Your food sensitivities might be causing weight gain, migraines and more

Making the Cut

I know that a lot of people have benefited from the health research and reporting from HSI. I know, because I was one of the first.

In January 1998, the HSI Members Alert featured a food sensitivity test called ALCAT (Antigen Leucocyte Cellular Antibody Test), which measures white blood cell reactivity to different food agents.

Out of curiosity I took the test, and results indicated I probably had a sensitivity to broccoli. I didn’t realize just how pronounced this was until I eliminated broccoli from my diet – then the sensitivity really showed.

Sometime later, I ordered soup that contained a little broccoli. I removed the bite-sized florets, ate the soup, and immediately developed a blinding headache that lasted three days.

Adios, broccoli.

Since then, I’ve noticed that my sinuses tend to be clearer than they were before I eliminated broccoli from my diet. But this is a fairly mild outcome compared to many people (especially those who struggle to lose weight) who find the results from eliminating certain foods truly transforming.

Chain reaction

In a recent issue of the Middle East Journal of Family Medicine, scientists from a Dubai research lab reported on a trial that tested dietary changes based on ALCAT results.

STUDY PROFILE

• Subjects included nearly 30 obese men and women in their 40s who had difficulty losing weight when following reduced-calorie diets
• Results of ALCAT tests suggested specific food elimination dietary changes for each subject
• After following new dietary plans for 12 weeks, researchers noted an overall significant reduction in body weight, total body fat, and body mass index

In a press release about the Dubai study, food sensitivity expert Roger Deutsch explains that incompatible foods are often at the root of chronic inflammation, which prompts an immune response. Immune system chemicals can block insulin receptors, causing sugars to be stored as fat. His assessment in a nutshell: “Cut the inflammation, cut the fat storage.”

Migraines, fatigue and more…

As I noted in a 2001 e-Alert, research suggests that as much as 70 percent of the general population suffers from “delayed food allergies” – food sensitivity symptoms that may not appear until three to five days after the food has been eaten.

This type of sensitivity can be the cause of a whole host of symptoms, including migraines, eczema, acne, diarrhea, constipation, and physical and mental fatigue.

An ALCAT test requires a blood sample that’s analyzed to detect minute changes in the white blood cells in response to more than 150 foods and food additives. Your results will not only list foods that caused a reaction, but also your degree of sensitivity. And don’t be surprised to find foods listed that you crave and eat often. And – as in my case – you may even find you’re sensitive to nutritious foods that are otherwise quite good for you.

You and your doctor can find further information on the ALCAT website: alcat.com.

Sources:
“Identify your hidden food allergies – and eliminate them forever” HSI Members Alert, January 1998, hsionline.com
“The Effect of the ALCAT Test Diet Therapy for Food Sensitivity in Patient’s With Obesity” Middle East Journal of Family Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 3, April 2009, mejfm.com
“Study Confirms: Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat” PR Newswire, 4/6/09, cnbc.com