And The Results Are In…..

This will be more of a “serious” post than what you’re used to reading here at my blog.  If you’ve been following me along for the past 3-ish years, you’ll probably remember me complaining from time to time of feeling “full”, “heavy” or “bloated” after eating certain foods.  Most likely apples, pears, artificial sweeteners or pasta of any kind.  About a year ago I underwent food allergy testing and testing for Celiac Disease, all of which came back negative.  While this was certainly a HUGE relief, it still left me at a loss as to what I was eating to make me feel so uncomfortable (aside from the foods listed above; I’ve been avoiding those for a good year or more).  

A month or so ago I was chatting with a friend at work who had been suffering from the same symptoms as myself.  Through the naturopathic clinic she’s been going to, she learned of a blood test done to test for food sensitivities.    She told me the test could either be done in office or bought and brought home to do.  Needless to say, I was ALL OVER this information!  One phone call and a short drive later, I was in possession of the at home kit.   The test itself was very simple to do; use the lancer provided to prick my finger, fill 5 “circles” on a card with blood making sure to fill each completely, let dry overnight, pack into plastic baggie (also provided) and mail to the lab.  Easy stuff! 

This past week my results were sent back to me.   The “specimen” was tested against the most common types of foods, which are listed by category.    The three columns are listed as LOW, MODERATE and AVOID.  Then the foods are listed by category  This is how it looks: What you see here is the “dairy” section of my test.  Thankfully none of the foods tested fell into the “AVOID” category, but there were more than what I expected to see under “MODERATE”.  The clinic suggests eliminating the moderate foods for 4-6 months, then slowly introducing them back into my diet determine the foods that my system can’t handle. 
I’ll give you the run down of these foods, listed as highest to lowest in terms of my sensitivities.  Let’s start with the dairy shown above;
-mozzarella
-cheddar
-Swiss
-American cheese
-cottage cheese (just slightly over the “limit”)
Meats
-egg whites
Grains
-gliadin**
-gluten
-barley
-wheat
-malt
-oats
-corn
Shellfish
-clams
-oysters
-shrimp
Nuts
-pecans
-sesame seeds
-walnuts
Fruits
-watermelon
-plum
-pear
-apricot
-avocado
-nectarine
-blueberry
-cranberry
-papaya
-peach
-pineapple
-raspberry
Vegetables
-celery
-kidney beans
-green beans
-beets
-black olives
-broccoli
-onion
-cabbage
-lima bean
-spinach
Misc
-cane sugar
-baker’s yeast
-brewer’s yeast
-honey
**I’m good with all fish**
The one single item I tested highest for was gliadin**.  Gliadin proteins comprise one of the two main protein groups in gluten. Therefore, foods that contain gluten, also contain gliadin proteins.
(Source)
CRAP!  Gluten was the one item I really hoped did NOT show up on the test!  I’ve never been a huge “carb” type of gal, but I didn’t want to have to worry about my favourites….like oats and barley.  But it is what it is and feeling good day in and out is more important to me.  What really bites is that I just stocked up on all my American goodies just over a week ago: Lots of oats, cereal and honey.  :( 

So what’s the plan?  Ultimately I will be staying away from the recommended foods.   I will not, however, be throwing away what I have in my pantry.  I’ll be giving some to family, and consuming a few of my favourites sporadically until they’re gone.  My (beloved) oats will be replaced with gluten free oats, and I will be upping my quinoa, millet and rice consumption which won’t be difficult at all.   I’m bummed about the fruits and veggies, but most are close to being out of season anyways.  At the end of the day I’m looking forward to feeling 100% consistently.   When I get to that point I’ll know it was all worth it!

Have you heard of or even had this type of testing done?  Any feelings positive or negative surrounding the topic?    I look forward to hearing your thoughts, experiences, suggestions, etc.

Thanks for reading!  I know this post wasn’t typical for me and lengthy to boot, but the blogging community has such a wealth of experiences and information; I just had to share!  :)
Bye for now!!