It will not be problem to be deficient, or short, of any nutrients for a few days or even weeks, sarah-ann.

Keep in mind that supplements often have things added - like yeast, vegetable extract, etc. You could be sensitive to something in the supplement itself.

I have been on doctor supervised fasts for five days - long enough to clear the bowel of any food. For those five days, I only drank water - no food or other liquids at all (no lemon or any other flavor). BTW - hunger is not a problem after a day or two, and is minor when it occurs (drink more water).

After five days, introduce a food from a food group - e.g., eat beef only for a day and watch what happens after the first two hours. If no reactions occurred, try eggs the next day; then something from a vegetable group. Only eat that item on a given day.

You may want to do this testing on days when getting a reaction will not interfere with your daily chores or work schedule.

Do not have anything from the same food group for five day (to be sure it clears your bowels).

sarah-ann - the problem with vitamins and mineral supplements is the fillers and binders,

"Some excipients, binders, or fillers are "bad" because they can contribute to unwanted reactions in some people with heightened sensitivities. Artificial colors, dyes, preservatives, or coating agents have been implicated for years as possible concerns - though not all artificial ingredients carry the same potential for harm. Some inactive ingredients (like some vitamins) may be derived from either a natural source (plant, mineral) or an artificial source (chemical). Although labels are not required to state the source of inactive ingredients, quality manufacturers may opt for the natural source whenever possible for a final product that may offer less potential for adverse reactions in those who may be sensitive."

The quote is a copy and paste from "http://www.metagenics.com/faqs/manufacturing-and-quality-faq/are-these-inactive-ingredients-good-or-bad--faq"

Lots of other places discuss the potential problems with cheaper supplements. It is too bad that reading the label for contents may not tell you all you need to know about what is in the tablet or pill.

Cheaper supplements are more likely to use "bad" fillers and binders, and they may not list them

I did the CLEAN Program a little over a year ago- it does allow non-gluten grains and legumes but the program can certainly be paleo-ized with some creativity. It eliminates gluten, dairy, eggs, red meat, nightshades, sugar, strawberries, bananas, peanuts, etc. for 21 days. This was how I discovered my gluten intolerance, and I started dabbling in paleo about 6 months later. It did involve liquid breakfasts and dinners (blended soups, smoothies), but the main idea was cutting out the allergens for 21 days and adding things back in one at a time.

There are a lot of variations on an elimination diet out there. Some of them say to avoid meat/beef except for lamb, others focus on eliminating the top 8 allergens, most of which you would already be avoiding if doing paleo (dairy/wheat/soy/tree-nuts/peanuts/fish/shell-fish/eggs). Sometimes they also include eliminating citrus. Generally you eliminate all that for 2-3 weeks and then gradually add them back one at a time to check for a reaction-- wait 48 hours between exposures to make sure you don't have a delayed reaction. I think paleo is kind of already an elimination diet: stick with paleo minus eggs and citrus and you are already pretty much on an elimination diet. Most of the stuff in supplements (I assume you mean vitamins?) can be found in vegetables which aren't eliminated. Does that help? Maybe you could tell us what kind of elimination diet you were going to try.

hi =) so i will be doing an elimination diet within the next couple of weeks, i'm desperate!!! i don't want to do anything yet as i feel i don't have all the info i need. I've looked at the clean diet, the only this is all the supplements they add (which are really expensive) honest truth i really can't afford right now...do you need supplements while doing an elimination diet, or is it not necessary. All the information is a bit overwhelming but I'm really keen, and would love to get started sooner than later.

Any advice would be truly appreciated! Thanks leslie