Food is one of the few things I tolerate well.
I’ll patiently wait for good food even if I’m hangry.
My food tolerance is only mental. It turns out that I have a shit load many food intolerances. I’ve never had any allergies to foods. I don’t experience pain from eating certain things. What I do get is bloating and gas. That bloat is something I either attributed to genetics (“I just wasn’t meant to have abs”) or to eating in volume (have I mentioned I love to eat?).
Reading this post by Megan opened my eyes to a whole new possibility. One can have intolerances to foods without necessarily being allergic. Who knew?! In fact, many of the foods people are allergic to (gluten, nuts, whey) I don’t have intolerance issues with. It’s all the other stuff that troubles me.
After talking to Megan, I decided to get the Alcat Test done. The Alcat Test is the “gold standard” laboratory method for identifying reactions to foods, chemicals, and other categories of substances. Up to 80% of the population may have at least 1 food intolerance! Here are a few signs that it might be something you should consider:
- Gas, stomach pain, or bloating
- Heartburn
- Headaches or migraines
- Fatigue
- Inability to gain or lose weight
- Irritability
- Skin conditions (like acne)
Food intolerances are difficult to diagnose without a blood test because symptoms may not occur every time, or reactions can be delayed. Looking back, this sounds exactly like what I was experiencing! It is not a cheap test, but after seeing my results I know it was worn every penny. If I can heal my gut, the return on that investment will last a lifetime!
My Results
So what were my results? I’ll show you… from what I have read and in talking with Megan, I have more intolerances that is “normal.” Why can’t I ever do anything the easy way?!
As you can see, I am intolerant to basically everything.*
The red is what I’m most severely affected by, orange slightly less, yellow is mild, and the green and blue are the foods I have no issues with. The red doesn’t look so bad until you realize that olives are on the list. Olives = olive oil.
The orange explains a lot about why – even at <10% body fat pre-figure competition – my abs barely showed. Most “standard” competition foods are in the orange! While I was shoveling down sweet potatoes, asparagus, and spinach… my gut was rebelling and bloating. No wonder!
The panel also includes food additives, food colorings, and herbs. Those weren’t bad for me – most of the herbs I didn’t even recognize.
*That’s only a slight exaggeration. I am intolerant to many of the things that are staples in my diet.
What Next?
If you’ve been reading my blog, you know i’ve been doing a cleanse already. I’m ditching that because there are SO many foods I now need to avoid. Girl needs to eat! Megan had a similar experience with having a lot of intolerances and was able to empathize and walk me through a work-able solution.
Unlike food allergies, intolerances can actually go away if your gut is given the opportunity to heal. Alcat recommends eliminating foods in the red, orange, and yellow areas. There are SO many on my list that we decided to break it up. Again, I need to eat! I’m not in pain or otherwise suffering terribly, so I took Megan’s lead and decided to do a rotation.
Everything in the red I will eliminate for 6 months. No compromises. Megan helped me divide the orange and yellow sections into two groups. I’ll eliminate half for 3 months, and then slowly add them back as I eliminate the other half for 3 months. It’s still a lot but I’m not as overwhelmed as I was initially.
Mental Health
This is a big one for me. I didn’t anticipate the results being so vast… or the feelings I had about it. I am not a terribly emotional person, but I went through a grieving process! First I was angry. I declared the test to be total bull shit and started researching.
Then I was sad. What would I do without olive oil, sweet potatoes, vanilla… who the f%&^ has an intolerance to vanilla?! (Obviously I wavered back to anger.) I felt a real sense of loss!
Finally, acceptance. I realized that 6 months isn’t THAT long in the grand scheme of things. I feel a little hope and relief knowing that doing this could solve my tummy troubles. How cool would it be to see my abs?! Not to mention the gas relief (I can clear a room, y’all). I talked to Megan, who gave me a ton of support and a plan that would work for me. We divided those orange and yellow foods up so that I can eat seasonally and have workable solutions to avoid nearly impossible food situations.
For example: I’m giving up wheat for the first 3 months, but keeping rice and oats. This way I can take advantage of many gluten-free carb options.
How Do You Get Tested?
Getting tested is the easiest part. My practitioner, Megan, ordered the test for me and helped me coordinate how to get my blood drawn. You can go to your doctor or a clinic to get your blood drawn. I opted to have a mobile phlebotomist come to my office – it took all of 5 minutes and the results were back in 5 business days. I then had a phone consultation with Megan, who very patiently explained the results to me, answered a million questions, and helped me determine the next course of action.
You can select any practitioner, but I do recommend Megan. (No, I’m not getting a kickback.) 🙂
So there you have it. It’s going to be an interesting 6 months, but I’m game. I have already told many of my friends what’s going on and am lucky to have great support system.
I also ended the weekend with a beer and ice cream (not together), and got to unwind with a mud run! It was a marvelous weekend and helped put me in the right frame of mind to start my elimination diet Monday with a BANG.
***
I’m still nervous.
Have you ever considered/had a food allergy or intolerance test done?
If you do have food sensitivities, how do you cope with the limitations?
Wow, I will be interested to follow your progress. As someone who suffers from migraines (and had the gas pains from hell yesterday!) I will certainly look into testing. Is this not covered by insurance?
Unfortunately it isn’t covered since it’s an intolerance test rather than a full blow allergy test.
You best believe I have had this test done multiple times over my life… And guess what? EVERYTHING IS IN THE RED! It’s such an amazing feeling – NOT! LOL!
I am sad to see you butternut squash intolerances though 🙁 That one I am okay with actually! AND YOUR SPINACH intolerance, HOLY SHIT I WOULD DIE WITHOUT MY SPINACH! Wait, no, I’d die without my salmon, LOL! I was so sure it was going to come up in the red because – WELL YEA, everything I like, typically doesn’t like me back – LOL BUTTTTTTTT Salmon is NOT an aggravator for me either!
My brother got one of these done a year ago……. And prior to it, he ate ANYTHING but when he got his results it said he couldn’t eat ANYTHING!!! JUST LIKE ME! Like sister, like brother, right?! LOL! I laughed at him, he was FURIOUS! But since ridding the crap from his life – he has felt phenomenal! I am so curious as to how you’re going to feel when you ditch the olives and green beans!
Multiple times?! Did it change much?
Spinach sucks, but not nearly as much as olive oil. It’s hard to go out to eat now! UGH.
OH MY GOODNESS you’re so right – UGH!!!! Why don’t you actually test olive oil on yourself for a week and then ditch it for a week and see how you feel? If you don’t feel all that different then, you shouldn’t be TOO TOO concerned. Some “allergens” on my list only cause dark circles under my eyes (shrimp), so maybe olive oil might just cause that sort of reaction? #postivethinking -LOL!
Good call… I’ve been without for 4 days. Maybe I’ll finish the week and then have a serving to see. It’s one I ate a ton of!
Eeeekk…. you can do it friend. 6 months will fly by. Right? 🙂 I’ll be thinking of you. I really should get tested one of these days, but I almost don’t want to find out the results. Ha.
Kristin, this is exactly why I waited so long … it was ‘easier’ not to know and I couldn’t figure it out with self-experimentation (which I always think is best to do first). But yes – 6 months will fly by :).
That’s what I keep telling myself… 4 days have flown… 😉
You might not have to give those things up, the ALCAT is not a reliable, reproducible test, at least not according to my quick Google: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALCAT_test. I’d be more inclined to do an elimination diet and see what food, if any, actually gives you symptoms. I had blood testing for food allergies ages ago, it did not show the foods that I clearly cannot tolerate (the reactions are not subtle so there was never any question). The guy told me, well, that just means they are sensitivities not allergies. So basically it comes down to your real world reactions and not a test.
I’ve read both sides and ultimately decided this was a good route. The elimination thing never worked for me… if this is right and I have so many issues, I’m not surprised! So far I’m feeling better, but I’ll be the first to admit if I find it wasn’t accurate. 🙂
I adore this post, Laura…so much interesting information and I’m looking forward to hearing your progress. it’s really frustrating when your favorite foods are suddenly the cause of stomach woes but fortunately there’s always a way around it. After doing the Whole30, I realised that my stomach just can’t handle dairy. Despite my love for yogurt, I’ve cut it out totally and I feel SO much better. The only dairy I eat now is in dark chocolate or the occasional ice cream when I’m out. I love dairy but I love not feeling bloated even more 🙂
This is SO interesting! I want to get this test done ASAP I even found a clinic out here that does it 🙂 Can’t wait to find out!
You have to let me know what you find! Good luck!!!
Oh Laura, I am sorry – but I know you can do it!! I did a test like this (not sure if it was the same one) about 2 months ago and it said I couldn’t eat a whole lot of stuff I was used to. I lasted for 3 weeks, and then incorporated it again, I was just too weak, lol….but I know you can do it, you’re stronger!! AND you will get even more creative in the kitchen!!
I’m going to try! I figure if I paid all that money for the test I may as well!
Wow I think I would be too scared to do the test fear of results!!
But it was great to learn about it! And I have full faith in you my friend!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I had this done, and I had a crap ton too. I eliminated all of mine for 6 mo but it didn’t totally heal my gut. I had it redone and used 2 gut healing supplements to heal my gut lining. Now, I’m adding foods back and doing alright. text me if you need support! I get it!
You helped a lot – my supplements re on order from iHerb! 🙂
xo
I’m very interested in getting tested! While my symptoms aren’t horrible, I think it would be interesting to see what I am intolerant too just to make my gut better. 6 months? You’ve got this. I can’t wait to see what wonderful creations you come up with!
If you want to chat more about it, I’m happy to discuss, Angela!
Thanks Angela! 4 days in a going strong. LOL!
I don’t want to sound like a tool here but if anyone can make an intolerance or testing work in their favour- it is YOU my friend. Your creativity and true adoration of good food won’t hold you back!
This was an insightful post- although as appealing as this test would be, I’d rather follow ignorance is bliss- for the moment.
You are a tool. Twerking in the squat rack… I mean… who DOES that? 😉 xo
Yes!! This is me. Gluten free for 20 years but not celiacs!
Ahh I’ve been wanting to get this test done for a LONG time now. My stomach is a lot better after getting my gallbladder removed, but it’s still pretty all over the place. Gas, bloating, and even pain is second nature to me hahah. I just can’t believe it’s so expensive! Good luck! It’ll be hard to cut out those foods, but totally worth it.
That sucks! My best friend had hers removed and it helped her a lot. She still has trouble eating tomatoes though. Weird, right?
Yes that’s how I felt when I first saw I was allergic to eggs and then I just decided thank god it wasn’t nuts. However there are a couple things I also learned…sometimes those tests aren’t always accurate, sometimes other issues like in my case a parasite could make making allergies worse and sometimes it’s because we are eating a food too frequently that our body is rebelling and it gets better.
again not a nutritionist!! just the things I started to learn from having to deal with my own gut issue. all that being said I need to take a new test to get an update on my own allergens!
I’m going to agree with amanda. Those tests are not 100%. But a good guideline. But don’t stress, there is a way! xxoo
I agree with these AMAZING ladies! You know that I have been through this, and I think I still am to a point. Take some very deep breaths girl, and know that it’s going to be ok. I went through the elimination, rotating foods, all of that for a long time. It was a lot to handle, and it took me a long time to realize that the stress most of it was putting on me was not worth continuing it to the same extent any longer. At some point you have to trust that your body is telling you what it needs and doesn’t need. I still have some bloating, and yes, some extra pounds, but where my body is at right now, it’s the healthiest place to be because of my hormone issues. That’s what I am choosing to focus on now.
All that to say, you will get through this, we have all been there and can support you 100%. Just be easy on yourself, and really listen to what your body is telling you, not just a chart or a test result. I agree with Lindsay, good guidelines, of course, helps to have some sort of direction. Hang in there my friend!! xoxo
maybe we need a blend for food elimination support group. LOL!
best idea EVERRRR!!!
I couldn’t deal with the rotation… there seemed to be too many things to remember. We’ll see if I regret that after totally eliminating stuff for 3 months. LOL!
Support group is needed! Thank god wine isn’t on my list. 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Laura. I can’t even imagine how scary and frustrating this must be, but you do have an amazing support system 🙂 Stay strong!! I am very interested in this test…I’ve never heard of it before and I have issues with bloating, regularity, and gas…I’m thinking this test may be helpful for me! Gotta do some more reading 🙂 Thanks for introducing me to the idea!
Thanks Tara! You sound a lot like me. I’d try a basic elimination first if you can narrow it down. As you can tell from my list, there were too many things for me to pick out just a couple. Any I never would have come up with olives!
glad you are working with megan! shoot me an email when you can, i have some thoughts. FODMAP related.
I recommend the Alcat to a lot of my clients, too- isn’t it cool to know all those results? Although not so cool if it’s telling you there are so many you’re intolerant of. Often, once your gut is inflamed, you’re sensitive to more than you “normally” would be after the inflammation calms down. So hopefully many of those foods will be part of your routine again at some point!
That’s what I’m hoping too. Some of them are really hard to avoid!
Gut health is my topic of choice right now (thanks to Lindsay!). I haven’t had the testing done but I’m slowly but surely figuring out what my body likes and doesn’t like. I’m learning what makes me feel and preform the best. I guess the test would be a faster way to go about this 🙂
Jill, I always think self-experimentation is the best way to do it first, so if you are seeing results then I say keep going! The test, in my mind at least, is really for those of us who have tried other things and come up empty handed – just unable to figure out what else might be causing us issues. Good luck 🙂
That’s my plan but I can’t help but be curious about what the test would tell me. What I’m doing is working but I will keep the test as a plan B 🙂
Completely agree experimenting is a great idea before an expensive test. Unfortunately, I had so many things going on that I couldn’t makes sense of it alone. 🙁
Interesting Laura, I have never known about the depth of that test, but sounds like it is well worth doing….even if you do come out as “normal”. I think you will be able to adapt your diet and feel so much better in no time 🙂
I have not really considered it as I am pretty good at knowing what upset my stomach and what doesnt….well enough for me to keep control of 🙂
Oh I definitely hear ya on this one! I had an allergy/sensitivity test done in late 2013 (and Megan mentioned that’s what spurred her on to get hers done) and found out that one of my strongest sensitivities was spinach!! Crazy right?! I’ve taken it out of my diet because my naturopath figured I had leaky gut syndrome and needed to allow time for the tight junctions in my gut to heal. It’s been over 6 months now sand I’ve been feeling great, so I’m pretty sure adding it back in from time to time wouldn’t hurt me. My suspicion is that it was partly because I was eating SO much of it prior to the test that my body just developed a sensitivity to it – maybe through overexposure or something. Good luck with getting your digestion sorted out. I know it can be a pretty annoying (and sometimes painful!) experience but it sounds like you’re already making progress!
Yes, your post along with my frustration was what finally convinced me to get it done! Thanks again, Angela!
I suspect a few of these are due to eating so much… hopefully I’ll heal up too! It’s really encouraging to know you’re doing better – thank you for sharing!
As you know, I’m so impressed and amazed by how you handled this super daunting list. Like Laura said, so many times when we end up with damaged guts, we can end up being far more sensitive than we otherwise would be, so I know you’ll be reintroducing these foods like a champ in the long run. I’m pulling for you … and those abs! Go get ’em on Day 1!!! Of course, thank you for such a great review.
I can’t thank YOU enough. I swear I already feel better!
Such a great post! I’ve been thinking for a while that I need to get tested for food intolerances. I just think of how different I could feel if I knew.
Feel free to shoot me an email if you’re interested, Ashley! Happy to talk more about it!
Vanilla??? That’s crazy. And butternut squash? Thanks for sharing this. I think my husband has some intolerances. It would be interesting to see what his test results would be – interesting then frustrating I’m sure.
Frustrating and interesting seem to be everyone’s reactions (my own included!!!).
It’s totally bizarre… but I’m really glad to know!
Well I never. I am going to get in touch with Megan. I am interested in this…
SO INTERESTING! SIgning up immediately. I would LOVE to know this information about myself. I feel like we’re food and diet twins so I wonder how similar our results would be! Thanks Laura 🙂
Awesome! Let me know what comes of it. Though for your sake I hope we’re not actually food twins in this regard! 🙂
Have you looked into the validity of that test, Laura? Thought you might want to read this before you mourn the loss of your favourite foods:
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/igg-food-intolerance-tests-what-does-the-science-say/
I will share their conclusions:
At present, there are no reliable and validated clinical tests for the diagnosis of food intolerance. While intolerances are non-immune by definition, IgG testing is actively promoted for diagnosis, and to guide management. These tests lack both a sound scientific rationale and evidence of effectiveness. The lack of correlation between results and actual symptoms, and the risks resulting from unnecessary food avoidance, escalate the potential for harm from this test. Further, there is no published clinical evidence to support the use of IgG tests to determine the need for vitamins or supplements. In light of the lack of clinical relevance, and the potential for harm resulting from their use, allergy and immunology organizations worldwide advise against the use of IgG testing for food intolerance.
Janet, like I said I did go through the “this is BS” phase. I read articles from both sides and ultimately decided that – based on the data points my body has given me – the Alcat makes sense for me.
This article seems like he’s really going after 2 specific tests. I believe the Alcat to be the most reputable sensitivity test. That said, if I’m wrong I’ll be the first to admit it! 🙂
Good to know you are still level-headed. I look forward to hearing an update in a few months. 🙂
I’m always a skeptic. 😉
Janet – Thanks for sharing the article! I thought it would be worth pointing out that the article is attacking IgG testing, which is a very different thing from Alcat testing. There are many IgG tests on the market, and they can be very problematic because they often lead to “false positives” if you are eating the food frequently – basically, they can be a test of exposure rather than intolerance. Alcat measures the reaction of individual white blood cells, rather than the presence of IgG antibodies – I talk a little bit about this in my post, which Laura linked to above. So, while the word “Alcat” does appear in the article you linked (mistakenly, I believe, since Alcat is not IgG), I think the author is really attacking something else.
Regardless, as both you and Laura point out, this is NOT a 100% sure bet! I am really hoping that Laura experiences great results, and I personally believe strongly in the test, but it should definitely be a decision made by each individual based on what he/she thinks is right for them!
It’s really interesting to read through the comments on this! I’ve never had this done, nor do I have any plans anytime soon – I’ve always thought that as long as I try to keep some variety in my diet, I’m probably ok.
Oh my god! I didn’t know this existed. I’ve been having some gas and bloating but can’t pinpoint a certain food…I think I need to do this test so I can figure this out! Thank you for sharing!
Let me know if you need more information, Ashley!
Very interesting. I need to look into that test. I did a cleanse a few months ago and felt great. Unfortunately, I did not add things back slowly enough, so I didn’t give myself a good chance to pinpoint tolerances. thanks for the post.
I always do that with cleanses. I get too exited! Haha. Hopefully I’ll be better with this – definitely have a difference mindset going in.
I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to the efficacy of ALCAT testing. There was a period of time I was seriously considering getting this done, but went the standard route of RAST/skin prick tests at the Allergist. I think my biggest issue with ANY food allergy tests, is the fact that they’re performed in a manner that is not at all similar to actually ingesting said food. They look for basophil reactivity when the blood is exposed to extracts of the food in question. This doesn’t take the digestive process into account. Enzymes and bacteria within the digestive tract both play an important role in immunological reactions.
Even so, I can see it being helpful knowing where to start with an elimination diet, so it may not be without merit in that sense. Best of luck to you!
Understand your feeling – I thought about getting allergy tested a while ago and opted not to for the same reason. So far so good on this plan, but I’ll give it an honset review at the end!
I had never heard of the Alcat Test – I am so looking forward to following you along your journey! Gas is no joke! I can give you a run for your money in that department on days when I don’t eat my yogurt 😉
LMAO! We shouldn’t be in the same room. People might die. 😉
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Wow…I would love to take one of these tests! Sounds super interesting…and so relatable with all the emotions you went through. Excited to see what will change for you though, Laura! Good things. 🙂
Thanks, friend! The results are scary, but I’m feeling more relived now. I’m not crazy! At least not as it relates to my stomach. 😉
Wow! That’s so intense. I’ve been going through some changes as well, I loved the description of you emotions so truthful and real. Takes awhile to really accept. Good Luck with everything!
I hope things are going ok for you, too!
Laura I really hope you start to feel better! I know it is overwhelming and obnoxious 🙁
I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy (among several others) when I was in high school but was told I “could have small amounts of wheat” which over the course of 12 years turned into a bad bad idea. I stopped eating wheat completely 3 years ago and all the extra weight I had been unable to shake came off of me pretty quickly. This is likely why some people misunderstand and think going gluten free is a weight loss trick. For me I think my gut had been bloated and swollen forever and was finally able to calm the &*!@ down. Best wishes for you!!!!
I’ve always wondered what foods are really harping things like weight loss, considering I workout 4-6x a week and eat 80/20 but really struggle with weight loss, but that test is so so pricy. I think I will try a nutritionist first and go from there. I can’t wait to follow your journey, it’ll be an eye-opening one 🙂
Let me know if you have any questions! Funny you mention weightless – I was talking to a friend tonight whose roommate couldn’t lose. She cut gluten and started seeing results. I didn’t know that could even be a cause!
One of my major takeaways from my experiences, is to continue rotating foods as much as you can. That doesn’t necessarily mean rotating every day anymore, like I used to. One week I’ll eat a few certain foods, as there are leftovers of course, and then the next week I’ll choose different foods to eat. Consistently eating certain foods day after day, of ANY kind, sets you up for intolerance. Your body needs something different.
If anything, my food elimination opened me up to so many other foods that I wouldn’t have thought to try, combine, etc. You have a crazy amount of creativity in the kitchen, it’s only going to get more creative!! Don’t get me wrong, there are going to be days where you can’t stand the thought of having to think about every single thing you put in your mouth and how it’s going to affect you. I’ve been there!! When that time comes, you know where to find me to vent away!! xo
Yeah… I’m pretty sure I over did it with spinach, olive oil, sweet potatoes, ginger… and a whole lot of the others on the list.
Eating at home will be easy-ish. Dining out… as much as I love to go out I’m really sad that’s going to be near impossible.
ugh.. food intolerances suck! they are so frustrating! i’m sorry.
Thanks Janetha! It sucks, but good to have answers. How are YOU feeling?!
I think I’ve mentioned to you that my mum (and grandma) are allergic/intolerant to about forty billion different things (dairy wheat tomatoes beef ham oysters eggplant broad beans pineapple peanuts apples-with-skin-unless-they’re-cooked on and on and on), and so, yes, sometimes it feels overwhelming. But if this blog of yours has proven anything to the world, it’s that you, my dear, are insanely creative and talented at making epic meals out of a handful of not-standard ingredients. You’ll soar. xoxo
Thanks, my food spouse! At least I can have coconut ice cream for dessert!
I’m so glad you went and got this done. I’ve been SO frustrated. I’ve been to like 5 different doctors asking for INTOLERANCE testing and all of them said they either don’t deal with allergies OR have me allergy tested. Well, duh nothing came back positive. I’m not allergic. I’m intolerant. But I was so frustrated and tired of spending so much money I don’t have, that I just gave up. Whomp whomp
Oh no! Have you tried just doing an elimination diet to see if you can pinpoint? It hard of you have a lot (like me), but you might get lucky and find the culprit(s)!
I’ve half-ass tried to but honestly I think its SO many things.
Oy… you sound like me. 🙁
This is so interesting! As someone who is going through a terrible belly bloat right now, I am mourning the loss of dairy and oatmeal. I’ve been trying to add them both back in to my diet, but it’s no good 🙁 I wish I could just be normal! I would love to get a full intolerance test, as I know I’m oddly affected by some foods such as brazil nuts. Who the eff is intolerant to brazil nuts?!
So…. you’re allergic to large nuts? 😉
WOW and I am definitely interested in seeing what kind of progress you make…And as always you know we are all here for you. i’ve never gotten tested, but I’m always curious sometimes whether I have any intolerances, because I too can get bloated. For example, this girl needs to stay clear of Soy…
If you can pinpoint just a couple of things, you don’t even need the test! Just take it out for a week and then try it again to see if you notice bloating. I just had too many to pinpoint!
So sorry about your results. I would be very tempted to get this done and see what happens.
I agree with what Arman says for sure! Shiz is about to get REAL on Fridays.
Just don’t forget to always stick with your gut (pun intended)!
That test could be beneficial in pointing out some triggers of your gas (no matter what color they are in) but if you are ever in a place where you begin to feel like “I think I used to handle that fine” or “I never had a problem with that before” don’t avoid it JUST because it’s on the list maybe? I don’t know. Just keep your grain of salt handy I guess is what I mean.
But I bet I didn’t even need to say that — You always gonna do you, girl. (0:
Haha – funny girl.
Totally understand your point… the ira is to add these things back in eventually. My issue is that I had so many I can’t quite identify which ones are the cause. I do know that I already feel better though!
I can SOO relate to this! I’m glad you were able to get this done and learnt more about food intolerances. I was having SUCH bad stomach problems it was a nightmare until I got this test done and couldn’t believe all the stuff that showed up on my test! It made sense though, because I was eating wayyy too many egg whites, greek yogurt, etc so I knew my body probably was just getting too used to those foods. Sadly, after testing a year later it seems that none of those intolerances went away for me, but that’s okay with me now because I actually don’t ever crave the dairy or eggs I had to give up…I will admit I still miss broccoli though;)
I am sorry you have to go through this though. It sucks for like the first month, but I swear I didn’t even think twice after a few weeks.
Thanks Lisa! I’m sorry it hasn’t eased up for you. Did you also take supplements? (I’m sure you do.) I just ordered some that Lindsay and Brittany recommended. Hopefully that will help too. Oddly, I’m already used to not having spinach or squash and I thought those would kill me!
This is incredible. I didn’t know this type of testing existed. My insurance doesn’t cover this test so is there an elimination list to begin with?
Mary Ann, there’s no way of knowing exactly what elimination plan will work for everyone. If you have no idea where to start, some common ones to eliminate first would be dairy and then wheat/ gluten. If those don’t work, I would try yeast, eggs, and fructose/ fructans/ polyols (search for “FODMAP” and you should find some information!). Good luck!
best of luck girl!!
Lori got a blood test done, I think called Elisa. She avoided the foods but saw no relief. But everyone is different. Wishing you all the best and hope you get some relief!!!!! Look forward in seeing how you do, as I have been back and forth about getting this done to see for my eczema. I have been trying my own food journaling and all but still having issues.
oh why cannot all food be good, haha
I think that test is specifically for allergies. Intolerance testing is a bit different. Interesting though… I can’t imagine where medical testing will be in a few more years!
HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t want to get tested!!! 🙂 I don’t have all the issues you have but I know I am sensitive to some things that I don’t want to give up. Did your insurance cover this?
Jody, insurance is a tough one with the Alcat test, and in most cases it won’t work out. I’m happy to give you a bit more info if you’re curious!
I actually ended up talking to Meghan a little over email after you told me your results. I still want to try some things on my own, but I think I might end up doing the Alcat sometime in the future…I’ve always known that my system “handled” things a bit differently compared to others, but during the time I was on that cleanse, it really woke me up! Good news is, since scaling back on the veggies and bumping up the protein, my energy is back and I’ve been go-go-going…if you know what I mean! 😉
I’d be curious to see what it would say for both you and Sarah!
I’m angry and sad for you. So many delicious things are forbidden. Sigh, well I hope it brings the relief you are seeking and I hope it means you won’t be clearing any rooms at blend. Yeah maybe it’s a good thing you get this taken care of beforehand. 😉
Seriously, I’m sorry buddy. If you ever want to rage about life’s injustices I’m here. We’ll vent and then celebrate the good things.
Hahaha – just ask Heather B.
You can have all my asparagus.
i have never done allergies testing because i have never had issues but i do get bloated quite often. i did whole30 but didnt find a huge difference, i need to look into tha ttest.
I had a bio frequency test done a while back that showed some intolerance that I had to food. I was shocked. Peanut butter, egg whites, peppers. All things I eat. I gave up peanut butter – there are so many other nut butters out there to care, but I couldn’t give up anything else on my list. I’ve never noticed anything weird except with eggs and apples (that was on the list too) but I refused to give up such an easy protein source. Best of luck to you! It’ll be a challenge but you can do it!
Eggs are going to be hard for me. I saved that one for the second 3 months. Not looking forward to it!
Just curious how expensive is this really?
It varies widely depending on the panel. Check out the website or ask Megan for the break down!
Oh MAN!!! That is rough! Honestly, I’m scared to get a test like this, I don’t want to not eat things and I’m guessing there are some intolerances I don’t know about (aside from the obvious lactose issues I have). Although I would like to see my abs more often…. Hmmm….
Let me know if you have any questions… I’m shocked and skeptical, but I notice a difference already!
Holy frack!
I have been talking with Megan a bunch as well over the past several months – my wife has loads of intolerances and allergies and the big problem seems to be that Paleo works well, but since she has nut allergies thatcuts out loads of options.
Menopause is apparently a great allergy aggravator … and that has certainly been the case for her! We are doing OK now with it, but it is a constant work in progress!
Good luck to you … it is a tough challenge, but you can do it!
Is your wife getting the Alcat run? My mom had one done but just said she wants to get it done again since going through menopause – those changes are no joke!
We had a different test done through her allergist … which really just highlighted what she already knew – allergies to apples and tree nuts, intolerances between mild & moderate to all tree fruits and also coconut, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance (which she had as a baby, not returning 45 years after she was able to consume dairy!)
And you are right on the changes of menopause -not easy at all!
AH – so it was both an allergy AND an intolerance test? Interesting! I laughed because the things most people have problems with, I can do no problem (nuts, gluten). But no celery?! Ha.
That was what I was thinking – much like Lisa has always gotten weird reactions for her apple allergy (do you know that they use apple as filler in EVERYTHING), your intolerances cut ‘across’ groups rather than running straight up and down, if you get what I mean. That just makes it even harder, and means you will have to be careful as you get older. (I’m sure your mother says that to you as well!)
I can only imagine… I’ve realized that EVERYTHING has olive oil.