What is LEAP?
LEAP (Lifestyle Eating and Performance) ImmunoCalm Dietary Program was established by a team of health professionals, including registered dietitians, physicians, immunologists, and other healthcare professionals, to treat health issues associated with food sensitivities. LEAP isn’t a DIET.
The LEAP dietary program tells you what foods to avoid and which foods you should eat to improve your health. Food sensitivities are different from food allergies. Food sensitivity refers to difficulty in digesting certain foods or chemicals, affecting every organ in the body.
The possible causes of food sensitivities include:
- poor diet
- bad gut bacteria
- stress
- severe trauma
- genetics
- chemical exposure
Food Allergies are Different from Food Sensitivities
Food allergies are a serious medical condition and can be life-threatening. A food allergy happens when your immune system overreacts to a harmless food protein—an allergen. The 9 common food allergens in the United States:
- milk
- egg
- peanut
- tree nuts
- soy
- wheat
- fish
- shellfish
- sesame
Chronic Symptoms from Food Sensitivities
- Digestive problems (bloating, gas, stomach pain)
- Headaches
- Joint and muscle pain
- Fatigue
- Fluctuating weight
Why did I decide to try LEAP?
Reason 1: Excessive hair shedding for nearly a year (hair shedding update below)
My hair was growing, but it wasn’t staying on my head. Hair strands easily came out of my hair. I was a nervous wreck every time I washed my hair because clumps of hair were in the drain hair catcher. I didn’t know why. Was it my diet? Stress? Getting older? I started to take Hairfinity vitamins because of the positive online reviews. My hairstylist noticed less shedding after 2 weeks, around the same I began to have increased acne breakouts. I stopped taking the vitamins because of the acne breakouts.
Reason 2: Acne
I’ve been dealing with acne since high school. During multiple breakouts, I would visit a dermatologist for temporary treatment. Nothing worked permanently. After taking Hairfinity vitamins, my face broke out in pimples. It was out of control. My face felt inflamed. Seeking out a dermatologist was not an option because, in my opinion, their solutions are temporary. I was looking for a permanent solution.
Reason 3: Fatigue
I looked forward to a 30-minute nap after an 8-hour workday. I usually woke up tired in the morning after sleeping 8 hours. This was very unusual for me. I’m a firm believer in naps, but not daily.
I was ready to try a holistic approach to feeling and looking better. After researching, the LEAP dietary plan would be a perfect fit for me. I searched online for a registered dietitian who was also a certified leap therapist (CLT). I found registered dietitian nutritionist Jenny Askew on HealthProfs and made an appointment.
What? Can I only eat 35 food items?
Step 1: Take a blood test
I took a blood test called the MRT (Mediator Release Test) to identify which foods and food chemicals are causing me problems.
No foods highlighted in yellow for 3 months. No rice for 6 months! Sad face.
Step 2: Find out which foods I can’t eat
I couldn’t believe the list of highly reactive foods and food chemicals on my list. (inserted photo). It’s not based on whether the food is healthy or not. My meals are healthy most of the time, but I got into a rut and started eating the same foods over again. No variety.
Step 3: Develop a doable meal plan
For 2 weeks, I ate 35 “safe” food items rotating between breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Jenny, the registered dietitian nutritionist, and I developed a meal plan broken down into three phases over 3 months. She was very patient and encouraging. We planned meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The goal was to eat different foods prepared in different ways.
My Meals
For example, in the morning, I ate tuna and a hard-boiled egg on top of green lettuce or a pinto bean and sweet potato soup. There were some odd combinations. I cooked every single day. The first phase was very challenging and restrictive. No dietary supplements, no gluten, no dairy, no caffeine, no alcohol, no added sugars or sweeteners, and no leftovers. Why no leftovers? Well, I had a moderate reaction to tyramine, a natural substance that occurs in food as it ages. Whatever I ate in the morning was the same meal that I ate at night. If the LEAP eating plan was going to improve my health, I was all in.
What have I gotten myself into?
The first two weeks required lots of patience, a strong commitment, a sound strategy, and understanding and support from family and friends. My thinking about food slowly changed. I became creative in building a meal plan of whole foods from each food category on the list: protein, starch (carbohydrates), vegetables, fruits, decaf teas, dairy, nuts/seeds/oils, and flavor enhancers like salt and distilled white vinegar.
I ate “dinner” foods in the morning and “breakfast” foods at night. It didn’t matter when I ate certain foods as long as the meals were balanced. For three months, I recorded all the foods I ate and how I felt in a Food/Symptom diary.
In Phase 2, I added one new food along with the Phase 1 foods. A food was off limits if I had any abdominal discomfort or an acne breakout. In Phase 3, I ate leftovers again. I noticed a difference in how I felt within three weeks. I was sleeping better, less fatigued, with more mental clarity, and reduced acne. I didn’t realize how bad I felt until I began to feel so much better.
Benefits
- Trying new foods
Pinto bean and sweet potato soup for breakfast and dinner. Very satisfying.
- Cooking daily
- Aware of how my body reacts to certain foods
- Improved health
Challenges
- Hungry during the initial two weeks
- Cooking daily
- Unintentional weight loss
- No eating out
A new way of eating
I followed the LEAP dietary plan created for me. Three months later, I completed the 3 different phases, then slowly started to reintroduce certain foods. I have to wait until November to eat rice again. Rice is a no-no for 6 months.
I discovered I enjoyed eating new foods such as cashews, buckwheat, Lifeway Farmers Cheese, and millet. Eating gluten in large amounts (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley) causes abdominal bloating and discomfort, so I try my best to avoid gluten-containing food products also.
Takeaways
The LEAP dietary program is not a FAD DIET. It’s an individually personalized dietary wellness program that I plan to stick with for the rest of my life. This dietary program has become a natural part of my lifestyle. I feel too good to go back to eating the same foods I ate before. If you’re suffering from abdominal discomfort, constant headaches, joint and muscle pains, fatigue, and weight fluctuations, then contact me.
Book a complimentary nutrition phone consultation now to learn how to eat better to improve your health.
One more thing
*During my 3-month LEAP journey, I received a complimentary trichologist consultation to get to the root of my hair shedding problem. The hair shedding wasn’t related to a particular hairstyle or stress, but an internal issue. After extensive testing, I found out my Vitamin D levels were extremely low. Hair loss is a symptom of Vitamin D deficiency. My doctor prescribed Vitamin D3 1500 IU daily, and a week after taking this supplement, I’ve noticed less hair loss!
Are you experiencing hair loss? Contact a trichologist who may help you resolve your hair problems.
Nutritionally yours,
Jerlyn
