Top foods to avoid (if you don't want to do an elimination diet)

If doing an all out elimination diet isn't feasible for you, or if you're relatively healthy and just looking to improve your energy or lose a few pounds, avoid these foods:

1. Gluten - You know those stereotypical Californian girls who don't eat gluten "because it makes you fat" but they don't exactly know what it is? Well they were right anyways. He who laughs last right? Anyways, gluten is composed of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin. It looks like gliadin is really what's bad for people. Yes, all people. Not just people either, mammals. I have a more in-depth post here, which I'll add to eventually. The gluten molecule is in these foods: wheat, rye, barley, kamut, spelt... And those foods are everywhere. Twizzlers, soya sauce, bbq sauce, any thick sauce or soup, some chocolate bars.
2. Dairy - Cow's milk is for baby cows. The dairy industry has everyone convinced that you need milk to have healthy bones. This is a blatant lie. The highest rates of osteoporosis are in countries that drink milk. You can get your calcium from greens, or if you're really worried you can supplement, but dairy should be avoided. Yes, unfortunately this includes cheese. Don't worry, the cravings don't last for more than 3 weeks.

Eliminating these two foods should make a huge difference. Don't just cut back, get rid of them. If you really want to lose weight fast, also cut down on processed foods and grains. Eat whole foods (but avoid grains). Basically eat meat, green vegetables and root vegetables. That'll make you thin and healthy fast. Don't eat candy, eat less sugar (or no sugar), drink soda water instead of pop, all those obvious things. But if all you can do is cut these two foods, that should help fairly quickly. Cut them out strictly though.

If you cut those two out and want to cut out more, get rid of these next:

1. Soya (and other legumes - kidney beans, black beans, etc.)  - anything that makes you bloat you just shouldn't eat. Your body doesn't like it, and it's important to listen to that kind of thing. Green beans don't seem to be in the same category as the bigger beans.
2. Grains - make you gain weight.  Rice, quinoa, oats, etc. They're empty. They're not like gluten containing grains but they're not good for you. You want meat and veggies and fats to be healthy. (This is why the vegetarian diet is such a bad idea. Dairy and grain =  seriously bad times, and at least if you're vegan you get rid of the dairy.)
3. Sugar - people know sugar is bad but they don't really know why. Our microbiome is really important and the bacteria in our gut compete with yeast. Sugar feeds the yeast. There are many other reasons but this is a big one. It's hard to cut out too. I had the most difficult time with dairy and sugar cravings.

The simplest way to eat healthily is to eat whole foods, without grains and dairy.

But if you're really sick, I still think an elimination diet is the best way to figure things out. Sometimes there isn't time though, so start with those first two foods!

There are lots of people who will argue about whether certain foods are bad for you, or good for you. I wasn't a huge grain advocate but I was most definitely a milk advocate and oh I was wrong. Try it out yourself, and then decide.