My Top 4 Tips for a Starch-Free Elimination Diet

Starting an elimination diet is hard work. When I began a strict starch-free elimination diet to manage my Ankylosing Spondylitis I felt I had no brain energy to think up fancy dinners. I did simple meals for weeks, which worked for me for a season. However, a time came when I was sick and tired of eating steamed broccoli and baked chicken.

I wanted to stay strict with my ingredients – fewer variables (ingredients) allowed me to more quickly and easily discover which foods I reacted to. However, I missed variety. My diet was dull and I couldn’t imagine this diet turning into a ‘lifestyle’.

Here are some of my top 4 tips for pushing through those rough moments of wondering whether you’ll make it:

1. Add variety by using various cooking methods, kitchen appliances, and protein cuts.

Savor splurging on better-quality proteins and produce.

– Steaming. Sauteing. Grilling. Scrambling. Poaching. Baking.
– Pressure cooker. Air-fryer. Oven. Stove. Grill. Griddle. Sous vide.
– Beef: Steak. Ground. Stew. Roast. Offal.
– Chicken: Stock and broth. Whole. Drumsticks. Breasts. Wings. Thighs.

2. Think of it as a time of nourishing and healing.

Healing takes time – don’t get discouraged if it takes weeks or even months to see little improvement! Eating a nourishing and healing diet is never wasted time, money, or energy!

Think of a wound. First, you stop the bleeding and wait for the body to form a scab. But even when cared for diligently, the healing phase takes time and happens from the inside out. Depending on the size of the wound, it can take months to heal a wound on the outside of your body – the inside of your body is no different. Don’t get discouraged when symptoms don’t improve the day you commit to a starch-free diet. It’s common to feel worse before you feel better (die-off is real!).

NOTE: If you need to reward yourself for hanging in there, do so by enjoying an Epsom salt bath, a new or a favorite herbal tea, a book, a boardgame with a friend, a relaxing massage, or some other way other than rewarding yourself with off-limit foods.

3. Find people who support your desired healing journey and motivate you through the valleys.

Ideally, this includes people in your private life, social life, and healthcare realm.

– I’m so grateful that my husband has been supportive since day 1. A starch-free elimination diet wasn’t only hard for me but required sacrifice from him also (it often meant simple meals for the rest of the family as suddenly I was cooking double the meals). In addition, while there are ways to make this diet more affordable, I think it’s fair to say that ingredients and quality food cost more than that for a standard American diet. My husband hasn’t complained about it once, and for that I’m grateful.

– Naturally, you might gravitate towards friends who accept and respect your health journey. Lean on those friends! When you feel strong and healthy again, pay it forward!

– Support was harder for me to find in the healthcare realm. Some professionals called me foolish. Others were disinterested at best. Very few showed support, interest, or offered encouragement. When you find those professionals, make sure to keep them in your corner!

4. Just stick with it.

Three weeks into the starch-free elimination diet I felt miserable. I wanted to throw in the towel so badly, but I knew that if I did, I’d be back to square 1 and that my first 3 weeks of hard work would have to be redone. I didn’t want to start over – that was motivation to keep going! Keep your eye on the prize! Read starch-free success stories. Dream about the future by looking through starch-free recipes that will be within reach post-elimination. Fill your mind with hope because there’s so much hope to be had!

One day you will look back and be so proud of yourself for your strength and resilience!

Here are some other resources that may help when the going gets tough:

What is a Starch-Free Diet? (FREE Starch-Free Food List PDF Included)

Starch-Free Elimination Diet for Ankylosing Spondylitis – Part 1

Starch-Free Elimination Diet for Ankylosing Spondylitis – Part 2

The Quick and Simple Iodine Test for Starch and How it Helped Relieve my AS Symptoms

PODCAST: Janneke Phung and Nathan Mennel

---

If you enjoy the recipes on my website or are inspired by my blog posts or the success stories of others, please consider contributing to my coffee (or more realistically, tea/book) fund. I’ll gratefully accept your support and take it as a nudge to continue what I’m doing.

---

Disclaimer: Starch-Free Feasting may discuss topics related to diet and nutrition. The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only. Consult a physician or medical professional before making changes to your diet and medication. You assume the risk of any potential injury that may result.