It just might be food sensitivities or allergies …

It’s estimated that food sensitivities and allergies account for about 60% of all undiagnosed conditions.2,3 Any system of the body can be affected, resulting in any or many of these health conditions:

• Asthma • Bedwetting • Recurrent bladder infections• Recurrent bronchitis • Bursitis • Canker sores • Celiac disease • Chronic low back pain • Depression • Diarrhea • Childhood ear infection • Fatigue • Gas • Gastritis • Headache • Hives • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) • Itching • Learning disabilities • Personality changes • Recurrent infection (various) • Joint pain and swelling • Skin rash • Ulcerative colitis

And that’s just the short list!We’ve all heard of people who were

rushed to the hospital after unknowingly eating peanut oil. That’s a clearly defined food allergy, and it shows up immedi-ately. So while it poses a significant health threat, it’s one that’s easier to detect and treat.

On the other hand, natural chemical compounds contained in foods as well as food additives can trigger intoler-ance responses, which are difficult to identify as the culprits behind common everyday symptoms. But they can wreak just as much havoc on your body. Think of them as a food allergy in slow motion!

Here’s the difference between food allergies and food intolerances: Once your immune system detects a substance it considers foreign, a chain reaction is set in motion to repel the perceived “invader.” This defensive mechanism is launched by white blood cells capable of produc-ing five different antibodies (IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM) to target and neutralize the threat.

The IgE and IgG antibodies are the ones mobilized when those white blood cells come in contact with allergenic food proteins.4,5 In the process of trying to rid the body of something it believes shouldn’t be there, that normal process goes awry, subjecting us to “symptom

Life Extension

Foundation®For more than 32 years, the Life Extension Foundation has sought to help people like you live healthier longer. To that end, we’ve spent over $100 million on innovative anti-aging research, and made it our business to provide our members with products, services, and information to help them make better health decisions.

Based on the research we fund and the information we report, we’ve formulated some 350 different premium-quality, science-based nutritional supplements to help you achieve and maintain optimal health … and assembled an integrative team of Health Advisors to help you in customizing personal regimens of diet, exercise, and nutritional supplements.

With our help you can feel younger, stay healthier, and live longer. So call a Life Extension® Health Advisor at 1-800-226-2370 to get started today.

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Find out with a blood test. Blood testing isn’t just a smart way to head off future health problems. In many cases it’s also a smart way to uncover the cause of puzzling symptoms (like headaches,

insomnia, upset stomach, and diarrhea) you’re experiencing now. It’s estimated that 45%–60% of

the general population struggles with an extraordinary range of symptoms that can’t be readily diagnosed.1,2

What’s Really

Making You Sick?What You Need To Know About Food Sensitivities

ethylamine found in chocolate.27 Caffeine, citrus, vinegar, and alcohol may also be migraine triggers. People suffering from migraines improve significantly once they remove migraine “trigger foods” from their diets.3,28

The FoodSafe™ blood test is now available to assess your sensitivity to 95 of the most common food antigens. Just a prick of your finger draws a few drops of blood that are placed on a blood spot collection card. The card is air dried and laboratory assessed for IgG4 antibodies to food. The test report shows a ranked, personalized profile of your test results for the 95 foods most commonly associated with food sensitivities. It indicates whether the levels of antibodies to those various foods make them

“safe” to eat, best eaten in moderation, or foods to avoid entirely.

After reviewing your results, your doctor will ask you to avoid those foods indicated as “unsafe” for 2 to 4 weeks. It’s a good idea to also avoid foods from the same “family” as the foods you reacted to. For example, sensitivity to one kind of shellfish may indicate that you should avoid all types of shellfish for a certain period of time. Your doctor may prescribe a diet that contains foods less likely to trigger reactions. One that allows your body and gastrointestinal tract time to recover from the continuous assault it has unknowingly experienced.

If your allergic reaction is life-threatening, you’ll be advised to permanently avoid that food. There are other reasons for life-long avoidance, too, such as gluten intolerance, which makes absorption of many nutrients difficult and good health impossible.

In other cases, you may be able to add a food back into your diet after a period of avoidance, as long as you eat it infrequently. One approach is to avoid the “reactive” foods for 2 to 4 weeks, and then re-introduce those foods into your diet to see if you still react to them negatively.29

A broad array of health “problems” are the result of undetected food sensitivities. Perhaps the best known example is the widespread number of health problems produced by the gluten in products made with wheat, rye, barley, and spelt (most grains except corn and rice).

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attacks” triggered by the very foods we depend on for sustenance.

The intense anaphylactic reactions that occur within minutes after eating or being exposed to a food or other substance6 are usually associated with “IgE” antibodies. IgE-mediated food allergies are most common in infants and children … and we tend to outgrow them as we get older.7,8

“IgG”-mediated food sensitivities/allergy are more difficult to deal with because the symptoms tend to occur many hours or even days after expo-sure to the offending foods.3 That’s where accu-rate, reliable allergy testing comes in to diagnose the problem.

When foods suspected of causing adverse reac-tions are eliminated from the diet based on sensitiv-ity testing, symptoms improve. If the food is then added back into the diet, patients often report a return of symptoms, a pattern that suggests a strong correlation between eating that food and the body’s reaction.9

A broad array of health “problems” are the result of undetected food sensitivities. Perhaps the best known example is the widespread number of health problems produced by the gluten in products made with wheat, rye, barley, and spelt (most grains except corn and rice). Though oats are not a glu-ten-containing grain, they are frequently included because they’re often processed on the same equip-ment as wheat and may be contaminated by it.

Celiac disease, the most serious form of gluten sensitivity, may affect 1 out of every 133 people.10 If undetected and untreated, gluten sensitivity can weaken the villi (minute, finger-like protuberances vital to nutrient absorption) of the small intestines. The result can be symptoms as severe as weight loss, fatigue, and malnutrition. Many, if not most, of these adverse effects can be prevented or reversed when gluten sensitivity is detected early and products containing gluten are eliminated from the diet.11-14

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is another condi-tion that may have its origins in food sensitivity.15,16 At any given time, 12%–20% of adults complain of symptoms (gastrointestinal discomfort and pain accompanied by intermittent diarrhea and consti-pation) consistent with a diagnosis of IBS, making it one of the most common GI disorders in the United States.17-19 More women than men are affected. When patients are assessed for food sensitivity and the foods identified by testing are eliminated from the diet, many report significant improvement in their symptoms.16,20-25

Migraine headaches are also associated with food sensitivity.26 Among the foodborne triggers most frequently connected with migraine are nitrates, a preservative found in processed meats; tyramines found in red wine, cheese, and soy sauce; and phenyl-

Rotation diets, where a food is only eaten once every 4 days, have been very effective for treating food sensitivities in some people.30 It helps prevent overexposure to any one food and gives you a better idea of what foods are contributing to your symp-toms, in case they recur. If you are more sensitive to certain foods or clear them more slowly from your body, you may need to eat them infrequently, like once every 7 to 10 days.

Your plan may also include taking omega-3 fatty acids to lessen inflammation, probiotics to replenish beneficial gastrointestinal bacteria, and glutamine to promote intestinal healing.9,31-33

Too much high fructose corn syrup in too many foods …

This common additive is present in a wide array of processed foods, from soft drinks and salad dressings to commercially baked cakes, cookies and breads, even breakfast cereals and ketchup. And it’s silently increasing your risk of obesity, diabetes, hyperten-sion, atherosclerosis, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease … to name just a few!

Regular table sugar (sucrose) is 50% fructose and 50% glucose. But high-fructose corn syrup can con-tain up to 90% fructose and 10% glucose, almost twice the fructose of common table sugar.51 Both table sugar and high-fructose sweetener contain four calories per gram, so calories are not the key problem. Metabolism of excess amounts of fructose is the major concern.

While cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in America,34 scientists have noted increas-ing rates of obesity, hypertension, metabolic syn-drome, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease.35 Add to that a disturbing rise in cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and you have a public health crisis. All due in part to all the high fructose corn syrup we eat. 36

Both table sugar and high-fructose sweetener contain four calories per gram, so calories are not the key problem. Metabolism of excess amounts of fructose is the major concern.

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Excessive dietary fructose has rapidly become an important causative factor in the development of metabolic syndrome,36 a group of risk factors that greatly elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes … and that high dietary fructose consump-tion contributes to obesity and insulin resistance,37,38 encourages kidney stone formation,39 promotes gout,40-43 and is contributing to an upsurge in cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.44,-46 Furthermore, high dietary fructose consumption is associated with increased production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are linked with the com-plications of diabetes and with the aging process itself.35,37,38

High fructose corn syrup is commonly found in an astounding array of foods and beverages because it’s substantially cheaper than table sugar and mixes well with lots of products. Con-sequently, between 1970 and 1990, the annual intake of high fructose corn syrup increased over 1,000%. It’s now the primary caloric sweetener added to soft drinks in the United States, and it comprises more than 40% of caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages.47,48

For most of human history, people have consumed about 15 grams of fructose per day (about one-half ounce), mostly from fruits and vegetables. In contrast, daily consumption in 1997 was estimated at 81 grams (nearly three ounces) per day.38 So while fructose may be derived from a natural source, it’s being consumed in unnatural amounts!

In fact, a recent study by Canadian researchers clearly shows that drinking high-fructose sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with elevated blood levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia), a condition linked to the painful joint disease, gout. For that and so many other reasons, it pays to avoid the dangers of excess dietary fructose.

And the best way to accomplish that is to read product labels and avoid foods with added sugars, processed or pre-packaged foods, and undiluted fruit juices. Focus instead on a heart-healthy Medi-terranean diet with whole grains, fresh vegetables, low-fat dairy, fresh fish, and limited meat. But don’t stop there.

Take advantage of diagnostic blood testing to measure your risk factors for a variety of diseases associated with excess high fructose corn syrup intake. And supplement with nutrients like benfo-tiamine (vitamin B1), alpha-lipoic acid, carnosine, pyridoxamine (vitamin B6), acetyl-L-carnitine, vita-min C, and fish oil. It all helps!

Even toxicity from drugs or heavy metals!

According to the American Medical Association, it’s estimated that in one year alone over 100,000

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So why wait! Take the next step bycalling a Life Extension Health Advisor now at 1-800-226-2370 toll-free.

You can also order a Food Safe Allergy Test today by calling 1-800-208-3444Item# LCM73001 — Retail price: $232www.LifeExtension.com

patients experience a fatal drug reaction, over 2 million hospitalized patients experience serious com-plications, and about 5.3% of all hospital admissions are drug-related.49, 50

Although drug labeling requires doctors to moni-tor their patients to help prevent drug-induced deaths, the pressure on doctors to save money can mean that comprehensive blood testing to reveal drug-induced liver and kidney problems occurs far less frequently than it should.

For example, people taking statin drugs can actu-ally reduce their cholesterol to dangerously low levels (below 150 mg/dL). A CBC blood panel can provide an accurate basis for deciding if the dose of a cholesterol-blocking agent should be increased or decreased for optimal results. And anyone taking a cholesterol-blocking agent should check his blood levels at least once a year to maintain optimal levels and prevent liver damage.

But it’s not just prescription drugs that can cause irreversible liver or kidney damage. There are many other factors … alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, excess niacin, hepatitis C … that can make a person susceptible. Annual blood testing can prevent these conditions from smoldering undetected.

Then there’s the issue of toxicity from exposure to heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, and aluminum. Atmospheric mercury is in the rain as well as the fish you find in lakes. It generally enters the body through inhalation and targets the brain and kid-neys. Arsenic from global water supplies leaches into shellfish, cod, and haddock … and when ingested, affects the blood, central nervous system, digestive system, skin and kidneys. And anyone dependent on aluminum foil for cooking and food storage gets constant exposure to that heavy metal. Fortunately, there are blood tests and panels that can detect all these issues before they become serious problems.

References:1. The Townsend Letter. 2008 Jan;294:71-2. 2. Basics of Food Allergy. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas,

Publishers, Ltd.;1978:8. 3. Altern Med Rev. 1998 Apr;3(2):90-100.

4. Am Fam Physician. 1999 Jan 15;59(2):415-24, 429-30.5. J Immunoassay Immunochem. 2009;30(1):51-69.6. CMAJ. 1988 Oct 15;139(8): 711-8.7. Pediatrics. 2003 Jun;111(6 Pt 3):1609-16.8. Pediatrics. 2003 Jun;111(6 Pt 3):1662-71. 9. J Amer Coll Nutr. 2006 Dec 15;(6):514-22.10. Endo Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2008 Sep;8(3):152-8.11. Gut. 1992 May;33(5):632-8.12. Fine K. Early diagnosis of gluten sensitivity: Before the villi are gone.

Lecture presented at the Greater Louisville Celiac Sprue Support Group. June, 2003.

13. Available at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/573934. Accessed June 11, 2010.

14. The Gluten Connection. How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotag-ing Your Health--And What You Can Do to Take Control Now. New York, NY: Rodale Books; 2006: 86-93.

15. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001 Apr;15(4):439-49.16. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2005 Jul;40(7):800-7. 17. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1997 Feb; 11(1):3-15.18. N Eng J Med. 2001 Jun;344(24): 1846-50.19. N Eng J Med. 2003 Nov 27;349(22):2136-46. 20. Gut. 2004 Oct;53(10):1459-64.21. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2004 Aug;7(4):307-16.22. Gut. 2005 Aug;54(8):1204.23. Inflamm Bowel Dis.2007;13(1):91-6.24. Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi. 2007 Aug;46(8):641-3. 25. Gut. 2004 Oct; 53(10):1391-3. 26. Postgrad Med J. 1980 Sep;56(659):617-21.27. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2007 Nov;107(10 Suppl 6):ES10-16.28. Lancet. 1983 Oct 15; 2(8355):865-9. 29. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1985 Oct 5;291(6500):951-5.30. Food Allergy. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publishers; 1951.31. Altern Med Rev. 2003 May;8(2):143-55.32. Nutr Rev. 2010 May;68(5):280-9.33. Altern Med Rev. 1999 Aug;4(4):239-48.34. J Ky Med Assoc. 2008 Apr;106(4):149-61.35. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Oct;86(4):899-906.36. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2005 Feb 21;2(1):5.37. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2008 Mar;24(2):204-9.38. Altern Med Rev. 2005 Dec;10(4):294-306.39. Kidney Int. 2008 Jan;73(2):207-12.40. J Comp Physiol [B]. 2008 Jul 23.41. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Jan 15;59(1):109-16.42. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2008 Mar;20(2):179-86.43. BMJ. 2008 Feb 9;336(7639):309-12.44. J Hepatol. 2008 Jun;48(6):993-9.45. J Nutr. 2008 Aug;138(8):1452-5.46. Clin Sci (Lond). 2008 Sep;115(5):141-50.47. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Apr;79(4):537-43. 48. Medscape J Med. 2008 Jul 9;10(7):160.49. JAMA. 1998 April 15;279(15):1200-05.50. Ann Pharmacother. 2008 Jul;42(7):1017-25.51. http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/sugar-sweeteners/back-

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