FOOD SENSITIVITY TESTING

IS YOUR FOOD MAKING YOU SICK?

For years I have suffered from constipation and uncomfortable bloating. My PCP sent me to GI who told me I have irritable bowel syndrome.  The doctor gave me a list of foods to avoid and told me to take stool softeners. The problem obviously didn’t go away! I have been an athlete my entire life and my knee has suffered. Ever since I completed my final marathon 5 years ago my knee pain grew worse.  I had cortisone injections, synvisc, prolotherapy, prp…. Nothing worked! I had to stop running and start lower impact exercises. Don’t get me wrong, I love yoga and PiYo… but I did miss running.6 months ago I decided to get a MRT myself- and thank god I did! I could not believe which foods I was reactive to:  bananas and wheat were off the chart- these are 2 foods I consumed daily; potatoes, apples, yogurt, and several other foods were high too.  I decided to following the LEAP protocol and have stuck to it fairly well.  NOW….. my gut health has improved tremendously- no more daily bloating and constipation… AND…my knee pain has improved. It is not gone (I know I can reverse osteoarthritis) but markedly improved.  I can trail run once per week without pain.  I also lost 10 lbs just from decreasing the foods that were causing inflammation.
Are you suffering from a stubborn health problem that won’t go away no matter what you try?  Or perhaps the medications and treatments you are taking aren’t actually getting at the root cause of your illness- but you want something that will?  If you feel this way, or know someone that does, consider some important facts:

  • Medical research has shown that sensitivities to foods and food chemicals can be involved in a wide array of painful symptoms and chronic health problems.
  • If foods and additives in your diet are causing your illness, whatever medications you take will ultimately fail because they only mask the symptoms. They don’t treat the underlying cause of the symptoms.  And as is too often the case, many medications have side effects that can lead to other health problems.
  • If food sensitivities are causing your illness and you don’t properly address them, you could easily end up suffering for many years, spending thousands of dollars for treatments that will never work the way you want.

Millions of Americans suffer from food sensitivities.  Conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, acid re-flux, migraine and other headaches, weight imbalances, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, skin eruptions, brain fog and may other uncomfortable lingering health problems are often directly related to specific immune reactions to the foods we eat.  Even so called “healthy” foods such as salmon, chicken, apples, or garlic can provide symptoms in sensitive individuals.

INTRODUCING LEAP:  The solutions for food sensitivities.

“Having treated well over a thousand patients using LEAP, I can absolutely say that no other approach is as good for food sensitivity related health problems. LEAP simplifies what used to be a very difficult process by combining the best blood test with a simple but extremely effective method of building a healthy and delicious diet. LEAP is the best by far because it gives me a system that produces the most complete results in the quickest time possible.”

Susan Linke, RD, MS, CLT
CLT Mentor, National Speaker & Food Sensitivity Expert

“After roughly 2 years of applying MRT results and trudging through rotation and/or avoidance diets, we had a realization that completely transformed our approach – and the results were nothing short of amazing.

We realized that it isn’t what a patient is reactive to that’s important. It’s what they’re not reactive to that matters most, because those are the foods you want them to eat, and the foods you’ll help them turn into an eating plan they can follow (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages).”

Oxford Laboratories

The Patented Mediator Release Test (MRT®)

MRT stands for Mediator Release Test.  It is a type of sensitivity test that measures the activity of the immune system after a particular food is consumed. It gives us an accurate assessment whether a food is causing a reaction and to what degree our immune system is creating “mediators” to fight of these particles in our bodies.  There are 150 foods and chemicals tested for which give you a baseline for starting the LEAP diet.  Following MRT, you will schedule an appointment with me to tailor your LEAP diet plan and start on your path to recovery.

For those of you science-minded people that might want to know more specifics on MRT, check out this animation:  http://nowleap.com/MRT-animation.html

The Difference Between Food Sensitivity, Food Allergy, and Food Intolerance

These terms can be rather confusing because they are interchanged quite frequently. In actuality, each one describes a different type of condition with different testing and management options for each.


Food Sensitivity

On the other spectrum we have food sensitivities. These are non-IgE mediated reactions. They can involve other antibodies (IgG, IgA, IgM) or they can involve T-cells, otherwise known as type IV hypersensitivity reactions. These are delayed reactions in that the symptoms usually do not arise until hours or even days later. For this reason is can be extremely difficult to figure out which are the offending foods. They are also dose-dependent. While a person may be able to get away with eating a tiny bit of a food, a larger intake might go on to provoke symptoms. This is another reason it can be so hard and frustrating to figure out which foods are problematic and which are not. The symptoms themselves tend to milder than food allergies however they also tend to be chronic and often debilitating over time. Mild digestive symptoms, for example, might get worse over time leading to diagnoses such as IBS, Crohn’s, or Ulcerative Colitis.


Food Intolerance

A food intolerance does not involve the immune system. If someone is intolerant to a food they are unable to digest it properly. Maybe the fibers can’t be broken down or proteins are left intact, causing unpleasant digestive symptoms hours after eating the food. Lactose intolerance is the classic example and very common.  Many people lack the enzyme lactase that breaks down the milk protein lactose. Lactose-free products are usually packaged with the lactase enzyme, thereby breaking down the protein before it is ingested. As you can see, the culprit behind the symptoms is not the food per say but the lack of enzymatic activity to break down the protein. There is no immune activity and therefore no symptoms beyond the unpleasant digestive effects occur. Still uncomfortable and annoying, but not as damaging and much easier to treat.


Food Allergy

A food allergy is an IgE antibody-mediated reaction. This type of reaction is immediate, coming on within minutes in most cases, and usually quite severe. A peanut allergy is one that people are most familiar with. We all know that someone with a peanut allergy cannot have a single bite of anything peanut-containing and some can’t even come in contact with a single molecule. Their IgE antibodies create a reaction so swift and so severe that it can be deadly. Other foods and even environmental particles can be allergies as well. They do not usually create such a severe reaction but they can cause problems such as shortness of breath or asthma, swelling, vomiting and hives. These reactions are not dose-dependent. The smallest amount can cause just as severe a reaction as a larger dose. Testing for allergies usually involves a skin-prick test or a blood test. Both are not extremely accurate but do give a decent sense of what someone is allergic to. The one good thing, since allergic symptoms are so immediate, is that a person is usually able to tell, over time, what foods, chemicals or environmental particles they are reacting to.


Testing for Food Sensitivities

Traditionally the elimination diet has been the “gold standard” for uncovering offending foods, however we now know that even the most healthy foods can be triggers (bananas for me)! For many people, a standard elimination diet won’t solve the case. Also there are IgG tests. These tests are very limited in their usefulness. For one they only test for IgG. As you already know there are other antibodies and even T-cells that can be implicated in food sensitivity reactions. We are missing out on that whole piece entirely. Also these tests look at the level of IgG present when the food antigen is introduced. Research has shown, however, that merely the presence of high IgG levels in the blood does not necessarily mean that a reaction took place. In actuality high IgG levels might be a protective mechanism for foods that we eat frequently and indicate tolerance, not sensitivity. It’s a complex area that few understand, but it does not appear that the presence of IgG is something we should use as diagnostic of a food sensitivity. The newest player is MRT which was described previously. As you can now see, MRT is completely different. We now have a way to test if a reaction actually occurred and to what degree it is affecting our immune system. Once more people and practitioners understand how this process works, this will be and is the new “gold standard” for food sensitivity testing.

WHAT TO DO NOW

Are you overwhelmed from all of this information?  Don’t be!  I will work with you to sort it all out.

PRIOR YOUR MRT, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL DISCUSS:

  • Your medical and nutrition history.
  • Explanation of MRT/LEAP Program.
  • Lab box shipped to your doorstep.
  • Help finding a local lab to have your blood drawn.

FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS:

  • We will set up an appointment to review your results and create an individualized plan.
  • Phase 1 will be discussed in detail. This is the “calming phase” where the anti-inflammatory elimination eating plan is personalized based on your food preferences.
  • Explain the importance of keeping a food and symptom journal.
  • I will help you develop a meal plan and provide recipes with all of your “safe” foods.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I GET MY MRT RESULTS BACK?

  • We will work together through every phase of your plan. These appointments are very important to make sure you are staying accountable and discuss any obstacles you may be facing.
  • We will review your symptom journal at every visit.
  • I will assist you with shopping and menu planning to make it practical.
  • I will provide you with a variety of easy recipes so you don’t get bored.
  • I will walk you through every step of this process!
  • I will support and encourage you, no judgement!
  • I will help you with careful reintroduction of foods into your diet.

MRT/LEAP package:
$495.00

Includes:

  • Includes Blood Kit and Report Only

Unlimited email communication

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MRT/LEAP package:
$595.00

Includes:

  • Includes Blood Kit and Report
  • 1 session with me to review your results and get your started on elimination diet
  • Unlimited email communication
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MRT/LEAP package:
$895.00

Includes:

  • Includes Blood Kit and Report
  • 3 visits with me in my office or virtually to review your results and create individualized nutrition plan
  • Unlimited email communication
  • Weekly phone calls
  • Menu planning, recipes and shopping tips

MRT® is the foundation of fully addressing food sensitivities and achieving the maximum outcomes in the shortest period of time. For more information go to www.nowleap.com