to be a mystery to you and your doctor.  If this is what you need, you will not be disappointed with your efforts.
For healing RA: Eliminate all nightshades while on the elimination diet. You may add back one at a time, once your symptoms begin to heal.
There are lots of free info and recipes on his website. Also there are Facebook groups for the McDougall diet, Starch Solution, to support you while you try this way of eating.

www.drmcdougall.com