Food Allergy/Intolerance Testing

 

Food Intolerance is similar to an allergy, the reactions are the same but the timeframe is different.

 

If you have an allergy it is the IgE part of the immune system reacting and is an IMMEDIATE reaction, ie - you eat a strawberry and your lips swell up or you start sneezing etc.

 

An intolerance is the IgG part of the immune system and is a DELAYED reaction.  You may eat a food and not react for 2-3 days.  It is further complicated by the fact that it is also CUMULATIVE, meaning that you may eat the food several times and be ok and then one more time and you react, OR several foods may be involved eg - cheese one day, egg the next, then a banana and a reaction.

 

For these reasons, intolerances are difficult to identify with food eliminations.

 

The intolerance test is a simple finger prick blood sample taken in the clinic.  We then send this to a lab in the US where it is tested for delayed hypersensitivity reactions to 96 foods commonly consumed in the Western diet (vegetarian and Asian panels also available).  

We use the lab in the US as they have the best record for precision and reproducability of results.

 

The other thing I love about this test is you get a degree of reactivity, not just a yes or no answer.  So you can see which foods must be avoided altogether and which you react to but can consume once or twice a week.

 

The foods tested are as follows -

 

DAIRY                                      FRUITS

Casein                                     Apple

Cheddar Cheese                   Apricot   

Cottage Cheese                    Banana

Mozzarella                              Blueberry

Milk                                          Cranberry

Goat Milk                                Grape

Whey                                      Grapefruit

Yogurt                                     Lemon

                                                Orange

MEAT                                     Papaya

Beef                                        Peach

Chicken                                  Pear

Egg White                              Pineapple

Egg Yolk                                 Plum

Duck Egg                               Raspberry

Lamb                                      Strawberry

Pork                                        

Turkey                                    GRAINS/LEGUMES/NUTS

                                                Almond

MISCELLANEOUS               Amaranth

Cocoa                                    Barley

Coffee                                    Kidney Bean

Honey                                    Lima Bean

Bakers Yeast                        Pinto Bean

Brewers Yeast                      Soy Bean

                                               String Bean

FISH/SEAFOOD                   Buckwheat

Clam                                      Coconut

Cod                                        Corn

Crab                                       Wheat (Gliadin)

Halibut                                   Wheat (Gluten)

Lobster                                  Hazelnut

Snapper                                Lentil

Prawn                                    Peas

Sole                                       Peanut

                                               Pecan

VEGETABLE                        White Rice

Avocado                                Rye

Beetroot                                 Sesame Seed

Broccoil                                  Spelt

Cabbage                               Sunflower Seed

Carrot                                     Walnut 

Cauliflower                             Whole Wheat

Celery                                     Oat

Cucumber

Garlic

Lettuce

Mushroom

Olive

Onion

Green Capsicum

Sweet Potato

Potato

Pumpkin

Radish

Spinach

Zucchini

Tomato