As someone who eats a gluten free diet, I’m aware of the difficulties that can arise around this or restrictive eating in general. The cravings for foods that you can’t eat, the awkward social situations, frustration when nothing is available to eat when you are on the run or from your favourite café.
A gluten or dairy free diet, or grain free diet is often recommended as part of an Autoimmune protocol and can really help to manage inflammation and I provide tailored food plans, meal ideas and recipes for protocols that are gluten free, dairy free, grain free, FODMAP or excluding other allergens such as soy or nuts.
I find that by focusing on foods that you can eat, instead of those that you can’t, and having easy meal options that are also tasty and quick to prepare, people are much more likely to be able to stick to more specialist diets and thrive on them as part of a new lifestyle.
You may also be familiar with the Wahls Protocol (Dr Terry Wahls), the Dr Natasha Winters protocol for Metabolic Balance or Dr Sarah Ballantyne’s Autoimmune protocol
Examples of structured exclusion protocols
Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)
This protocol focuses on removing foods that may trigger inflammation or immune responses—such as gluten, dairy, grains, legumes, processed foods, alcohol, eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshades—while prioritising nutrient-dense whole foods. A key part of AIP is the structured reintroduction phase, where foods are gradually added back in to help identify individual triggers and support a more varied long-term diet.
Paleo
This is based on eating whole, unprocessed foods similar to those our ancestors are thought to have eaten. It focuses on vegetables, fruits, high-quality protein (meat, fish, eggs), healthy fats, nuts, and seeds, while excluding grains, legumes, refined sugar, and most processed foods. Many people find Paleo helpful for improving blood sugar balance, reducing inflammation, and supporting gut health.
Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic (keto) diet is a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that shifts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat is used as the primary fuel source instead of glucose. It typically involves reducing carbohydrates significantly while increasing healthy fats and moderate protein intake.
Keto is not suitable for everyone and I would only use it on a short term basis for those with particular issues around difficulty losing weight or poor blood glucose control.
There is also the Keto-Paleo diet which combines principles from both the ketogenic and Paleo approaches. It is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat way of eating that focuses on whole, unprocessed foods such as vegetables, high-quality meats and fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats, while eliminating grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar, and processed foods. The goal is to encourage fat-burning for energy (ketosis) while maintaining nutrient-dense, ancestral-style eating habits.
This approach can support weight management, blood sugar balance, and reduced inflammation for some people. However, it can be quite restrictive, so it is best used under guidance to ensure nutritional adequacy and to monitor how your body responds. From a functional perspective, the Keto-Paleo diet can be a useful tool for improving metabolic health, supporting gut function, and reducing systemic inflammation when tailored to the individual.
FODMAPs
The low FODMAP diet is a structured dietary approach designed to help reduce digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and constipation. FODMAPs are specific types of fermentable carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and can be rapidly fermented by gut bacteria, leading to symptoms—particularly in people with IBS or IBD in remission. Common high-FODMAP foods include certain fruits, vegetables, dairy products, wheat, legumes, and sweeteners