Should I Get Tested for Food Allergies?
It’s officially the holiday season and people are buying gifts, decorating trees, visiting Santa Clause (from a 6-foot distance, of course), and most of all, people are eating… a lot. The holiday season is a time where families get together and recreate grandma’s famous lasagna from scratch. They try out a new dessert recipe they found online and spend the afternoon with the children making gingerbread cookies.
But what happens when Aunt Gwen brings a delicious pecan pie to the Christmas party and cousin Jamie takes a bite but is unaware she is allergic to tree nuts? Food allergy testing is so important especially during the holidays – you never know what you’re allergic to until you get a negative reaction. A reaction to food allergies may cause you to experience nausea, eczema, an itchy mouth, a swelling face, tongue, or lips, and trouble breathing, among other side effects.
Here at Cherokee Customs Rx, we also provide Food Sensitivity Testing to provide patients insight on which foods may trigger an immune response or inflammation in their bodies. Food sensitivities are much harder to detect because they are sometimes less serious, however, they can cause uncomfortable bloating and lasting gut problems.
Food Allergy Testing Technology
We use the minimally invasive US BioTek 144 Food Panel Test which consists of a simple finger prick, so no need to worry about a blood draw. The 144 Food Panel tests for antibody reactivity across a wide array of culturally-diverse foods to help identify which foods trigger a negative reaction in the body. Typically, the results come back in about 5 business days. If the test depicts a food allergy or sensitivity in a patient, our pharmacy can help patients navigate through the results and provide assistance and advice on how to heal their gut.
Which Food Allergies Do We Test for?
There are so many tasty foods in the world. But not knowing which foods are causing your body to become ill can directly damage your overall health. Below is a chart of trigger foods we test patients for:
| Dairy | Casein, Cheddar Cheese, Cow’s Milk, Goat’s Milk, Whey |
| Fish/Shellfish | Anchovy, Catfish, Clam, Cod, Crab, Halibut, Lobster, Mackerel, Mussel, Octopus, Oyster, Red Snapper, Salmon, Sardine, Scallop, Shrimp, Sole, Squid, Tilapia, Trout, Tuna |
| Grains/Legumes/Nuts | Almond, Barley, Brazil Nut, Buckwheat, Cashew Nut, Chestnut, Chickpea, Coconut, Corn, Gliadin (Wheat), Gluten (Wheat), Green Bean, Green Pea, Hazelnut, Kidney Bean, Lentil, Lima Bean, Macadamia Nut, Malt, Millet, Oat, Peanut, Pecan, Pine Nut, Pinto Bean, Pistachio Nut, Quinoa, Rye, Soybean, Spelt, Walnut, Wheat (Whole), White Rice |
| Fruits | Apple, Apricot, Banana, Blueberry, Cantaloupe, Cherry, Cranberry, Date, Fig, Grapefruit, Grape, Guava, Jackfruit, Kiwi, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Olive, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Persimmon, Pineapple, Plum, Raspberry, Strawberry, Watermelon |
| Meat/Poultry | Beef, Chicken, Duck, Goose, Lamb, Pork, Rabbit, Turkey |
| Egg | Egg White (Chicken), Egg Yolk (Chicken), Egg Whole, Duck |
| Misc/Herbs/Spices | Baker’s / Brewer’s Yeast, Basil, Black Pepper, Black Tea, Button Mushroom, Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Cocoa Bean (Chocolate), Coffee Bean, Coriander, Curry Powder, Fennel Seed, Flaxseed, Ginger, Honey, Hops, Mustard, Oregano, Parsley, Peppermint, Sesame Seed, Sunflower Seed, Vanilla |
| Vegetables | Artichoke, Asparagus, Avocado, Beet, Broccoli / Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Eggplant, Garlic, Green, Bell Pepper, Lettuce, Onion, Pumpkin, Spinach, Sweet Potato, Tomato, White Potato |
| Candida Screen | Candida Albicans |
How You Can Prevent Unwanted Allergic Reactions to Food
The best way to prevent allergic reactions to any food is to get tested for food allergies and sensitivities. Once you are aware of which foods cause your immune system to gear up for battle, you can avoid these foods to keep your body, and possibly even your life, safe.
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of the peace of mind that comes with knowing which food triggers an unfavorable reaction in your body with Cherokee Custom Rx’s food allergy testing.
