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It has been long known that consumption of certain foods can have profoundly negative effects on the physical health of susceptible individuals, but I’m not speaking about junk food, sugar, chemicals, or preservatives in this case. While it may seem innocuous, it may be broccoli giving you issues, or wheat, or tomatoes. Organic dairy is considered healthy, yet well beyond half of the world’s population is lactose intolerant. What’s going on here? 

A skin allergy test determines fixed or immediate responses to food allergies. Your doctor may scratch your arm and/or back with suspected allergens and then analyze the welts left behind for their intensity. Food sensitivity testing is done when symptoms develop or preexisting conditions aggravate including acne, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, attention deficit disorder, chronic fatigue, constipation, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperactivity disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, muscle pain, obesity, panic attacks, sinusitis, and other conditions. Many people have some degree of food allergy or sensitivity, usually resulting from over-consumption or inherited susceptibility.

An example of over-consumption in our society is wheat. Celiac disease, an intolerance affecting the digestive system, is a genetically inherited overt allergy to the gluten component of wheat. However, similar symptoms of gas, bloating, polishing of the intestine and malabsorption can manifest from a mild gluten intolerance or sensitivity. You don’t need to express the disease in fully developed form to be on your way to some similar state. 

Whereas mild gluten intolerance isn’t celiac disease, about 1 in 100 people have full blown celiac’s. If you wonder whether you or a loved one has celiac disease, speak to your doctor about it. A screen for celiac disease to identify the most significant intolerance to gluten will contain some blood work to look at readings of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody, anti-gliadin antibodies, anti-endomysial antibodies, and total immunoglobulin. Your doctor may also refer you to a gastroenterologist to take a biopsy if the previous tests come up suspicious for celiac disease. Just note that even if you don’t have celiac disease, you still may have a mild intolerance to gluten.  

Salicylates are chemicals that occur naturally in many plants, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The salicylate level in food can vary, with raw foods, dried foods and juices containing higher levels than the same cooked food. Salicylates in plants act as a natural immune hormone and preservative, protecting the plants against diseases, insects, fungi, and harmful bacteria. This is similar to the way resveratrol acts in the skin of the grape to protect it from harmful microorganisms, but scientists have discerned that resveratrol (in amounts far higher than you’d ever get from a few glasses of wine) can slow down the aging process. Salicylates, however, have no known health benefits. Most people can handle average amounts of salicylate in food, products and medications without any adverse affects on their health, but there is a small percent of the population who have intolerances to even small doses of salicylates. The tolerated amount and items vary slightly from person to person. Salicylates also have a cumulative effect in the body and can build up over time, meaning that a salicylate sensitive person may be able to tolerate a small amount of salicylates but will experience symptoms after excessive exposure. Symptoms related to sensitivity may include breathing difficulties or asthma, cognitive problems, lack of concentration, sinusitis, hyperactivity, eczema or itchy skin, upset stomach, and fatigue. 

One of the best methods to rule in or out food intolerances is to undergo an elimination diet.  The purpose is to identify exactly what foods are the culprits. The elimination diet involves entirely removing suspected foods from the diet for a period of time from two weeks to two months, and waiting to determine whether symptoms resolve during that time period. Then, to purposely reintroduce items one at a time back into the diet while leaving three days between each re-introduced food while charting symptoms and responses can help determine your intolerance. If it’s irritable bowl syndrome you suffer from and you think dairy in particular is something you want to put closure on, ask your doctor to conduct a hydrogen breath test (or HBT). An HBT can also help determine whether or not you may have bacterial imbalance in the gut.

Only a blood test can reveal hidden food sensitivity. If someone asks you to hold a metal rod while they figure out your sensitivities, I’d have serious doubts about the accuracy in their results and recommendations. A well-respected and scientifically proven testing protocol called the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) provides a useful measurement of antigen (the food in question) and antibody (your immune reaction) concentration, thereby exposing the specific food intolerance. This is an immune reaction governed by a part of the immune system called immunoglobulin gamma (IgG). Again, we’re not talking about the difference between good foods or bad foods when we’re talking about these immune responses. An IgG reaction can be triggered by almost anything and the reactions that sensitivities provoke are not as severe as allergies but nonetheless can cause symptoms of ill health, inflammation, and a host of other conditions. In many cases, refraining from these sensitivity triggers may be enough to relax a person’s overexcited immune system and may help them become symptom free.

Testing your blood is the first step in the process to help identify the foods that may be causing symptoms. Professional laboratories use the microarray-based test that can detect IgG antibodies to more than 200 different foods. Based on test results, patients should work with their Health Professionals to determine which foods should be eliminated or reduced from their diets. Once the symptoms subside, the foods may be re-introduced one by one in rotation and the effects monitored. The old saying, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison” sometimes really is true.

 

Dr. Bryce Wylde is one of Canada's leading experts on natural medicine. He is the author of The Antioxidant Prescription and host of Wylde On Health on CP24. Please visit www.wyldeabouthealth.com


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