Do you have food sensitivities? The one simple test you can do anytime, anywhere to find out. Page 2

Step 1: Determine if you have sensitivities to begin with

For some of us it’s obvious that something isn’t working. Chronic sinus infections, digestive upsets after certain types of food, eczema, chronic headaches… these are just some of the many things that can be attributed to food sensitivities. But for others of us, these sensitivities are a lot more subtle.

So our first task is to identify whether you have allergic tension in your body to begin with. To do so:

1. Have a seat, take a couple of nice big breaths to get into your body, and then take your pulse for a full 60 seconds. Yup, a whole minute – not 20 seconds multiplied by three, or 30 seconds multiplied by two… a full 60 seconds. Write that number down.
2. Stand up, and wait for about 15-30 seconds
3. Take your pulse a second time, for another full 60 seconds. Write that number down.

Compare the two numbers. If your pulse on standing is 6 or more beats per minute greater than your pulse while sitting, you are experiencing allergic tension.

Step 2: Determine what food (or other environmental cause) is causing that tension

This is where it gets fun and you get to bring out your detective hat. There’s actually quite a long and formal process for determining this exactly, but I’m going to give you a short cut.

Let’s say you LOVE cheese. Like the I-can’t-imagine-life-without-it kind of love. I-have-to-have-it-every-day-or-I-start-to-twitch kind of love. That’s a good place to start. (Remember: the foods you love the most are always the most likely culprits because of that stress buzz response.)

1. Before a meal (ideally a good 1-2 hours since you’ve eaten or drank anything other than water), sit down again and take a nice big couple of breaths to get into your body.
2. Before eating anything, take your pulse again for a full 60 seconds. Write down the number.
3. Take a bite of the cheese (it’s best to do this with a single ingredient – not a food that combines several likely culprits – like pizza, for example), and hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds.
4. With the cheese still in your mouth, take your pulse for another 60 seconds (don’t swallow yet!). Write that number down.

If your pulse increased by 6 beats or more per minute (5 beats or more if you’re an O blood type), then you have a sensitivity to the cheese. If your pulse stayed the same or only changed by a couple of beats per minute, you’re fine.

Cool, right?

You can try this anytime, anywhere with any food. The key is that you want it to be the first thing you’ve eaten, otherwise you can skew the results. Dr. Coca recommends you try a new food every hour if you’re experiencing lots of symptoms and want to root out the underlying cause.

You can also test things other than food. Some folks have found that they react to their toothpaste, a certain perfume, laundry detergent…

Try the test! What foods – if any – are you sensitive to? Previous Page