Blood Test
for Delayed Food Hypersensitivities
by Barbara D. Allan
Author of Conquering Arthritis
Delayed Food Hypersensitivities and Arthritis
Food allergies are one of the major underlying causes of arthritis.
The type of food allergies that cause arthritis are technically called delayed food hypersensitivities. They can be difficult to identify because they take 24 and sometimes as much as 36 hours to show up after eating a problem food.
There is no single food or single list of foods that cause arthritis. The list differs from person to person. That is why everyone must be individually tested.
One of the keys to healing arthritis, therefore, is knowing exactly what foods you personally need to avoid.
The ALCAT Test
When I wrote the book Conquering Arthritis the only reliable way I knew to test for delayed food hypersensitivities was elimination of all possible problem foods either through fasting or through a very limited hypoallergenic diet and then testing by selective reintroduction. This still works and I still recommend it, but since then I have also discovered a blood test that is an even better place to start.
The name of the test is the ALCAT test. The ALCAT can screen for sensitivity reactions against any of a hundred or so common foods, many food additives and chemicals in our environment.
Bottom line: This test gives you a huge head start in your healing process. Even in the rare event that you have no food sensitivities, you will know for sure that you don't and can stop wasting your time and effort wondering if food sensitivities are contributing to your problems.
My New Food Sensitivity Testing Recommendation
I still highly recommend fasting because of the healing it initiates all on its own, totally apart from using it to identify food sensitivities, but if you have the $600 or so (including blood draw) that the ALCAT test costs, I highly recommend it as well. This is because it is such an easy way to screen for many substances, all at once. It takes so much of the guesswork and time consuming trial and error out of sensitivity testing.
You can even test for sensitivity to many environmental chemicals that you would never want to voluntarily expose yourself to.
I recommend buying the Comprehensive II test panel. It costs $549. It tests for:
- 150 foods
- 10 food additives
- 10 food colorings
- 10 environmental chemicals
- 20 types of mold.
If you are actively taking anti-inflammatory drugs you might also want to be tested with the 10 Anti-inflammatory Agents Panel.
The ALCAT company made a special test panel they are calling the “Barbara Allan” panel. This panel tests for everything in the Comprehensive II w/150 foods test plus these ten anti-inflammatory drugs:
- Advil/Motrin
- Aleve
- Asprin
- Clinoril
- Dolobid
- Feldene
- Indocin
- Penicillamine
- Tylenol
- Voltaren
If you are tested, you will know if you have an adverse reaction to any of these drugs.
Once You Have Ordered
Alcat will ship your test kit to you using FedEx. You can then go to any LabCorp location in the United States and for $35 have your blood drawn for the test. Alternatively for $55 ALCAT will send someone to your home or office to draw your blood for the test. (Many physicians will also draw the blood for you, if you make prior arrangements with them.)
If you live outside of the United States, call the ALCAT folks to see what is available in your area: (954) 426-2304.
Once you have had the blood draw, it takes a couple weeks to get your result back. Good educational materials included with the test results to help you know how to best use the results.
Website Special
Buy the ALCAT test through the links below and I will provide a free 30-minute phone consultation in which I help you understand your ALCAT test results and what they mean in terms of healing your arthritis.
Comprehensive II $547
Barbara Allan Test Panel (Comprehensive II plus 10 anti-inflammatory agents) $647
Insurance Coverage
Will your insurance cover the cost of an ALCAT test?
Yes, certain insurance policies will pay for all or part of Alcat testing.
Enter you name and email address below and I will gladly send you information on how to pre-verify whether your insurance covers the Alcat test:
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