| Food Detective™ is a self test for food intolerance that you can use in the comfort of your own home. You don’t have to go to the doctor or wait weeks to receive results from a testing laboratory. Using Food Detective™ couldn’t be easier with informative step by step instructions to guide you through the simple process. The testing tray that shows you if you have a food intolerance
has areas spotted with food protein extracts. A small blood sample is taken from a finger-prick and is then diluted and added to the tray.In subsequent steps the use of detector and developer solutions identify the presence of food antibodies through the appearance of one or more blue spots on the tray. Reference to the food layout plan enclosed within the instructions allows you to identify any foods to which you may have an intolerance. Once I have done a test what do I do next? Once you have the results for your test, it is recommended that you consult a nutritionist registered with BANT, who will help you to understand the results and provide you with advice on dietary changes. You can also consult the CNS Dietary Support Booklet for further information, available online. Do I need to visit a nutritionist to discuss these results? Once you have received you results, we advise you to see a nutritionist registered with the British Association for Nutritional Therapy (BANT), who will advise you how to eliminate foods from your diet and which foods you should substitute to ensure that you do not result in any nutritional deficiencies. They may also offer support and encouragement with regular progress checks, as it can be quite a daunting task sticking to a new diet on your own. Check their website for more details www.BANT.org.uk I have a lot of positive results, how do I cut out everything? If you have a lot of positive results, it can be a very daunting task trying to cut out everything whilst maintaining a nutritionally well balanced diet. In these cases, we recommend you visit a nutritionist who will help you to avoid the foods with a strong positive response, and to rotate the foods with a lower positive result. What does it mean if I have lots of positive results? Potentially, you may have a condition known as ‘Leaky Gut’. You should consult a nutritionist registered with BANT who will be able to give you advice on how to deal with this condition.www.BANT.org.uk Do I have to avoid these foods for the rest of my life? No. Once you have avoided those foods for at least 3 months, and you have noticed an improvement in your symptoms, then you can start to gradually introduce the foods back into your diet. You should introduce one food at a time, with an interval of 4 days before trying another food. If you do not notice the return of any symptoms, then you can continue to include that food in your diet on an occasional basis. You may find a food and symptom diary useful whilst re-introducing foods. How long do I have to avoid these foods? It is recommended that you should avoid any food with a high IgG level for a minimum of 3 months. If you do not notice any improvement after this period of time, then you can assume that this food is not responsible for your symptoms. If I avoid foods that show a high IgG reading, how long will it take before the IgG level returns to a normal level? Over time, the concentration of IgG antibodies to that particular food will gradually decrease. The half life of IgG in the blood stream is approximately 23 days. However, antigens that have been stored in the liver may be slowly released over several months, resulting in some persistent antibody production. The levels, however, will decline gradually, barring any new exposure. Do I have to eliminate that particular food completely from my diet in order to reduce my symptoms, or can I still have a little occasionally? The most effective course of action is to eliminate the food completely. As long as exposure is maintained, antibodies will continue to be produced and the immune system primed to react. Exposure to foods of the same food family should also be avoided. I started to avoid foods from my diet, and now I feel a lot worse, is this normal? This is a normal reaction for many people in the first few days after excluding a food or foods, due to ‘withdrawal-type’ symptoms. It is quite common to feel worse for a few days, but this phase soon passes and an improvement is usually noticed after a week or two. Do I need to have a re-test after a few months? Most people do not need to have a re-test, but if you would like another test we usually advise a period of 12 months in between tests. If your symptoms have improved and you have been able to successfully re-introduce the foods, then a re-test is unnecessary. If I have been avoiding foods from my diet but would like them tested, how long should I introduce them before the test? You should introduce a portion of these foods into your diet for at least 7 days before taking the blood sample. However, if you experience severe symptoms as a consequence, should immediately stop eating them and assume that you are still intolerant to them. Why do I feel sometimes feel better after immediately eating a food that I am supposed to avoid? Some people find that they feel better for a short while after eating foods to which they have high IgG levels. However, if they continue to eat those foods, the symptoms return. Eating more of the food once again brings relief, creating a vicious cycle of addiction that is difficult to break. This can be overcome by strictly eliminating the reactive food for a minimum of 3 months. Should I have a food intolerance test? If you have any of the symptoms that are listed in the next question and you have visited your GP to ensure that there are no underlying causes for your symptoms, then it would be advisable to have a food intolerance test. What are the symptoms of food intolerance? Food intolerance can produce a variety of symptoms and can affect almost any organ. Often patients report multiple symptoms such as gut pain with headaches and skin rash, but some of the common symptoms include:- Anxiety, attention deficit disorder, constipation, diarrhoea, headaches, insomnia, migraines, water retention, arthritis, fibromyalgia, asthma, abdominal bloating, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, itchy skin, weight control problems, hyperactivity disorder and irritable bowel syndrome. Are the tests covered by BUPA or any other insurance company? BUPA does not currently cover the cost of these tests. What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance? A classical food allergy such as peanut or shellfish allergy is usually characterised by an immediate and often severe reaction to exposure to the offending food. What do the borderline foods mean? The borderline foods are slightly above the normal values and ideally should be reduced to a minimum in your diet. Therefore, we recommend that you rotate those foods showing a borderline result, once every 4 days if possible. Is it possible to be affected by foods that are not detected by Food Detective Some foods may cause a classical allergic reaction involving the production of a type of antibody called IgE. These will not be detected by any IgG food test. There are also many foods that can cause a reaction in the body without involving the immune system but produce symptoms similar to IgG reactions. For example, amines in chocolate, cheese and red wine may cause migraines; some food additives such as tartrazine can cause hives, rashes and asthma; monosodium glutamate in Chinese dishes produces sweating and dizziness; and ‘Nightshade’ alkaloids in potatoes, tomatoes and peppers can affect the joints. These are very difficult to test, but you should avoid them if you suspect they are affecting you. | 
