Digestive Health

Unlike allergies, food intolerances may vary depending on the situation. Food intolerance can cause multiple side effects like headaches, diarrhea, fatigue and other physical symptoms.

Allergic reactions impacts different individuals in different ways and may not be clear which food type are causing the reaction. It is highly recommended to conduct allergy tests to determine which foods may be causing the allergic reaction. Some examples of foods that cause allergic reaction may include peanuts, rice, bread, yeast products, butternut squash apples, pears and other food products.

The Alcat test is a food or chemical screening test that may be used to determine if an individual may have a sensitivity or food intolerance. The 100 food Alcat Panel will measure an individual’s sensitivities to 100 foods. This panel includes the 50 foods from the 50 Food Alcat Panel.

The following foods are example of some foods included in the 100 Food Panel:

Apple, Baker’s Yeast, Banana, Barley, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Cane Sugar, Cantaloupe, Carrot, Casein, Cauliflower, Chicken, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Cow’s Milk, Egg White, Egg Yolk, Fructose, Garlic,, Onion, Orange, Peanut, Pear… and many more.

This test is a comprehensive test of over 300 foods that could cause allergic reactions. Some of the categories are as follows;

• 50 Functional Foods & Medicinal Herbs,
• Molds (as many as 20 different molds)
• 30 Food Additives/Colorings
• Environmental  Chemicals
• 20 Antibiotics
• Anti-inflammatory

The Alcat Test gives healthcare professionals a tool for managing conditions linked to inflammation and chronic activation of the immune system. The Alcat Test measures individual responses to foods and other substances at the cellular level and may reveal the underlying trigger of certain symptoms.

Celiac disease is a serious disease caused by an immunologic reaction to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale. People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity may experience diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and gas. abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting and constipation. Celiac disease is the more serious of the two disorders as it may cause damage to the lining of the small intestine. Celiac disease may also cause anemia, bone loss, skin rashes, mouth ulcers, joint pain and nervous system injury. There is no cure for celiac disease, but maintaining a gluten free diet may alleviate symptoms.

IBS is a condition that mainly affects the large intestine (colon), while celiac disease mainly affects the small intestine. IBS is a “functional” disorder, which means that the digestive system is not working like it should, but not due to damage.

If laboratory testing suggests Celiac disease, individuals should see a Gastroenterologist for endoscopy and small bowel biopsy which will provide a definitive diagnosis. Different tests will provide results depending on the symptoms that an individual is showing.

Food Sensitivity is caused by the body’s inability to process specific substances, specific foods, and accompanying environmental additives. Determining an individual’s tolerance levels to food-borne allergens helps avoid adverse, sometimes deadly, allergic reactions.

• The body produces antibodies to combat common food substances, creating the typical allergy symptoms. In response to the food substance, the antibodies produce histamine, which causes the allergic reaction. Many allergies can be extreme and cause an anaphylactic shock when airways swell closed due to food-caused inflammation. In severe cases, even death can occur.
• Other symptoms of food allergies could include bloating, sickness, headaches, nausea, and other physical issues.
• Common food items that cause allergies are peanuts, fruits, and vegetables, as well as some dairy products, spices, meats, and fish, especially shellfish, and many other foods.

• Gluten is a plant-based protein found in wheat, rye, and barley grains. The IgE test (gluten test) helps identify or rule out an allergy if someone is experiencing gluten allergy symptoms. This test will determine when a person has an allergic reaction to gluten.
• Celiac Disease is an extreme gluten allergy that causes ingested gluten to damage the small intestine’s villi lining, sometimes permanently. Actual celiac disease is genetic and passed from parents or grandparents.
• IgA and IgG antibodies to deamidated gliadin peptide and tissue transglutaminase (tTG/DGP screen), IgG antibodies to gliadin (AGA), wheat allergen-specific IgE (wheat IgE).