ALCAT and IgG Food Allergy Tests

The Importance of a Casein Test

Milk and its associated products such as cheese, butter, mayonnaise or yoghurts are popular foods that are considered to be high in proteins and calcium while being tasty at the same time. Most popular foods like pizzas, pastas, sandwiches contain cheese in them to make them taste good while butter and toast is considered as the staple food for the majority of the population. While most people are able to have these as a part of their regular diets, there are others who suffer from milk allergy and have to refrain from these dairy products.

Casein intolerance

Cow's milk has been identified as one of the leading causes for food allergies among children which may lead to nausea, giddiness, diarrhea and other sickness. Adults are equally affected by milk and experience bloating, nausea, gas and heaviness after consumption. Inability to digest milk proteins happens to adults who are sensitive to milk and it finally leads to allergies. Allergies related to casein have serious symptoms such as vomiting, stomach cramps, and skin irritation and may lead to anaphylactic reactions in the body. In the long run it leads to weight loss as the patient is unable to absorb any nutrients from any food. Casein intolerance is a much more serious condition than lactose intolerance and can prove to be harmful for health. People who are allergic to casein have to avoid any kind of milk or milk based products since even traces of casein in their food might trigger a reaction.

About casein test

Milk constitutes of two important proteins namely Casein and Whey. Casein is derived from Latin caseus which means milk. It is the most important ingredient in milk and account for more than 80% of proteins in cow's milk and cheese. This phospoprotein is not soluble in water and is the thick part of the milk which helps in setting the curd. Whey is the watery part of milk which makes up nearly 87% of the milk. Some individuals are allergic to the casein in milk which others are sensitive to whey. Casein is found in all milks of mammals, but in varying degrees. A casein test helps in determining if a certain food product contains casein.

Research has shown that a casein free diet is better for autistic children since they are able to digest it much more easily. It is proven to be effective in their overall development. A casein test is very important to determine and label food and drinks which are casein free, since consumption of even traces of this allergen can be very harmful for individuals.

Chemical Intolerance - For over 20 years, the ALCAT Test has provided both patients as well as healthcare professionals with a tool to successfully overcome a wide variety of conditions which result from chemical sensitivity and food intolerance.

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Gluten Sensitivity and the Impact on the Brain

Several years ago, parents of a lovely nine-year-old girl, Karen, brought her to see me because she had poor memory. They indicated that she had difficulty in thinking and focusing, and because of these issues she was falling further and further behind in her school work. Interestingly, they stated that at times she was fine, while clearly at other times her brain function seemed to be different. They indicated that she had difficulty keeping her thoughts together and that she became profoundly frustrated when this would occur.

Because of her significant issues with academic performance, her parents elected to home school her. Her academic testing revealed that she was functioning at or below a third grade level in a variety of areas, including math skills, reading fluency, story recall and overall academic skills. Fortunately, she had no significant medical problems in her past and her overall physical, as well as neurological examinations were entirely normal. Routine, typical blood studies were unrevealing, so I was left to reconsider her history to see if there were any clues as to what might be causing this child's problems.

What caught my attention was the interesting fact that her problems were not constant, indicating that basically her brain was intact but something seemed to be detrimentally influencing her from time to time, causing her to have these significant issues with respect to how her brain functioned. In considering what factors change day to day in terms of someone's exposure, certainly diet is at the top of the list.

Recognizing that gluten sensitivity (a protein found in wheat, barley and rye) is extremely common, I decided to perform a simple blood test to determine if this child was gluten sensitive. When the laboratory studies were completed, we were surprised to learn that she was profoundly sensitive to gluten. So at that point I instructed her parents to put her on a gluten-free diet. While they considered this diet to be challenging, eliminating all wheat, barley and rye from her diet, nevertheless they complied. Over the next two weeks, her parents observed a remarkable change in her cognitive function. Karen suddenly was able to focus much more readily on her school work and indicated to her parents that she suddenly noticed she was thinking much more clearly. Her parents maintained her on a gluten-free diet and over the next several months continued to notice further improvements in her school work. At the end of the school year, she was tested and her grade level equivalent for math calculation skills was 5.1, reading fluency 5.6 and story recall 8.4, which is to say, functioning at a level considered "normal" midway through the year for an eighth grader.

Read Full article on Gluten Sensitivity.

ALCAT - Gluten Sensitivity Testing. The ALCAT Food and Chemical Sensitivity/Intolerance Test. State of the art food allergy testing. Find hidden allergies.

Many food problems are a result of naturally occurring chemicals in foods. To explain further, food is composed of many naturally occurring compounds. Three that can cause major problems for some people are Salicylates, Amines and MSG – Mono Sodium Glutamate. Everyone has a threshold and your level of food intolerance is based partly on that threshold.

Our bodies can’t digest some foods that have high histamine levels because our digestive system lacks the enzymes it needs to ensure we don’t suffer from these symptoms. Eating foods rich in histamines like pizza, fish, some vegetables, and some fruits can cause these often cumbersome food intolerance symptoms. Drinks like coffee, cocoa, wine, and beer also have high histamine levels.

Symptoms related to salicylates, MSG and amines are hives and swelling, headaches, mouth ulcers, stomach pains, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), nausea, sinus problems and a general feeling of being unwell. Reactions to naturally occurring chemicals can be just as debilitating as an allergy even though they are not the same thing.

Should your symptoms show signs of improvement you may well be intolerant but it is always worth reintroducing the suspected food for a short period to see whether or not the symptoms re-establish themselves. At this point you have identified the offending food but before eliminating it from your diet permanently do ensure you consult with your doctor or dietician considering you will need to replace the nutrients lost by the elimination of this food.

Food intolerance is quite a bit different than an actual food allergy, although many people seem to confuse them. Instead of this being a response by the immune system, it is a problem that occurs in the digestive system. When a food causes irritation to the digestive system or people are not able to break down or digest certain foods, then this is known as an intolerance.

Food intolerance is sometimes mistaken for food allergy. Food allergies cause a person’s immune system to sit up and take notice, while food intolerances don’t involve the immune system. Neither are they linked to contaminated or spoiled foods; those cause food poisoning, not intolerance. Food intolerance describes the adverse physical reaction to the ingestion of certain foods; it is something that affects the digestive system.

Symptoms of food intolerance and allergies can take a bewildering variety of forms. They often include swelling of the lips, throat, and other areas. Skin rashes can result from a food intolerance as well as breathing difficulties. Digestive distress such as vomiting, pain, and diarrhea are also common to people suffering with food intolerances.

Food intolerance symptoms can range from slight bloating to more serious problems like migraines and irritable bowel syndrome. The trouble is that it is not always obvious which foods are making a person feel unwell.

Food intolerance testing is a cheap and easy way to find out which foods you are sensitive to. Food intolerance tests can be bought online or from your GP. The most popular food intolerance tests are simple skin prick tests. Order your ALCAT Food Intolerance Blood Test now!

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