445 E Walnut St, Suite #139
Richardson TX, 75081
972-907-8500
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Where the Science of Healing Becomes an Art
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Comprehensive Food Sensitivity Testing and Avoiding
the Foods that are Harming You!
Tolerance is the normal immune response to the food an individual eats over a lifetime. A food allergy is an abnormal immune reaction consisting of hypersensitivity to food components, most commonly proteins. In a true food allergy or sensitivity, what a person is actually reacting to is the protein structure of that food. Even foods that we don’t think of as a protein source - like fruits and vegetables - still have a protein structure that the immune system can react to. Allergic reactions to dietary antigens can be immediate or delayed and the rate and types of reaction indicate different immune responses.
Medical Approach
The food sensitivity testing we do at Q Functional Medicine Clinic is different than the standard medicalway of testing for food allergies. Most medical doctors will do the “skin poke” testing to see if a reaction develops to the substance being introduced to the skin. In this form of testing they are looking for what’s called the “immediate-onset” reactions to foods - more technically referred to as an IgE reaction of the immune system. These are the severe reactions to foods where someone eats strawberries, shellfish or peanuts and sometimes can react within minutes to the food, and it can even be severe enough to require a trip to the emergency room. Although these immediate-onset food allergies can be severe (possibly life-threatening), they do represent only a small percentage of the total food reactions people suffer with.
IGg Testing at QFMC
The much larger percentage of food issues that people suffer with, and have their various symptoms caused by, are called a “delayed-onset” reaction to foods - more technically referred to as an IgG reaction of the immune system. In the delayed-onset reactions it can take a few hours, a few days, or even longer before some type of symptom shows-up from eating the food a person is reacting to. Some food sensitivities do not occur immediately, nor are they as apparent or severe. These sensitivities may take as many as three days to become apparent. For this reason, they may be much harder to pinpoint. For example, it is sometimes hard to associate the migraine headache you get on Wednesday, to the meal you ate last Sunday. At Q Functional Medicine Clinic, we offer the delayed-onset (IgG) food sensitivity testing, because we find that most people already know about their immediate-onset (IgE) food allergies due to previous reactions or previous medical testing. Most people have not been tested for any delayed-onset (IgG) reactions to foods and other substances, and remember the delayed-onset food sensitivities make up a much greater percentage of the food reactions people suffer with. The delayed-onset sensitivity testing is done using a sample of your blood, and then this blood is sent overnight to the lab that specializes in this type of food testing. The results come back in about 10 - 14 days.
What is the Difference Between Allergy and Intolerance?
The term ‘food intolerance’ and ‘food allergy’ are often confused and are two very different things.
Genuine food allergy is relatively rare. Only about 2% of the adult population are affected. A food allergy is a swift response by the body’s immune system to a specific food. In this type of reaction, the body’s immune system mistakes a food for an ‘invader’ which often results in a rapid allergic reaction often within minutes, but generally within a maximum of two hours. This type of allergic reaction is commonly associated reactions to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs and seafood. Food intolerance is quite different to food allergy and whilst the symptoms can impact the person’s quality of life they are not life threatening. Food intolerances are much more common than food allergies.
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When foods and drinks are digested the proteins within them are broken down into smaller fragments for easy absorption into the body. Larger fragments can pass through without breaking down, and sometimes the body reacts by attacking them using antibodies called Immunoglobulin G’s (IgG).
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A recent study* has shown that those who eliminated trigger foods based on food-specific IgG test results had reductions in weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumference and improvements in all indicators of quality of life that were measured. The quality of life indicators included physical and emotional wellbeing, mental health, social life, pain levels and vitality.
Why Should I Test for Food Sensitivities?
Researchers estimate that at least 60% of the U.S. population suffers from unsuspected food reactions that can cause or complicate health problems. Symptoms can be extraordinarily diverse, ranging from arthritis to eczema to migraines. In extreme cases, food allergies can lead to anaphylactic shock and death if untreated. Fortunately, most people do not have severe reactions. Because of the high frequency of food sensitivities and the tremendous quantity of food that we eat on a regular basis, many doctors use food sensitivity testing to help get to the root cause of chronic, unexplained illnesses.
Signs and Symptoms:
We ingest so many foods that go through different processes and have many ingredients. Unidentified food sensitivities can contribute to multiple chronic health conditions including:
Irritable Bowel
Syndrome (IBS)
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Headaches
Migraines
Palpitations
Joint Pain
Constipation
Anxiety
Depression
Fatigue
Congestion
ADD/ADHD
Autism
Eczema
Chronic ear infection
Malabsorption
Insomnia
List of 88 Foods and Additives Measured
Almond
Apple
Asparagus
Aspergillus mix
Avocado
Banana
Barley
Basil
Beef
Black pepper
Blueberry
Brewer’s yeast
Broccoli
Cabbage
Candida
Cantaloupe
Cacao
Carrot
Casein
Celery
Cherry
Chicken
Cinnamon
Clam
Cacao
Coconut
Codfish
Coffee
Corn
Cottonseed
Cow’s milk
Crab
Cucumber
Dill seed
Egg albumin
Egg yolk
English walnut
Flounder
Garlic
Gluten
Green Pea
Goat’s milk
Grapefruit
Grapes
Green olive
Green pepper
Halibut
Honeydew melon
Horseradish
Kidney bean
Lemon
Lettuce
Lime
Lobster
Mushroom
Mustard
Navy bean
Oat
Onion
Orange
Oregano
Peach
Peanut
Pear
Pecan
Peppermint
Pineapple
Pinto bean
Plum
Pork
Rice
Rye
Sunflower seed
Salmon
Scallops
Sesame
Shrimp
Soybean
Spinach
Squash mix
Strawberry
Sweet potato
Tea
Tomato
Tuna
Turkey
Vanilla
Watermelon
White potato
Whole wheat
What Happens After the Test?
After completing the test, you will have a ‘road map’ for foods you are allergic to, and to what degree or sensitivity is the allergy to that particular food. There will be no more running from practitioner to practitioner giving their best guess as to what you should or should not eat. The information provided is priceless.
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A comprehensive report detailing your toxic foods will be generated. Most people find that the food that they eat regularly or an ingredient in a product that they use regularly is actually what is toxic to their system. Therefore, they will be poisoning themselves multiple times a week.
If your test results show you have food sensitivities, it means your immune system is attacking certain foods. Dr. Lee generally remove severe, high, and moderately reactive foods and rotate healthy foods in an effort to heal the gastrointestinal lining. Later, foods may be reintroduced one at a time to see if they cause problems.
What Benefits Can You Expect?
The most notable point will be that you will feel much better. Some rid themselves of lifelong conditions like chronic migraines (which are almost always caused by food toxicity). Some people feel a tremendous boost in energy, sex drive and general increase in mental acuity. Others notice that their constant irritability is gone. Each person will be different in what it affects, but wholly a person will feel much better. Some other benefits are:
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Helps determine if food reactions are contributing to physical or mental symptoms
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Removal of highly reactive foods from the diet is a non-invasive, food-based therapy that often mitigates a patient’s symptoms
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Research and clinical studies suggest food allergies identified by IgG testing can be a major contributing factor in many chronic health conditions
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Food rotation and elimination diets can reduce stress on the immune system, lower gut inflammation, resolve food cravings, and reduce the potential for eating disorders.
One of the steps to becoming healthy is identifying any key
problems that might be getting in your way
Elimination of the offending foods can improve many health problems and lead to a better quality of life. A simple blood test is utilized to identify specific food allergies. Food sensitivity testing can be beneficial for anyone, even those who are fairly healthy and feeling good and are looking to stay that way. If you’ve been suffering with various symptoms or problems, and have not been finding the answers as to what may be causing your symptoms, then it’s worth your time to look into the answers that food sensitivity testing might provide for you. At Q Functional Medicine Clinic, we offer a blood test food sensitivities. The results of your food sensitivity test are implemented into a program which includes nutritional support and a rotation diet to restore you to your maximum health. Feel free to contact us anytime at 972-907-8500 to get more information on food allergy sensitivity, or to schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Lee to discuss your health concerns and get his recommendations on what would be the best way to approach these concerns using the resources of natural healthcare.