Food allergy test

Food allergy test and food intolerances -

The difference between food allergy and food intolerance is that the former always involves the immune system.

How a nutritionist can help

Food allergy tests

A nutritionist can order tests to detect both IgE antibodies to food and IgG antibodies to food. If you suspect you have an IgE reaction to foods, it is strongly recommended that you also seek the support of your GP.

We also offer an in-house IgG test that tests for the presence of IgG antibodies to 59 commonly eaten foods. Other more comprehensive tests can be ordered if deemed useful and desired.

Coeliac Disease should be diagnosed by a doctor. However, because CD can mimic other disease, including schizophrenia, gut infections, anorexia and poor parental care, occasionally people slip through the net of diagnosis.

A nutritionist can order tests to explore the possibility of CD. A nutritional consultation may give opportunity for the right kind of questions to be asked that arouse suspicion of possible CD. However, the diagnosis ultimately needs to be done by a medical professional.  A nutritionist can also offer advice on nutritional plans and optimising gut health and general health after diagnosis.

Food Intolerances
Unlike food allergies, these do not need to be caused by a protein and do not necessarily involve the immune system. A nutritionist will often be very helpful, as they are familiar with different components in different foods that may be problematic for susceptible individuals. They can help guide your food experimentation and devise suitable nutritional plans.

Sub-optimal digestive function and gut health can leave people susceptible to reacting to foods.
A nutritionist will often be able to help using information gained in the nutritional consultation and also from tests such as a comprehensive digestive stool analysis. Focus can then be given to optimising digestive function and the integrity the gut.

There are many food intolerances that do not involve the immune system nor sub-optimal digestive function or gut health.

In all these cases a nutritionist can help in formulating a nutritional plan, not only to help identify and minimise exposure to aggravating foods but also to optimise the levels of relevant nutrients that the body uses to efficiently process the offending dietary substances. In some instances there may also be an acquired predisposing factor that makes it harder for the body to detoxify the offending dietary substances. This can also be worked on with a view to improving food tolerance.