Food Allergies or Intolerance Test
What is an allergy?
An allergy is defined as "when the body becomes hypersensitive to particular substances (called allergens), which provoke the appearance of characteristic symptoms on encountering that substance". The substance may be food, animal or chemical in nature.
It is possible that the sensitivity to allergens can be reduced or eliminated with nutritional methods.
Allergy or intolerance?
There are two types of allergies, differentiated by the immunoglobulin (immune system defender) that deals with it - the first is mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE) which remembers the rogue food for life i.e., the allergy will be life-long. The second type of allergy or intolerance is only short-term. It is recognised by immunoglobulin G (IgG), which remembers the allergen for a short period only - a maximum of one year. This means once the trigger food has been avoided for a suitable period, the body will have had time to 'forget' the adverse reaction and the gut wall will have been repaired through nutritional means. Then culpable food item can be reintroduced.
An allergen intolerance also provokes a response from the body. However because it is less severe, the reaction may only be obvious after a delayed time period from between one hour and three days after contact. Intolerances are more insidious, since their effects may go undetected for long periods of time. Undetected allergies and intolerances gradually wear down and overburden the immune system, as it is constantly having to expend its energy fighting off common allergens and therefore, has little energy left to defend the body adequately against more serious agents e.g. bacteria and viruses.
Consequences?
Over a long period, allergens can lead to serious disorders such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, migraines, asthma, arthritis, depression, Attention Deficit Syndrome and autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus. Alternatively, those with a chronic illness may experience an increased sensitivity to allergens.
When there is an allergy to a particular substance, the body releases many 'inflammatory markers', which cause various symptoms that differ according to the part of the body they appear in. The symptoms may be caused by a true food allergy or by a toxic or hormonal reaction to the food. A toxic reaction would result from a drug, such as caffeine, whereas an example of a hormonal reaction would be the mood and energy fluctuations of a stressed pancreas after eating very sweet foods. Some symptoms of allergies and intolerances are listed below:
Head |
Headache, Dark circles under eyes, Insomnia |
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat |
Runny/Stuffy nose, Excessive mucus formation, Tinnitus, Earache, Recurrent ear infections, Sore throats, Hoarseness, Recurrent sinusitis |
Heart & Lungs |
Palpitations, Congestion in the chest, Asthma |
Gastrointestinal |
Undigested food in stools, Nausea, Vomiting, Wind, IBS, Colic in infants, Diarrhoea |
Skin |
Hives, Rashes, Eczema, Dry skin, Dandruff, Brittle hair and nails |
Psychological Symptoms |
Anxiety, Panic attacks, Depression, Aggressive behaviour, Mental lethargy, Restlessness, Learning disability, Hyperactivity, Irritability |
Other Symptoms |
Water retention, Growing pains in children, Joint pains, Obesity, Recurrent infections, Fatigue, PMT |
What is being tested?
The Vega machine is used to test up to 50 substances which include common foods, additives, artificial colours, environmental allergens, etc. This test has an accuracy of around 80% and provides a good foundation for diagnosis and treatment. Further information can be obtained via additional blood tests.
Substances tested-for are listed below:
Fruits & Vegetables |
Grains |
Proteins |
Miscellaneous |
Apples |
Barley |
Beef |
Coffee |
Bananas |
Corn |
Chicken |
Tea |
Cabbage |
Oats |
Fish (cod) |
Chocolate |
Carrots |
Rice |
Lamb |
Sugar |
Lemons |
Rye |
Peanuts |
Yeast |
Oranges |
Wheat |
Pork |
Ethanol |
Cauliflower |
|
Prawns |
Formaline |
Onions |
|
Soya |
Phenol |
Peas |
|
Turkey |
Tartrazine |
Potatoes |
|
Eggs |
Monosodium Glutamate |
Sprouts |
|
Cheese (cow) |
Mixed Moulds |
Tomatoes |
|
Milk (cow) |
Mixed pollens |
|
|
Milk (goat) |
Mixed weeds/ shrubs |
|
|
Milk (sheep) |
House dust/mites |
|
|
|
Pine |
|
|
|
Cats / Dogs |
| Mixed Grasses |
The test measurement appears as no reaction, moderate reaction or severe reaction.
The suspected allergens are reintroduced after a course of corrective treatment and period of abstinence. The body's reaction to the substance is then carefully monitored. The procedure is as follows:
Take the resting pulse before breakfast.
Eat the 'rogue' food.
Retake the pulse 15, 30, 60 and 90 minutes after eating. If there has been an increase or decrease in the pulse rate of 10 beats or more (that is not explained by stress or exertion), this indicates an adverse response, so continue to abstain from that food for another three months, then recheck.
Avoid forever?
Life-long abstinence from the identified allergens may not be necessary if nutritional steps are taken to repair 'leaky gut syndrome.' Individualized programs are designed to reduce symptoms and correct existing nutrient deficiencies, regulate stress levels and examine the possibility of pancreatic enzyme or stomach acid deficiencies. It may also be necessary to test for and eliminate parasites. Such steps are vitally important to regain optimal health and well-being. |
