What Eating On An Elimination Diet Actually Looks Like

William Cole, DC, a functional medicine practitioner, is an expert at identifying the underlying factors of chronic conditions and offering natural, holistic approaches to optimal health. This week, we're thrilled to share his series on the elimination diet and how it can improve your overall well-being. To learn more, check out his new course, The Elimination Diet: A 60-Day Protocol to Uncover Food Intolerances, Heal the Gut, and Feel Amazing.

But one of the biggest misconceptions is that on the elimination diet, you have to trade taste for nutrition. The truth is you can have both. And you don't have to eat like a rabbit, munching on kale all day—no offense to kale—to feel and look your best. You can eat hearty, filling foods that are actually enjoyable to eat.

Another myth is that you have to be a Food Network professional chef to eat well. False. If you can follow simple instructions, you can do it! Trying something new is different than not being able to do it. And you'll only see different results if you do things differently.

The last falsehood is that you have to be wealthy to eat good, healthy meals. Almost all of my patients over the years have been working-class people. And it's amazing how much money you save when you aren't eating out as often and buying so much crappy junk foods. Often, it's a matter of priority, not price.

Pasture-raised pork sausage

Organic kale with olive oil and sea salt

Salad

Organic sweet butter lettuce

Grass-fed skirt steak

Sliced organic avocado

Sliced organic cucumber

Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

Red wine vinegar

Wild caught scallops cooked in organic tallow

Steamed rainbow carrots