ALCAT testing
Are hidden food allergies making you fat—
or sick and tired?

• Have you tried everything to lose weight, but those unwanted pounds won't budge?
• Do you have chronic fatigue, bloating or abdominal pain, but all your test results come back normal?
• Do you tend to eat the same foods every day?

You could be suffering from hidden food allergies.

Deborah Hartman, RN, MSN, CNM
talks about hidden food allergies

You might think you don't have food allergies if you don't have any immediate reaction to the foods you're eating. But food sensitivities can cause many chronic health conditions, including:

• Weight gain
• Aching joints
• Chronic fatigue
• Thyroid disorders
• Osteoarthritis
• Migraine headaches
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Eczema and other skin conditions
• Depression and anxiety
• Bloating and abdominal pain

ALCAT testing identifies your hidden food allergies

To help you find out which foods, additives and medications you're sensitive to, SUBTLchanges offers ALCAT testing. ALCAT stands for Antigen Leukocyte Cellular Antibody Test.

This test has been offered on six continents for more than 20 years. ALCAT is unlike standard allergy tests because it measures the reactivity of your white blood cells.

Which foods and substances does ALCAT include?

The platinum-level ALCAT test measures your sensitivity to:

• 200 foods
• 20 food additives and colorings
• 20 molds
• 20 pharmaco-active agents
• 10 environmental chemicals
• 10 antibiotics
• 10 anti-inflammatory agents

ALCAT testing also shows whether you have a reaction to candida albicans (yeast) and if you are sensitive to gluten, or to caseine and whey, which are milk proteins.

What do white blood cells have to do
with food allergies?

When you consume foods, additives or medications you're sensitive to, your white blood cells go on the attack. Research has even shown a connection between food sensitivities and autoimmune disease. In essence, your body is attacking itself when you eat these inflammation-causing foods and substances.

Are all allergies created equal?

No. ALCAT will identify your mild, moderate and severe intolerances. And you will get a plan to gradually reintroduce the foods to which you're sensitive.

You will also get a list of your safe foods, which fortunately is usually way longer than the other lists.

Can eating the same foods every day lead to food allergies?

Yes. The very thing you're eating a lot of is usually the thing you're sensitive to. That's why it's important to vary your diet. Don't eat the same thing every day.

Could I be allergic to something
in my health supplements?

Yes—especially if you've been taking the same supplement for a long time. All those supplements you've been spending your money on could be poisoning you.

For example, I was taking a $65/month supplement with aloe vera in it for four years—and my ALCAT test found that I have a moderate reaction to aloe vera. I probably sensitized myself to it by taking it twice a day for so long. I also found that I have a severe intolerance to fluoride.

If I'm allergic to a food, do I have to give it up forever?

In most cases, no, unless you have a severe intolerance. Your ALCAT eating plan will recommend that you stay away from the offending foods for a certain amount of time; then you can start rotating them back into your diet.

• For your mild intolerances, you should stay away for three months.
• For moderate intolerances, you should abstain for three to six months.
• For severe intolerances, you should not eat those foods for six to nine months.

What happens to my body when I stay away from the offending foods?

Remember, your white blood cells are what is making you intolerant to certain foods and substances. White blood cells have a memory—and a life span. The key is to avoid the offending foods for enough time that the white blood cells that remember those foods have died.

The white blood cells don't all die at once—they die at different rates. But all of the white blood cells being formed today should be dead in three months.

What happens if I have just a little bit
of an offending food?

For the ALCAT program to work, you can't say, “Oh, I'll have just a little bit of corn”—or whatever offending food—because those white blood cells will remember.

Can I have as much of those foods as I want
after three months?

No. After three months, you can start rotating your mildly intolerant foods back into your diet. But you can't have them any more often than every four days, because you don't want to build up another sensitivity to them. After three months, you should only reintroduce one food at a time so you can observe for any old symptoms.

How can I deal with not having foods like wheat or dairy products?

It does take motivation and self-discipline—but the rewards are worth it! Whole Foods has a wide array of replacement foods, such as gluten-free baked goods, rice milk and almond milk to help you enjoy the foods you love while staying on your eating plan.

Also, restaurants including Carrabba's Italian Grill and Chili's have special menus for people with allergies.