ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Elimination diet

An elimination diet is like playing a game of food detective. You need to find out what foods make your tummy feel yucky or give you an itchy rash on your skin.

First, you need to stop eating certain foods for a while. These are the foods that might give you trouble. They can be different for everyone, so you have to figure out what foods are causing your problems.

Some common foods that can cause trouble are milk, eggs, peanut butter, wheat, and soy sauce.

For a few weeks, you only eat food that you know doesn’t make you sick. Think plain chicken, rice, vegetables, and fruits. You keep notes about how you feel after eating each food. If you are feeling great, you can add a new food to your diet after a few days.

If you feel sick after eating something, you know that food is the problem. Then you can say “bye-bye” to that food for a little while longer.

After a few weeks of this elimination game, you can figure out which foods aren’t good for you. Then you can start eating the good foods again and keep away from the foods that make you feel sick.

It’s important to talk to your doctor if you want to play this game. They can help you figure out what foods to avoid and how to make sure you are getting all the good stuff your body needs.