Let's solve the mystery.
Healthy eating means something different for everyone. For those suffering from food sensitivities, food as seemingly benign and as an apple or chicken may be wreaking havoc on your body. In fact, research suggests that food sensitivities are involved in IBS, migraines, fibromyalgia, GERD, interstitial cystitis, inflammatory bowel conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, chronic sinusitis, and a host of other conditions.
The question becomes this: What are you sensitive to?
Food sensitivities are caused by a different mechanism than food allergies or food intolerance, and sometimes it takes hours or even days for symptoms to appear. You may be sensitive to both foods and chemicals, and sometimes the response is dose-dependent; the more you eat, the worse it is. Sounds tricky, right? Without testing, it's nearly impossible to truly uncover all food sensitivities.
Enter MRT, the Mediator Release Test. MRT tests 150 different foods and chemicals, measuring the quantity of mediators, or inflammatory messengers, that are released when your blood comes into contact with the tested antigens. It does not test just one antibody, like IgG testing, and is not the same as allergy testing; rather, it quantifies markers of inflammation caused by a hyper-response of your immune system. Mediators like cytokines, prostaglandins, and histamines are all taken into account, and the more mediators released, the higher the immune response to that food or chemical. Thus, not only do you know what you're sensitive to, but you know the severity of the sensitivity.
The question becomes this: What are you sensitive to?
Food sensitivities are caused by a different mechanism than food allergies or food intolerance, and sometimes it takes hours or even days for symptoms to appear. You may be sensitive to both foods and chemicals, and sometimes the response is dose-dependent; the more you eat, the worse it is. Sounds tricky, right? Without testing, it's nearly impossible to truly uncover all food sensitivities.
Enter MRT, the Mediator Release Test. MRT tests 150 different foods and chemicals, measuring the quantity of mediators, or inflammatory messengers, that are released when your blood comes into contact with the tested antigens. It does not test just one antibody, like IgG testing, and is not the same as allergy testing; rather, it quantifies markers of inflammation caused by a hyper-response of your immune system. Mediators like cytokines, prostaglandins, and histamines are all taken into account, and the more mediators released, the higher the immune response to that food or chemical. Thus, not only do you know what you're sensitive to, but you know the severity of the sensitivity.
MRT tells you what. LEAP tells you how.
LEAP (Lifestyle Eating and Performance) is the dietary program that accompanies the MRT. Without LEAP and the support of a Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT), the MRT results are only part of the solution. CLTs give MRT results life, meaning, and strategy, and they help clients make the transition to a new diet as seamless as possible. Megan became a CLT because of the amazing results she experienced using LEAP on herself. She was able to heal her digestive issues after eight years and tens of thousands of dollars spent seeking an answer.
What does LEAP involve?
When you sign up for LEAP with Megan, you have a partner on your journey. The process starts with MRT. You will receive an MRT test kit for a blood draw and will have your blood tested on a Monday through Thursday after 12 PM local time at a lab facility. Don't worry - fasting is not required for testing!
Once your results are received, usually 7-10 days after you complete the blood draw, the work can begin. MRT results appear in "stoplight" format - green are the lowest reactive, yellow are medium and red are high. You will avoid all "yellow" foods/chemicals for 3 months and all "red" foods/chemicals for 6 months, but the most "strict" portion of the diet only lasts 10-14 days, or until we see significant improvement and reduction of symptoms. In essence, you will be eating only the foods we know are lowest reactive to start (the low "greens"). Since MRT doesn't test every possible food, we must assume that untested foods are reactive because their effects are unknown.
Three and six months may seem like a long time to avoid certain foods, but realize that LEAP is only as restrictive as it needs to be. We don't remove foods unless we suspect a problem, meaning that you don't have to stick to just meat and veggies like many elimination diets. Furthermore, since the results are tailored to your immune system, we expect improvement within just two weeks and a full calming of your immune system within 6-10 weeks. Most blind elimination diets specify that you will need 9-12 months of strict adherence before experiencing a calming of your immune system. Not with LEAP - if your issues are caused by food sensitivities, we expect results, fast.
You will meet with Megan at the beginning of your protocol, after 8-10 days of starting the diet, and then after one month of being on the plan. You will also receive email support and be able to ask questions along the way. Megan "sees" all clients remotely via phone, Skype or FaceTime so that schedules and proximity are not a factor.
Megan will help you know exactly what to eat while following your LEAP protocol and will offer shopping lists, meal ideas, recipes, and personalized support. You will feel empowered along your journey, confident that by following your protocol, you are the one making yourself well. Finally, you can have some control over your health.
What does LEAP involve?
When you sign up for LEAP with Megan, you have a partner on your journey. The process starts with MRT. You will receive an MRT test kit for a blood draw and will have your blood tested on a Monday through Thursday after 12 PM local time at a lab facility. Don't worry - fasting is not required for testing!
Once your results are received, usually 7-10 days after you complete the blood draw, the work can begin. MRT results appear in "stoplight" format - green are the lowest reactive, yellow are medium and red are high. You will avoid all "yellow" foods/chemicals for 3 months and all "red" foods/chemicals for 6 months, but the most "strict" portion of the diet only lasts 10-14 days, or until we see significant improvement and reduction of symptoms. In essence, you will be eating only the foods we know are lowest reactive to start (the low "greens"). Since MRT doesn't test every possible food, we must assume that untested foods are reactive because their effects are unknown.
Three and six months may seem like a long time to avoid certain foods, but realize that LEAP is only as restrictive as it needs to be. We don't remove foods unless we suspect a problem, meaning that you don't have to stick to just meat and veggies like many elimination diets. Furthermore, since the results are tailored to your immune system, we expect improvement within just two weeks and a full calming of your immune system within 6-10 weeks. Most blind elimination diets specify that you will need 9-12 months of strict adherence before experiencing a calming of your immune system. Not with LEAP - if your issues are caused by food sensitivities, we expect results, fast.
You will meet with Megan at the beginning of your protocol, after 8-10 days of starting the diet, and then after one month of being on the plan. You will also receive email support and be able to ask questions along the way. Megan "sees" all clients remotely via phone, Skype or FaceTime so that schedules and proximity are not a factor.
Megan will help you know exactly what to eat while following your LEAP protocol and will offer shopping lists, meal ideas, recipes, and personalized support. You will feel empowered along your journey, confident that by following your protocol, you are the one making yourself well. Finally, you can have some control over your health.
I already know I'm not allergic to anything. How will LEAP help me?
Food allergies and food sensitivities are not the same thing. Food allergies are an immune response that can cause mild to moderate symptoms, including itching of the mouth and skin, hives, swelling of the lips and face, wheezing, nausea/diarrhea/vomiting, dizziness and in severe cases anaphylaxis and even death. Food allergies affect about 4% of adults in the US and up to 8% of children. Young children are the most susceptible. Ninety percent of food allergies are caused by the top eight offenders: peanuts, dairy, soy, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs and wheat.
Food allergies are caused by an IgE-mediated immune response. MRT does not test for IgE responses. Why? Food allergies are pretty easy to identify through allergy testing (scratch tests), and most people can figure out what they are allergic to because food allergies appear rather quickly, within minutes to hours of exposure. Food intolerances, on the other hand, can take days to surface and are a different type of mechanism. They are hard to detect without testing like MRT. Even other tests like IgG or ELISA-ACT don't test mediator release as broadly as MRT.
If you know or suspect an allergy to any given food, it will not be included in your LEAP immunocalm diet.
My naturopath already tested me for food sensitivities using IgG. How is this different?
IgG is only one type of immune-mediated response. While many alternative practitioners use IgG in their practice, its clinical utility is severely limited because IgG can be either harmful or helpful, and it's impossible to distinguish the difference. Thus, if one tests high for carrots using IgG testing, it's not known whether that is "good" or "bad." In fact, the American Association of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology strongly opposes the use of IgG testing to diagnose food intolerance or allergy.
MRT is an endpoint test and does not distinguish what mediator is released, just that mediators are (or are not) released and in what quantity. Thus, MRT accounts for all types of mechanisms of immune response, including antibodies, and has much wider utility than IgG testing. Furthermore, MRT tests chemicals as well as food and has much higher accuracy, approximately 94.5% sensitivity.
How does MRT compare to ALCAT?
MRT was created by the same person who developed ALCAT, Dr. Mark Pasula. MRT is newer, more updated technology that has much greater sensitivity (94.5%) and specificity (91.8%), as well as better split sample reproducibility than ALCAT. Simply put, ALCAT is outdated technology that has been replaced by MRT. Furthermore, many practitioners using ALCAT do not provide the specific, customized dietary support to accompany test results that only a Certified LEAP Therapist and dietitian can offer.
I don't cook. Will LEAP still work for me?
Most processed foods contain many ingredients, including additives that are not tested by MRT. Since untested items are disallowed during the first month of your LEAP protocol, it may be difficult to rely on packaged or restaurant foods while adhering strictly to the diet. If you frequent restaurants that commonly work with dietary restrictions and prepare very simple, single-ingredient items, it may be easy to rely on restaurant foods, but many restaurants utilize processed foods as well.
Cooking may be a big lifestyle shift for LEAP clients. Megan can help make the transition easier by teaching you about batch cooking, simple preparation techniques, freezer meals and shopping tips. Clients find that they save a lot of money when preparing most meals for themselves - bonus!
How accurate is MRT?
MRT has a 94.5% sensitivity and 91.8% specificity. This means that if a person is known to be sensitive to a food/chemical, MRT identifies that food/chemical accurately almost 95% of the time. Conversely, if a person is known to be not sensitive to a food/chemical, MRT indicates that the food/chemical is not an issue for that person almost 92% of the time. No test is perfect, but sensitivity and specificity over 90% indicate that this test is very accurate.
How will LEAP help me feel better?
By identifying the foods and chemicals causing inflammation in your body, you have the potential to eliminate a wide array of symptoms. Some clients have had complete elimination of their condition, as they were able to eliminate the cause for their discomfort. Clients report other benefits besides symptom reduction, including more energy, better sleep, potential weight loss, fewer aches and pains, and feeling better overall.
How long do I have to stay on my LEAP protocol?
The entire protocol takes at least 6 months to complete, as we eliminate red reactive foods for 6 months. Most clients note that they feel so much better that it's not worth to going back to what they were eating before. Remember, LEAP is individually tailored to you and not more restrictive than it needs to be. It is not "low calorie," "low carb," or a fad weight loss diet; it is a program customized to your immune system and lifestyle that is intended to help you feel better as quickly as possible. The more adherent you are, the better you will feel. Fortunately, as your immune system and gut heal, you may be able to add back many of your yellow and even red reactive foods and chemicals. A lot of clients notice that their response to certain foods is dose dependent. If they have a small portion, they don't notice any effects. When people feel better, they are very motivated to stay adherent to their plan.
Do I have to eat like this forever?
The most strict portion of the diet is the first two weeks. After that, more foods can be introduced. After completing the protocol, most clients are aware of the foods and chemicals really aggravate their symptoms and also know what they can "get away with" without having symptoms. If you realize that you only have to eliminate a handful of foods in the long term, you can decide how important it is for you to feel good. If you decide to introduce a reactive food on a special occasion, at least it's an informed choice that you are making, not a blind guess of how something may affect you.
What if I just avoid my yellow and red reactive foods but don't necessarily follow the LEAP protocol?
If you avoid your yellow and red reactive foods but eat many untested foods, you may still be eating foods that you are reactive to and will likely not reap the same benefits as if you were to follow your LEAP protocol closely. If you continue to eat an untested food, say black beans, and you happen to be highly reactive to them, your symptoms will likely persist. Untested foods/chemicals can be added back after one month on the protocol as long as symptoms have improved considerably. These untested foods/chemicals are introduced one at a time to assess for reaction.
How long will it take before I get better?
Most people feel improvement in their symptoms within 10-14 days. "Detox" symptoms can occur days 4-7 as the body goes through a temporary "withdrawal" (similar to eliminating other addictive substances). Thus, some clients feel worse before they feel better, but if this occurs it means the diet is working. Symptoms can include fatigue, headache, irritability, aches and pains, and exacerbation of targeted symptoms. With extra water and some rest, these withdrawal symptoms are usually temporary as long as the client is adhering strictly to their LEAP protocol.
It may take up to 6 weeks or longer for a client to fully calm his or her immune system. In general, we should notice a decrease in symptoms overall as the client progresses with the program, even if it's symptoms that are less "important" to the client, such as back pain or fatigue, than the more targeted symptoms. Megan will qualitatively assess your symptoms during each of your sessions.
The speed at which you will heal depends on how closely you follow your protocol, how long you have been suffering, and the degree to which food sensitivity plays a part in your condition.
How much does it cost?
Contact us for pricing information.
Will insurance cover any of the testing or counseling?
Some insurance companies do cover part of testing, but since Oxford is considered an out-of-network lab, many insurance plans, including Medicare, do not offer reimbursement. Some clients have success with seeking reimbursement for the dietary counseling depending on their plan. Also, many clients have success with using their Health Savings Account to pay for the program. Megan does not accept insurance plans for counseling.
Can I just do MRT without dietary counseling?
Megan does not offer the test without dietary counseling. It is nearly impossible, even with a nutrition background, to fully interpret the results without the help of a trained Certified LEAP Therapist. In fact, Megan took the test in 2009 and didn't work with a CLT. She didn't know how to follow the diet and didn't experience much symptom relief until she worked with a CLT dietitian five years later. The first test was essentially a waste of money, and she spent almost $20,000 in those five years seeking symptom relief from a variety of practitioners before coming back to LEAP. She is confident now that if you're going to do it...do it right the first time.
Can my child do LEAP?
Yes, as long as enough blood can be drawn and the parent can ensure that the child adheres to the diet. It is not recommended to test children weighing under 20 pounds, as a minimum of two tubes of blood (10 pounds body weight per tube) are needed to perform the MRT. Optimal blood collection is at least three tubes of blood, which is associated with a 30-pound child.
Many LEAP clients are toddlers, children and teens, and we have had great success with digestive, inflammatory and even behavioral issues.
Are there supplements involved in this protocol?
In general, most non-essential supplements are eliminated during the beginning of LEAP to remove potential reactive compounds, as supplements usually contain untested substances. LEAP is not a supplement-based program, and unlike other protocols, you will not need to take fistfuls of pills to see results. If Megan deems that certain supplements are recommended based on your symptoms and/or micronutrient testing that has been performed, then she will prudently recommend specific brands and quantities.
What if I don't see results right away?
Most clients notice substantial improvement by week 6, but some clients need an additional month for their immune system to fully calm. If a client is still suffering after 8-10 weeks, Megan will evaluate adherence to the protocol and any other potential issues that may interfere with the healing process, including micronutrient deficiency, chemical exposure, or mechanisms not related to food sensitivity.
Will I have to keep taking my medications?
It is out of Megan's scope of practice to advise against taking any prescribed medications. However, if the medication you are taking contains a reactive chemical, Megan will work with you and your physician to potentially find a suitable alternative. Many clients notice that their physicians allow them to discontinue a medication when LEAP reduces or eliminates the need for that medication.
I have a history of eating disorders. Can I do LEAP?
It is not advised for clients who have had eating disorders to follow the LEAP protocol, as a restrictive immunocalm diet may resurface disordered eating behavior in susceptible individuals. Contact Megan to decide if you're a good candidate.
Food allergies and food sensitivities are not the same thing. Food allergies are an immune response that can cause mild to moderate symptoms, including itching of the mouth and skin, hives, swelling of the lips and face, wheezing, nausea/diarrhea/vomiting, dizziness and in severe cases anaphylaxis and even death. Food allergies affect about 4% of adults in the US and up to 8% of children. Young children are the most susceptible. Ninety percent of food allergies are caused by the top eight offenders: peanuts, dairy, soy, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs and wheat.
Food allergies are caused by an IgE-mediated immune response. MRT does not test for IgE responses. Why? Food allergies are pretty easy to identify through allergy testing (scratch tests), and most people can figure out what they are allergic to because food allergies appear rather quickly, within minutes to hours of exposure. Food intolerances, on the other hand, can take days to surface and are a different type of mechanism. They are hard to detect without testing like MRT. Even other tests like IgG or ELISA-ACT don't test mediator release as broadly as MRT.
If you know or suspect an allergy to any given food, it will not be included in your LEAP immunocalm diet.
My naturopath already tested me for food sensitivities using IgG. How is this different?
IgG is only one type of immune-mediated response. While many alternative practitioners use IgG in their practice, its clinical utility is severely limited because IgG can be either harmful or helpful, and it's impossible to distinguish the difference. Thus, if one tests high for carrots using IgG testing, it's not known whether that is "good" or "bad." In fact, the American Association of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology strongly opposes the use of IgG testing to diagnose food intolerance or allergy.
MRT is an endpoint test and does not distinguish what mediator is released, just that mediators are (or are not) released and in what quantity. Thus, MRT accounts for all types of mechanisms of immune response, including antibodies, and has much wider utility than IgG testing. Furthermore, MRT tests chemicals as well as food and has much higher accuracy, approximately 94.5% sensitivity.
How does MRT compare to ALCAT?
MRT was created by the same person who developed ALCAT, Dr. Mark Pasula. MRT is newer, more updated technology that has much greater sensitivity (94.5%) and specificity (91.8%), as well as better split sample reproducibility than ALCAT. Simply put, ALCAT is outdated technology that has been replaced by MRT. Furthermore, many practitioners using ALCAT do not provide the specific, customized dietary support to accompany test results that only a Certified LEAP Therapist and dietitian can offer.
I don't cook. Will LEAP still work for me?
Most processed foods contain many ingredients, including additives that are not tested by MRT. Since untested items are disallowed during the first month of your LEAP protocol, it may be difficult to rely on packaged or restaurant foods while adhering strictly to the diet. If you frequent restaurants that commonly work with dietary restrictions and prepare very simple, single-ingredient items, it may be easy to rely on restaurant foods, but many restaurants utilize processed foods as well.
Cooking may be a big lifestyle shift for LEAP clients. Megan can help make the transition easier by teaching you about batch cooking, simple preparation techniques, freezer meals and shopping tips. Clients find that they save a lot of money when preparing most meals for themselves - bonus!
How accurate is MRT?
MRT has a 94.5% sensitivity and 91.8% specificity. This means that if a person is known to be sensitive to a food/chemical, MRT identifies that food/chemical accurately almost 95% of the time. Conversely, if a person is known to be not sensitive to a food/chemical, MRT indicates that the food/chemical is not an issue for that person almost 92% of the time. No test is perfect, but sensitivity and specificity over 90% indicate that this test is very accurate.
How will LEAP help me feel better?
By identifying the foods and chemicals causing inflammation in your body, you have the potential to eliminate a wide array of symptoms. Some clients have had complete elimination of their condition, as they were able to eliminate the cause for their discomfort. Clients report other benefits besides symptom reduction, including more energy, better sleep, potential weight loss, fewer aches and pains, and feeling better overall.
How long do I have to stay on my LEAP protocol?
The entire protocol takes at least 6 months to complete, as we eliminate red reactive foods for 6 months. Most clients note that they feel so much better that it's not worth to going back to what they were eating before. Remember, LEAP is individually tailored to you and not more restrictive than it needs to be. It is not "low calorie," "low carb," or a fad weight loss diet; it is a program customized to your immune system and lifestyle that is intended to help you feel better as quickly as possible. The more adherent you are, the better you will feel. Fortunately, as your immune system and gut heal, you may be able to add back many of your yellow and even red reactive foods and chemicals. A lot of clients notice that their response to certain foods is dose dependent. If they have a small portion, they don't notice any effects. When people feel better, they are very motivated to stay adherent to their plan.
Do I have to eat like this forever?
The most strict portion of the diet is the first two weeks. After that, more foods can be introduced. After completing the protocol, most clients are aware of the foods and chemicals really aggravate their symptoms and also know what they can "get away with" without having symptoms. If you realize that you only have to eliminate a handful of foods in the long term, you can decide how important it is for you to feel good. If you decide to introduce a reactive food on a special occasion, at least it's an informed choice that you are making, not a blind guess of how something may affect you.
What if I just avoid my yellow and red reactive foods but don't necessarily follow the LEAP protocol?
If you avoid your yellow and red reactive foods but eat many untested foods, you may still be eating foods that you are reactive to and will likely not reap the same benefits as if you were to follow your LEAP protocol closely. If you continue to eat an untested food, say black beans, and you happen to be highly reactive to them, your symptoms will likely persist. Untested foods/chemicals can be added back after one month on the protocol as long as symptoms have improved considerably. These untested foods/chemicals are introduced one at a time to assess for reaction.
How long will it take before I get better?
Most people feel improvement in their symptoms within 10-14 days. "Detox" symptoms can occur days 4-7 as the body goes through a temporary "withdrawal" (similar to eliminating other addictive substances). Thus, some clients feel worse before they feel better, but if this occurs it means the diet is working. Symptoms can include fatigue, headache, irritability, aches and pains, and exacerbation of targeted symptoms. With extra water and some rest, these withdrawal symptoms are usually temporary as long as the client is adhering strictly to their LEAP protocol.
It may take up to 6 weeks or longer for a client to fully calm his or her immune system. In general, we should notice a decrease in symptoms overall as the client progresses with the program, even if it's symptoms that are less "important" to the client, such as back pain or fatigue, than the more targeted symptoms. Megan will qualitatively assess your symptoms during each of your sessions.
The speed at which you will heal depends on how closely you follow your protocol, how long you have been suffering, and the degree to which food sensitivity plays a part in your condition.
How much does it cost?
Contact us for pricing information.
Will insurance cover any of the testing or counseling?
Some insurance companies do cover part of testing, but since Oxford is considered an out-of-network lab, many insurance plans, including Medicare, do not offer reimbursement. Some clients have success with seeking reimbursement for the dietary counseling depending on their plan. Also, many clients have success with using their Health Savings Account to pay for the program. Megan does not accept insurance plans for counseling.
Can I just do MRT without dietary counseling?
Megan does not offer the test without dietary counseling. It is nearly impossible, even with a nutrition background, to fully interpret the results without the help of a trained Certified LEAP Therapist. In fact, Megan took the test in 2009 and didn't work with a CLT. She didn't know how to follow the diet and didn't experience much symptom relief until she worked with a CLT dietitian five years later. The first test was essentially a waste of money, and she spent almost $20,000 in those five years seeking symptom relief from a variety of practitioners before coming back to LEAP. She is confident now that if you're going to do it...do it right the first time.
Can my child do LEAP?
Yes, as long as enough blood can be drawn and the parent can ensure that the child adheres to the diet. It is not recommended to test children weighing under 20 pounds, as a minimum of two tubes of blood (10 pounds body weight per tube) are needed to perform the MRT. Optimal blood collection is at least three tubes of blood, which is associated with a 30-pound child.
Many LEAP clients are toddlers, children and teens, and we have had great success with digestive, inflammatory and even behavioral issues.
Are there supplements involved in this protocol?
In general, most non-essential supplements are eliminated during the beginning of LEAP to remove potential reactive compounds, as supplements usually contain untested substances. LEAP is not a supplement-based program, and unlike other protocols, you will not need to take fistfuls of pills to see results. If Megan deems that certain supplements are recommended based on your symptoms and/or micronutrient testing that has been performed, then she will prudently recommend specific brands and quantities.
What if I don't see results right away?
Most clients notice substantial improvement by week 6, but some clients need an additional month for their immune system to fully calm. If a client is still suffering after 8-10 weeks, Megan will evaluate adherence to the protocol and any other potential issues that may interfere with the healing process, including micronutrient deficiency, chemical exposure, or mechanisms not related to food sensitivity.
Will I have to keep taking my medications?
It is out of Megan's scope of practice to advise against taking any prescribed medications. However, if the medication you are taking contains a reactive chemical, Megan will work with you and your physician to potentially find a suitable alternative. Many clients notice that their physicians allow them to discontinue a medication when LEAP reduces or eliminates the need for that medication.
I have a history of eating disorders. Can I do LEAP?
It is not advised for clients who have had eating disorders to follow the LEAP protocol, as a restrictive immunocalm diet may resurface disordered eating behavior in susceptible individuals. Contact Megan to decide if you're a good candidate.