Food sensitivities are notoriously difficult to identify.

We wasted years running from one specialist to another, seeking help for our daughter’s severe eczema.  Most of the doctors we saw completely dismissed the topic of food sensitivities all together.  “No such thing,” they’d say – or – “Don’t worry.  She’ll grow out of it.” – or – “If the allergy test came back negative, then food is not the issue.”  They’d hand us a prescription and send us out the door.

A few were generous enough to suggest that an elimination diet “could, possibly be helpful.”  Unfortunately, it was not.

This scenario is infuriating and more than a little discouraging to a mother who knows in her gut that food is at the root of her child’s symptoms, yet cannot prove it.  Cannot, in fact, make even the tiniest bit of improvement no matter what on earth she tries.

So we kept searching, eventually finding a local integrative medical doctor willing to test for food sensitivities.  Hallelujah!  This seemed at the time like the answer we had been looking for.   We were able to obtain our food sensitivity testing through this doctor, but only after 14 months on a wait list and thousands of dollars out of pocket for appointments, supplements, and testing.

I wish I had known then that testing can easily be purchased online without a doctor’s appointment (for approximately $300/test depending on which test you choose) and that the blood draw for the test can be scheduled with a local phlebotomist.  (This sounds scary, but it really isn’t at all complicated.  I promise!  Details below!)

If you suspect that your child’s symptoms are caused by food sensitivities, but have been unable to find a doctor willing to test for them, or perhaps are unable to afford the cost of an integrative or other holistic doctor, ordering your food sensitivity testing online could be the answer you have been looking for.

 

How to Order Food Sensitivity Testing Online

Step #1 – Follow the link below to Direct Labs Online

 

Click here to order from Direct Labs Online.

Below is the page that you will see:

Step # 2 – Click on the test of your choice.

You will see the Alcat 100 at the top of the page.  This is one of the tests that my family has used.  “Alcat” refers to the name of the test.  “100” refers to the number of foods tested.  100 foods was sufficient for our family.  This covers the most common foods that you likely eat.

Likewise, we have also used the Allergix IgG4 90 by Genova.  This test covers 90 foods and was also sufficient for our needs.

If you would like to have more foods tested, you can scroll down the page for more options.  The price will reflect the # of foods tested.  There is also an option to test only 50 foods.

If you are interested in using a different food sensitivity test, you can click on “Food Sensitivity Testing” under the “categories” bar.  This will bring up other food sensitivity test options as well as tests for mold, chemicals, herbs, celiac, and food dyes.  I am sure that all the options are helpful and recommend that you read the descriptions to choose the best test for you.  I recommend the Alcat and Allergix tests simply because we have used them ourselves with good results.

As you can see in the screen shot below, Direct Labs offers a wide variety of tests.  If you are in need of any other testing (hormone panels, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, gut health, etc..) you can find these using the search or category tabs at the top of the page.

Step #3 – Print your requisition form.

Once you’ve selected and ordered the test of your choice, you will receive an email confirmation from Direct Labs.  Within a few hours, you will receive a second email which will give you information on how to print your requisition form.  This requisition is what you will need to provide to the lab for your testing.  You MUST provide this requisition in order to have your blood drawn at the lab.

Step #4 – Choose a participating lab near you and stop in for a quick blood draw.

Go to the “Lab Locator” tab and enter your zip code to view a list of participating labs in your area.  Take your requisition form with you to the nearest or most convenient lab location to have your blood drawn by a certified phlebotomist.  These are generally walk-in clinics with no appointment necessary, though the contact information will be listed if you would like to call ahead for any details.

The phlebotomist will perform the blood draw and prepare the materials to be sent directly to Direct Labs for testing.  Within a few days the results should be uploaded to your secure Direct Labs account.

And that’s it!  Though the process can be a bit intimidating at first, it’s actually quite simple, and in some cases much easier than finding or paying for a specialist to order tests for you.

If you have any trouble with this process AT ALL, simply call 1-800-908-0000.  When they ask, give them the code: R-NGWW.  The friendly staff at Direct Labs will be happy to walk you through the whole process.

I wish, wish, WISH I had known about Direct Labs back at the beginning our journey… going from doctor to doctor to doctor, trying to find someone who would take our food sensitivities seriously, spending thousands of dollars for appointments, only to find out later that I could have gotten the exact same test from Direct Labs.  Live and learn.

 

Click here to order from Direct Labs Online.

 

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