Identifying Food Sensitivities

Identifying Food Sensitivities

Characterized by symptoms like IBS and migraines, food sensitivities are a subtle draining force in many people’s lives. Often overlooked or chalked up as discomfort, these negative reactions to foods can range from annoying to debilitating. Testing for food sensitivities during a time of discomfort or digestive issues could lead to learning more about your own body as well as ways to prevent future illness.

Antibody Test

Using an antibody-based test is one of the easiest ways to check for food sensitivities. Some, like the popular Pinnertest, are even available as a kit that you can do at home. Simply take a sample of your blood and send it off to be tested in a laboratory. This can be an easy and efficient way to test your body’s reaction to different foods. While there are critics of this methodology, plenty of scientists believe that antibody levels can accurately predict food sensitivities.

Elimination Diet

By severely restricting your diet for around 2 weeks, you can get rid of the negative after-effects of the harmful foods. Then, slowly reintroduce new things one at a time. Once you feel ill again, remove the last food you reintroduced. This can help you narrow down what foods you are sensitive to. The main downside is obviously the amount of careful dieting and record keeping involved. The time investment is significant, as well as the long path to an actual result, since it may take many tries to determine the source of your food sensitivity.

Provocation and Neutralization Test

The most invasive test for food sensitivities is the provocation and neutralization test. This is performed by a specialist who places different options under your skin. Monitoring for a reaction can reveal which ones trigger an additional response than normal. Even though this sounds painful, it is a very common procedure and it a good way to get quick and accurate answers.

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