Screening and diagnosis
The following may help determine if you have a true food allergy, rather than a food intolerance, food poisoning or some other gastrointestinal condition.
- Description of your symptoms. Be prepared to tell your doctor a history of your symptoms — which foods, and how much, seem to cause problems — and whether you have a family history of food or other allergies.
- Food diary. Your doctor may ask you to keep a food diary of your eating habits, symptoms and medications to pinpoint the problem.
- Elimination diet. You may be asked to eliminate suspect foods for a week or two, and then add the food items back into your diet one at a time. This process can help link symptoms to specific foods. However, this isn't a foolproof method.
- Psychological factors as well as physical factors can come into play. For example, if you think you're sensitive to a food, a response could be triggered that may not be a true allergic one. If you've had a severe reaction to foods, this method cannot safely be used.
- Physical examination. A careful exam can identify or exclude other medical problems.
Skin test. A skin prick test can determine your reaction to particular foods. In this test, small amounts of suspected foods are placed on the skin of your forearm or back. Your skin is then pricked with a needle, to allow a tiny amount of the substance beneath your skin surface. If you're allergic to a particular substance being tested, you develop a raised bump or reaction.
- Blood test. A blood test can measure your immune system's response to particular foods by assessing the amount of allergy-type antibodies in your bloodstream, known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. For this test, you give a blood sample in your doctor's office. Your sample is then sent to a medical laboratory, where different foods can be tested. However, these blood tests aren't 100 percent accurate.
Why are we sensitive to some foods.
The immune system is an intricate structure which, under normal circumstances, protects the body from the harmful effects of invading elements - viruses, bacteria, other micro-organisms and toxins. Sometimes our immune system over reacts to substances such as foods or food additives, which are not normally harmful. The result: hay fever, asthma, migraine, skin problems, intestinal disorders, painful joints or muscles, frequent ear infections and hyperactivity in children, chronic fatigue; and, along with any of these or other disorders, weight imbalance. What makes identifying these harmful foods difficult is that the symptoms may not emerge until 8 -72 hours after eating or may follow what is called a dose/frequency dependence that needs several feedings over several days to weeks.
Is this a common problem? Yes! These conditions impact an estimated 75 - 90% of the population; costing billions in treatments, lost income due to missing work and absenteeism from school. Former US Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, regards obesity as the number 2 cause of death in America. Obesity substantially increases the risk of heart disease, osteoarthritis, diabetes, certain cancers and other disorders.
Further, it's a scientific fact that appetite and metabolism are controlled by blood chemistry, which is adversely affected when an offending food is consumed. Food sensitivities also cause cravings for sweets and starches as well as water retention. Therefore, knowing and avoiding the foods you react to can help you reach your desired weight and feel much better without significant cost or the use of prescription drugs.
A 100 patient weight loss study.
In a recent study, one hundred patients were evaluated for weight normalization, change in body composition (lean muscle vs. fat tissue) and general well being. 50 subjects followed an individualized ALCAT TEST food plan, eating as much as they liked but just avoiding the foods to which the were intolerant. Another group of 50 control subjects followed their own weight plan. Within only four weeks, in the ALCAT TEST group, 76% of the subjects lost weight. Of the remaining 24% that either stayed the same or gained weight, the vast majority improved their ratio of muscle to fat. Overall, 98% of the subjects who followed the ALCAT TEST plan either lost weight and/or improved their body composition.
OK, where do I go from here ?
At this point you may consider having the test done for yourself or your family member.
