What to Do When Elimination Diets Don’t Work. A Talk with Jennifer Fugo

Do elimination diets really work? And if so, why did my elimination diet fail? This is a question I get asked a lot, from people who wonder why the AIP or other elimination diets don’t work for them. In this exclusive interview with functional clinical nutritionist Jennifer Fugo, we are going to dig deeper into this topic and help you find an answer to that question, as well as give you practical tips that you can implement right now to try and steer your healing process in the right direction.

Speaking from my personal experience, I am always extremely grateful that I found out about the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP). I won’t hide that it was really hard, but luckily I was able to stick to it and reap great benefits. However, going on an elimination diet wasn’t the only tool I used during my journey, and the other pieces of my healing puzzle were just as important.

After a couple of years of trial and error in which I tried to address my autoimmune issues in a holistic way (you can read my story at the bottom of this page), I was able to discover that food intolerances or non-allergic food hypersensitivities were not my only problem. I learned that I also needed to take care of other issues, such as gut dysbiosis, SIBO, intestinal parasites, mold and chemical sensitivity, hormonal imbalances, as well as unmanaged stress and sleep difficulties.

How did I find those other hidden pieces of the puzzle? Well, I looked for the guidance and supervision of professionals who could help me tailor a specific therapeutic approach based on the various (it’s more accurate to say ‘many’) tests and exams that I took throughout the years and that helped me and my functional medicine doctor understand what direction we needed to go.

Did an elimination diet helped me improve my situation? The answer is definitely YES. But would I have had the same results if I ONLY relied on that? Probably not. And what was absolutely crucial was to work with a well-established functional medicine doctor that could accompany me on that journey so that we could investigate other issues.

We talk about what to do when elimination diets don’t work with Jennifer Fugo, MS, LDN, CNS, a functional clinical nutritionist with a Master’s in Human Nutrition, who helps people with never-ending ‘stomach problems’, chronic skin rashes, brain fog, chronic fatigue, and autoimmunity find a way to better manage their health symptoms.

Jennifer is also the host of the Healthy Skin Show and the author of the best-selling book The Savvy Gluten-Free Shopper: How to Eat Healthy without Breaking the Bank. But besides all these titles and impressive accomplishments, Jennifer is also a great friend, and because I am lucky to know her in person and I know she has years of experience supporting people with food sensitivities – especially those who are stuck on elimination diets without any improvement – I thought she would be the best person to interview for this post!

AMBRA: Jennifer, what is an elimination diet and how does it work?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: How does one decide whether they should do an elimination diet or not?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: Jennifer, what is an elimination diet and how does it work?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: Before embarking on an elimination diet, I tried to look for food sensitivities through blood exams. This strategy seemed much quicker and way less committing, but the results I got were confusing at best. Can you explain why allergy testing is not an accurate tool to discover food sensitivities?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: What can people expect from an elimination diet?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: How long does it take to see results from an elimination diet?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: What can people expect from an elimination diet?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: How long should an elimination diet last and when does it become ‘too long’?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: What are the main mistakes people make on an elimination diet?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: What could be the main reasons why an elimination diet failed?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: What are the main mistakes people make on an elimination diet?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: When do you recommend your clients to try an elimination diet? Are certain health or skin issues more likely to benefit from it than others?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: I won’t hide that I did encounter some challenges during the elimination period of the Autoimmune Protocol. In particular, I found the reintroduction phase very confusing and I know that many people, after seeing the first improvements, develop a sense of ‘fear’ towards all the foods that they cut out, so much that they end up remaining stuck on a very restrictive diet for many months if not years. Can you tell us something about the side effects of an elimination diet and how to avoid them?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: I know you used to run the Gluten Free School and that you have loads of experience on gluten related issues. How big a role does removing gluten from your diet play VS going on a full on elimination diet?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

AMBRA: If the AIP or other elimination diets don’t work for some people, what do you recommend to them?

JENNIFER FUGO: The new contribution we are making is in organizing a clear, manageable approach to the autoimmune protocol. Rather than getting bogged down in information overload, we have pulled together all the pieces and made the science of AIP applicable to real life. Beyond that, we’ve presented this process in an extremely empowered way and proposed an alternate way of thinking about autoimmune disease and one’s health care in general, encouraging readers to combine the best of medical care with dietary and lifestyle modifications, so they can live vibrantly despite disease.

I hope that this great interview with Jennifer Fugo brought you some clarity and helped you answer some of the questions you might have had about what to do when elimination diets don’t work. I receive loads of emails from people who are feeling stuck and hopeless because their elimination diet wasn’t as successful as they had hoped… and I hope this talk offered you new perspective and pointed you in the right direction!