photo credit: timsackton
It’s one thing to be overly sensitive about the food you eat. We call that being picky, and it just means your menu is limited and people will hate to cook for you.
It’s an entirely different issue to have a food hypersensitivity, or a delayed food allergy.
With a food hypersensitivity, there’s an almost unlimited range of problems, including acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, skin disorders/rashes, fatigue, obesity, bloating/gas, inability to lose weight, joint/muscle pain, migraines/headaches, depression and/or anxiety.
If you have any of the above issues, the more you know about food hypersensitivities and how to test for them, the sooner you’re healing process can begin.
Understanding starts with the immune system
There is a lot of confusion regarding what constitutes a ‘food allergy’, what the different types of reactions to foods (or other potential allergens) involves and/or what tests are available to determine a person’s specific immune reactions to foods or other allergens.
It all starts with the immune system.
The immune system plays a number of roles in the body. It identifies foreign substances and seeks to neutralize/eliminate them, and is also responsible for repair due to wear and tear on the body.
When repair deficits accumulate, inflammation occurs, and when this becomes chronic, immune dysfunction and autoimmune conditions emerge.
When healthy, the immune system is very tolerant. This means that foreign antigens (i.e., substances the immune system recognizes as ‘not self’) are soaked up, neutralized, and recycled without burdening the body or provoking symptoms. Healthy people have a natural ‘rebalancing’ system that allows the immune system to process, recycle, repair and protect the body.
However, when immune dysfunction occurs, the body begins to inappropriately react to many substances, which can lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms.
The difference between a food allergy and a food hypersensitivity
True food allergies result from an IgE (Immunoglobulin E) response.These are also called Type 1 hypersensitivity (or immediate hypersensitivity) reactions and result from immediate histamine release due to IgE stimulation. The reactions can cause mild to severe symptoms, including anaphylactic shock.
Food hypersensitivity reactions are non-IgE mediated immune responses. They are also known as delayed allergies or delayed onset food sensitivities. These reactions occur several hours to several weeks after exposure; this delay in symptoms makes clinical management (and allergy determination) difficult. However, these types of hypersensitivity reactions are usually the most clinically relevant and useful to help in the healing process.
Testing for a Food Hypersensitivity
To date, the most effective test for Food Hypersensitivity is a Lymphocyte Response Assay (LRA).
These tests identify the full range of delayed immune responses, including reactive (provoking/harmful) antibodies, immune complexes, and direct T?cell responses to potential food and environmental agents.
These tests measure every functionally relevant immune reaction to potential allergens, making them the most comprehensive and clinically relevant tests available.
Other true lymphocyte response assays, such as MELISA measure responses through a different mechanism and only measure T?cell responses, making them less clinically relevant.
The Lymphocyte Response Assay (LRA) by ELISA/ACT Technologies is the most comprehensive and clinically relevant hypersensitivity test available today. It measures all hypersensitivity pathways with high precision and clinical significance.
The test requires a blood draw. If a blood draw is not possible, the IgG4 Bloodstick test by Metametrix is the best choice to help determine possible food allergens.
What happens after the test is done?
Once your food hypersensitivities are known, strict elimination of the substances is necessary. How long a person needs to eliminate a known allergen depends on the strength of the reaction. However, with complete abstinence and proper supplementation, many people are able to eliminate or greatly reduce the hypersensitivity, which means they can start to eat those foods again without negative consequence.
After you receive your test results, you call the Natural Path Health Center to review the results and get the necessary dietary and supplement recommendations. The change in your health and how you feel can be dramatic – dramatically increased energy, better sleep, weight loss, elimination of mood swings and/or headaches, as well as better digestion and gastrointestinal health.
If you have been struggling with a chronic health condition, food hypersensitivity may be at the root of your problem. The LRA test by ELISA/ACT will help you uncover your underlying food hypersensitivities, providing you with another tool to achieve your health goals.
If you live in the Madison area, you can schedule the test through the Natural Path Health Center. Simply call us at 608.274.7044 or toll free at 866.888.6721.