I'm trying to start the New Year out right. This week I begin a 30 day cleanse together with a support group. This will be the first time I've detoxed with other people. I am hoping it helps me stay on track. I am an emotional eater and any type of diet or detox is very hard for me. When I embarked upon cleaning up my diet four years ago, I also began with this type of detox cleanse called an elimination diet. The premise is to clean up your diet by removing gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, corn, sugar, processed foods, additives, preservatives, caffeine and other irritants. It's also recommended to remove starchy fruits and vegetables to help reduce yeast levels in your body since yeast feeds on carbohydrates. You then focus on eating whole, organic food that was grown from the earth or has "roamed" the earth (animal products) with the exception of eliminating pork and reducing beef.

Four years ago, the diet was quite successful for me. I lost a total of fifty pounds and an entire list of health issues including heartburn, indigestion, depression, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings, chronic body pain, asthma and many gastrointestinal issues. When I was done detoxing, I slowly began adding the above foods back into my diet tracking to identify any potential reactions to the newly added foods. This is when I discovered I have an issue with gluten. I always knew I had an issue with dairy so that was no surprise. I also now know that I have issues with eggs, corn, many artificial additives, borage oil and flax seed, just to name a few.

It's recommended to detox at least twice a year to give your system a rest even after you reach your goal weight. I think it is key for people to understand that I lost 50 pounds and that Sammy's development issues (autism) improved with a FULL elimination diet - not just eliminating gluten and dairy. For anyone who still struggles with health and/or development issues even after going GFCF, I would suggest digging deeper into your food issues with a trial elimination diet. It's worth it. It can change your life. Eat well, live well, thrive!

HomeFree GFCF Cookies

(gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free, does contain soy)

This is a very tasty cracker. There are several varieties available but this is my favorite because it does not have flax seed (I'm allergic). It's great with hummus or nut butter. These certified gluten free crackers are available at Whole Foods, Sprout's and Valley Health Mill. Not all Back to Nature products are gluten free so be sure to read the package carefully. Look for the GF logo.