Oh no, bloating, again!? If your normally flat stomach becomes distended by evening, or you joke about your “bloat baby” even though you’re not pregnant, you might be experiencing food sensitivities or intolerances. While this isn’t “supposed” to happen when you’re only eating healthy foods all day, it’s pretty common.
All Too Common
We’ve all experienced weird, unexplained, and even scary changes in our bodies that miraculously resolve in a matter of hours or days. How do we explain these mini-medical mysteries? Well, there’s a good chance your body was telling you it didn’t agree with something you ate. Having one or more food sensitivities is extremely common.
The million dollar question becomes: what was that food item? How would you test it to know? Is it a food sensitivity or an intolerance? And what’s the difference between the two anyway? Or maybe, you’re one of the many people who has a spinach or cucumber bacteria but don’t know it. And every time you eat these seemingly healthy foods, your gut rebels due to this silent and sneaky bug!
The Different Between Food Sensitivity and Food Intolerance
Food sensitivity involves the immune system: mechanisms like IgG, IgM, IgA, and as many as 100 immune mediators. Sensitivities are difficult to pinpoint because of their often delayed responses. After eating a “trigger,” the symptoms could present anytime in a 72-hour window. Symptoms may include: stubborn weight loss, sinus symptoms and congestion, low energy, hives and rashes, joint pain, and more. Inflammation and gut health are big factors when it comes to food sensitivities and healing. Furthermore, food sensitivity tests are often inaccurate, and flag foods you eat often (not necessarily foods to which you’re truly sensitive). Confusing, huh? You MUST read this article!
Food intolerance involves the digestive system and is likely due to enzyme deficiencies. If the body lacks an enzyme normally required to break down a particular food, it leads to digestive-type symptoms. Symptoms of food intolerances include: gas, bloating, diarrhea – you get the picture! These symptoms typically show up pretty soon after eating the food. Intolerances generally do not require testing and are usually easy to pinpoint. If you’re still not positive which foods cause you discomfort, a simple “food and digestive symptoms diary” could help you identify the culprits.
If you’re interested in food sensitivity testing but don’t know where to start, don’t worry! You might not love what you hear, but we have one reliable test we like.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of these links and make a purchase, 131 Method will earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Here are 5 food sensitivity tests, broken down and explained
|
Review of 5 Food Tolerance Tests |
||
| Test |
Cost |
Comparison |
| Elimination diet | Free | Pros:
– Considered the gold standard for identifying food sensitivities – Most economic choice – You know your body Cons: -No professional guidance – Requires strict adherence – A degree of guesswork – Longer process |
| Mediator Release Test (MRT) |
$300-$600 Range dependent on whether you order from a Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT) or without a practitioner |
Pros:
-Tests 170 different foods and food chemicals -Measures response to all non-IgE mediated reactions -Support available from CLT to guide you through proper elimination and reintroduction protocol ** -Reproducibility Cons: -Only accessible in countries that can ship overnight to Florida or Poland -Protocol requires strict dedication and discipline |
| EverlyWell | $159 | Pros:
-Tests roughly 100 different foods -Can order directly through the website -Most economic -Very user-friendly Cons: -Measures only IgG mediated reactions -False positives and false negatives are common -Results not reproducible -Not available in some states -Only email guidance included with results |
| Genova | Not listed on website | Pros:
-Measures IgG mediated reactions and IgE (food allergies) -Tests 87 different foods with optional additional add-ons -Individualized elimination diet information included Cons: -False positives and false negatives are common -Results not reproducible -Must be ordered by a physician |
| Viome |
$149 (with specials as low as $124) (use link provided for discount) |
Pros:
-Non-invasive collection methods (fecal) -Can order directly -Uses Metatranscriptomic analysis (the technology that makes the resulting information available to us) -Metatranscriptomic analysis allows for the detection of all living organisms (bacteria, archaea, viruses, phages, yeast, fungi, mold, parasites) -Measures at the highest resolution (strain level) -Correlates microbes and their functions with chronic conditions so actionable steps can be made Cons: -Ideally this test is run monthly, or several times per year to gauge improvements based on feedback provided |
Are food sensitivity tests worth it?
That truly depends on the individual. The elimination diet is pretty good (and free) at identifying food sensitivities. But engaging in your own elimination diet requires time, dedication, and strict adherence over an extended period of time. Some people truly enjoy the process because it increases self-awareness and the ability to recognize symptoms that appear after consuming certain foods. Often, people end up working with a provider such as an integrative Registered Dietitian or Naturopath to guide them through a proper elimination and reintroduction protocol.
What if you want answers fast?
A food sensitivity test (and we only recommend one- Viome) might be your best bet. With any food sensitivity test, preventing future issues requires adherence to eliminating triggers, as well as focusing on gut health and inflammation. Working with a provider, like a CLT, helps you reintroduce foods safely, and includes therapeutic approaches to healing.
Phase it Up by 131 Method contains extensive deep-dive education on food sensitivities, food intolerances, and food allergies. The 131 Method helps you figure out which foods might be causing those painful, embarrassing and, undesired symptoms. To learn more, head into the program and straight into Club!
**To find a Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT) in your area, use HealthProfs.com. There’s an entire database dedicated to connecting you with Dietitians that have the CLT certification. All you need to do it enter your city or zip code!
