Food Sensitivity Testing

We offer Meridian Valley Lab FoodSafe food allergy testing to check how your body reacts to the foods you eat. It uses ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) testing to check your blood for antibodies that your body may be making to specific foods. The Food Safe profiles focus on detecting delayed type hypersensitivities (IgG4 antibodies). Foods that can be problematic for you result in higher levels of these antibodies in your blood.

WOULDN'T I ALREADY KNOW IF I HAVE A FOOD ALLERGY?

When we think of food allergy, we tend to think of someone who eats a food, such as strawberries, and breaks out in a rash or has difficulty breathing. This type of immediate hypersensitivity reaction is what most people think of when they hear food allergy. It is only one type of food allergy, and not even the most common type. Most food allergies are the delayed hypersensitivity type in which symptoms appear anywhere from hours to days after eating the offending food. If the food is one that you eat frequently, the repeated exposure can lead to a constant level of symptoms that begins to seem "normal." You may not even realize that you could feel much better than you do.

CAN I BE ALLERGIC TO SOMETHING I EAT ALL THE TIME?

It is very common for people to be allergic to foods they eat frequently. Often a person will find the foods they crave they most are the very ones causing their symptoms. There are a number of reasons for this. When faced with a challenge, such as a food you are allergic to, your body produces higher levels of stress hormones. These stress hormones may give you a temporary boost in energy and effectiveness that can mask symptoms. This fuels cravings for the very foods that are causing your symptoms. The high levels of stress hormones can lead to other problems.

According to James Breneman, MD, former chairman of the Food Allergy Committee of the American College of Allergy, approximately 60% of all diagnosed symptoms are due to underlying food allergies. By eating the foods that do work for you, you can experience new levels of vitality and optimism as well as eliminate symptoms that may have been plaguing you for years.