A rotation diet is a diet that can sometimes alleviate problems associated with a food allergy or sensitivity in less time than an elimination diet can. Rather than identifying a particular food allergy or sensitivity, the rotation diet provides a way to plan your child's diet so that he is less at the mercy of food sensitivities. It works on the principle that a child who is allergic to a particular food or class of foods may not show a reaction if those foods are spaced out over a three-day period.
To implement a rotation diet plan menus so that you do not serve suspect foods or classes of foods to your child more than once during any three-day period. For example, if you suspect that your child may be sensitive to wheat, you might vary the breakfast menu as follows.
Day 1: Wheat toast and poached eggs.
Day 2: Hot oatmeal.
Day 3: A wheat-free muffin.
After three days, the cycle starts again, and your child might have a breakfast of wheat toast or a wheat based cereal.
By following a three day rotation diet, you may be able to give your child all classes of foods without trig" gering the symptoms of food sensitivity. Of course, if your child tends to have a severe reaction, such as hives or wheezing (called anaphylaxis), to a particular food, that food must be eliminated from his diet altogether.
From Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child by Janet Zand, N.D., L.Ac., Robert Rountree, MD, Rachel Walton, RN, ©1994. Published by Avery Publishing, New York. For personal use only; neither the digital nor printed copy may be copied or sold. Reproduced by permission.