FOOD SENSITIVITY TESTING
WHAT IS FOOD SENSITIVITY?
Did you know that people with food sensitivities can go a lifetime without ever knowing they have one? This is due to delayed reaction times and moderate symptoms that may mirror common ailments. Commonly, food sensitivity does not create symptoms for 48-72 hours after eating the aggressor food.
When it comes to adverse reactions to food, there are three main types including a food allergy, food sensitivity, and food intolerance. A food allergy causes an unpleasant or dangerous immune system reaction immediately after a certain food is eaten and may lead to anaphylaxis. Food sensitivities and intolerances are generally not life-threatening but can make you feel bad and affect your health and mood. Food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, happen when you lack a key enzyme to digest the food (i.e. lactase). The most common symptoms associated with food sensitivity include:
- Headaches
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Digestive issues
- Skin Issues
- An overall feeling of being unwell
FOOD SENSITIVITY TESTING
At VitaLab in La Jolla food sensitivity testing can be used to get to the bottom of your uncomfortable symptoms. A blood test can be used to measure your immune response to certain foods by measuring the antibody known as immunoglobulin G (IgG). With these results, you don’t have to try a super restrictive elimination diet, and instead you’ll know exactly what you need to avoid and/or minimize. You may be asked to eliminate foods that come back positive on your testing, and we’ll ask you to eliminate suspect foods for about a month. Then you will go through a guided process of adding the foods back into your diet one at a time while you and your clinician discuss the reactions or lack of reactions. This process can help you determine whether your symptoms are related to a food allergy or a food sensitivity.
While in the short term, the best way to avoid food sensitivity symptoms is to avoid the food that is causing discomfort. Over time, however, you can work with your clinician to heal a leaky gut or develop a rotation plan. For many individuals, there is the possibility of re-introducing the suspected food into their diet after avoiding it for a while. We work with you regarding your individual case to ensure your health and wellbeing.
SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT
To schedule your food sensitivity test La Jolla patients can contact us at VitaLab today! Once your food sensitivities are pinpointed, our clinicians will work with you to create a personalized plan to help return you to feeling your absolute best.
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