Diet Reintroduction Guide

This guide walks you through when and how to reintroduce foods after an elimination diet. The plan is simple: test one food at a time, go slow, and let your symptoms tell you which foods belong in your diet long term.

✅ Are You Ready to Reintroduce?

You are ready to start when all of these are true:

• You have been on your elimination diet for at least 4 weeks.
  
• Your symptoms have plateaued. You feel stable and are no longer seeing new improvements week to week (for at least 1 full week).
  
• Any new supplements or GI-clearing herbs have been steady for 1 to 2 weeks.
  
• Your digestive support supplements (HCL, enzymes, and bile support) are dialed in.
  
• Your bowels are moving regularly: about 12 inches of stool per day, whether that comes in 1 or 2 to 3 bowel movements. (If you are carnivore and eating little fiber, expect smaller volume.) If you are constipated, see the Digestive Support Guide for how to get things moving first.
  

If you are still improving each week, keep going and hold off on reintroductions. Those improvements are your body telling you the diet is still doing its job.

📅 How to Test a Food

Test one food at a time over 2 to 3 days, or longer if you know you are sensitive:

• Day 1: Eat a very small amount, one bite or one teaspoon.
  
• Days 2 and 3: If you feel fine, gradually increase toward a normal serving.
  
• No symptoms after 2 to 3 days? The food passes. Keep it in your diet and move on to the next food.
  
• Symptoms return? Remove the food, let things settle, and retry it later.
  

Never test two new foods at the same time. If you react, you will not know which food caused it.

👀 What Counts as a Reaction?

A reaction is anything new or noticeably worse in the days after testing a food:

• Digestion: Bloating, gas, reflux, stool changes
  
• Energy and mind: Fatigue, brain fog
  
• Joints and skin: Joint pain, rashes, breakouts
  
• Mood and sleep: Mood changes, restless or poor sleep
  

🍳 What Order to Reintroduce Foods

Follow this order. It starts with the foods most people tolerate well and works up to the foods most likely to cause reactions.

1. Eggs

• Start with runny yolks only (poached, sunny-side up, or over-easy). Yolks are usually easier to tolerate than whites.
  
• If yolks pass, test the whole egg next.
  

2. Dairy (in this order)

Work down this list one item at a time. Ghee and butter come first because they contain almost none of the lactose and casein that most people react to.

• Ghee (least reactive)
  
• Grass-fed butter
  
• Raw yogurt (with Dr. J’s guidance)
  
• Raw cheese (with Dr. J’s guidance)
  
• Raw milk (with Dr. J’s guidance)
  

3. Nuts and Seeds

• Test one type at a time. Almonds and walnuts are different tests.
  
• Soaked nuts and seeds may be easier to digest.
  

4. Nightshades

• Examples: Tomato, potato, eggplant, peppers, paprika, and chili powder.
  
• In sensitive people, nightshades can flare joints, skin, or digestion.
  

5. FODMAP Foods (If Previously Removed)

FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that feed your gut bacteria. In a sensitive gut, they can cause gas, bloating, and stool changes. Test them last, after your other food reintroductions are complete.

Pick your own favorite medium and high FODMAP foods from Dr. J’s color-coded FODMAP handout, linked below. The foods listed here are only examples, and all of them are Paleo-friendly. If a food is not something you normally eat, you do not need to add it back in.

Start with MEDIUM FODMAP foods (the middle column on the FODMAP handout). Examples:

• Avocado (small portion)
  
• Sweet potato (up to ½ cup)
  
• Broccoli (moderate portion)
  
• Cauliflower (moderate portion)
  
• Mushrooms (moderate portion)
  
• Brussels sprouts
  

Once medium foods pass, move on to HIGH FODMAP foods (the right column on the FODMAP handout). Examples:

• Garlic
  
• Onion
  
• Asparagus
  
• Apples
  
• Cherries
  

👉 Click here to view Dr. J’s color-coded FODMAP Handout

📌 Quick Rules to Remember

• One food at a time, spaced 2 to 3 days apart.
  
• Start small and increase slowly.
  
• Watch for delayed reactions, up to 72 hours out.
  
• Keep a simple food and symptom journal. A few notes each day makes patterns easy to spot.
  
• Make sure your digestive support supplements are dialed in before you start. The Digestive Support Guide shows you how.
  
• Keep your bowels moving regularly: about 12 inches of stool per day. If you get backed up, the Digestive Support Guide covers how to address constipation before you test more foods.
  
• A food that fails is useful information, not a setback. You can always retest it later.
  

Questions?

If you are unsure whether a reaction counts or how to move forward, email us at office@justinhealth.com or schedule a follow-up consult with Dr. J to review your reintroductions together.