Food Sensitivity Test

Your journey with us revolves around regulation and nourishment, with therapy focusing on root causes and therapies targeted to assist in restoring balance to your system.

So what exactly is food intolerance?

The food sensitivity test we use at Core is a world first in-clinic intolerance test developed by Cambridge Nutritional Sciences. A blood sample (finger prick) picks up the presence of IgG antibodies to specific foods which are produced in response to a food intolerance.

Although not life threatening, food intolerance should never be underestimated as its impact on sufferers can be significant. The incidence of food intolerance is extremely wide and it is estimated that 45% of the population could be affected. Many people with food intolerance experience more than one symptom. Symptoms can often be vague and the root cause of the problem, food, is not always correctly diagnosed. Sufferers often complain of seeming to be in a ‘fog’, feeling bloated and being tired all the time.

Essentially food intolerance is your body’s abnormal reaction to certain foods which can manifest itself in a number of ways. Some people will have one symptom such as a severe headache whilst others will be unfortunate to experience irritable bowel syndrome, migraine and skin or respiratory conditions. Realising that your food is a catalyst for particular symptoms is not easy when, unlike the immediate reactive symptoms of food allergy, food intolerance symptoms often appear hours or even days later. In fact many food intolerance sufferers have commented post diagnosis and after having removed their problem foods that they realise they had been experiencing minor symptoms as a result of intolerance for their entire lives.

Food allergy is not the same as food intolerance.

A common confusion generally exists whenever the words food allergy or food intolerance enter a sentence.

A classical food allergy (such as peanut or shellfish allergy) is usually characterised by an immediate and often severe reaction of the immune system to exposure to a specific food.

The symptoms of food allergy include sneezing, rashes, skin irritation, swelling, runny nose, fatigue, diarrhoea and vomiting. Normally symptoms occur within a few minutes of eating or coming in to contact with the offending food, although they can be delayed by up to two hours.

Food allergy is quite rare with only about 2.5% of the population being diagnosed with the condition. The most common instances of food allergy are to peanuts, tree nuts (almonds and brazils), eggs, milk, fish and shellfish.

Do I have to avoid reactive foods for the rest of my life?

No. Once you have avoided those foods for at least 3 months, and they have noticed an improvement in the symptoms, then you can start to gradually introduce the foods back into your diet. You should introduce one food at a time, with an interval of 4 days before trying another food. If you do not notice the return of any symptoms, then you can continue to include that food in your diet on an occasional basis.

How long do I have to avoid these foods?

It is recommended that you should avoid any food with a high IgG level for a minimum of 3 months. If you do not notice any improvement after this period of time, then you can assume that this food is not responsible for the symptoms.

If I avoid foods that show a high IgG reading, how long will it take before the IgG level returns to a normal level?

Over time, the concentration of IgG antibodies to that particular food will gradually decrease. The half life of IgG in the blood stream is approximately 23 days. However, antigens that have been stored in the liver may be slowly released over several months, resulting in some persistent antibody production. The levels, however, will decline gradually, barring any new exposure.