one of the two types of food intolerance blood tests, as described in Chapter 2 and detailed in Appendix II, whichever is most convenient for you. This costs money but requires little time.
I Know My Test Results – What Should I Do Now?
If you have done a lab test and you now have a list of culprit foods, then eliminate them for three whole months – the recipes in this book will help you with what you can eat instead. Once a month during this time, review your symptom scores by redoing the questionnaire (which is also available on-line). For most people, the symptoms should diminish over a matter of weeks, and therefore you should see improved scores each time you retake the questionnaire.
After three months, plan a reintroduction schedule, reintroducing individual foods, four days apart, and consuming a normal, moderate portion of the food and observing your symptoms. If you still react to a food, then avoid it for a further three months. For those foods that you do not react to, eat them every third or fourth day. Continue the Digestive Support Plan for the first three months, after which, if your symptoms have improved, you can stop. If symptoms emerge because you have stopped the Digestive Support Plan, then begin it again for one more month.
If your score in The Food Intolerance Questionnaire does not drop to below 15 when you exclude these foods, then consider that other imbalances may well exist, and review your answers to the questionnaires in Part 2 with the intention of addressing the other most significant conditions present, such as stress or leaky gut syndrome, for example. Since it is not practical to follow more than two plans at any one time, follow the Plan indicated by the results of the questionnaires. Even if you score very highly in all the other questionnaires, then choose the test with the highest ranking, as detailed in Part 3.
If Your Score Is Between 36 and 50
This score is strongly suggestive of problems relating to food intolerance. After you have seen a doctor to rule out other medical conditions, do one type of testing for food intolerances and follow the Digestive Support Plan. The Pulse Test or blood test are discussed in Chapter 2, and detailed in Appendices I and II respectively.
In addition, your score is also strongly indicative of the presence of something other than food intolerances, so complete the questionnaires in Part 2 and undertake the relevant Action Plan as detailed in Part 3.
I Know My Test Results – What Should I Do Now?
Once you have your lab test results, exclude the culprit foods for three whole months – the recipes in this book will help you with what you can eat instead. Once a month during this time, review your symptom scores by retaking the questionnaire (which is also available on-line, see Appendix V). For most people, symptoms should have diminished over a matter of weeks, and therefore you should see improved scores in your questionnaire each time you retake it.
To determine if you can eat any of the tested positive foods again with impunity, after three months plan a reintroduction schedule. Consume a normal, moderate portion of each food every four days, and observe your symptoms. If you still react to a food, then avoid it for a further three months. Even for those foods you do not react to, don’t start eating them again every day – eat them every third or fourth day so that you do not re-create the intolerance.
Continue the Digestive Support Plan for the first three months; if your symptoms have improved after this, then stop. If symptoms emerge because you have stopped the Digestive Support Plan, then start it again for another month. If you feel that the Digestive Support Plan is helping you, there’s no reason you can’t continue it indefinitely – though you should take a break from it every few months so you can make sure it still meets your needs.
If your score does not drop to below 15 even after you have excluded the culprit foods for three months, then other imbalances may also exist. Retake the questionnaires for other conditions to see if your scores have dropped. If you do not score less than half what you did first-time round, you need to double-check that you are avoiding the culprit foods in all their forms. You should also:
i) Go and see a nutritionist, armed with all this information, or:
ii) Take a test for Intestinal Permeability if you have not already done so if positive, follow the Gut Lining Support Plan if negative, then:
iii) Take the next most important relevant test as highlighted by the questionnaires (e.g. Adrenal Stress Profile, Stool Analysis or Dysbiosis Profile). You may still need some help in addressing imbalances, so do seek out a good nutritionist near you (see Resources chapter).
I Scored Low in Section 1, But High in Sections 2 and 3 of the Questionnaire
If your scores are heavily weighted in favour of the mental symptoms or physical signs and symptoms rather than the digestive symptoms, then you should take the test that measures Intestinal Permeability. If positive, then follow the Gut Lining Support Plan.
If Your Score Is 51 to 70
This score is strongly suggestive of problems relating to food intolerance as well as at least one other significant imbalance. After you have seen a doctor to rule out other medical conditions, follow the Digestive Support Plan and schedule either a Pulse Test or other lab tests – as discussed in Chapter 2 and detailed in Appendices I and II respectively.
In addition, take the next most relevant test for you, based on your scores to the questionnaires in Part 2. If there are two areas that are strongly indicated, then it is advised that you do two tests, not one. For example, without knowing for sure if parasites are present (Comprehensive Parasitology) or whether your cortisol level is very high (Adrenal Stress Profile), it may prove more than difficult to make any headway and improve your health, let alone resolve your food intolerances.
Certainly, a trial away from the foods you consume which best match the top five ‘Usual Suspects’ would be important, but first you need to make sure what else is having a detrimental effect on your health.
I Scored Low in Section 1, But High in Sections 2 and 3 of the Questionnaire
If your scores are heavily weighted in favour of the mental symptoms or physical signs and symptoms rather than the digestive symptoms, then you should take the urine test to measure your Intestinal Permeability. If positive, then follow the Gut Lining Support Plan.
If Your Score Is Above 71
It is hoped that no one scores this high, but if you do, I’d recommend you do a food intolerance test and seek the help of a qualified nutritionist. Do take along all the information from this book with you, including the completed questionnaires, as this can only help.
Your score is strongly suggestive of problems relating to food intolerance as well as at least one other significant imbalance. Please also make sure that you have seen your doctor to rule out any other underlying medical condition.
Alternatively, if you have already seen your doctor, you could follow the guidelines above for those who score between 51 and 70.
Food Intolerance Questionnaire Score Summary
