By James A. Ferrel M.D., CNC

Question: What is a food journal and how can it be used to benefit health?

Answer: A food journal is a chronological record of eating associated events
and conditions with observed responses and other associated results.

The journal construction depends on the situation and intention. If one
suspects a cause and affect relationship between how someone they are
journaling feels or behaves in relationship to their diet, the journal helps
to clarify this by analysis. For example, in an asthmatic or atophic child
(has tendency for asthma, atopic dermatitis, or hay fever symptoms), it's a
must to perform a food journal based analysis. Food allergy testing, by
blood or skin tests, is far from accurate, either in specificity or
sensitivity. Observations by an educated parent or journalist using a food
journal can more easily, safely, inexpensively, and accurately uncover food
allergies in this child. There are over 170 foods that have been documented
to cause allergic reactions. These reactions can manifest in anything from
innocuous skin hives to recurring ear infections, to difficulty thinking and
behaving (encephalopathy) to difficulty breathing (asthma), to difficulty
maintaining blood pressure etc. (potentially deadly anaphylaxis).
Once determined, those foods, which the child's immune system recognizes as
foreign, can be eliminated from the child's diet, and the child's symptoms
and health improved. In emergent cases, those foods that most commonly cause allergic responses can be eliminated before journaling is initiated. These foods include the "big eight" --cow milk, soy, peanuts, egg (protein only-not the yolk), wheat, shellfish, tree nuts, and fruits. The vast majority of food allergies
are caused by these " big eight" foods. The "second eight"--sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, cottonseed (meal not oil) poppy seeds, mollusks, beans (except green beans), peas, and lentils may also warrant elimination, depending on the severity of the situation.

Next, using a food journal, new foods can be rotated in with assessment of
each new food introduced. After analysis one can create menus of healthy,
complementary foods for optimal nutrition for the journaled patient.

An appropriate journal in the case of such an atopic child case would record
events such as Dr. Doris Rapp's Big Five, in relationship to timing of foods
individually introduced. Such a journal would contain Doctor Rapp's columns
for food introduction:

1. How does my child feel, behave, and remember before and after
introduction?

2. How does my child look before and after introduction?

3. Is there any handwriting or drawing changes before and after
introduction?

4. Is there asthma or breathing problem before and after and how is it
changed?

5. Is there a change in the pulse rate or rhythm before and after?

A journal to evaluate food used for prevention or intervention for
depression or fatigue would be different. It would contain more patient
subjective information that correlates temporally with specific food or
other chemical introduction or exposure.

A food journal constructed for prevention of obesity might include a all
inclusive account of each item put into the mouth, all information leading
to the identification of eating triggers, and other obesity related issues.
Motivation, peer pressure, mood all may be relevant. Their inclusion may
allow for analysis that permits more effective intervention strategies.

A food journal intended to improve nutrition for a coma patient would be
quite different. It would include monitoring of serum and urine objective
findings as well as other observations to help develope proper feedings.

Food journals can be used both for prevention and intervention in the
Prescription for Nutritional Healing.

Dr. Ferrel is a board certified family physician and a certified nutritional consultant who specializes in preventative and environmental medicine. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona.