Food Sensitivities
Are you suffering from a stubborn health problem that won’t go away no matter what you try?
Here are some important facts to consider:
Medical Research has shown that foods and food additives can be involved in a wide array of painful symptoms and chronic health problems.
If your diet is causing your illness, whatever medications you take will ultimately fail because they only mask the symptoms. They don’t affect the underlying cause of the symptoms. And as is too often the case, many medications have side effects that can lead to other health problems. See Brigham and Women’s article on Inactive Ingredients in Oral Medications.
If your diet is causing your illness and you don’t address it, you could easily end up suffering for many years, spending thousands of dollars for treatments that will never work the way you want them to.
How do food sensitivities affect us?
Food sensitivities are a common cause of many chronic conditions and affect an estimated 15-20% of the population. Symptoms provoked by food sensitivities occur when our immune system begins perceiving foods in the same way it perceives things that are truly harmful – bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. There are many reasons why this can happen, but this mistaken identity leads to the release of toxic chemicals called “mediators” (such as histamine, cytokines, and prostaglandins) which are classified as class 4 type immune reactions from our immune system. It’s the inflammatory and pain-inducing effects of the mediators that give rise to symptoms, which ends up making us feel sick.
Research has shown that patients with chronic inflammation have higher than normal levels of these mediators circulating throughout their bodies. For many, the “trigger” that causes the mediators to be released can be linked to foods or chemicals in their diet.
Food sensitivity symptoms are often chronic because the mediators that make us feel sick are released every time you eat your reactive foods. And it doesn’t matter what drugs we take to try and get better; if we have food sensitivities and don’t figure out which foods we SHOULD be eating (and of course, which foods we should avoid) getting better and staying better becomes a long-term losing battle.
Gail H
“The best thing is the knowledge and understanding of my personal chemistry and how to manage it. There's an old saying that goes-" Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day- teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. I guess Donna taught me how to fish. And I thank her for it every day.”
What are common conditions & symptoms linked to food sensitivities?
Irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, functional dyspepsia (heartburn), diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, bloating
Migraine and other chronic headaches, fibromyalgia, joint pain, muscle pain, muscle weakness
Autism, ADD/ADHD, fatigue, tiredness, insomnia, general malaise, restlessness, “brain fog”
Hives, eczema, excess mucus production, chronic post-nasal drip, chronic congestion
Other conditions that at least in part are exacerbated by sensitivities are heart conditions, infertility, and all AUTOIMMUNE conditions.
How can you identify a healthy diet and feel better?
We offer multiple testing options to tailor a custom diet plan made just for you. Most often we use the class 4 MRT LEAP© test in conjunction with other class 3 testing to quickly identify what foods, additives, and chemicals are provoking your symptoms, and, more importantly, which foods have the highest probability of being safe.
Class 4 mediators are one type of inflammatory reaction. Class 3 immune reactions are what is most often tested by Western docs as many are unaware of the difference. Class 3 are non-IgE immunoglobin responses; IgG (tells us your exposure level), IgA (your sensitivity reaction), and IgD and IgM which are used for other purposes. There are several tests that can be run for class 3 sensitivities. We most often use Vibrant America Zoomer panels for targeted class 3 testing.
On a scale, IgE (class one) is considered a true “allergy” response, whereas class 4 is considered chronic hypersensitivities and class 3 is in the middle.
It is important and I would say IMPERATIVE to test both class 3 and 4 immune responses.
Class 4 Testing: MRT LEAP
The MRT LEAP is our Class 4 mediator test (see above for definition). The MRT test is a functional measurement of Class 4 reactions to 140 foods and 30 chemicals in one test. The magic of the MRT test is the LEAP diet protocol that is based on your unique results. Studies with the University of Miami and research presented at major medical conferences show that the MRT test is able to distinguish between symptomatic and asymptomatic populations, that MRT correlates with inflammation and symptoms, that diets based on MRT show significant symptom reduction.
Class 3 Testing: Vibrant America Zoomer Panels
The Zoomer Panels are our Class 3 reaction tests (see above for definition). Unlike the MRT LEAP test that is an all-in-one test, the Zoomers come individually. The available Zoomers are Wheat, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Corn, and Grains. Each test dives into multiple facets of the Class 3 reaction(s) and allows us to target specific areas of concern.
New Patients!! Book an initial appointment with Donna Sigmond and get one FREE 45 min infrared sauna session.
Kaely S
“I struggled with unidentified stomach pain for a long time and after doing food sensitivity testing I was definitely overwhelmed and saddened to see so many of my favorite foods did not like me back. Donna really helped me see that the LEAP protocol was not about what I CAN'T eat, but about focusing and enjoying what I CAN eat. My diet has changed but I am feeling great and loving life. Donna is THE KEY INGREDIENT to success when battling food sensitivity issues.”
Additional Resources
Frequently Asked Questions about LEAP MRT© (PDF)
LEAP MRT®: A Superior Approach to Identifying and Treating Adverse Food Reactions Detailed MRT information sheet (PDF)
LEAP MRT® Sample Report (PDF)
“Food hypersensitivity in children.” University of Nebraska/Creighton University, Omaha, USA
“Current understanding of the immune mechanisms of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.” Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
“Cytokine expression in CD3+ cells in an infant with food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES): case report.” Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Meyer Children Hospital, University of Florence, 50122 Florence, Italy
“Colonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia in children: relationship to food hypersensitivity.” Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Di Cristina Children’s Hospital, Palermo, Italy