Food Sensitivities Testing is not as same as a typical Food Allergy Test (scratch test) that you might have done at your allergist’s office. The major difference between Food Allergy and Food Sensitivities is the onset of symptoms. A food sensitivity test is a blood test that examines your immune system’s response to a wide variety of foods and chemicals.
The Difference between Food Allergy and Food Sensitivities
Food Allergy (IgE): Food Allergy is much more easily diagnosed because its onset is faster, from immediate to 1 hour after ingestion. 
This is IgE reaction. Onset is within a minute. Very rapid onset and the duration is brief within hours, not days. It is the mast cell in the immune system is triggering the allergy which is closely related to “histamine reaction” you might have heard of the name. Because of the dramatic response like swelling of the lips or hives, you are very aware and remember what happened after you eat certain foods or use the products. The typical symptoms are swelling, itching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, airway obstruction and might see blood pressure drops. This is the test (skin prick test) you get at your allergist. With Food Sensitivities, delayed reactions manifest in many different ways, can affect any organ system in the body, and can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 72 hours to become apparent. That means you may have a symptom, like a migraine headache, on Tuesday afternoon, caused by the meal you ate at Sunday brunch. This “delayed response” is why food sensitivities are often misdiagnosed, or go completely undiagnosed.
Food Sensitivity (often IgG): Immunologic reaction to food. Food Allergy is IgE, but in Food Sensitivity there are multiple mechanisms: white blood cells, IgG, IgM, C3, and C4. IgG-mediated delayed hypersensitivity” is very common. Gluten Sensitivity is IgG which is hard to find out because the onset of symptoms is a couple of hour to 72 hours later and the persistence of antibody is 28 days so that it is very important to eliminate the food for 28 days to find the particular food is causing your sensitivity or not. Body organs affected with Food Allergies are limited to airways, skin, gastrointestinal tract and are often acute, whereas, in Food Sensitivity, any organ system in the body can be affected and are often chronic (though sometimes acute with a histamine response. In order to break down the gluten, you digested required 12 different kinds of enzymes to break down gliadin properly into the amino acid which ended up the undigested gluten molecules in the digestive system increases the intestinal permeability in the gut. The treatments prescribed (for undiagnosed food sensitivities) usually provide only temporary relief that masks the symptoms instead of addressing the root cause of the problem.
Food Intolerance: Similar to food sensitivity but the difference is the cause of Food intolerance. Malabsorption due to the lack of bile production, pancreatic enzymes (especially needed for breaking down protein), or Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) production in the stomach (* it was my problem).
Food Sensitivity Test for IgG – delayed sensitivity – explained.
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: I had gluten sensitivity and casein to A1 milk (from Holstein cows) sensitivity for many years or I was born with and I did not know about it since Japan uses different wheat and A2 milk from Jersey cows. I could not put the pieces together the gluten is the root cause even though I use to write a migraine and period notebook. It was difficult to pinpoint what was causing severe migraine headache but once I realized that gluten might be the root cause, I eliminated for 4 weeks, my migraine headache has never come back. As I wrote on My Story page, I reacted to the “modern hybridized wheat contain the higher level of toxic 33-ner gliadin peptide”grown in the U.S., but not the wheat is grown in France or other few countries do not use GMO (chemicals/pesticides like glyphosate) to make the hybridized wheat. I was not aware I have the food sensitivity to wheat because I have no problem eating gluten contained food when I went back to Japan. Japan is one of the countries that strictly avoid importing GMO contained food. No wonder… After a few trips back to Japan with my husband, he said: “why you do not have a migraine headache when you are in Japan?” He had a good point. Isn’t it tricky to find the real cause of IgG sensitivity? I met many patients from Iceland, Ireland, Morocco, France, etc… their complaints are similar to mine. Looking back, my migraine headache started when I came to the U.S. in 1987. Yes, many years of suffering but I am glad I found the root cause. If you are like me having a similar gluten issue, you may order the comprehensive version of 23&me online and plug the data into true report.com ($29-) from Metabolic Healing. You will get detailed genetic information.
Gluten Sensitivity & Your Brain Health written by Dr. David Jockers: This is great articles with many charts. Please take a look at it to learn more about Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
Lactose Intolerance: Non-immunologic reaction to Lactose (sugar) in dairy. Lactose Intolerance is very common. You just not feeling well or mucously after you eat dairy. Again, this is the delayed symptom of IgG means you may eat a piece of cheesy pizza at lunch but you wake up in the middle of the night to spit up mucus. Treatment will avoid dairy and substitute with non-dairy foods. If you are going to eat out and you might be eating the dairy contained meal, you may take lactase enzyme pills with the meal. It will subside the symptoms otherwise wake you up to the middle of the night or stomach pain.
To learn more about the difference between Food ALLERGY and Food SENSITIVITIES, please visit here.
Phenol Intolerance: Do you get a headache or stomachache after eating pasta dish with tomato sauce or a few slices of orange? You go to see your PCP. Very likely you will get the referral to see GI doctor might do the scan and could not find anything. You will get a prescription of Proton Inhibitor drug to reduce the acid in the stomach. The GI doctor will refer you to see the neurologist see why you are getting a headache. You might get the prescription and get the shot in the nape of the neck to stop the headache to occur but you still get headache and stomachache. If it is you, you might read this article “Phenol Intolerance” written by a clinical nutritionist, Lindsay. Phenol Intolerance symptoms are Rhinitis, Hives, Eczema, Gut inflammation, Mood Swings, Blood Sugar dysregulation, Headaches or Migraines, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Tinnitus, Irritability, Restlessness, Irregular Heartbeat, Asthma, Joint Pain and Arthritis. The foods VERY HIGH in Phenols are Apricots, berry fruits, grapes, orange, plum, pineapple, rockmelon, all dried fruit, dates, prunes, raisins, all jams, jellies, fruits juices, olive, radish, tomato, all tomato-based foods, baked beans, herbs and spices, white vinegar, Worcester sauce, tea, peppermint tea, rum, and liqueurs. High categories – granny smith apples, gala apples, cherries, lychee, mandarin, peach, tangerine, alfalfa sprouts, broad beans, broccoli, cucumber, eggplant, spinach, watercress, honey marmite, vegemite, coffee, wine, port wine, and fruit teas.
Histamine Intolerance: Histamine-Rich Foods and Substances to see if you have Histamine reaction as well.
Lectin Intolerance: Lectin is another one that confuses people what they are reacting to. This is the food high in Lectin. The foods high in Lectins are Red kidney beans, unfermented soybean products, corn, corn-fed meats, casein (protein) from A1 Milk from Holliston cows (the U.S. cows), peanuts, Nightshade fruits and vegetables (eggplants, bell peppers, goji berries, tomatoes, potatoes), Gourd family fruits and vegetables (squash, pumpkin, and zucchini), out of season fruit, legumes, and WHEAT. Sprouting, Fermenting or using a pressure cooker are the way to get lectin to be neutralized. “Here is the article about how to reduce lectins in your diet” – Joseph Mercola DO and “Are Lectins bad for you?” by Rachael Link. The signs of Lectin Intolerance are Bloating, Fatigue, Joint Pain, Gas, Stomach Discomfort, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Constipation, Skin Changes.
Nightshade Sensitivity Article for you to read.
Food-Pollen Syndrome – Dysfunctional When you eat the certain foods, your immune system overreact to the protein of the foods is similar to the pollen in the spring and the fall. Please read this article. This is the immediate IgE reaction. Some people start vomiting and loose stool for a few weeks. You may make an appointment with the local allergist to test your IgE level.
Sulfur Intolerance – The common symptoms are swelling, weight gain, inflammation, gas bloating, constipation, sometimes people say to you “you smell like ammonia”, headache, eye inflammation, skin problems, feeling exhausted. Low Sulfur Diet – Food Listing, This article explains in more details.
Food and Chemical Sensitivity Symptoms
What kinds of symptoms can food sensitivities manifest? Dysfunctional digestion, autoimmune diagnosis, iron deficiency, infertility, neurological symptoms, pain and fatigue, itchy, scratchy rash, intractable dandruff, foggy brain, migraine headache, pins and needles (peripheral neuropathy), mood disorder includes, ADHD, ADD, depression, anxiety and much much more.
- Endocrine System: Hashimoto’s – this is the by far number one in my clinic directly affected with Food Sensitivities
- Digestive Symptoms: stomach pains, cramping, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux or heartburn, bloating, gas, nausea, vomiting
- Weight: inability to lose weight, food cravings, binge eating, water retention
- Sinus/Respiratory: stuffy or a runny nose, asthma, chest congestion, chronic cough, wheezing, frequent sneezing
- Head/Ears: migraines, headaches, earaches, ear infection, ringing in ears
- Eyes/Throat: itchy eyes, watery eyes, sore throat, persistent canker sores
- Emotional/Mental: depression, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, poor concentration
- Energy: fatigue, hyperactivity, lethargy, restlessness, insomnia
- Skin Disorders: eczema, dermatitis, excessive sweating, rashes, hives
- Other symptoms: joint pain, arthritis, irregular heartbeat, chest pains, muscle aches
Click HERE to learn more about Food Sensitivities (with Gluten Intolerance)
Labs – Here’s lab testing information.