158 Diet Wise
If you are doubtful about a particular food, do not try it again for several
days, otherwise you may not see a reaction because of the masking effect.
Wait five days and then try again. If the second challenge, several days
later, is still equivocal, then it is best to treat the food in question as a
probable allergen and remove it from the schedule. Do not disregard minor
symptoms; these could be significant. Continue only with foods which are
demonstrated without doubt to be safe. Incidentally, you may increase the
accuracy of these tests by using the pulse check as explained in Chapter 12.
It may happen that without any specific reaction you find yourself
unwell again after a number of foods have been reintroduced. Stop as soon
as this happens; don’t just plough on with more tests. Think back to what
you were eating when you were last doing fine and eat only those foods till
you feel better. Then go on with a different set of new foods. Finally, return
to the doubtful ones and sort them out as best you can.
If it still isn’t clear which is to blame, abandon them all for ten to
twelve weeks and try again. In this way, within ten to fourteen days you
should have built yourself a safe diet which you can follow without any
untoward symptoms. If so, congratulate yourself: you have done very well.
Patience, care and forbearance have brought you their reward: a knowledge
of your health that is priceless and could not have been gained any other
way.
The half-fast
If you really cannot bear the idea of a total fast, you may follow what I call
a half-fast. Simply eat any one fruit and one meat of your choice for the
five-day period. Lamb and pears are often chosen, but there is no special
magic to them.
All the above advice holds good for the half fast, as for a complete
fast, but it goes without saying that you will not get well if you happen to
be allergic to either lamb or pears! You must simply take that chance. If you
suspect that you may be, simply switch to two other unrelated foods.
The eight-foods diet
Another variation I advocate sometimes is to try eating a small selection of
exotic foods; exotic in this context simply means foods you don’t normally
eat. I usually suggest the patient do this for a longer period, say up to two
weeks, before pronouncing it unsuccessful. Eight relatively uncommon