NJ Cops Sept18 | Page 82

HEALTH & WELLNESS Are sensitivities and deficiencies causing your inflammation? When we think of food allergies, we think of com- mon symptoms such as vomiting, breaking out in hives or a rash, or an anaphylactic response that re- quires medical attention. However, there is another type of food response or reaction that people can have. It is more subtle, and over time it can wreak havoc on your immune system, digestive system and DR. MAZ overall health and vitality. Many patients deal with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leaky gut, digestive issues, chronic fatigue and sleep difficulty and do not know the true cause. They have just accepted it as a part of life and chosen medication to overcome their symptoms. I have dedicated many years of my career to research on nutrition, food sensitivities, allergies and intolerances, and the effect they have on overall health and wellbeing, and I wanted to see what kind of testing was available and how I can bring it to my clinic. I wanted to confirm whether this could be at the root of some chronic conditions. The response to this testing was overwhelming, and the results were life-changing. I knew that I had to bring this testing to as many people as I could. Now, we’ve had the privilege of food-testing thousands of patients not only locally, but nationally as well. The result? People getting solutions to their chronic health challenges. Patients watching symptoms they’ve had for years disappear. People getting their vitality back. 82 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ SEPTEMBER 2018 Food allergy vs. sensitivity Let’s dig a little deeper into the topic and hopefully provide you with some good information that will improve your life. The first thing to understand is the difference between a food allergy and a food sensitivity. A true food allergy is testing the IgE portion of your immune system and typically has an immediate response. Sometimes it may be a rash or hives, and sometimes a more serious anaphylactic response, which can worsen with each episode. Patients with a true food allergy must always have an EpiPen on hand for emergencies. Another portion of your immune system, the IgF portion, can have a delayed immune reaction. So a food sensitivity or intolerance provokes a reaction 10, 12 and sometimes up to 72 hours later. This time frame is simply too long to use any sort of elimination diet. You would have your work cut out for you, trying to remove and introduce foods when there may be a three-day delay in symptoms. Symptoms of a food sensitivity These are the most common symptoms we see on a day-to-day basis in our clinic — the ones that warrant food testing. The words “weight struggles,” “weight gain,” or “weight loss resistance” on a new patient’s intake form always suggest testing. Eating foods that your immune system reacts to spikes inflammation, and it’s very hard to lose weight when you’re inflamed. This is why we food-test our weight-loss patients: to remove the culprits that are wrecking their immune and digestive systems.