I became lactose intolerant when I was 2 months old – I couldn’t drink milk, eat ice cream, etc. My lactose intolerance symptoms were bloating, stomach pain, severe IBS and much more.
It wasn’t until college when I discovered gluten and all grains were bothering me, as well. After removing dairy and gluten along with some grains, I started to feel better. So, when I received the results back from this test and dairy, gluten and grains were on it – I knew the results were accurate!
I usually don’t promote tests since I am not a doctor but I wanted to share my honest story about using the ALCAT Test to identify food intolerance’s and hidden inflammation in my body. I’ve had this test done twice and, each time, I received different results because our bodies change every six months.
The purpose of this test is to discover what foods, chemicals, toxins, etc., are causing hidden inflammation in your body. In 2011, I only had the food panel run and it wasn’t very helpful at the time; however, I recently had the entire panel run for additives, colorings, etc., and it was extremely helpful and I can HONESTLY say that I have seen HUGE improvements and results in my appearance and in my internal inflammation.
For one, the dark circles under my eyes disappeared as soon as I removed my problem foods. For instance, I am intolerant to cilantro, avocado, lemon, black pepper, olive oil, olives, chili powder, spinach and a whole bunch of other foods that are healthy – however in MY body at THIS moment. those foods are causing inflammation – wreaking havoc on my cells, hormones, energy, organs, mitochondria and metabolism!
This just goes to show that we are ALL very different and an avocado maybe healthy for YOU – but right now, it’s actually causing inflammation in my body. Crazy, isn’t it?
I had the following ALCAT test in 2013. They tested me for:
- 200 foods
- 50 functional foods & medicinal herbs
- 20 food additives and colorings
- 10 molds
- 20 antibiotics and medications
This is a simple blood test and the results come back to you in 3 columns as HIGH, MEDIUM and LOW. Your goal is to avoid ALL the foods on the entire chart in the HIGH column for 6 months – and you will be amazed at how your inflammation decreases. Then after 6 months you can slowly start to add them back into your lifestyle – only if they do not bother you!
I had about 30 foods that I had to avoid – it was tricky since lemon and black pepper are in everything from vitamins to dressings and drinks and supplements but you have to seriously READ labels very closely.
I had great results from using this test and wanted to share them with you. When you cannot get an answer and you are in pain and struggling, this may be an option for you to talk to your Integrative M.D. about.
ALCAT measures leukocyte cellular reactivity and change in the cell when exposed to certain food antigens, and measures the immune system’s response to food which leads to inflammation. This is a delayed immune response. ALCAT testing measures the final common pathway of inflammatory response, which is where degranulation releases mediators such as cytokines and leukotrienes, and complement and platelet aggregation may be taking place. This response is specific to the person’s blood cells and will give good information regarding delayed reactions that cause chronic inflammation in our bodies.
The ALCAT Test has identified foods that trigger non-allergic mechanisms to activate and induce the release of inflammatory mediators common in many chronic conditions where the symptom onset is not immediate. This delayed food sensitivity and/or intolerance is an activation of our immune system. These immune reactions can be caused by small food particles that are small and undigested and then absorbed into the body through Leaky Gut, which is what causes inflammation and awful food allergy/intolerance symptoms. Some of these symptoms are weight gain, skin problems, hormone balance, stomach pain, pain and much more more.
The information above is not intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment or for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition. The above information is not intended to replace a doctor/patient relationship with any physician. There is no replacement for personal medical treatment and advice from your personal physician.
Hi Amie – you wrote (re the ALCAT test): “Your goal is to avoid ALL the foods on the entire chart for 6 months…”. Surely you mean the ones that come back as HIGH only, right? Also, you pointed out on a different page that it’s important to remember that these are food sensitivities – not allergies (RMR incorrectly wrote “allergies” above). I’ll look at the ALCAT – it’s pricey, but I’d say worth it if it can help me get to the bottom of my sore joints!! Thanks!
Hi Brian! Sorry for any confusion. You’re right – you only need to avoid the foods that come back as HIGH. We’ll clarify that in the article. Best of luck healing your joint pain!
Where can you get this test done?
Hi Briana! An integrative medicine doctor should be able to do this for you. If you don’t have one yet, here are some tips on finding an integrative medicine doctor in your area: https://thehealthyapple.com/how-to-find-an-integrative-medicine-doctor/
I took a blood test that said I was allergic to 22 foods including very healthy foods including the common substitutes for the usual allergic foods such as coconut, almonds, rice, soy which are the substitutes for dairy. Also allergic to dairy. Allergic to the usual culprits as well. My problems are I like most of the foods. I am not wanting to give them up. I hate cooking. I don’t want to cook every meal from scratch at home for the rest of my life. This has been a huge cloud over me for 6 years since I had the blood test. Did cut back but crave the foods constantly. Is there a way to make the intolerances go away? I miss bread (gluten, wheat, rye, barley, yeast), ice cream & cheese (dairy). corn chips & corn on the cob, nut butter sandwiches (peanuts, almonds, black walnuts), tomatoes, brown rice, coconut, grapes & red wine, and many more.
We know it can be hard! Your body will continue to change so you may find that foods that bother your gut today won’t cause any problems in a year, and vice versa. Check out our Getting Started page for some tips: https://thehealthyapple.com/getting-started/
For me, with dairy,it’s the lactose. In this case, you would take lactase enzyme supplements right before your first bite of dairy. These are sometimes known as Dairy Digestive Supplements. If it’s the casein, this won’t help you, though. So it depends on which component of dairy you are reacting to. With gluten, My Big Y has a Living Well Center that has gluten free versions of my favorite foods. You will have to watch out for the rice in your case by reading labels. Even if Big Y is not in your area, you might find another store that carries gluten-free grain foods in your area. The blog Gluten Free on a Shoestring by Nicole Hunn is also a good source for gluten-free recipes and information on doing a gluten-free diet. She has a son with Celiac disease. I’ve never had problems with the others, so I couldn’t answer you on those. But that is how I handle the gluten and dairy. Hopefully, others can answer you on the other foods.