Food Sensitivity, Intolerance or Allergy - What's The Difference?
A food intolerance test can help you identify if you have a food sensitivity rather than a food allergy and avoid years of discomfort. There are many reasons as to why one may be reacting to a food, food group or environmental agent. The most appropriate test for you is determined by what your reaction is, how quickly you react after you have consumed or come in contact with the ingredient, as well as what your general health is like.
Adverse reactions to foods can cause both mild and severe health problems in a subset of the population.
Immediate food allergies are known to affect 4% of the general population, whereas general adverse reactions to food may affect a much higher proportion (>20%) . The symptoms caused by the food reactions can be as mild as bloating but as severe as anaphylaxis.
Conditions which may be caused or exacerbated by adverse food reactions include asthma, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), migraine, otitis media and skin rashes. A wide variety of more nonspecific symptoms can be attributed to food sensitivities such as fatigue, headaches, difficulty losing weight, food addictions and trouble concentrating
Food Allergies versus Sensitivities
Adverse food reactions include any abnormal reaction resulting from the ingestion of a food. They can be categorized as food allergies (with an immune response) or food sensitivities/intolerance. The existence and classification of food sensitivities have been controversial. These types of reactions are difficult to diagnose because the time between consumption and response may be delayed (up to 2 days) and the symptoms are often subtle. In many cases ingestion of the offending food paradoxically masks the symptoms temporarily. Furthermore, multiple causes contribute to food sensitivities, making this area difficult to study. Read more about the difference between a food allergy vs intolerance.
There are several types of immunoglublins that are made in the body. It is important to understand the differences between IgE, IgA and IgG immunoglobulins and when to test for each of them. Immunoglobulins are a class of proteins which function as antibodies produced by the immune system in response to foreign bodies such as food antigens. Take a read of the common symptoms of food intolerances.
IgG - An IgG reaction can occur hours to days after exposure to the allergen; food or inhalant. This type of reaction is referred to as a delayed sensitivity reaction. We offer IgG testing to help identify the causes. The 96, 144 and 240 food intolerance testing panels can help to identify both common and less obvious foods that may be contributing to inflammation. IgG (immunoglobulin G) testing is a useful guide for practitioners to structure an elimination diet for many chronic health conditions.
IgA - Elevated IgA to specific foods is widely believed to be a sign of damage to the mucous membranes in the gut. Individuals with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, or even those with suspected leaky gut may benefit from testing IgA food reactions. We are able to test IgA intolerance responses to help narrow down the problem areas.
IgE - An IgE reaction occurs about the time immediately after exposure to the allergen; food or inhalant. This type of reaction is referred to as a Type I immediate hypersensitivity reaction or in some cases anaphylaxis. We offer an IgE allergy test when we suspect that the patient is suffering from a food allergic reaction.
All of these tests have panels which include - General foods, vegetarian foods, asian foods, grasses, inhalants, food chemicals and additives, environmental chemicals, moulds etc.
ALCAT ® test - The ALCAT® diagnostic system detects changes in the size and number of white blood cells (i.e. immune cells) in response to exposure to the offending foods and chemicals. A significant advantage of this system is that it uses whole and live blood, which contains all of the immune factors, cells and serum proteins that might be involved in an adverse reaction to a food or chemical.
The ALCAT test has many different panels.
We offer a large range of allergy and food intolerance testing to a variety of ingredients, both in Brisbane and throughout Australia via online consultations. Below are some panels that we offer
Food intolerance and allergy testing
- 96 General foods (available for IgG, IgA and IgE)
- 95 Vegetarian foods (available for IgG, IgA and IgE)
- 96 Asian foods (available for IgG, IgA and IgE)
- 16 Inhalants (available for IgG and IgA)
- 64 Inhalants (available for IgE)
- Herbs and Spices (available for IgG)
ALCAT testing
- 50, 100, 150 and 200 foods
- 20 food additives and chemicals
- 10 Environmental chemicals
- 20 Antibiotics / anti-inflammatories
- 20 Inhalants / common moulds
- 50 Functional foods used in dietary supplements
- 50 Functional foods and herbs used in dietary supplements for women
- 50 functional foods and herbs used in dietary supplements for men
- Combination panels for the above.
CONFUSED? We'll help you chose the most appropriate food intolerance testing for you. Make an appointment for an initial consultation.
We have access to a large variety of tests and functional pathology. We have chosen to work closely with a number of laboratories around Australia and Internationally, to get the best, most accurate results for our clients at the most affordable cost.
Please note that in the initial consultation with us we will go through a full health assessment with you and we analyse your symptoms, this may lead to an immediately usable treatment. If we do recommend you get some further testing done, prices will be discussed during your Naturopathy and Nutrition consultation. We have an online test pricing guide but usually recommend you book an appointment with us so that we can establish if testing is necessary, and if so, which would be the most appropriate for you.
What We Can Help With
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing support the health and wellbeing of the whole family. We promote a more scientifically-based approach to natural healthcare, to help detect the root cause of health issues and treat patients for long-term good health.
Digestive Complaints
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing are digestive or gut health specialists, and can help with conditions including food intolerances, IBS,…
Hormonal Imbalances
All the practitioners at Perpetual Wellbeing have expertise in treating hormonal issues and can support you with concerns relating to…
Allergies & Intolerances
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing offer food allergy and food intolerance testing. There are many reasons as to why one…
Female Health Issues
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing have a special interest in female hormone issues and offer various female hormone imbalance test…
Mood Disorders
Our practitioners may utilise various tests to help establish the root cause of mood imbalances. Neurotransmitter levels, Adrenal dysfunction, nutrient…
Other Conditions
We support and help manage a wide range of health issues from intolerances and dietary planning to weight management, skin…
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