What to Do if the Diet Succeeds 135some of these foods will be found adapted to once again and be easily
tolerated in the diet provided they are taken in moderation. As with so many
things, it depends on the individual case.
If you make a rapid and thorough recovery you may be in such
good shape that you are able to try out the implicated foods within two to
three months. But for most people this would be far too soon; six months
is a safer interval; maybe a year.
In any case, no food should be returned to your diet without being
subjected to the rigorous procedure of challenge testing outlined earlier
in this chapter. Even then, if you seem inexplicably worse off, remove the
latest food addition at once; do not continue eating a food that causes you
to feel even slightly less than optimum – because it will only get worse.
Remember, merely eating the food tends to generate reactions.
Be patient and you will be rewarded. Allergies don’t disappear
overnight, and it will almost certainly take a long time. But if you tackle the
problem sensibly you may be able to return to eating some of your favorite
foods. Just never lose sight of the fact that these once made you ill and can
do so again.
Staying well
Once you have traveled this far you should be very pleased. By now I expect
you will be feeling much better, if not completely well, and have a catalogue
of foods that disagree with you.
If success is not yet complete, or there is no result, the next chapter
may contain information that may pave the way to it. Also, remember there
are causes for disorder other than food allergies, such as environmental
allergens, hypoglycemia, hyperventilation, parasites and Candida (which we
shall learn more about in chapter 21).
If you feel fine, now would be a good time to consider vitamin
and mineral supplements to build up your defenses. As I said earlier in the
book, allergies and intolerance may well be due to deficiencies of these vital
substances since they act as enzyme precursors.
SUMMARY
If you felt partially or wholly better on the elimination diet, there were
important allergens amongst the foods you gave up.