The concept of an allergy was first introduced in 1906 by an Austrian physician and was intended to mean an altered reaction in the body to some harmless substance. It has been estimated that approximately 20% of the US population suffers from allergies and 54% of the population will show a positive skin test to at least one allergen. The “true” food allergy rarely occurs, affecting less than 5% of the general population in the US. However, what is far more common are reactions to foods and chemicals with reactions called intolerances or sensitivities where symptoms are delayed a few days and are less severe than true food allergies. It is estimated that 30-60% of the US population is intolerant to one or more foods. Both food allergies and food intolerances or sensitivities involve the immune system and cause symptoms and will be used interchangeably.

Symptoms involving food and chemical sensitivities can be extremely diverse and be related to nearly any symptom imaginable. These food and chemical intolerance can manifest in a wide range of fluctuating degrees. Sometimes a food-intolerant person will have a good day and be symptom-free, and other days he or she will be totally incapacitated by ill health. This fluctuation of food and chemical intolerances and the severity of symptoms can be related to multiple mechanisms such as how much of a food or chemical someone is exposed to, the state of their digestive health, detoxification abilities, exercise, and the presence of airborne related pollen. Stress can also cause high cortisol levels and destroy intestinal lining allowing for undigested food molecules to be absorbed and trigger symptoms.

COMMON FOOD AND CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY SYMPTOMS
Some of the more common food and chemical sensitivity symptoms involve the following:

COMMON ALLERGIC FOODS
The most common foods people are sensitive to include wheat, barley, beef, rye, dairy, chocolate, citrus, seafood, eggs, coffee, nuts (peanuts), tea , soy and tomatoes. Click to Download Our Food and Chemical Sensitivity Survey

CELIAC DISEASE
Celiac disease refers to someone who is affected by gluten. It is an autoimmune disorder and affects nearly one in every hundred people. Unfortunately, 97 percent of people with this very common disease remain undiagnosed and untreated. Celiac disease may be responsible for ADHD, autoimmune disorders, cancer, depression, reflux, thyroid disorders, obesity and osteoporosis. Gluten is part of wheat, barley, rye and other grains and may be detrimental to your health.

If you are suffering from a weight problem, a painful condition, or a chronic illness, food and chemical sensitivity testing may help to address an underlying cause of your problem. People suffering with autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s Thyroditis, PCOS, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance/Irritable Bowel Syndrome should be also be tested. Each person has their own unique food and chemical sensitivities and Dr. Fred Arnold utilizes state of the art ALCAT Testing methods to recognize foods, molds, and chemicals that may be related to each patient’s symptom complex and individual condition. Based upon the results of these tests an individualized treatment plan is developed to alleviate each patient’s condition. Numerous testimonials support the benefits of the ALCAT Test.

We believe Hippocrates was right over 2,500 years ago when he said
"Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food."