HOW TO TEST A FOOD AFTER EXCLUSION: PULSE AND WEIGHT CHECKS

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HOW TO TEST A FOOD AFTER EXCLUSION: PULSE AND WEIGHT CHECKS

If you want to be more rigorous about testing foods, you can take your pulse and weigh yourself before and after eating. Some people, not all, have significant pulse changes on eating a food. Take your resting pulse rate before eating as follows: Rest for 10 minutes, then place your finger on your pulse at neck or wrist and count the beats for 15 seconds. Multiply the number of beats by four, to give your pulse rate per minute. Take your resting pulse rate again at 20, 40, and 60 minutes after eating. A rise or fall of more than 10 beats per minute after eating a food is an indication of a reaction. It must be a resting pulse rate – rest for 10 minutes before taking the pulse, otherwise it will rise and fall naturally as you move around.

To check your weight, weigh yourself morning and evening on the day that you test. If you put on more than 0.5 kg (1 lb) during the day, that is a sign of a reaction.

A further indicator of a reaction is to take a sample of handwriting an hour after eating. Many people find that the quality of their script degrades significantly, beyond their control, after a food reaction. It is a useful check on children testing and can be done without them knowing it is part of the test.

How Often to Test?

If you are testing foods on a single-food exclusion diet, or on a special low-allergen diet, under medical supervision, you will be advised as to how often you can test new foods. It is best not to test too often, and most people are recommended to test one food a week, or not more than one every four days. If you are on a total exclusion diet, you will be given specific advice as to what and how often you can test.

If you are on a permanent diet, such as a rotation diet, it is a good idea to use this testing protocol if ever you want to introduce a new food into the diet. If you want to test water, or anything else you swallow or ingest, such as toothpaste or medicines, use the same test procedure as above.

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