Allergy Therapy
“You are what you eat!”
This is a well-worn phrase but its truth becomes clear when we are ill, for our ability to heal and repair our bodies is utterly dependent on the nutrients we have or have not eaten previously. An intolerance or sensitivity to any food means any reaction that the body might make in response to you eating that food. The exact mechanism for food intolerances is not fully understood at present. One theory suggests that the cause may simply be over eating a particular food for many years which in the end, creates an immune reaction and inflammation of the digestive tract. Sometimes food intolerances may arise after an attack of food poisoning or if you holiday abroad and get 'Dehli belly'.
What is Allergy Testing?
We are all unique individuals, not only in our looks and personalities, but also in our biological make-up. For this reason we all deal with our food and environments differently. For example, some people develop allergies to pollen or grass; others do not. Some develop allergies to penicillin while others do not. So it is with food; one person can eat bread or pasta and feel fine but another might find they feel bloated, sick, and uncomfortable. Indeed, these are only a few of the host of symptoms which indicate sensitivity to one or more foods they regularly eat.
Allergy testing can detect the foods which cause these unpleasant symptoms, in order that they can be avoided. The result of the testing may then be combined with nutritional advice to help rebalance the body so that it can once again function at its optimum level; extracting all the goodness it needs from food in order to maintain a sense of vitality and health. Sometimes this can mean re-balancing the 'friendly bacteria' in our intestines which when functioning properly help us to digest and absorb nutrients from our food. Allergies can upset that balance and part of the testing procedure is to assess whether or not this has occurred.
What happens at the first appointment?
A first consultation lasts approximately two hours. I first take a full medical history, discuss your diet and lifestyle and then test between 50-100 foods and chemicals like food additives. A discussion of your current diet follows with any pertinent suggestions for change depending on the results of the testing. As well as a list of foods and substances to avoid we will consider alternative foods to try. I may also recommend food supplements to support your treatment plan.