There are numerous techniques of allergy testing available in the field of medicine. But, the most natural and safe form of testing is naturopathy.
Naturopathy is the most ancient form of medicine that combines the traditional art of healing with the modern understanding of medicine. The basic idea behind naturopathy is to stimulate the body’s self-healing power through natural agents and prevent the involvement of artificially synthesised drugs and medicines.
According to Melbourne naturopaths, synthetic drugs can cause side effects and can be harmful to the body in the long run. Whereas, if the body’s self-healing power is promoted it can be beneficial for its immunity and well-being.
The proper functioning of every organ system is important for the well being of our body. Every organ system has separate functions but ultimately performs to sustain our body’s condition.
The digestive system plays a pivotal role in the proper functioning of our body. The body requires nutrients for every action and biological process. We get nutrients by ingesting food and these compounds are processed by the digestive system.
During the process of digestion, the compounds are broken down into simpler metabolites which are then transferred to different parts of the body via the blood.
This makes the digestive system a major player in our well-being. If the digestive parts do not function properly it can affect the other parts of the body as a consequence.
Food allergies are a serious problem that can cause a number of health complications. Sometimes untreated allergies can grow to become chronic illnesses. Hence early testing and identification of the cause of allergy are important.
Food allergy tests are methods used by naturopaths to determine the causative agent for the allergy and cure the illness.
What is a food allergy?
Food allergies are physiological responses of the body towards certain nutrients and components. This is a kind of immune response against certain substances. These are generally rapid and quick-reacting responses. It can cause swelling, itching, rashes, disturbance in bowel movements and even anaphylaxis.
Like other allergic responses, food allergies are also mediated by the antibody, IgE. Another antibody that can cause allergic responses to ingested particles is IgG. Although IgG response is not considered true allergies it can cause serious health issues like diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and inflammation.
What are the symptoms of food allergy?
Food allergies can be as mild as a temporary sneeze to life-threatening asthma. The signs of this allergy cover a wide range. The most common symptoms of these allergies are:
- Hives
- Itchy throat
- Anaphylaxis
- Swelling of body
- Skin problems
- Irritable bowel movement
Sometimes when left untreated and if taken in excess the symptoms can become severe and can have chronic consequences. These can be:
- Asthma
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Eczema
- Obesity
The level of intensity of the problem can depend on several factors including the cause of the allergy, the degree of exposure to the allergen and the susceptibility of the person to the allergen.
How does a naturopath do allergy testing?
Naturopaths use a variety of techniques to analyse and determine the allergen causing the problem.
- Diet elimination: This is a very simple and safe method to determine the causative agent. In this technique, all the potential allergenic substances are removed from the diet of the patient.
The patient is allowed to continue this diet for 7 to 10 weeks during which he analyses his symptoms and checks his health condition. If the symptoms get reduced it means the allergen was not present in the current diet.
After this is the determining phase. In this phase, each product that was eliminated is reintroduced into the diet, but one at a time. This continues until the symptoms reappear after the ingestion of a certain product.
The product that caused the reappearance of the signs is the allergen. While this process is quite easy it is highly time-consuming and even after several trials sometimes the exact allergen remains undetected. Hence it doe not hold much diagnostic value.
- Testing for IgG sensitivity: This technique is effective for determining food sensitivity. In this method, a naturopath usually performs a finger-prick blood test to detect the presence of the immunoglobulin G.
The presence of this antibody in the bloodstream means that the patient might be sensitive to a certain product. For further determination of the allergen, he might suggest going for a scratch, patch or RAST test.
- Electrodermal testing: This is another allergy testing method that has proved to be quite effective and accurate. Naturopaths use this method to test for sensitivity to allergens. I
n this technique, The patient is given a machine and is instructed to hold it. Then certain food items are applied to a dermal area of the skin and the body’s reaction to those items is analysed by the machine.
The device detects the brain’s electrical signals in response to the product and determines the resistance of the skin. The most significant advantage of this technique is that it is painless hence best suited for children.
Also, the patient does not have to consume the product and even without consuming it the results provided are quite accurate. The only drawback is its background literature. The health system is not yet well versed in this technique and hence a lot of opportunities are yet to be discovered for the enhancement of this process.
What is the difference between food allergy and sensitivity?
Food allergies are caused due to an immune response against ingested particles that the body mistakenly recognises as harmful foreign particles. The response is mediated by IgE and a blood test for detecting the presence of immunoglobulin E is performed for this.
Food sensitivity, on the other hand, is a less severe immune and temporary response to products. It is mediated by immunoglobulin G. Neuropathy usually conducts a finger prick blood test for the identification of antibody IgG.
In medical science allergy is more severe and if left untreated can lead to serious chronic illnesses.
My vital health solution is a leading Melbourne naturopath that offers the most reliable and efficient health solutions. We use the latest scientific methods for allergy testing providing the most accurate results while also providing the best naturopathic care.
Be sure to check out our website for more details and feel free to contact us for any queries.