I get a lot of questions on food sensitivities, testing and the LEAP certification. These FAQs should help clear some of the confusion up.

Q. Your title is Certified LEAP-MRT Therapist. What does that mean and why did you decide to become one?

A. Certified LEAP-MRT Therapist is a specialist who has received advanced training in food sensitivities — their treatment and therapy. LEAP stands for Lifestyle, Eating and Performance, and MRT stands for Mediator Release Testing®. It is a specialized blood test that quickly identifies trigger foods and food chemicals. By measuring your body’s delayed immune response to 150 foods and other commonly eaten substances, the MRT tests for reactions to foods that your body may have beginning 45 minutes up to 3 days after eating the offending food.

A Certified LEAP-MRT Therapist creates a personalized elimination diet, based on results from the MRT blood test. The intent is to identify and then avoid the foods people may have sensitivities for, so they feel much better. Many of my patients are in tremendous pain and have tried many things before they come into my office. It makes my day when I can pinpoint the food or foods that are causing the problem.

I decided to become a Certified LEAP-MRT Therapist because I had struggled with food sensitivities myself. So, I know first-hand many of the struggles and pain patients that come in to see me have been through.

Q. Is MRT accurate?

A. MRT is the most accurate blood test available for food sensitivities. Scientific studies have shown MRT to be 94.5% accurate in sensitivity and 91.8% accurate in specificity in detecting reactive foods.

Q. What costs do insurance cover?

A. Unfortunately, most insurance plans do not cover costs for MRT and follow-up visits.

Q. What is the difference between MRT and other tests for food sensitivities?

A. The primary differences between MRT and other laboratory tests for food sensitivities are:

MRT measures reactions from lymphocytes, granulocytes, and platelets. Other cellular tests are limited to either lymphocytes or granulocytes.

MRT is an endpoint test. This means MRT provides the most comprehensive information of reactive and non-reactive substances. Serum blood tests such as ELISA IgG and other types of IgG testing limit themselves to the kind of immunologic reaction they can measure.

Scientific studies have shown that food sensitivities involve at least seven different possible triggering mechanisms that can cause immune cells to react and release chemical mediators. MRT measures the reaction of the cells that are affected by the specific triggering mechanisms. The other tests measure the individual triggering mechanism that may not actually cause mediator release.

Q. How long will it take before I notice results?

A. Most patients see a noticeable difference within the first 2 weeks after implementing results from the MRT, however in some cases it can take as long as 4 – 6 weeks.

Q. What are the causes of most food sensitivities and why do some people have them while others don’t?

A. Your immune system is as unique as your fingerprint. Most of our immune system is in our gut. Many people have been on antibiotics, medications, or have many different health issues that affect the gut permeability. Diet and alcohol intake affect the gut as well. The typical American diet with junk food and highly processed foods does not promote gut health.

Q. What are some of the health benefits that people may experience after they address their food sensitivities?

A. Sometimes people come to see me for digestive issues or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and they are surprised to see that as their inflammation goes down. They also see their blood pressure or cholesterol go down, and then their need for medications for those conditions goes down, too. It’s surprising how many conditions are affected by diet that people wouldn’t normally think of, such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain and chronic sinusitis.

Contact me at 508-274-8222/ 774-413-5238 to get answers and solutions for your food and digestive problems.