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What is a food sensitivity?

One of the major functions of your immune system is to protect your body from foreign invaders. With food sensitivities and allergies, the foreign invaders are called allergens. Allergens are so called because they induce an allergic reaction, or an exaggerated immune response. The immune system has a variety of attack methods, including antibodies. Antibodies function to neutralize toxic materials and remove allergens. The symptoms you experience are your body’s way of telling you about these reactions that are occurring.

The body has five different antibodies. The two most often associated with food allergies are called IgE and IgG. IgE is the antibody that binds to cells of the immune system, causes a release of histamine. Histamine then causes the capillary dilation and smooth muscle contraction that eventually result in your individualized symptom picture. IgE is fast acting and quickly leads to symptoms such as a runny nose, difficulty breathing, or hives. IgG, on the other hand, is slow acting. Symptoms can take up to three weeks to develop and are therefore sometimes referred to as delayed reactions. Furthermore, IgG can bind directly to the allergen. These antigen-antibody complexes subsequently deposit within tissues of the body and cause a myriad of symptoms, such as knee pain. Recent studies have even suggested that IgG can, at times, act in a similar fashion to IgE.

Food sensitivities and allergies are of great concern because most people, and many practitioners, still do not attribute symptoms of poor or degenerating health to food. Without knowing the cause of the illness, the body continues to suffer.

What are the symptoms of food sensitivities?

The symptoms of any food allergy can vary. The following are lists of symptoms designed to assist you in your new awareness of the possibility that your symptoms may be a result of a sensitivity reaction to food. However, it is important to remember that these symptoms can also be associated with other medical maladies and only careful clinical history, exam, and laboratory testing can differentiate between the two.

Digestive System:

• Abdominal cramping
• Abdominal pain
• Bad breath
• Belching
• Bloating after meals
• Flatulence
• Gagging
• Itching on the roof of the mouth
• Vomiting

Nervous System:

• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Depression
• Hyperactivity
• Inability to concentrate
• Aggressive behavior
• Irritability
• Restlessness

Musculoskeletal System:

• Joint inflammation
• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Weakness

Genitourinary System:

• Bed wetting
• Urinary frequency
• Urinary urgency
• Vaginal itching
• Vaginal discharge
• Premenstrual syndrome

Respiratory System:

• Asthma
• Chest congestion
• Chronic cough
• Sore throat runny nose
• Postnasal drip
• Chronic sinus inflammation

Cardiovascular System:

• Chest pain
• Irregular heart beat
• High blood pressure
• Increased heart rate

Integumentary System (Skin, hair & Nails):

• Acne
• Brittle nails and hair
• Dandruff
• Hives
• Eczema
• Dry skin
• Paleness of skin
• Dark circles under eyes

Miscellaneous:

• Abnormal cravings
• Chronic fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Difficulty sleeping
• Nausea
• Water retention
• Nightmares
• Rapid weight fluctuation
• Obesity
• Teeth grinding

This list is abbreviated and does not include every conceivable possibility. So, if your symptoms do not appear here, by no means does this indicate that your symptoms are not due to food allergies.

How do I know I’m Experiencing a food sensitivity?

Clinical exam and history taking, as well as laboratory testing, are all very important. Dr. Yarish’s role is integral for understanding, prioritizing diagnoses, ruling-out possible underlying causes, interpreting test results, and filtering information. Dr. Yarish can then help direct treatment that will prevent further outbreaks.

What methods are used in identifying food sensitivities?

Elimination Diet

This is a restrictive diet in which all known food sensitivities are completely eliminated from your diet for three to eight weeks. After the elimination phase, foods are re-introduced one-by-one in the challenge phase. It is within the challenge phase that food sensitivities are identified. This diet is very effective but very tedious and time consuming when identifying potential food offenders. Fortunately, blood testing is available and lends to easier identification.

Blood Testing

Food sensitivities can be identified by drawing a small sample of your blood. This is a near painless test, involving just a blood draw. The blood is than processed and sent to a lab for evaluation.

ELISA is a common lab analysis used when evaluating food allergies due to one or both of the antibodies IgE and IgG. ELISA stands for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and is a quantitative test that counts the number of IgE and IgG antibodies in your blood. After the blood is drawn, the tube is set aside to clot and then spun with a centrifuge. The clear portion (or serum) containing the antibodies is removed from the tube and sent to the lab. At the lab, the serum is added to numerous vials, each containing a single food to be tested. After a period of incubation, an enzyme is added to each vial. This enzyme identifies any antibodies that have reacted with the food. Enzymes that have not identified the antibody-food reactions will be washed away. Last, a color agent is added to each vial. This color agent will bind with any enzyme that is left in the vial. The degree of color in each vial, measured with an optical density reader, determines the degree of antibody activity. The darker the vial, the more antibodies. The more antibodies, the stronger the possibility of that food causing an allergic reaction in your body.

What happens after the offending foods have been identified?

Once you have been tested and the offending foods discovered, Dr. Yarish will assist you with the next stages, elimination and challenge of allergenic foods. The elimination phase is the actual elimination of all foods to which you have reacted. The challenge phase occurs after elimination. It is the period of time when you reintroduce foods back into your diet.

Will I be able to eat “eliminated” foods again?

Yes, with successful treatment and healing of your intestinal lining, you may be able to once again eat the foods to which you were sensitive to. Times range from three weeks to eight months, or until symptoms have regressed or ceased.

Candida – Yeast Culture

This test comprehensively assesses for the presence of local and systemic Candida Albicans overgrowth.

What is Candida?

Candida Albicans is a single-celled fungus normally found in your genital and intestinal tracts. It can overgrow and become too numerous in the intestines or genital tract causing a variety of health problems.

What causes a Candida Infection?

An overgrowth of Candida can be caused by the following:

• Prolonged use of antibiotics and/or steroids (prednisone)
• Chronic use of birth control pills or estrogen hormones (HRT)
• A diet high in sweets and refined foods
• Prolonged infection or illness
• Mercury from amalgam dental fillings
• Parasitic infections in the gastrointestinal tract
• Frequent exposure to high mold environments

What are the symptoms of a Candida infection?

An invasive overgrowth of Candida will infiltrate your intestinal wall and get into your bloodstream. When your body’s immune system has trouble coping with the Candida infection, it can spread into the liver, heart, brain, skin and mucous membranes where it lodges and reproduces. It is when Candida spreads in this way that you get more varied and wide spread symptoms.

The most frequent symptoms of Candida include:

• Fatigue
• Irritability when hungry
• Depression
• Brain fog
• Bloating and gas
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Abdominal pain
• Sinus problems
• Craving for sweets
• Chemical sensitivities
• Immune dysfunction
• Sneezing/runny nose
• Post nasal drip
• Vaginal yeast infections
• Itchy rectum or vagina
• Urinary frequency
• Atheletes foot
• Fungal skin and toenail infections
• Cravings for alcohol
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Severe itching
• White spots on the tongue and in the mouth
• Kidney and bladder infections
• Hypothyroidism
• Hyperactivity
• Acne
• Night sweats
• Heartburn
• Anxiety
• Autoimmune diseases
• Eczema/psoriasis

How can you treat Candida?

A Candida infection can be treated by altering your diet, killing off the excess overgrowth of Candida and healing your intestinal wall. These can all be achieved by the GI Restoration Program offered by Dr. Michael Yarish at the The Lakeside Clinic.

Hormones regulate cell function in our bodies and they do this best when they are balanced. When hormone levels are not balanced the body begins to malfunction in several ways including disturbing sleep, mood, libido, food cravings and your life in general.

Saliva hormone testing is excellent at uncovering hormone imbalance.  It measures hormone that actually made it into tissue, because hormones pass through saliva gland tissue before getting into saliva.    Blood measures circulating hormones that might eventually get to tissue and so is not as accurate a measure for true hormone levels.   At The Lakeside Clinic, Dr. Yarish uses various hormone profiles to identify imbalance.

Female Hormone Profile

A female hormone profile evaluates the status of estrogens, progesterone, cortisol, DHEAs, cortisol and testosterone.  The following are examples of how hormone imbalance can affect health.

Weight Gain:
High levels of cortisol may increase sugar cravings. High estrogen levels may interfere with thyroid gland function and result in weight gain.

Sleep Disturbance:
High or low levels or cortisol may affect sleep, as may low levels of estrogen.

Hot Flashes:
Having too little estrogen can be associated with hot flashes.

Bone Loss:
High cortisol tends to break down bone and interferes with the bone building action of testosterone.

Breast Cancer:
Above range estrogen, below range progesterone, above range evening cortisol and out of range DHEAs are common patterns of hormone imbalance that show up in women with breast cancer.

Depression/Difficulty Coping/Irritability:
Many women experience some relief from mood disorders when hormone balance is restored.

Other signs and symptoms of female hormone imbalance include:

• Acne
• Anemia
• Fibroids
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Ovarian cysts
• PCOS
• Endometriosis
• Fluid Retention
• Gallstones
• Memory loss
• PMS
• Heavy periods
• Brain fog
• Recurrent UTIs
• Urinary incontinence
• Facial hair growth
• Hair loss
• Osteoporosis
• Osteopenia
• Vaginal dryness
• Muscle wasting and weakness

Male Hormone Profile

A Male Hormone Profile evaluates the status of both total testosterone and free, bio-available testosterone with inclusion of estrogens, cortisol and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels in your body. Assessment of androgen metabolism is enhanced with measurement of estradiol, demonstrating the degree of aromatase activity that may influence prostate health.

The following are examples of hormone imbalances that can affect men:

• Bone loss
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Memory loss
• Apathy
• Depression and Grumpiness
• Decrease in Muscle Strength
• Lowered Endurance
• Breast enlargement
• Weight gain
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
• Lowered sex drive
• Fatigue

Adrenal Stress Profile

Stress is a major contributor to chronic illnesses. A stressful lifestyle can lead to consistently high levels of cortisol and low levels of DHEAs which can be damaging to the brain and other tissues.

An Adrenal Stress Profile measures an individual’s response to stress. It is also an important tool for pointing to adrenal imbalances that may be impacting a patient’s health.

Saliva samples are collected to monitor the variations of cortisol and DHEAs levels throughout the day. The following are signs and symptoms of Adrenal Stress:

• Low Energy
• Excessive fatigue
• Digestive problems
• Irritability
• Inflammation
• Joint/muscle sorness
• Sleep problems
• Low thyroid function
• Nervousness/anxiety
• Low blood sugar
• Shorness of breath
• Low sex drive
• Cravings for sale, sugar, junk food, coffee
• Recurrent colds/infections
• Headaches
• Poor concentration
• Heart palpitations
• Excessive perspiration
• Excessive urination
• Dizziness upon rising
• Food/environmental sensitivities
• Tired feet

Thyroid Hormone Profile

Hormones produced by the thyroid gland are involved in regulating heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, metabolism and weight.  Thyroid hormones can also increase energy and help with digestion.  Deficiencies of thyroid hormone can result in a number of health conditions including:

• Depression and irritability
• Fatigue
• Feeling cold
• Headaches and dizziness
• Weight gain
• Nervousness/anxiety
• Chronic fatigue
• Doughy abdomen
• Elevated cholesterol
• Dry, course skin, hair
• Weak nails
• Hair loss
• Heart palpitations
• TSH over 2.0
• Low T3, T4
• Infertility
• Estrogen dominate conditions
• Poor memory/concentration
• Insomnia
• Night sweats
• Racing thoughts
• Shortness of breath
• Cracking in the heels and skin

Stress is a major contributor to chronic illnesses. A stressful lifestyle can lead to consistently high levels of cortisol and low levels of DHEA (dehydoepiandosterone), which can be damaging to the brain and other tissues. Cortisol elevation also lowers immune response.

What Does An Adrenal Stress Profile Do?

An Adrenal Stress Profile measures an individual’s response to stress. It is also an important tool for pointing to adrenal imbalances that may be impacting a patient’s health.
Saliva samples are collected to monitor the variations of cortisol and DHEA-S levels throughout the day. An increased cortisol level, a decreased DHEA-S level, or a decrease in the DHEA-S/cortisol ratio is an indication of a chronically stressful physical or mental condition.

The Urine Toxic Elements assess for the presence of toxic and potentially toxic elements excreted in the urine.

Sources of Exposure:

Accumulation of toxins can occur in the human body as a result of occupational or environmental exposures including:

• Metal refining
• Fabrication of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies
• Alloyin
• Electronics and computer manufacturing
• Plating and parts manufacture in aerospace and machine tool industries
• Welding and metal shaping
• Military or police service (with weapons use)
• Plumbing
• Handling and disposal of wastes
• Oil refining
• Petrochemical production
• Manufacture of pigments and coatings

Chronic toxic element exposure can adversely affect:

• Energy levels
• Neurological development and function
• Reproductive function
• Respiratory, cardiac, hepatic and immune functions
• Cancer risk
• Cognitive and emotional health
• Degenerative conditions