So what is the elimination diet? Simply put, it is eliminating certain foods from your diet. This does not mean you are eliminating these foods permanently, it just means you are "testing" through trial and error which foods may cause a flare-up. After 28 days or so, you will reintroduce ONE food only. You will then monitor your symptoms for the next couple of days and so forth. Reactions to foods can occur within 10 minutes to 48 hours after eating them.
How to begin! Prepare yourself to eliminate specific foods (listed below) for 3-4 weeks. Get a shopping list together, a journal to record everything you eat and simplify your life by preparing your food in advance.
Foods to Avoid (or have caused flare-ups in others):
- Refined sugar, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup (this includes baked goods, pastries, pies, cookies, candy, soda, etc.). Make sure to read ingredient labels because there are a lot of hidden sugars such as fructose, sucrose, corn syrup, and dextrose. Take a look at the 30 code words for sugar.
- Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, ice-cream, cheese. Remember to look at the ingredient labels to make sure you are not consuming dairy without realizing it. Here is a list of dairy ingredients.
- Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers). Many HS sufferers have found nightshades to be their trigger food!
- Wheat/Gluten such as breads, pastas, flour, crackers, etc.
- Soy products such as soybeans, soy sauce
- Citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits.
- Corn is an also known trigger for some. This includes corn chips, corn tortillas, vegetable oil.
- Coffee
- Food Additives including preservatives, artificial colors such as caramel color, and artificial flavors.
- Eggs
- Alcohol
- Fried Foods
- Fresh Vegetables such as celery, carrots, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, green beans, cucumber, kale, etc. Eat a variety of vegetables, but make sure to stay away from the nightshades until you know for sure.
- Lean white meats such as turkey, fish, chicken.
- Fresh Fruit such as blueberries, apples, grapes, strawberries, cherries, etc.
- Nuts the "Standard Elimination Diet" allows nuts such as walnuts, almonds, etc. unless you have an already known nut allergy. See EliminationDietRD.com.
- Quinoa, Buckwheat, Brown Rice
- Spices such as garlic, ginger, thyme, turmeric, oregano, rosemary, dill, cinnamon, parsley, sea salt, pepper, etc.
- Foods High in Fiber
- Healthy Fats such as olive oil or coconut oil
- Water. Drink a lot of water!
It is very unfortunate that what works for one HS sufferer may not work for another. However, I thought I would share what I have found to work for me. I am able to eat dairy as long as it is fat-free. I am too afraid to reintroduce sugar back into my diet. I figure it is not good for my health anyway so why bother! I am able to use honey as a substitute if needed. I am also lucky enough to not be affected by nightshades or wheat. I eat pasta as long as it is 100% whole wheat. However, I completely avoid white bread, white rice, white flour, white tortillas, etc. I can eat soy. Actually, several of my recipes that I will be posting in this blog contain soy sauce and soybeans. I can eat all fruit, citrus included, corn, and corn tortillas. I avoid vegetable oils always and use olive oil instead. I drink coffee every morning, but I drink it black. I also make sure to keep myself hydrated! I can eat eggs, but I was told not to eat more than 4 eggs in a week. I allow myself to have a few alcoholic beverages on the weekend, specifically red wine, champagne (brut) or beer. Again, I focus on staying hydrated and every morning after I consume alcohol, I drink a parsley tea to cleanse. I eat tons of quinoa as you will see with my posted recipes. I definitely avoid all fried foods! I eat lots of nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and pistachios. I can even eat peanuts. I eat a lot of beans including kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. I try to focus on foods that are high in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.
AMY, I don't know you, but I LOVE you!! You have no idea how much HOPE you have given me tonight. I am 34 and I was diagnosed with HS 3 years ago. I am currently experiencing the WORST flare up to date (in my groin and I feel like crying until I dry up) and am optimistic that eliminating the aforementioned foods will put this disease into remission. Thank you SO much for taking the time to share what works for you.
ReplyDeletePLEASE keep posting! Post as frequently as possible! You are giving me so much motivation (and inspiration).
Hello! Thank you for your comment! Keep me posted with your progress. As you see from my blog, this has been my saving grace! You have also inspired me! People like you make me want to continue this blog....so, thank you!
DeleteI am starting my diet today. I am 60 and I got this disease 2 yrs. ago.
DeleteBless the day I came across your blog. I am 33yr old female and I was diagnosed with HS in 2013. I have HS since 1998 and didn’t know what it is till 2013. Then I was in high school. Sleepovers and school camps was a big “no-no”! It was such a frustration because no one really understood what I was going through. In 2013 the first dermatologist that diagnosed me didn’t really pay any attention. Every consultation, I had to remind him what I am there for and what medication he prescribed to me with my last visit. Three months later I found another dermatologist and I must say that she really helped me control it A LOT. But it required me to take daily medication and that was very costly. The other thing, everytime I asked her if a diet change can assist me to manage HS…she would tell me that “food has nothing to do with HS”. I continued to eat whatever I wanted because the medication controlled the HS but still had flare-ups at least once in three or four months. Funny because I noticed that when I eat certain things I would have an overnight flare-up. I noticed that Egg, Milk, cheese and nuts played a role but continued to eat it anyways bcause the doctor told me that food has nothing to do with it. I discovered your blog in January 2016 and I have made some diet changes. I started the “elimination diet” and I have noticed a huge change and I am loving it. Thank you very much
ReplyDeleteAmy, My daughter is 14 years old and was diagnosed with HS 2 years ago. She is taking antibiotics as well as using antibiotic wipes. I was thinking of having her start with the Epson salt baths as we have already tried to change her eating habits. The HS seems to be worse in the summer months, especially in her groin area.. she has it under her arms as well. Is there anything else I can do? I feel so bad for her and want to help her. I can't tell you how many nights I've cried for her. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHello! First of all, I am so sorry for your daughter. I was diagnosed at a later age and my heart hurts for her to have her go through this so early.
DeleteAs you know, it is extremely frustrating trying to find preventive measures! What works for one HS sufferer may or may not work for another. However, I believe the Epson salt baths help cleanse the body, so if her doctor says it is okay....go for it! Make sure she is drinking a lot of water...especially in the summer months. You said she is using an antibiotic wipe. I think that is great. My dermatologist gave me an antibiotic gel that I use daily. If the wipes are not helping, changing to a gel may be an option. It may be more powerful? Also, maybe check with her doctor to have her start using a benzoyl peroxide rinse. I use a 5% benzoyl peroxide in the shower daily (in the groin area and under the arms). This has seemed to help me. Of course, I focus on my diet and my number 1 preventive measure. I really focus on anti-inflammatory foods and eat as "clean" as possible. I hope this helps! Let me know if I can do anything else!!
Hi! I'm 18 and have been dealing with this for about 2 years now. I want to start experimenting to see what causes my flares. How did you begin? Did you quit everything cold turkey? My relationship with food hasn't always been the best; so, this change is a bit difficult for me. Would love to hear about your process on how you eliminated certain foods and how you added them back in! Also, any replacements. I love bread; so, cutting that out will be a little difficult for me. Also, I dont know how to explain the "diet" change to my parents. They only seemed to laugh when I mentioned cutting out certain foods. :/
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I am so sorry to hear that your parents laughed when you mentioned diet changes. HS is such a painful, challenging disease and getting the support you need is crucial. I can't imagine going through this alone and not getting the support I needed from my loved ones.
ReplyDeleteYou know, not just with HS, but with many other diseases....there is scientific evidence that proves what you eat can either be medicinal or detrimental. I am also living proof that diet changes can make a HUGE difference. Not to mention, it simply makes you feel better and you become healthier. Eating healthier boosts your immune system and helps you fight this disease! As you can probably tell from this blog, I am a FIRM believer that your diet plays a major role in the healing process!
With that said, you asked how I began. In a sense, I quit several things cold turkey. I immediately stopped consuming anything with added sugar, whites...such as white bread, white rice, white tortillas. Basically, I switched to a 100% clean eating diet (fruits, veggies, white meats, nuts). I found substitutes that worked for me. Like you, I love bread. I found a bread made by Ezekial that is made with sprouts, not white flour. It took time, but I was able to find some staple foods that would help me with a sweet tooth or other cravings. Another thing I found was when I stopped consuming sugar and breads, etc., I stopped craving them. It is amazing how your taste buds change.
To me, the diet changes were worth it. I figured if it helps me and my body AND is a preventive measure, I was willing to do anything to stop the flare-ups. It truly is a mind set.
Keep me posted with your progress and remember that there are many people out there going through the same thing you are right now. You are not alone! We are here for you!
Thank you for the support! I have been on antibiotics for a year and those helped a lot; however, when i would forget to take them for a couple of days, the flares would reappear. I'm currently being taken off of them and being put in acutance, mostly for the acne on my face. My dermatologist said there is no guarantee that it will "cure" (I know that there is no cure) or help the HS. I think I will quit cold turkey, too, and slowly add in foods and see what triggers it. It's just a little difficult because my family loves to eat out, and we are also Latino; so, i grew up with food that didnt really have many veggies/nutrients. it's also been a bit difficult for e because eating out in the U.S. is so common and normal, and for some reason, people care too much about what you choose to put in your body (I was a vegetarian for a little bit and got so much flack for it...). Thank you so much for your time and support. I will try to keep you updated!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy,
ReplyDeleteI've had HS since I was a teenager--am now in the midst of menopause, so it's been a long haul. I never knew this horrible thing had a name until about two years ago--just hid it, and tried all kinds of soaps and salves. I am a fashion industry professional--NO ONE knows that I have boils; what a riot! (a sense of humor is essential here)
I have never had a time that I was totally free of lesions in my groin area, but there have been times that it has been less severe. However,since my monthly cycles stopped several months ago, my HS has been the worst it's ever been. I'm now reading as much as I can now about this disease, and actively experimenting with some sensible sounding treatments for relief.
I am a strong believer in natural healing, and DO believe that there has to be something out of balance that causes HS. I think that diet definitely can have a part in it, so I've started the elimination diet this week. I'm not expecting instant healing; I'm sure it will take some time. I am willing to keep at it though! It IS frustrating to read of so many different things that work for different people, but that fact IN ITSELF speaks to individual imbalances and/or sensitivities. So I shall try to find mine....
I did have cystic acne as a teen as well, and had cyclical depression kick in at the same time. (things that I'm now putting together with the HS starting simultaneously) I'm also half Irish, and half Italian--raised on meat, potatoes, pasta, and tomatoes! Oh dear...
Anyway, a question--may I eat Gluten- free bread? I love bread........whimper..Pasta that is non-wheat?
Amy, I have to say, you are a freaking LEGEND! I've had this God-aweful disease since I was a teenager and never knew what it was until a month ago. I'm a 28 year old male now and coming across your blog may very well have saved my life.
ReplyDeleteYou're just every kind of fantastic!