Most healthcare practitioners understand that a key component of the healing journey for patients to help them to resolve health issues is to help them improve their diet. Most practitioners would agree to this concept in principle however there are two challenges regarding implementation:
- The first is that most practitioners are busy and don’t really have the time to spend on this topic with patients other than perhaps giving them some handouts or sending them to a website. (The possible exception being large multi-disciplinary clinics that might have RDs and/or nutritionists on staff that can work with patients.
- The second is that the practitioner might not have specialized training in this area and it can be confusing! A diet that seems to work well for one patient might be disastrous for another patient that has a similar health profile.
Biochemical Individuality
The optimal diet for any patient is a diet that is unique to their biochemical individuality. This concept of biochemical individuality Is based upon research by individuals such as: Roger Williams, Linus Pauling, Weston A. Price, Bruce Ames. More recently, William Walcott in 2001 published a book entitled: “The Metabolic Typing Diet” which is still widely available. In conjunction with the release of this book, his company Health Excel made available an online assessment system which will determine an individual’s biochemical individuality based upon their metabolic type. This assessment determines whether an individual is sympathetic or parasympathetic dominant or at a cellular level a fast oxidizer or a slow oxidizer. A comprehensive report is generated that will guide the patient through aspects of an optimal diet for their biochemical individuality. This is the dietary protocol that I use with my patients in my clinical practice and I find it to produce excellent results.I will of course use some short term specialty diets If appropriate such as low histamine, keto, etc. Here is the link where individuals can purchase the Metabolic Typing diet assessment and get their Metabolic Typing report. If you have found developing dietary recommendations for your patients challenging, the Metabolic Typing system may provide an optimal solution for you and your patients.
Food Sensitivity Testing
One additional key component of dietary recommendations for patients is determining food sensitivities. The most popular test available in the market is IgG (Immunoglobulin G) which is a blood test which measures levels of IgG antibodies produced by the immune system in response to different types of food.
The MRT Food Sensitivity Test
In my practice, I use the patented MRT food sensitivity test from Oxford Biomedical Technologies in Florida which I believe is significantly superior to IfG testing. The test measures volumetric changes in white blood cells, as these shrink in response to the release of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins. The more the cells shrink, the stronger the mediator release—implying a more significant food sensitivity reaction. Results are typically shown as color-coded bar graphs, denoting highly reactive, moderately reactive, and non-reactive foods.
Clinical Relevance and Use
What sets MRT apart is that it captures not just antibody-mediated reactions (type III and IV hypersensitivities) but other immune pathways that lead to inflammation and symptoms This makes MRT especially relevant for conditions associated with chronic, delayed, or dose-dependent reactions, such as IBS, migraines, fibromyalgia, dermatitis, and other inflammatory conditions. These are the tools that I use in my clinical practice to help my patients in this critical area of dietary recommendations – perhaps they may be of benefit to you also
