The prevalence of food allergies has been increasing and it is estimated that 50% of adults and 70% of children suffer from food allergies. Research has shown a 95% probability that the average person eats one or more foods that are toxic to his or her body. Has any doctor ever done food allergy testing for you to explore the link between what you eat and how you feel? Dr. Ridley can!
Allergy Testing Techniques
Blood Panel Review vs. Skin Sensitivity Testing
Why such a wide variety? Food allergies and sensitivities cause significant inflammation every time you eat one of these foods. Dr. Ridley utilizes a robust testing procedure performed by a local lab that tests how your blood interacts with 184 different foods and spices!
The report provided by the lab points out which food your body attacked as a problem, and Dr. Ridley can walk you through a plan to temporarily remove these from your diet, and then reintroduce them one by one to determine which specific foods are creating the biggest problems for you. Dr. Ridley prefers the blood testing over skin testing for food allergies and sensitivities because they are two different parts of your immune system and adults don’t usually smear food on the skin so it is more important for us to know what our body does to your food once it is on the inside!
As an adult, it’s likely that you’ve already determined which foods cause immediate problems. The blood testing helps to identify food that are at the root cause of delayed reactions, that can sometimes take 72 hours to manifest themselves. The video included below is typically viewed by patients once they’ve had their blood tested, but viewing it ahead of time will help you understand the process that Dr. Ridley uses for food allergy/sensitivity testing.
Fatigue
Joint Pain
Congestion
Headache
Insomnia
Rashes
Eczema
Hives
Allergies
Asthma
IBS
IBD
Inflammation
Musculoskeletal pain and inflammation
Joint pain
Immune system health
Stomach pain
Acid reflux
Constipation
Diarrhea
Difficult weight loss
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Ridley at LiveWell Chiropractic and Wellness Center and find out if you are a candidate for treatment for Food Allergy Testing.
Q. What are the symptoms of food allergy or food sensitivity?
A: Food allergy/sensitivity can manifest itself with many kinds of symptoms, including:
Skin - itchy rash or hives, swelling, and/or eczema
Gastrointestinal tract - swelling of the lips, tongue or mouth; itching or tightness in the throat; nausea; abdominal pain; vomiting; diarrhea; constipation
Respiratory tract - watery, itchy eyes; runny, stuffy nose; dry cough; tightness in the chest or shortness of breath; wheezing
Hives (reddish, swollen, itchy areas on the skin)
Eczema (a persistent dry, itchy rash)
Redness of the skin or around the eyes
Chronic headaches
Migraines
Brain fog
Itchy mouth or ear canal
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Stomach pain
Nasal congestion or a runny nose
Sneezing
Slight, dry cough
Odd taste in mouth
Bad breath
Trouble losing weight even when “eating right”
Chronic ear infections
Q. What is “leaky gut”?
A: Leaky gut is a condition that affects how your intestines are able to absorb nutrients and water. Tight junctions in the gastrointestinal tract control the absorption of molecules in the small intestines. When these junctions are no longer “tight,” substances may enter the bloodstream that otherwise wouldn’t. This can lead to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and has been associated with autoimmune diseases and other disorders. We can do lab testing to look for substances, like zonulin, that are released from these tight junctions to help identify increased intestinal permeability or leaky gut.
Q. Everybody has heard of wheat, but what is gluten?
A: Gluten is a compound protein made of gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is found in wheat (including wheat varieties like spelt, kamut, farro and durum, plus products like bulgur and semolina), barley, rye, triticale and some oats.
Q. What are some gluten-free grains?
A: Gluten free grains include rice, corn, teff, tapioca, amaranth, and quinoa. Oats may also be tolerated by those who react negatively to gluten.
Q. Is there scientific evidence that people are allergic to gluten?
A: 1 out of 133 Americans suffer from celiac disease.
1 out of 60 Americans suffer from gluten sensitivity.
1 out of 7 Americans suffer from a wheat related disorder.
20-30% of the proteins found in wheat are non-gluten.
Q. What does “organic” mean?
A: Organic plant and vegetable products have been grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, have not been genetically modified, and have not been irradiated. Organic animal products have been raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. A good resource for determining which foods are important to purchase organic is https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty_dozen_list.php#.We0RsWhSx-4.
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Office: (817) 485-WELL (9355)
Fax: (817) 427-9355
Email: livewell@LiveWellDFW.com
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