Food intolerances
New!
Food intolerance testing now available at home!
Do you want to take the food intolerance test, but you cannot go to one of our clinics? The test can be done by yourself in the comfort of your home, anywhere in Quebec. It’s a simple fingertip swab.
Simply send an email to INFO@PRELEV.CA to request it.
Please note that a $20 fee will be added to your bill for sending the collection kit to your home.
What are food intolerances?
Since food intolerances can affect inflammation, they may be a factor to consider in certain medical conditions such as:
- Acne
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Eczema
- Epilepsy
- Fibromyalgia
- Crohn's disease
- Psoriasis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- And many others...
Make an appointment
Food intolerance is a reaction of the immune system to a specific food. Depending on the source, it may be called food hypersensitivity, type III food allergy or simply food intolerance. It involves IgG antibodies that bind to the protein of the food in question, called antigen. This immune complex (IgG-antigen) will accumulate in certain tissues of the body near or far away. The body then triggers an inflammatory process to eliminate these immune complexes. If these are present in too large a quantity (large quantity or frequency of ingestion of the food in question), the body cannot break the cycle and chronic inflammation sets in.
The sensitivity of an individual varies according to his or her genetic profile, the state of his or her immune system, digestive function, the quality of the gastrointestinal barrier, the composition of the microbiota (intestinal flora), the frequency and quantity of consumption of the food antigen, etc. Leaky gut is often associated with an increase in food intolerance and the intensity of symptoms.
Certain discomforts may indicate to a person that they are intolerant to certain foods. These discomforts may occur quickly or hours or even days after eating, making identification difficult. The physical manifestations may differ from one person to another or from one period to another for the same person. Food intolerances can affect your quality of life and long-term health.
The most frequently observed physical manifestations are:
- Anxiety, panic attacks, depression, hyperactivity
- Headaches, migraines, dizziness, fatigue, lethargy
- Weight gain or significant difficulty in losing weight
- Water retention (associated with weight gain)
- Skin rashes
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating, flatulence, constipation / diarrhea
- Loss of appetite, nausea, stomach cramps
- Gastric ulcers, oral ulcerations
- Difficulty breathing, rhinitis
- Muscle and joint pain
* Food intolerances can be detected by analysis of a blood sample taken from the fingertip. The test consists in assessing the extent of the presence of associated IgG.
Available profiles
Food intolerances (hypersensitivities) are not a disease, but they can be the cause of many discomforts or aggravate certain symptoms related to diseases already present. They can be easily detected by analyzing a blood sample taken from a fingertip. The test consists of evaluating the importance of the presence of IgG associated with the foods tested in the blood. It takes a look at your diet over the last 3 months, so it is important to do it during a period when you have symptoms. If there are foods that you haven’t eaten in more than 3 months, know that it is unlikely that these are the foods that are giving you these symptoms. Therefore, in order to accurately assess your food intolerances, it is necessary to consume the suspected foods. Generally, 2 servings of these foods per week for the 2 or 3 weeks preceding the sample are sufficient for the formation of antibodies. If you have eliminated these foods for more than 6 months, you should eat 2 servings per week for 6 weeks before taking the sample.
DO NOT CONSUME foods that you suspect are responsible for severe reactions (e.g. hives, anaphylactic shock, difficulty breathing).
Different food profiles are available according to your personal needs.
Which profile should I choose?
It is important to choose the profile that best suits your eating habits and your budget. If you don’t eat meat, fish or seafood, the vegetarian profile is just right. If you’re not sure whether to choose the basic or complete profile, here’s a list of foods that are present in the complete profile but not in the basic one. If your diet includes 4 or more foods from this list, perhaps the complete profile would be the best option.
- No medical prescription required
- Test by blood sampling
- Maximum 15 minutes
- Full report in English
- Explanatory document in French to accompany the report
Fruits
Cornflower
Mango
Grenada
Raisin
Tangerine
Watermelon
Date
Fig
Papaya
Cranberry
Cassis
Guava
Lime
Mandarin
Blackberry
Wild blackberry
Grapefruit
Fishing
Pear
Pomegranate
Plum
Vegetables
Sweet potato
Shallot
Rocket
Squash
Red cabbage
Radish
Bette
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bok Choi
White cabbage
Savoy cabbage
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Pumpkin
Endive
Spinach
Fennel
Gourgane
Beans (white, mung, kidney)
Parsnips
Radish
Rhubarb
Rocket
Herbs and spices
Chamomile
Rosemary
Ginseng
Cayenne
Curry
Ginko
Cardamom
Caper
Chives
Cloves
Coriande
Garden cress
Cumin
Bay leaf
Ginger
Ginkgo Biloba
Marjolaine
Nigella
Safran
Sage
grains
Quinoa
Couscous
Beer or Whiskey (malt)
Spelled
Amaranth
Gluten-free breads (tapioca)
Nuts and grains
Flaxseed
Chickpea
Macadamia nut
Gourgane
Amaranth
Teff
Chestnut
Chia seed
Chestnut
Coconut
Brazil nut
Pine nut
Lupin
meats
Goat
Rabbit
Beef
Ox
Quail egg
fish and seafood
Squid
Wakame
Spirulina
Nori
other
Honey
Agar agar (jam, jelly, canned soup)
Transglutamina (cold cuts or chicken croquette)
Carob
Porcini
Ricotta
Shittake
Green tea
Lactose tolerance test
Clinique Prelev now offers the lactose intolerance test. The evaluation of lactose intolerance involves administering an oral dose of lactose solution to a fasting patient and monitoring their blood sugar levels at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Therefore, a minimum of 2 hours should be allotted for the appointment. If the person is lactose intolerant, their body will produce only minimal increases in glucose, so this approach is commonly used in adult patients in regional hospitals. The test is performed by taking blood samples.
A prescription from your health care professional is required
* Please note that the test can only be performed on children over 55lbs (25kg).