Allergies and Food Intolerance Assessments

There is a great deal of confusion when it comes to food allergies and food intolerances.  A traditional food allergy is one that involves a specific antibody reaction (IgE) to a particular food or environmental compound.  This is also referred to as an “immediate” hypersensitivity reaction.  An example of this is type of reaction is the increasing awareness of peanut allergies.  These are typically children who, when exposed to peanuts, may experience a mild to extreme immune reaction involving hives, itchy throat, anaphylaxis, shock and possibly death.  Other major culprits responsible for IgE reactions are shellfish, eggs, and dairy products.  

When it comes to a food intolerance, an individual may experience a multitude of reactions that may take hours to days to manifest. This is known as a   “delayed “ hypersensitivity  reaction. Most responses are generally constitutional (meaning throughout the body) and rather vague.  Typical food intolerance reactions may include mental fog, depression, anxiety, “after lunch blues”, heart palpitations, headaches/migraines, generalized pain (eg. fibromyalgia), acne, eczema, heart burn, gas/bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation.  If you experience any of the above symptoms on a regular basis, you may have a food intolerance - Keep in mind though, an occasional “off” day is normal.

Because most food intolerance reactions can be delayed for several days, it is often very difficult to point a finger at the food culprit.   This is where keeping a Diet Diary can come in handy. Most people know what his or her strong immediate food allergies are, but there may chronic low grade reactions taking place in the body.  A physician will walk you through your Diet Diary and look for any patterns that you may have missed.

There a number of protocols that one of the physicians at CINH may utilize to determine if an individual is experiencing a food intolerance.  These may include laboratory testing, Elimination Diet, Detox Diet, Food Challenges, and Metabolic Typing.