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ALCAT Blood Test to control symptoms

ALCAT Blood Test to control symptoms2010-06-08T18:15:39+00:00

The Forums Forums Tools, Techniques & Treatments ALCAT Blood Test to control symptoms

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  • #88414

    BAM123
    Participant
    Post count: 71

    I did a nutrional blood test a couple of years ago when I couldn’t lose any weight and felt out of it even though I excercised regualry.

    The ALCAT blood test actually talks your own individual blood and it tests them for over 200 different food groups, as well as chemicals and dyes. It determines specifically what your own individual blood chmedistry is intolernate to.

    The results for me were really fantastic. I lost 30 lbs and felt alert and full of energy by simply avoiding thse foods. Since that time a new baby, stress and other factoes have caused me to veer off my nutritioin plan. I have gained some weight back and have fallen off the wagon in terms of the foods I crave but I know are not good for me.

    I mention this becasue there may be a connectioin to the proper nutritiion designed expecially for your own body and blood work and related to ADD symptoms, among other things. If anyone is intersted please research on line. It has been extremely helpful to myself in the past and helped with many other family memebers with conditions from insomina to muscle pain, weight loss and fatigue.

    I am recommittimg myselfd to my plan and wotll let you knoiw how my ADD symptoms are effected.

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    #94317

    Patte Rosebank
    Participant
    Post count: 1517

    I’m going to be very blunt: Forget about ALCAT. It is complete quackery, and has been discredited and/or banned outright in many countries. If you suspect you have a legitimate allergy or intolerance to a substance, you should go to a legitimate doctor who specializes in allergies. If you are serious about losing weight, go to a legitimate medical doctor for a complete physical, and to a legitimate dietician for a proper weight-loss diet & exercise program. Do NOT trust your health and your money to anyone who promotes ALCAT.

    ***The Proof***

    ALCAT has been BANNED in South Africa, because authorities found insufficient evidence to support the claims being made.

    http://www.health24.com/dietnfood/DietDocs_articles/15-1871,54267.asp

    ALCAT is discredited in an article by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. http://www.allergy.org.au/pospapers/unorthodox.htm , and in an article published in the Singapore Medical Journal http://smj.sma.org.sg/5101/5101ra1.pdf

    ALCAT has also been discredited by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

    Dr. Adrian Morris, of the Surrey Allergy Clinic, in England, has included ALCAT on his list of allergy tests that are of no proven value. http://www.allergy-clinic.co.uk/introduction-to-allergy/controversial-tests/

    Leigh A. Zaykoski has found ALCAT to be an invalid testing method, and supports this finding with evidence that is backed up by references. One key piece of supporting evidence: “Skin testing for allergies is preferred over blood testing for several reasons. Blood testing has been shown to either overstimate or underestimate the body’s response to allergens. This means that swelling of white blood cells cannot be considered an accurate predictor of someone’s allergy or sensitivity to a food or chemical. Blood testing also does not account for different types of proteins in the same foods. This means that ALCAT and other blood allergy tests could show a false positive for some foods.” http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/40894.aspx

    Allergy Advisor lists ALCAT as dubious, because “The test “results” invariably are reported as indicating multiple food allergies, but investigation of these reports shows clearly that there is no correlation with clinical food allergy or intolerance. Studies have shown results to be poorly reproducible when samples a few days apart have been submitted to the same laboratory for testing. Not a single allergy society in the world supports this test for routine diagnostic purposes.” http://www.allergyadvisor.com/educational/Oct07.htm

    Wikipedia’s entry for ALCAT discredits it, and cites plenty of supporting evidence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigen_leukocyte_cellular_antibody_test

    And good old Quackwatch has ALCAT on its list of Dubious Diagnostic Treatments. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Tests/tests.html

    The ALCAT company and ALCAT practitioners claim that their tests and accompanying diet plans, will cure a huge range of medical conditions. Quack medical treatments ALWAYS claim to be the sure cure for a wide range of illnesses & conditions, so as to attract the most customers. And they claim that those who dispute their claims are part of the Establishment, and are only against them, so as not to lose customers.

    All of the “evidence” in support of ALCAT testing, comes from the ALCAT company itself, or from holistic practitioners who are selling ALCAT tests and diets. I have yet to find a legitimate medical allergist or organization of allergists, that supports it. In fact, they’re all rather vociferously against it.

    Furthermore, there is NO proper scientific evidence to support any theories that diet has any effect on ADHD. But there’s lots of evidence that eating a healthy diet, rich in “good” foods (high-fibre, lots of fruits & veggies, some lean meats or other proteins…), with as few “bad” foods (refined starches & sugars, artificial ingredients, high-fat, high-salt…) as possible, will make you feel more energized and will help you to lose weight. And that regular exercise (even just going for walks) makes you feel better too.

    So, by all means, eat a healthy diet, and exercise sensibly. Just don’t put your faith and money into highly dubious “alternative” tests and “cures”. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution. And ask your doctor for his/her professional opinion.

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    #94318

    BAM123
    Participant
    Post count: 71

    Worked for me amazingly well, beyond all expectations. One of the best decisons I ever made.

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    #94319

    Saffron
    Member
    Post count: 140

    BAM, given that ALCAT testing has not stood up to any controlled studies, I’m going to venture to say that the weight loss and increase in well-being you experienced may have been for reasons that were related in a different way to the diet you followed.

    You may have previously consumed a great deal of starches, for example, but then were told that you were intolerant to wheat. Omitting all wheat products from your diet, and therefore most starches, would in many people result in the weight loss you describe.

    Or, before your diet, you may have habitually eaten large quantities of one or two foods known to suppress thyroid function in people who are genetically predisposed. (Anyone in your family have thyroid issues?). If so, withdrawing these foods may have altered your thyroid function, which could certainly result in weight loss and greater vitality.

    I’m just sayin’.

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    #94320

    BAM123
    Participant
    Post count: 71

    I guess its possible – it is also possible that there is something to it.

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    #94321

    Patte Rosebank
    Participant
    Post count: 1517

    If it’s been completely discredited by organizations of allergy specialists around the world, and banned in many countries, it is NOT possible that there’s something to it.

    It is highly irresponsible to promote it as an alternative to legitimate medical tests and treatments, because your testimonial (which is solely based on anecdotal evidence which cannot be proven scientifically) may encourage people to abandon legitimate medical tests and treatments in favour of such “alternative” methods. And doing that has cost people their lives.

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    #94322

    BAM123
    Participant
    Post count: 71

    … removing something like yeast, sugar or wheat from your diet for six months and then roatating it back in has cost people their lives? Wow, I must have missed that headline. I better start drinking coffee again to reset my system.

    I didn’t say abandon your medication or other treatment, I simply said I had outsanding results with this nutritional approach. I guess everyone is selling something.

    Legitimate medical advice is to buy prescription medication and that’s it. It could be possible that nutrition and food intolerances combined with other treatment?

    If somone had complete symptom refelief from neuro feedback. Would you tell them to stop because the majority of studies say it doesn’t work?

    “Hey, I know you feel a lot better and this was successful for you, but don’t you know it doiesn’t work?” – oh I thought I was feeling better but I guess I should stop if you say so. I’ll just get back in the bucket with all the other crabs.

    No need to respond, unless you want to. We obviously don’t agree. I’m not saying to anyone drop what you are doing. I am just passing along info on something that worked for me. Maybe it worked by accident, maybe it worked on purpose, but i worked.

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