MRT Food Sensitivity Tests and other food sensitivity tests have given people the knowledge to make diet changes that help reduce inflammation and other pesky health complaints (think skin rashes, acne, fatigue, etc.).
I used to eat strawberries almost daily, so when I saw my MRT results I was shocked. Strawberries came back as a red food. Sometimes it’s the little things we don’t even realize that add up and wreak havoc in our bodies (and lives).
What are food sensitivities?
Food sensitivities are reactions to certain foods that can cause unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, headaches, and skin rashes. These sensitivities can range from mild to severe and can be caused by a reaction to a particular food or ingredient.
Food sensitivity testing is a way to identify which foods may be causing these reactions and allows you to avoid them in the future. This testing can include skin prick tests, blood tests, or elimination diets.
Knowing what foods you are sensitive to can help you make better dietary choices and reduce the risk of developing serious health problems in the future.
What are the symptoms of food sensitivities?
It’s nearly impossible to know how a certain food will affect someone, but food sensitivity can manifest in many ways.
Food sensitivity is an adverse reaction to certain foods that can cause physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. Symptoms of food sensitivity may include
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inflammation,
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digestive issues,
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fatigue
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headaches
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nausea
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skin problems (rashes)
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mood swings
Differences between food sensitivities, food allergies, and food intolerances
Food sensitivities, food allergies, and food intolerances are all terms used to describe adverse reactions to certain types of food. While they may seem similar, each has distinct characteristics that make them different from one another. Understanding the differences between these three conditions is important for anyone who may be suffering from symptoms associated with one or more of them.
Food sensitivities refer to a mild reaction to certain foods that can include gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
Food allergies are an immune system response that can cause itching or swelling in the mouth, throat, or skin as well as difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis and other life-threatening reactions.
Finally, food intolerances involve difficulty digesting certain foods potentially due to a lack of enzymes needed to break down the components in the food.
How do you test for food sensitivities?
Food sensitivity testing can help identify foods that may be causing an adverse reaction in the body. There are several different methods available to test for food sensitivities, including elimination diets, IgG antibody testing, mediator based testing, and skin prick tests.
Elimination diets involve removing certain foods from the diet and then reintroducing them one at a time to observe any reactions.
IgG antibody testing looks for antibodies in the blood that are produced when a person is exposed to certain foods.
MRT food sensitivity testing relies on measuring mediators that are released due to food sensitivity reactions.
Skin prick tests involve introducing small amounts of food allergens into the skin and measuring any reactions that occur.
By using one or more of these methods, people can identify which foods they may be sensitive to and take steps to avoid them in order to improve their health and well-being.
What’s the difference between the MRT food sensitivity test and other food sensitivity tests?
The Mediator Release Test/MRT food sensitivity test is used to identify food sensitivities in individuals. It is different from other food sensitivity tests because it measures the body’s response to foods, chemicals, and other substances through the release of mediators.
This test can be used to identify sensitivities that are not detected by traditional allergy testing, such as IgE-mediated allergies.
Additionally, the MRT food sensitivity test can also measure an individual’s reactivity to multiple substances at once, giving a more comprehensive picture of their food sensitivities than other tests. The MRT can be done without having to ingest any troublesome foods beforehand.
If you’re interested in seeing a video explaining how the MRT works, check it out here. It’s at the bottom of the page.
What do MRT food sensitivity test results look like?
If you decide to take an MRT, you’ll receive the whole test kit at your doorstep. It will include everything you need – instructions, blood collection vials, return box, return label, etc. Here’s a little preview of what you might see.
How do you take the MRT? You’ll have to find a blood draw location to fill your vials and then send the sample to the lab. You can either use the Blood Draw Locator from Oxford (check it out here). Or you can call your local blood draw center to see if they are willing to help you. It’s best to find a blood draw location next to a FedEx.
Once completed and analyzed, you’ll receive a report showing your green, yellow, and red foods (partial result shown above). Depending on which MRT you take, you can receive food sensitivity results for up to 140 foods and 30 chemicals.
Do you have to avoid red and yellow MRT foods forever?
Realistic answer? Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on your individual case.
To begin, it’s best you avoid all yellow and red foods for 90+ days. Then, if you decide to reintroduce foods, you’ll have to do it one at a time and slowly.
Or, you can retake the MRT and see if there have been any changes.
In theory, as you heal and your body regains its innate intelligence and improves its gut, you should be able to eat some of those yellow or red foods.
BUT, it’s also possible that you may have to avoid certain foods forever. When this happens, it’s key to reframe this. Instead of thinking about what you can’t eat, focus on what you can eat.
I’ll leave you with two more thoughts about this.
First, nobody is perfect. The last thing we want to do is substitute one stress (yellow or red foods) for another stress (stress of eating “perfectly”). Do your best and don’t let it become overwhelming.
Second, it may seem easy to eat yellow and red foods and deal with the consequences (upset stomach maybe?) because you love the food. With this mindset, you’ll only continue the cycle of inflammation in your body and everything can add up. Think about environmental toxins/exposures, everyday stress, etc… plus now you’re adding in the stress of foods that cause inflammation.
The goal is to reduce our body’s overall stress load, not continue and ignore it.
Two somewhat contradictory points, but hey, it’s all about balance.
What happens after you get your MRT results?
The next step is tailoring your diet to reduce yellow and red foods from your MRT results.
You’ll want to stick to green foods and base your meals and shopping on those.
And, like we previously said, it’s best to avoid yellow and red foods for at least 90 days. Reds could probably be avoided for 6 months.
When will you start feeling better?
This all depends on what’s going on inside your body and how quickly things change.
For example, if you had something that resembled a leaky gut, you may start feeling better once that heals. If you’re avoiding yellow and red foods, and you’re lowering your overall stress load, your gut has a chance to heal.
But how long will it take to heal? It all depends on everything else going on in your life and lifestyle.
How to get the MRT test
You’ll need a practitioner to get the MRT done because Oxford Biomedical Technologies only gives access to practitioners.
As an FDN-P, I have access to the MRT. If you’re interested in MRT food sensitivity testing, check out the services page here.
If you have any questions, please reach out!
Summary
If you feel like you’ve tried everything (to the point you’ve even swapped out your toothpaste because maybe that’s it?), but you’re still experiencing unwanted health issues, MRT food sensitivity testing can be one of the missing puzzle pieces.
In our healing journeys, we must work to reduce the overall stress load we experience. This will give our body its best chance to heal using its own innate intelligence.
What else might help? Check out the services page here. As an FDN-P, I’m determined to help you feel better (and look better bc we all want a hot girl summer for once).
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