Food Sensitivity & the ALCAT Test

In my last article, I mentioned the great March meeting that the WildFlours GF Group had at Prasino.  The speaker that we had for the evening was just as great.  With Food Allergy testing aiming to tell us exactly what food is causing a problem in the way of hives, difficulty breathing, or anaphylaxis, what is one to do if all the testing comes back with negative information?  Most allergists that we have been to agree that the gold standard is then to take an oral challenge.  This can be long and tedious.  In our family, having two kids with defined food allergies and all of us with obvious food sensitivities, it can get a little difficult to figure out just where the “needle in the haystack” really is!  I am always trying to learn more about the differences between Food Allergy or Food Sensitivity/Intolerance.  Rob Slotten from ALCAT Worldwide helped to bring me (and hopefully the members of our group) a step closer to understanding.

During Mr. Slotten’s time with us, he helped us gain some understanding with facts:

• Our gut controls 70% of our immune system.
• Our immune system is designed to fight inflammation.
• The T-cells in our blood are designed to learn and then remember.  They learn what is a threat and remember what they should be working at removing.  Their main goal is to react and protect against infection when confronted with harmful invaders such as viruses or bacteria.  Sometimes, their attention is turned to other things that they are not meant to fight, such as foods.
• Leaky Gut syndrome has become much more easily identified and diagnosed; a lot due in part to more education and research.  What happens with Leaky Gut syndrome is the intestinal wall becomes porus, letting food molecules through to the blood stream where it should not be.  The immune system sees these food molecules as a foreign substance that is a threat.  The response of the immune system causes a reaction in us.
• When we eat food that we are sensitive (or intolerant) to, inflammation and chronic activation of the immune system becomes a problem.  We all are too aware today of the toll that digestive disorders, migraines, obesity, chronic fatigue, aching joints, skin disorders, etc. take on ourselves or individuals around us.

Cell Science Systems, Corp. created the ALCAT test “to measure personalized nutrition at the cellular level”, according to the brochure that Mr. Slotten handed out.  Where Food Allergy testing aims to measure IgG or IgE antibodies carried in the blood, the ALCAT test looks at the body’s cellular response to challenges from foods, additives, colorings, molds and environmental chemicals.  This test looks for inflammation…  not antibodies.  Therefore, there is no need to make modifications to your diet before taking the test.  With antibody testing, one must be sure a certain food is present in order for any antibodies to be present.  Not so when we are looking for an inflammatory response from the immune system.  The test itself subjects your blood sample to a wide array of potential challenges and then watches to see if there is a response in the form of inflammation.  If so, then it records which challenge caused the response, at what severity, and your final results give you an idea as to what to avoid, for how long and when to reintroduce dietary items to see if the body has experienced healing.  In addition, the nutrition behind it all suggests that we all would do better by rotating our safe foods and limiting exposure to chemicals and molds.  The goal is to lower inflammation and help heal the Leaky Gut so that chronic activation of the immune system becomes a thing of the past.

I can say that I am getting this a little better now.  In our family, we will always carry our Epi-Pen for the anaphylaxis response that our allergies to nuts (IgG or IgE type responses) have shown us.  I will always have Crohn’s Disease, as it is an auto-immune disease just as Celiac Disease is, and there will always be the challenge of eating foods that benefit my digestive system as I live with this disease.  However, there is hope that we could recover from the ever growing list of foods that we seem to be sensitive to as a result of a leaky gut.  This test is something to consider.  Thank you, Rob, for taking the time to help us understand Food Sensitivity and discover what ALCAT testing has to offer.  If you are interested in Food Sensitivity testing, you can find more information at www.alcat.com.