Food Sensitivity Testing [Book Review]

Food sensitivity can be somewhat of a grey area within the food allergy community. Meaning, some feel that because food sensitivity/intolerances are not life threatening, they should not be considered as important/detrimental as allergies that cause anaphylaxis. While I understand and agree that these are two very different areas of allergies, I feel that those who are suffering from sensitivities and/or intolerances should never be made to feel that their health issues are any less important. Just as there are varying levels of how people react to food allergies, there are also varying levels of how people can react to foods with less of a reaction. My point being- just because a food intolerance is not life-threatening, does not mean that it is not life-altering.

OK, I will push my soapbox aside just a little so that I can share my thoughts on a book that I recently reviewed. Julie Langton Smith MSc authored "Food Sensitivity Testing: The Principles of Bioresonance and Biofeedback Therapy"". Yes, this is actually my idea of fun because for seventeen years, I have been and will continue to be completely intrigued at how food effects our body. So when I was asked to review this book, the inner food geek in me said yes immediately.

Things I Appreciated About This Book Julie's book contains (mainly) short chapters and is written as more of an essay or manual versus a book. I admit, when I received the book I felt a bit overwhelmed as if I was just the tiniest bit out of my comfort zone. Once I began reading, I enjoyed that the simpler, matter of fact writing style is used so as not to make my brain wharp in the process. One of the terms used within the book that I absolutely adore is (CAM) Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. I know that in recent years, integrative medicine has been kicked around but I feel Julie's CAM label makes these alternative health options feel more personal. On the very first page it reads "Many illnesses remain a mystery for both patient and physician." In today's medical society, this is key. So many (including myself) have gone from doctor to doctor, seeking answers with difficult to diagnose symptoms and understanding that there are, in fact, things that are still not easily understood makes it so very accepting to allow both patients and physicians to know sometimes more is necessary to heal. 

Staying open minded is also a focus in this book. Mainstream physicians may or may not be taught the importance of how a meaningful approach to our health care can vastly improve how we heal in multiple ways. One such example is the difference between a ten minute appointment with a General Practitioner and a CAM physician who "spent at least twice as much time with patients compared to mainstream" (page 5 of her book). Being heard is what counts when a patient is seeking answers on how to proceed and how to heal. As a patient who is not feeling well and may not have felt well for months or even years, it can be very frustrating and stressful to spend the time setting up an appointment with a doctor, waiting to get the appointment, then having it end badly within just minutes because that is the time that they are allowed for each patient. 

Things I Saw As a Red Flag Although Julie's book is about food sensitivity, there were two areas that caught my eye in a negative way. One of her chapters states "Thankfully, a nut allergy has less severe symptoms.".... if you are a food allergy mother or have food allergies, are you reading this like "Excuse me?!" Maybe I misread it, maybe I did not understand the context of that paragraph but I find this statement to be extremely dangerous. There is no way to understand how an allergic reaction will effect each individual nor is there any proof that nut allergies have less of a severe reaction than other allergenic foods. I feel the author may want to consider my thoughts going forward for the safety of her readers.

A second area of the book is mentioning shellfish allergies. The author's statement to this is " Generally this kind of reaction is seen in adulthood."Again, I may be seeing something beyond what she intended but I feel this too is a dangerous statement to share with her readers. Allergic reactions can happen at any age, any time, even after ingesting the food many times before without a previous reaction. No, the focus is not on food allergies but if the author is choosing to include this topic, I recommend that the wording be carefully chosen.

What Is This Book About? The author shares a lot of helpful and useful information in her book. Again, in my opinion, the book reads more like a manual than a book (not sure if this was the author's intention or not) which makes for a quick read. One positive that I did appreciate is that nowhere within the book does the author state her opinion, she simply shares all avenues of information. Her topics and chapters include:

• Multiple types of therapies to offer a wider patient care plan (such as art, dance and music therapy)
• Explains how food sensitivities, intolerances and allergies may relate to different areas of health related issues, not just physical reactions as many expect
• Explanations of digestion and how poor nutrition and digestion can effect other areas of your body when you are not well
• Sugars, fats and proteins and how they relate as different avenues of health issues
• Case studies with notes, comments and questions for the practitioner to consider using
• Sample patient letters, explanation of test results and the importance of receiving patient feedback

Overall, I have mixed feeling about this book. I do not review items, food or otherwise, to bend the truth or mislead and please remember that my opinions are always just that, my own opinions. This being said, I feel the author was helpful in collecting the information that is contained in this book but I am a bit confused about who it is aimed toward. Is it written for a patient? If so, some of the information is helpful in giving people new avenues to look at in terms of their tricky health dilemmas that have gone undetected. They may be seeking answers about other areas of treatment or even trying to understand why their body may be reacting in ways that do not make sense to them or their doctors. Is this written for a physician? If so, how practical is it to think that physicians will need this book? I am not trying to seem abrasive, just realistic. Am I wrong in thinking that a physician would learn this information from education and not necessarily look to a book outside of their schooling for it? 

If you are interested and would like to read a copy for yourself, you can find it on Amazon. For more information about the author Julie Langton Smith MSc I recommend you visit her website for the Langton Smith Clinic. I want to thank the publishing company for sending me a copy to review and asking for my thoughts, it is always appreciated to be included.