✔️ Do you have stomach issues that have been brushed off as “just IBS”?
✔️ Do you avoid doing things you enjoy because you’re worried about having to find a bathroom?
✔️ Do you suffer from migraines, brain fog, eczema, or joint pain?
✔️ Are you a breastfeeding mom that’s tried an elimination diet (where you only eat a few foods for a period of time) only to find your baby’s symptoms have gotten worse?
✔️ Have you seen some improvement with dietary changes but feel like there’s still a food causing trouble, you just can’t figure out what it is?
✔️ Have you (or your child) tested negative to skin prick/scratch tests or IgE blood tests but you still feel food is the culprit?
✔️ Does your child struggle with behavior issues, attention difficulties, hyperactivity, bed-wetting, diarrhea, or constipation?
✔️ Are you frustrated with doctors not helping or ignoring your concerns?
If you nodded your head to any of the above, good news: we’re ready to help you.
At Elite Wellness & Performance, we want to get to the root of what’s causing your health issues, not just dull the symptoms. Almost all of the above symptoms (and more) can be traced back to inflammation. Most inflammation is either caused by or made worse by food sensitivities.
Food sensitivities are different than food allergies. Food sensitivities are pesky, annoying, sneaky fiends. They lurk in the background. The hide in nooks and crannies. They trick us. And most of all, they wreak absolute havoc on our immune system. That’s why they can cause such an array of symptoms.
Food sensitivities can affect us in so many ways, including:
- IBS – diarrhea or constipation
- Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- Autoimmune disease
- Reflux
- Eczema
- Congestion
- Brain fog
- Depression/anxiety
- Behavior issues: anger, aggression, hyperactivity, attention difficulty
- Sleep problems
- Fatigue
The thing that makes identifying food sensitivities so tough is that they can cause delayed reactions (meaning you can eat something and not be affected by it for 3 days) AND they can depend on how much you eat (meaning you can take a couple bites and be fine by eat the whole thing and the immune system attacks). Combine both of those things and you could be guessing which foods are the problem or not for years.
So let’s take the guesswork out of it. Let’s let science do it’s thing and figure it out for us.
Without getting too scienc-y on you, here’s the gist: We use a special test (called a mediator release test, or MRT) that looks for a reaction from the immune system when faced with 120 different foods and 30 food chemicals.
We discover what causes an immune response in your body (whether it’s IgG, IgM, IgA, t-cell mediated, etc.) and more importantly, we learn what doesn’t cause an immune response. These foods and chemicals are different for everyone, which is why random elimination diets can be so frustrating.
What gives the test superpowers is that it measures the reactions, telling us what foods are most likely “safe” for you to eat and which ones will send your symptoms into overdrive.
Then comes the fun part: we build you a custom oligoantigenic diet (that’s a fancy word for elimination diet) based on those safest foods. Technically it’s called Lifestyle Eating and Performance, or LEAP. Unlike other elimination diets that require you to be on them for months at a time before testing new foods, we start adding in new foods within the first month (usually 2 weeks).
First we add untested foods one at a time, watching for any reactions. Between 3-6 months we try adding in foods that you had medium to high reactions to on the test to see if you can tolerate any of them now. That means just because you tested reactive to something, doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily have to avoid it forever. Sometimes our insides just need to heal in order to let our immune system chill out.
What you can expect:
Once you make the decision that this is the program for you, we’ll screen your application. We do this to make sure you’re a good candidate for both the test and the program. Our number one goal is to help you and we refuse to set anyone up for failure, so we’ll let you know if we don’t think you’re a good fit. If you are, here’s what else you can expect:
We’ll mail you a test kit.
- You’ll take the kit to a lab or doctor’s office for a blood draw (we can help you find one, but typically places like AnyLabsNow, etc. will do it for a nominal fee) sometime after 12pm.
- You’ll include a few forms in the kit, including one that lets us know what foods you don’t eat (so they won’t be included in your eating plan).
- You’ll drop the box off at FedEx (it’s already paid for) immediately after the test.
You’ll get your results.
- Your results will include a 60+ page booklet explaining about different foods, food chemicals, eating tips, etc. It’s a huge book. Do Not Panic. You also get a wallet-sized color-coded cheat sheet that reminds you what foods you are the most reactive to.
- We go over your results and build you a custom, guided meal plan (see, told you not to panic. You won’t do this alone.)
You’ll follow the eating plan.
- You follow your specific diet (usually 20-25 foods) for about 2 weeks, then check back in on your symptoms. We make adjustments and/or start adding in new foods.
- Most people see a 60-80% reduction in symptoms in these first 2 weeks. Pretty cool, right?
- You get constant support, no matter what. We’re just an email away.
[Click here for info about food sensitivity testing for infants and kids.]
Ready to finally get rid of those symptoms? Scroll to the bottom to grab a program application.
FAQ
What’s the difference between food allergies and food sensitives?
To keep it short and sweet, food allergies are caused by something in our body called IgE. Food allergies are what most of us think of when we think of peanut allergies – anaphylaxis, hives, life-threatening emergency. Food sensitivities are caused by other things in our blood such as IgG, IgM, IgA, and t-cells. They can cause immediate or delayed reactions that include diarrhea, reflux, constipation, eczema, joint pain, mood changes, and more. Sensitivities are notoriously hard to figure out because they can happen up to days later and can be dose-dependent (meaning it depends on how much you ate). We do NOT test for IgE food allergies.
I’ve been told food sensitivity testing is inaccurate. What gives?
Food allergy testing is pretty straight forward, but when it comes to food sensitivity testing or food intolerance testing, things can get a little murky. Most tests look for the antibody (typically IgG) that can lead to a reaction. Sometimes it will provide a clear cut answer, but often it won’t. The problem is that sometimes IgG can be good – it can be protecting us. Other times it shows up as a “positive” simply because we’ve eaten the food recently or frequently. On the other hand, it can show a “negative” to a food we’ve never had or haven’t eaten in a long time. Then we eat that food thinking it’s safe, only to still have symptoms.
How is this test different?
We use patented functional mediator release testing. Without getting super scientific on you, it tests for evidence of a reaction, regardless of what caused it. It looks for things like histamines, cytokines, etc. You might recognize these words from dealing with environmental allergies (think “antihistamine” drugs). They cause inflammation which can manifest in a million different ways: stomach or skin issues, joint pain, headaches, brain fog, depression, etc.
One of the most useful parts of the test is that it tell us what foods are SAFE for us. We start there, ease the symptoms, and then add foods in one at a time, seeing how they make us feel. Plus it tests for sneaky food chemicals as well, like dyes and additives.
There are literally thousands of different types of food & food chemicals. If you test for 100 foods and only avoid the ones that show reactions, you could still be eating hundreds of foods that cause a reaction for you without even knowing it. This test lets avoid all those unknown factors and really get to the bottom of the inflammation.
Does it test for food allergies?
NO. It’s very important to understand that this test will not reveal standard IgE food-allergies, although you can still use this test if you have known food allergies. Often people have a mix of allergies and sensitivities.
Do I have to eliminate these foods forever?
Sometimes, but usually no. Often we end up with so much inflammation in our gut that it becomes “leaky”, meaning it lets all kind of particles through that it shouldn’t. Our immune system then attacks them and we get a reaction. It’s not reacting to that food specifically, it’s just reacting because it knows that item shouldn’t be there. Once we’ve eliminated the problem-causing foods, we can reduce inflammation and let the gut heal, then sometimes we can tolerate many of the foods that used to a problem. Sometimes you’ll choose to keep certain foods out of your diet just because you feel so good.
How quickly will I see results?
It varies by individual, but most people see a marked improvement in symptoms within the first 7-10 days, with symptoms continuing to improve over the next 4-6 weeks.
More Questions
Where are you located? We’re 100% virtual – meaning you don’t have to figure out how to cram another appointment into your already busy day. You can choose to meet with our dietitian through secure video chat, by phone, or even entirely through email if you prefer. (If you’re really curious though, we’re in NC – and therefore follow all licensure laws as set by that state.)
How many appointments are included? We work a little out of the box here. We don’t think a set number of appointments is the best way to go. We want you to be able to get the support you need when you need it and not skip an appointment because it will cost you more. Instead, we build a working relationship together. (To give you a more concrete answer, typically we formally check in with an initial appointment to review your results and build your eating plan, then around 10-14 days, and again around 30 days, but we cater to your individual needs along the way.)
Do you take insurance? We do not, but you can use your HSA/FSA account. We can also provide a superbill for possible insurance reimbursement (but as an out-of-network provider we can not make any claims about whether you’d get reimbursed or not). Payment is due in order to enroll in the program, although we do offer payment plans.
What if I have other issues besides food sensitivities? Remember how we said food sensitivities can cause all kinds of inflammation? Well, it can be hard to see what’s really going on through that thick fog of inflammation. Avoiding certain foods for a little while might be all you need, but if you have a complicated case, it’s a lot easier to figure out what other support you need once all that inflammation is cleared out. We like to think of the MRT test and associated LEAP eating program as a “windshield wiper” – it clears the way to see if anything else is going on. If there are additional issues at play, we’ll address them separately as needed. (Frequently people opt to do a micronutrient test to make sure they don’t have any lingering deficiencies, especially if they’ve been sick a long time.)
Ready to finally get rid of those symptoms? Request a program application below and we’ll get back to you ASAP (we know you’re ready to put an end to your health issues, we won’t make you wait any longer than necessary!)
