The ALCAT test is a food sensitivity test that is used to determine which foods in your diet may be responsible for a number of troubling symptoms that have been hard to diagnose. We offer this test to help our patients achieve a healthier lifestyle by avoiding foods that may be responsible for symptoms that can diminish health and quality of life.
What Are the Symptoms of Food Intolerance?
Food intolerance should not be confused with allergies. Allergies are very specific immune responses to foods that trigger a regular, predictable result. The immune system responds, triggering a severe immune response to the harmless food or other object. The immune response can lead to serious consequences, including closure of the airway and death. In oral health, we know that the body’s response to bacteria in gum disease is actually more damaging than the bacteria themselves.
But food intolerances lead to much subtler responses, and may not always be exactly the same. The response is erratic in part because foods are rarely encountered in exactly the same configuration. Often there are different herbs, spices, or other ingredients present that may be causing other intolerance responses.
Common examples of symptoms related to food intolerance include:
Headache
Rashes
Digestive discomfort
Diarrhea
Obesity
Weight gain or inability to lose weight
Symptoms can occur hours or even days after exposure to intolerant foods.
How Does the ALCAT Test Work?
ALCAT stands for antigen leukocyte antibody test. In this test, your white blood cells are exposed to various different foods to see which of these foods trigger a reaction. How your cells respond to the test shows whether you have an intolerance for a particular food. In addition to food particles, the test may include various common household substances, including medicines and medicinal herbs.
Once sensitivities have been identified, a custom diet can be designed that will help you reduce or eliminate the foods that you are sensitive to.
We offer ALCAT testing to help our patients in River Edge and surrounding areas to develop a comprehensive approach to living well. To learn more about the role of ALCAT testing in maintaining oral and general health, please call for an appointment at River Edge Dental, New Jersey’s center for TMJ, sleep apnea, & reconstructive dentistry.
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