Food Sensitivity Testing Chicago

Food Sensitivity Testing Chicago

With an estimated 81% of the population suffering from a food sensitivity, an important first step for many on their path to great health is identifying what foods help and what foods hurt them. Most people don’t know that food sensitivities, one of the ‘hidden’ immune system reactions, can lead to many common health conditions such as acne, digestive problems, anxiety, thyroid disorders, reduced mental acuity, and many others. With a food sensitivity, an immune response causes inflammation of the digestive tract, which can then lead to unwanted particles entering the blood stream causing a myriad of potential symptoms.

Almost every day, we are asked about food sensitivities and what can be done about them, so we thought we’d share some basics. Our doctors are happy to provide more information and guide you through a food sensitivities blood test (and a game plan to address your sensitivities) – just give us a call and we’ll schedule an appointment.

Food sensitivity vs food allergy:

A food sensitivity develops when the body begins to produce antibodies against a food; a reaction similar to that of a food allergy, but with a less dangerous type of antibody (antibodies are the workhorses of your immune system and the unique immune reactions produced dictate the type of response that your body has ).

Food Sensitivities vs Food Allergies, Testing in Chicago

Testing:

There are two primary ways to test for a food sensitivity: i) a strict elimination diet; or ii) a laboratory blood analysis. An elimination diet completely removes suspected foods form your diet for one month. After one month, the food(s) are reintroduced one at a time to see if a symptom appears. A much quicker method of testing involves drawing a sample of blood at our clinics that is analyzed to detect and measure food sensitivities.

While a blood test has some drawbacks, it generally shows a person’s sensitivity to a wide range of foods…even foods that otherwise seem healthy.

What do I do if I have a food sensitivity? First, don’t panic! Almost everyone has sensitivities to at least a few different foods and gets along just fine. Second – we can help you address your food sensitivities and their related symptoms by eliminating offending foods from your diet for a period of time, and in some cases, bolstering your diet with certain foods and vitamin supplements that reduce inflammation within your digestive tract. Our Functional Medicine approach is designed to restore people to long-term health and reduce or eliminate food sensitivities through a comprehensive and customized plan (and one that’s manageable with Chicagoan’s hectic lifestyle).

Schedule an Appointment today, below!