The Test

I took the EAV test for food sensitivities with the hope that I could eliminate food stressors that may have been contributing to my migraines. My doctor recommended another Naturopathic Doctor (ND) in my area (Portland, OR) who had the equipment to administer the test. It cost about $150, and would have cost a bit more if I wanted to test environmental sensitivities as well. There are about 200 food (and food combinations) included in the test. Out of those, here are the ones to which I tested sensitive:

Fish
Halibut

Dairy
Cow's milk (skim)
Blue cheese
Cheddar cheese
Cottage Cheese
Buttermilk
Kefir
Lactose
Yogurt

Eggs/oil/vinegar
Chicken egg yolk
Turkey egg yolk
Corn oil

Grains
Corn
Spelt

Nuts
Coconut
Pistachio

Vegetables
Pumpkin
Tomato

Sugars
Corn syrup
White sugar
Sorbitol
Xylitol

Additives
FD&C Blue
FD&C Green
FD&C Red
FD&C Yellow
MSG
Phenol
Benzoic acid
Formic acid
Sodium nitrate
Sodium nitrite
Sodium sulfite

Caffeine
Coffee (regular)
Coffee (decaf)
Chocolate
Cocoa

Fruits
Strawberry
Mango
Cantaloupe
Watermelon

Alcohol
Beer
Grain alcohol
Kahlua
Wine (red)
Wine (white)
Tequila

Combinations
Wheat and soy
Grain and tomato
Meat and Tomato
Egg and tomato


Whew! So, what does all this mean?

1) The doctor told me that the two main inducers of migraines are usually dairy and wheat. So even though I did not test sensitive to all the items in those categories, for the experiment's sake, I have avoided all dairy and wheat.

2) The doctor also told me that I was the only one she's ever tested who tested sensitive to spelt and not wheat (read: I'm very special). This shows that the test is an indicator, but not perfect. That's why the reintroduction part of all this is key. For example, after my body "forgets" what dairy is for six weeks, I will be able to reintroduce dairy and get a reaction that actually reflects how my body feels about dairy.

3) The idea is that our body can only hold so much stress. So if I am eating 5 things that stress my body with minimal or no symptoms, a 6th stressor could be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Or in my case, the stressor that gives the camel a migraine.

4) Oh, the irony! I am a vegetarian and I didn't test sensitive to any meat.