Food sensitivity testing

Roesy

Just wondering has anyone here had any experience with the food sensitivity tests that are carried out in health food shops(Here's Health etc).

I got it done a few days ago and it showed up a lot of sensitivities. Some of the things the test showed up are things that I try not to eat a lot of e.g. too much sugary/milky foods give me an upset stomach so I had guessed already that I might be sensitive to these.

The lady in the shop recommended cutting out wheat, all dairy, goats milk, sheep's milk, soy products, sugar and a few other things. It will be hard but I'm willing to give it a try but I'm wondering how the test works as my OH is skeptical. He basically thinks these shops have an agenda i.e sell you lots of supplements and health food products

EileenG

I've very dubious. I've had a couple of them done, and they all show different results. I've been told I'm allergic to things that don't bother me, but told to eat things I know do upset me.

Wheat and dairy are the most intolerances, so cutting out those should make most people feel better.

Actually, the bit that makes me really suspicious is sugar. Convinced though I am that sugar is the devil, almost no-one is actually allergic to it. I know a child who is so allergic to just about everything that she has to carry her own food everywhere she goes (meat, chicken, rice, some veg and oh yeah SUGAR).

Sapsorrow

Frankly those tests are complete b*ll**** and imo should be illegal it's as bad as fraud. The ONLY test that will give you a real account of your allergies and most intolerances is a proper blood test carried out in a lab. This will cost you between 300-400 euro and will also tell you the extent of you intolerance/allergy.

These guys are the best in Ireland: http://www.ireland.yorktest.com/

If you were allergic to sugar you wouldn't survive very long considering every cell in our bodies depends on glucose to function. I've certainly never heard of it but some people can have intolerances to fructose etc.. (meaning they don't digest it very well not that they have an actual immune response)

Those muscle reflex and conductivity tests are a scam, they do more harm than good because they scare people off perfectly healthy foods and they end up with severly restricted diets which can lead to deficiencies in any number of things.

My advice is to pay no notice, if you want to figure it out look up how to do an elimination diet and start with the most common foods: wheat, dairy etc.. you'll have to keep a very detailed diary of what you eat and how you feel physically and emotionally (withntimes) and follow the diet very strictly for a minimum of 2 weeks to figure anything out accurately though.
Otherwise get the money together for a proper test.

Sapsorrow

Roesy wrote: »

The lady in the shop recommended cutting out wheat, all dairy, goats milk, sheep's milk, soy products, sugar and a few other things.

Would you take diet advice from someone working in extravision or dunnes?

Roesy

Thanks for the feedback. I figured this might be a good place to ask questions and get some non biased answers.
I don't actually think I am allergic to sugar but I do notice a very definite reaction if I eat foods containing much refined/added sugar. Same goes for heavy or very milky foods.

I had been thinking of cutting down/cutting out wheat and dairy(which I eat very little of as it doesn't agree with stomach or my sinuses) so I decided to try the test out of curiosity. I think I will look into the elimination diet and see where I go from there.

Thanks again for the input...much appreciated

Sapsorrow

Roesy wrote: »

I don't actually think I am allergic to sugar but I do notice a very definite reaction if I eat foods containing much refined/added sugar. Same goes for heavy or very milky foods.

Refined sugar is pure poison for everyone as far as I'm concerned. I'd say the same for dairy but I don't know would I be able to log out of boards alive tonight if I did!

susanroth

I did one before and i NEVER want to do it again! I was so miserable i couldn't eat anything, it was ridiculous and i was in college which made it even harder, as i had to beware of the ingredients in everything! i wouldn't reccommend it at all! I wouldn't mind if it was just a few things i had to go off, but this was crazy, i couldn't eat certain veg,fruits, nuts, shellfish, yeast, certain meats, dairy-cows milk- the list was endless.

EileenG

The best one was the hair test (what can I say, I'm a sucker for anything that might give an easy answer). It told me I was allergic to things I had never eaten in my life. You have to have eaten a food to develop an allergic reaction. Duh!

Bottle_of_Smoke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SavsJYXWgm8

El_Dangeroso

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SavsJYXWgm8

Utter genius! The reason those tests ALWAYS say wheat is because the intolerance is so common that odds are they're right.

Also, the reason noone can be allergic to sugar is that a food allergy is by definition an immune response to a protein. No protein, no allergy. Still doesn't mean it isn't best avoided of course.:)

God those kinesiology people rile me up! A friend did it on me, it involved holding an orange in an outstretched hand and pushing down on my arm to see if my strength was weakened, good god Karl Popper would be rolling in his grave!

Enterolab do decent allergy testing too. You do have to poo into a box though :eek:

oisindoyle

An allergy is occurs some time after you eat or drink something .For example some people who eat strawberries break out into a rash shortly afterwards ,thats an allergy .
Food sensitivity is something different .You could be sensitive to something without realiseing it .
I went for a food sensitivity test last year because i was always feeling tired and irritable .
The person I went to recommended I stay off some things for a period of time .Now im the biggest skeptic going ,but i did try it and my energy levels and humour did improve .
So i wouldnt knocked it at all .The man i went to was a kinesiologist in phibsboro,have to say he was good and helped me big time .
I would recommend it ,and i was a skeptic as i said ,lol

Sapsorrow

oisindoyle wrote: »

An allergy is occurs some time after you eat or drink something .For example some people who eat strawberries break out into a rash shortly afterwards ,thats an allergy .
Food sensitivity is something different .You could be sensitive to something without realiseing it .
I went for a food sensitivity test last year because i was always feeling tired and irritable .
The person I went to recommended I stay off some things for a period of time .Now im the biggest skeptic going ,but i did try it and my energy levels and humour did improve .
So i wouldnt knocked it at all .The man i went to was a kinesiologist in phibsboro,have to say he was good and helped me big time .
I would recommend it ,and i was a skeptic as i said ,lol

Seriusly though you just got lucky, Im not a skeptic as far as holistic therapies go (I have a lot of confidence for a fair number of them heralism in particular), I just tried to get a new forum approved for all that stuff here but it was rejected but this is one of those things that once you understad the physiology/chemistry behind it all you realise what utter nonsense those tests are.
I could start doing a test tomorrow where you eat a piece of cheese and if you can't blink your eyes 50 times in the minute afterwards then your lactose intolerant and it would have much scientific logic behind it as they do.
These tests are DANGEROUS! and I for one would not take nutrition adviuce from someone who spent maybe a year doing a kinesiology diploma or someone who just works in a chemist or a health food shop. Would you take antibiotics on their advice?
Cutting out large numbers of foods for no good reason is dangerous unless the person is clued up enough on food in the first place to be able to reformulate their diet in a way that they are not missing out on anything, and take it from someone whos nearly four years into a nutrition degree it aint easy for anyone myself included.

oisindoyle

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Seriusly though you just got lucky, Im not a skeptic as far as holistic therapies go (I have a lot of confidence for a fair number of them heralism in particular), I just tried to get a new forum approved for all that stuff here but it was rejected but this is one of those things that once you understad the physiology/chemistry behind it all you realise what utter nonsense those tests are.
I could start doing a test tomorrow where you eat a piece of cheese and if you can't blink your eyes 50 times in the minute afterwards then your lactose intolerant and it would have much scientific logic behind it as they do.
These tests are DANGEROUS! and I for one would not take nutrition adviuce from someone who spent maybe a year doing a kinesiology diploma or someone who just works in a chemist or a health food shop. Would you take antibiotics on their advice?
Cutting out large numbers of foods for no good reason is dangerous unless the person is clued up enough on food in the first place to be able to reformulate their diet in a way that they are not missing out on anything, and take it from someone whos nearly four years into a nutrition degree it aint easy for anyone myself included.

Well youre entitled to your opinion but i didnt just get lucky.The test was not dangerous at all .I have been going to a kinesiologist for a number of years now and have got some huge benefits from going .I have recommended my neighbour who had upper back and neck problems and she too got great relief from seeing a kinesiologist as has my sister who had digestive problems.

Sapsorrow

oisindoyle wrote: »

Well youre entitled to your opinion but i didnt just get lucky.The test was not dangerous at all .I have been going to a kinesiologist for a number of years now and have got some huge benefits from going .I have recommended my neighbour who had upper back and neck problems and she too got great relief from seeing a kinesiologist as has my sister who had digestive problems.

Sorry you misunderstood me, it's no that the test itself is dangerous it's that based on the results of a test that has no physiological or biochemical basis whatsoever people make very misguided and drastic mmodifications to their diets often completely cutting out perfectly healthy foods for no reason and to no benifit to their health. Would you take a pill from a pharmacy that had absolutely no proof of benifit other than anecdotal evidence from people who think it worked for them? So like I said they are dangerous.
As far as kinesiology goes I'm not saying one way or another whether as a therapy it is credible or not but I know myself after years specialising in nutrition there's a hell of a lot to learn before you can go meddling with peoples health safely and you need more than two years part time study in any health science or therapy to be able to do it with a clear conscience.

oisindoyle

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Sorry you misunderstood me, it's no that the test itself is dangerous it's that based on the results of a test that has no physiological or biochemical basis whatsoever people make very misguided and drastic mmodifications to their diets often completely cutting out perfectly healthy foods for no reason and to no benifit to their health. Would you take a pill from a pharmacy that had absolutely no proof of benifit other than anecdotal evidence from people who think it worked for them? So like I said they are dangerous.
As far as kinesiology goes I'm not saying one way or another whether as a therapy it is credible or not but I know myself after years specialising in nutrition there's a hell of a lot to learn before you can go meddling with peoples health safely and you need more than two years part time study in any health science or therapy to be able to do it with a clear conscience.

Look a number of year ago acupuncture was frowned upon .Now i am a firm believe (as is my neighbour and sister ) in kinseiology and by your tone you are dissing it .
It was recommended by my kinesiologist that 2 particular foods were having a debilataing affect on my health .it wasMY decision to take his advice and by doing so by health and energy levels increased dramatically .
My neighbour went to a kinesiologist for a different reason and he too got huge benefits from going as did my sister who went for digestive problems .Now she is living a perfectly normal healthy life ,thank god .
She went to numerous doctors ,nutritionists ,and other complementary therapists but Kinesiology helped her no end .
If you dont believe in it fair enough but please dont try and tell me it doesnt work ,Because I, my neighbour and sister are living proof ,it does work

Sapsorrow

oisindoyle wrote: »

Look a number of year ago acupuncture was frowned upon .Now i am a firm believe (as is my neighbour and sister ) in kinseiology and by your tone you are dissing it .

I'm not dissing it at all Im stating facts. It is a fact that it isn't regulated in Ireland so basically someone with a diploma who spent 2 weekends a month for 2 years can charge people money to interfere with their health for better or worse which is frankly ridiculous. As far as accupuncture goes there is a rapidly growing body of properly conducted scientific research showing the effectiveness of a lot of chinese medical treatments. Also in Ireland a degree (not a diploma) is necessary to practice and this takes 5 years with lots of supervised clinical practice so it's a very different standard of education with a large focus on medical biology and physiology (the whole first year is dedicated almost solely to basic medical biology).

Sapsorrow

oisindoyle wrote: »

Because I, my neighbour and sister are living proof ,it does work

Like I said anecdotal evidence is meaningless with regards 'proving' effectiveness of a therapy.
But if you're happy with it so be it, it's your health and money and you're obviously satisfied and thats the main thing.
Generally on this forum topics are primarily related to scientifically based theories of health and nutrition and it would be wrong not to make sure the OP is aware of the lack of evidence for this particular test.

oisindoyle

khrystyna100 wrote: »

I'm not dissing it at all Im stating facts. It is a fact that it isn't regulated in Ireland so basically someone with a diploma who spent 2 weekends a month for 2 years can charge people money to interfere with their health for better or worse which is frankly ridiculous. As far as accupuncture goes there is a rapidly growing body of properly conducted scientific research showing the effectiveness of a lot of chinese medical treatments. Also in Ireland a degree (not a diploma) is necessary to practice and this takes 5 years with lots of supervised clinical practice so it's a very different standard of education with a large focus on medical biology and physiology (the whole first year is dedicated almost solely to basic medical biology).

You are totally dissing it .You fail or wont recognise the fact that it worked for me my sis and neighbour all with different problems .
The FACTS are that it worked for us and lots of people no doubt .
You seem to thin k its ridiculous ,yet wont accept that people have benefitted from it .
thats a very narrow minded attitute to have .As i said in an earlier post i was a skeptic until it WORKED for me .
So please accept my opinion and come down from your high horse

Sapsorrow

oisindoyle wrote: »

thats a very narrow minded attitute to have .As i said in an earlier post i was a skeptic until it WORKED for me .
So please accept my opinion and come down from your high horse

It's not narrow minded in the slightest, I myself have consulted herbalists and acupuncturists with great success over the years so I am far from closed minded with regards holistic therapies. What is closed minded is to blindly accept something without knowing the facts behind it and to refuse to consider them. Science is far from 'closed minded' it questions everything to try and find the truth in life as best we can at this stage in our evolution.
Anyway this is rapidly going way off topic and I don't feel like getting scolded by a mod for it.

Edit: I said that the lack of regulation for certain health care practitioners was ridiculous not that kinesiology was btw

oisindoyle

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Like I said anecdotal evidence is meaningless with regards 'proving' effectiveness of a therapy.
But if you're happy with it so be it, it's your health and money and you're obviously satisfied and thats the main thing.
Generally on this forum topics are primarily related to scientifically based theories of health and nutrition and it would be wrong not to make sure the OP is aware of the lack of evidence for this particular test.

Well the evidence is that I a family member and a neighbour got well from going to see a kinesiologist .
Your opinion is no better than mine .I am living proof it works you on the other hand are dismissing it saying it doesnt have scientific proof .Not everything that works has scientific proof .
By you saying " it would be wrong not to make sure the OP is aware of the lack of evidence for this particular test" ,is disengeneous and wrong

padi89

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Frankly those tests are complete b*ll**** and imo should be illegal it's as bad as fraud. The ONLY test that will give you a real account of your allergies and most intolerances is a proper blood test carried out in a lab. This will cost you between 300-400 euro and will also tell you the extent of you intolerance/allergy.

These guys are the best in Ireland: http://www.ireland.yorktest.com/

:rolleyes: WOW the best test for possible food allergies is a mail order test kit costing €400 are you kidding? A suggestion like that is no better
than sending someone to a health food store.
How about getting a referral to a consultant that deals with allergies?

Sapsorrow

padi89 wrote: »

:rolleyes: WOW the best test for possible food allergies is a mail order test kit costing €400 are you kidding? A suggestion like that is no better

Did you even read the website??? Ive used york myself the kit you receive it the post is to take a blood sample from your finger using a skin prick which you post back to the lab where they do the analysis. That is no differrent to what happens in a clinic only that you don't have to travel to get to one and you take the blood yourself. If you're going to make a comment like that you can at least be bothered to be informed about it.

from the site: 'Your home test kit will include a blood collection kit with a finger prick lancet – taking your blood sample is easy, and feels like nothing more than a light scratch.

The kit gives you detailed instructions on how to take the test so it’s easy to use and straightforward.

We send you a simple form with a free pen to complete it and there’s a pre-paid return envelope so there is no postage to pay. Once we receive your blood sample, within 10 working days you’ll know which of the 91 individual foods, from cows milk to yeast, tea to tomatoes, wheat to walnuts, egg yolk to mustard seeds, gluten, and lentils cause your food intolerance.'

Whats more is that you don't pay 300 or 400 euro straight up. The pin prick kit is twenty euro and using the sample they can do a generic assay to see if there is an allergic/intolerance response to anything shows up first and if nothing shows up you don't go ahead with the full whack. If sometimes does show up they hold onto your blood sample for 2 weeks while you decide whether you want to continue or not to find out exactly what foods the reactions were to and to what extent you are intolerant/allergic.

padi89

khrystyna100 wrote: »

Did you even read the website??? Ive used york myself the kit you receive it the post is to take a blood sample from your finger using a skin prick which you post back to the lab where they do the analysis. That is no differrent to what happens in a clinic only that you don't have to travel to get to one and you take the blood yourself. If you're going to make a comment like that you can at least be bothered to be informed about it.

from the site: 'Your home test kit will include a blood collection kit with a finger prick lancet – taking your blood sample is easy, and feels like nothing more than a light scratch.

The kit gives you detailed instructions on how to take the test so it’s easy to use and straightforward.

We send you a simple form with a free pen to complete it and there’s a pre-paid return envelope so there is no postage to pay. Once we receive your blood sample, within 10 working days you’ll know which of the 91 individual foods, from cows milk to yeast, tea to tomatoes, wheat to walnuts, egg yolk to mustard seeds, gluten, and lentils cause your food intolerance.'

Whats more is that you don't pay 300 or 400 euro straight up. The pin prick kit is twenty euro and using the sample they can do a generic assay to see if there is an allergic/intolerance response to anything shows up first and if nothing shows up you don't go ahead with the full whack. If sometimes does show up they hold onto your blood sample for 2 weeks while you decide whether you want to continue or not to find out exactly what foods the reactions were to and to what extent you are intolerant/allergic.

I got as far as York Test then i stopped reading, i remember hearing about them before ... Hmmm where was it again Oh yes i remember the old Quackometer. See i have been down this road before through illness looking at possible allergies/food intolerences etc and i remember thinking York Test looked attractive but the more i read the more skeptical i became. Thankfully in the end i went to see a Consultant that specializes in allergy, fatigue, and nutrition where i was given proper medical advice and treatment that was supervised.I would strongly suggest anyone to follow the same.

If people want to try these tests then it's up to themselves but don't be fooled by their claims do a little more research.Here are a couple of links people can read through, Holford Watch is especially interesting, worth having a look around the site.

http://www.quackometer.net/blog/labels/YorkTest.html
http://holfordwatch.info/holford-myths/myth-you-can-diagnose-food-intolerance-or-allergy-with-an-igg-blood-test/

jcdf

I have recently had an allergies and intolerance test performed by the Yorktest group who now call themselves Obsidian Science.

It cost about 60 Euros, a good deal cheaper than it was six years ago when this thread was last used. The results were emailed to me. This contained a list of 37 food and non-food items. Many of them were things I never go near or things that I already know about such as allergies to certain kinds of pollen. I now know specifically which kinds of pollen cause my hay fever! Not really that much use as I can't distinguish between different pollen grains floating in the air towards me.

Most of the items on the food group were things that I do not eat. There were a few items that I consume, I think. These include B Lacto-Globulin, Egg White, Garlic, Grape, Rice, Tomato and Yeast.

I occasionally drink alcohol, most often beer, larger or ale and sometimes wines white and red. Do these all contain yeast and grapes? Yes I know yeast is used to make all kinds of alcohol. But should I stop drinking alcohol to avoid intolerance? I have been moderately consuming alcohol for almost two decades now and I cannot think of any abnormal symptoms from having done so, besides the standard drunkenness that is.

A few years ago I started eating fried eggs, rice and garlic more consistently and as with the alcohol there appeared to be no consequential effects from doing so.

Occasionally I consume a small piece of tomato usually with a fry and I sometimes have tomato soup with no apparent adverse effects. A few years back when I tried eating larger quantities of tomatoes with my evening meals I began to have slight bowel problems and decided to stop with them. The problem ceased quickly, but I still continue to sporadically eat tomato soup with no problems.

My main – and most important- query concerns B Lacto-Globulin, a milk protein. I have never not consumed milk over the course of my life. I drank it as a baby (my mother did not breast feed), an infant, a child, a teenager and an adult. I have drank milk each and every day of my life. I can say without a doubt that I have consumed more milk than any other drinks product. Other food items have come and gone but milk was always there. The test results state that I have a 98 percent intolerance to B Lacto-Globulin. This seems absurd to me!

Is it possible for a person's body to become climatized to a thing that it is intolerant of? Constant exposure to an item must facilitate some natural physiological modification? Could withdrawal of the antagonizing agent after a considerably prolonged exposure have a detrimental outcome? I am doubtful about eliminating milk from my diet.

Now non-food items. The report stated that I have a high intolerance to Chicken Serum Protein, Deer Epithelium, Rabbit Epithelium and Swine Serum Albumin. So in summery I should avoid Chickens, Deers, Rabbits and Pigs even though I can eat them? I know well that I suffer from hey fever and allergies to some trees. The high intolerance to Penicillioyl (Penicillin) came as a bit of a surprise, I do not think that I have had to use Penicillin or any antibiotics over the course of my life so it might be true. Am I fine with using antibiotics other than Penicillin?

I am a type one diabetic for two decades and I think I have been confirmed allergic to dust mites.

So does anyone have any measured/reasonable/thought out opinions on physiological intolerance? Or am I asking too much?