Dietary Antigen Tests will help you heal.
We write a lot about how dire food allergies and sensitivities can be. Left untreated, they can cause inflammation in the gut, erode the lining, open the tight junctions of the intestinal wall, and eventually cause systemic, chronic inflammation throughout the body, which can spark autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Whew! That does sound scary!
We’re a functional diagnostic laboratory. We believe firmly in the ability of testing to shine a spotlight on hidden issues to get to the root cause of problems before they turn into nightmares. The point of dietary antigen testing is to unearth the triggers that are harming the gut and causing symptoms like brain fog, skin conditions, and cramping, and halt them in their tracks. The Precision Point Diagnostics P88 DAT tests for IgE (allergies), IgG (sensitivities), IgG4 (tolerance of allergens), and C3d (amplification of reactions) to 88 representative foods common in the diet. Identifying these food triggers and charting their relationship to each type of reaction paints a picture of the immunology of diet for each patient that guides a highly targeted, personalized rotation diet included with each patient’s report. A guided rotation diet is essential to make sure correct food triggers are removed. Because some food reactions are delayed for up to 72 hours, and can express themselves with symptoms that aren’t immediately identified as food reactions, it can be difficult to pinpoint all of the food triggers for a given patient without a comprehensive DAT.
The goal of DAT testing and elimination diets is to heal. By removing food triggers, a patient can reduce inflammation and begin healing immediately. If you react to foods (and many people do to at least a few foods), every time you eat, you are making a choice between healing or hurting yourself. Being committed to an elimination diet means being committed to healing.
It’s not just the reduction in symptoms and inflammation that occurs when pausing the intake of food triggers. It’s the restoration of the gut and its microbiome. It’s the repairing of the intestinal wall. It’s the elimination of leaky gut, the malabsorption of nutrients, and the ability to live a normal life. Ending the assault on the gut allows it to heal, and for the immune system to reset itself. If a patient is on the precipice of an autoimmune disease, then they’ll likely pull back from that cliff. If the diet seems hard, it’s a stroll in the park compared to the horrors of autoimmunity, where the body programs itself to attack its own cells. When the immune system resets itself and starts calming down, then over time many of the foods that were eliminated can be reintroduced and enjoyed again- that’s the end goal of DAT testing and elimination diets. Especially if this is done carefully, and with follow-up testing, then individual foods can be permanently reintroduced safely into the diet. Why? Without the constant triggers, IgE and IgG reactions can be modulated. Eating smaller amounts of the triggering foods over time, the immune system won’t react as intensely. At the same time, this approach may allow IgG4 response to a certain food to increase, building tolerance to any IgE reaction. This is the same theory behind food desensitization for extreme allergies, as with peanuts, in those who suffer in that way. The patient is essentially retraining their immune system to recognize foods, and these modulations are tracked through subsequent testing.
Not every food allergy and sensitivity will necessarily be reversed, but the majority can unless the patient has crossed over into an autoimmune response such as celiac disease, which will require lifelong abstention from gluten. That’s not to say that DAT testing and elimination diets aren’t useful for those with autoimmune diseases- quite the opposite! A patient will need to know if they are reactive to gluten so that follow-up testing can be done, and a patient with psoriasis will need to know exactly which triggers worsen the condition and which foods can be safely eaten to avoid flare-ups. Other autoimmunities and chronic conditions greatly benefit from taming inflammation in the gut. Both disturbances in the microbiome and inflammation in the gut can cause, or worsen, systemic conditions that are inflammatory in nature. Conversely, reducing that inflammation and restoring the microbiome can prevent or reduce the severity of those conditions.
No reason to be scared by food allergies and sensitivities. Utilize the P88 dietary antigen test to shine a light on the darkness of hidden food triggers, and find the keys necessary to reemerge into health. Happy Halloween!