News from Heights of Health

Second to emotional stress, food allergy and intolerance cause the most notable and preventable negative effects on our bodies. Many people are unaware of the food allergies they may possess because they do not have outwardly noticeable reactions such as the commonly known anaphylaxis caused by a tiny amount of peanut exposure. With food intolerances, on the other hand, long term exposure to large amounts of a particular food build up to initiate production of histamine, causing excessive mucus production, smooth muscle contraction, nerve irritation, and general inflammation. These intolerances put a person at risk of developing diseases with high rates of morbidity, such as adult onset diabetes in childhood and heart disease.

So why are we seeing these food allergies and food intolerances increase now as never before? Although some intolerances are related to inherited enzyme deficiencies, many new factors now play a role. The food in industrialized countries, produced commercially, contains added chemicals from pesticides, fertilizers and hormones. Add to that the general processing of otherwise healthy foods and the human body is faced with a tidal wave of new enemies it has to deal with every day. The gut barrier has also been compromised by a host of other factors such as hormones from birth control substances, cortisone (internal and/or topical), antibiotics, infection and dysbiosis (an unhealthy imbalance in the intestines).

The correlation between the advent of junk food and the increase in food/chemical sensitivities and a dramatic rise in degenerative diseases is quite obvious, but the reaction of the medical community tends to be to treat the symptoms, not the cause. More chemicals are prescribed. In some cases, food allergy tests are administered. Serum tests (skin or RAST) are only effective in detecting classical allergies because they are associated with exposure. The ALCAT Blood Test, on the other hand, measures the effect of the food substance on the cells on the innate immune system and shows a good correlation with clinical symptoms.

Although the techniques we use at Heights of Health, such as CORE analysis, are effective for relating known symptoms to an underlying sensitivity to a food or chemical, the ALCAT test goes beyond answering "Why is this occurring?" and gives us a heads up on developing and yet unknown health issues. It can be an eye into the future. The test is available in differing levels and helps us focus on items to work with that may not have been readily available to us through other methods. Fortunately, it is a simple test that can often be covered, at least in part, by insurance. We recommend this test to everyone who wants to protect themselves from degenerative disease. Call today for more information on how to get your ALCAT test.