Food Sensitivities: Why You Should Consider the Alcat Test
Healthy or not, not all foods agree with everyone. Sometimes you can pinpoint the exact culprit that made you gassy. Other times, you may have absolutely no idea why you broke out in a horrible itchy rash. In fact, it can even be harder to detect when some reactions only rear their ugly head hours or even days later.
So instead of guessing which food or substance caused what offending allergy or sensitivity, which can often still lead you to nowhere, consider an Alcat Test or food sensitivity test. It may reveal hidden food sensitivities.
Food Sensitivities vs. Food Allergies
The first thing to understand is the difference between food sensitivities and food allergies.
Food allergy can create an immediate symptom, often triggering respiratory issues, which can be life-threatening. A peanut allergy is a well-known example of this, causing anaphylaxis shock.
Food sensitivity symptoms are not as immediate or life-threatening. It simply means your body lacks the enzymes to digest a particular food. You can experience swelling and even dizziness. You can also experience gas, bloating, and distension.
Lactose intolerance is a prime example of a food sensitivity. It is not detrimental, but your body has a difficult time digesting milk. (FYI: If an Alcat test confirms this, it may be time to try a milk alternative.)
Some other food sensitivities include:
- Food additives and dyes
- Preservatives (sulfites and MSG)
- Caffeine and pharmacological chemicals
- Natural sugars (like those found in even broccoli and Brussels sprouts)
Most of us know whether or not we’re straight-up allergic to something. It’s typically quite prevalent and noticeable, creating symptoms like hives or shortness in breath.
But what frequently goes unnoticed is food sensitivities and intolerances. And according to research, it’s these concealed sensitivities that are more common, disrupting our body’s enzymes and digestive track in subtle ways.
Why You Should Consider the Alcat Test
The Alcat Test can evaluate 450 substances, including everyday foods, additives, food dyes and colorings, molds, herbs, and even chemicals related to pharmaceuticals and environmental contaminants.
Instead of applying potential allergens directly to your skin, these cell-based blood tests use an impedance methodology based flow cytometer (that’s a mouthful!). Essentially, this just means they use white blood cells and see how immune cells react to various substances.
With this extensive evaluation, the Alcat Test will reveal foods and other substances, as mentioned above, which tend to trigger inflammation and gastrointestinal, respiratory, and even joint-related issues such as rheumatoid arthritis.
While you could try to eliminate foods one by one to identify food sensitivities and allergies, there is a quicker way! (Although, ideally, we recommend both!) The Alcat Test and similar allergy tests may, instead, eliminate the guesswork.
Reveal Hidden Sensitivities and Conditions
The Alcat Test, and other allergy tests, could reveal some underlying food sensitivities and intolerances that you were not aware of, which could be causing one or even several conditions.
Some of these conditions could include common gastrointestinal disorders, such as IBS, nausea, bloating, and even Crohn’s disease, as well as migraines.
- Gastrointestinal disorders — bloating, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, and more.
- Inflammatory conditions — asthma, arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, and other autoimmune disorders
- Metabolic abnormalities — type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and difficulty losing weight.
Consider Alcat and Allergy Tests For You
By discovering your hidden sensitivities, you can set a new path to a better and healthier lifestyle. Ideally, an elimination diet should reveal each and every issue, but that can take a lot of time, and feel especially longer if you’re in pain or suffering.
Contact the Naturna team to schedule an Alcat Test for yourself.
Resources:
Mylek, D., Alcat Test results in the treatment of respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, arthritis, skin and central nervous system. Rocz Akad Med Bialymst, 1995. 40(3): p. 625-9.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21781798
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30990791
Cheung, K. C., Di Berardino, M. , Schade‐Kampmann, G. , Hebeisen, M. , Pierzchalski, A. , Bocsi, J. , Mittag, A. and Tárnok, A. (2010), Microfluidic impedance‐based flow cytometry. Cytometry, 77A: 648-666. doi:10.1002/cyto.a.20910
