TOOTHIE:"What is it?? And can it help me??-Kc "1. A lifestyle modification program for patients with symptoms provoked by a loss of tolerance to foods and food additives.(Lifestyle, Eating and Performance is what LEAP stands for)This includes in particular patients with diarrheic-predominant IBS (if it has been properly diagnosed) and cyclic IBS (c & D), and chronic headache (migraine and non-migraine, two of the biggest populations that can be helped with this method).The core of the program is dietary modification based upon isolating and removing any foods or additives which can be shown by a proprietary in vitro end-point assay via blood analysis to provoke and abnormal reaction of the bodies circulating immune system cells. This is NOT food allergy, which only affects perhaps 8% of IBS patinets as a comorbodity...which is easy to isolate and remove), but reactions which are mediated by other mechanisms not realted to "allergy". The food sensitivities are combined with any know allergy to produce a safe eating plan specifically customized to each individual persons intolerance profile.These abnrmal non-allergic reactions to foods or additives provoke the release the proinflammatory mediators from immunocytes in the small bowel and blood stream act to elicit the onset of the symptoms associated with these IBS populations. This phenomenon has been studied for decades, primarily in Europe, and has been independently confirmed repeatedly including in the last several years by invasive studies of the small bowel during food challenge, and other such studies of inflammatory response to dietary components in IBS patients. The test (Mediator Release Test)is a newly patented (2001) test developed by an immunologist, and the dietary program was developed by physicians and dieticians using the test as a tool for dietary planning during the last 7 years or so on their own patients. The program was developed and first began use in Florida, and is now in the first stage sending people out to doctors and dieticians across the country to make them aware of the availability.So far over 260 private insurance plans reimburse for the testing and medcial care time when delivered through a healthcare provider that is facility based. More info can be found at
www.leapallergy.comThe program also includes, where needed, an efficacious stress and anxiety management program on caompact discs developed by a Board Certified Gastroenterologist and Clincial Psychologist at Barnes-Jewish medical Center in St. Louis (Dr's Weinstock and Lipsitz)
www.ibstherapy.com and other adjuncts may be incorporated as deigned appropriatee to each specific patients needs.2. Whether or not it can help you is determined by your symptoms set and history. This can be scaled for probability. The website has a Presecreening Form to complete and submit which is reviewed (no charge) to separete those people who can be helped by this method from those who probably cannot. Only those people who fit the profile of one who has a high probability of suffering from these abnormal reactions as a source of symptoms are accepted for the lifestyle program, be it home based or through a LEAP provider physician or dietician. This is not method of promoting the use of a test for screening, it is a Symptom Reduction Program for people who can ebenefit from the methods used to modify their dietary habits and lifestyle only.For these reasons people who are accepted and who do elect to follow the method have a high rate of symptom reduction up to and including remission.The program is also currently under study at the Texas Center for Autistic Research and Treatment (San Antonio)< as the dietary plan has shown promise for improving the cognitive behaviors of autistics...a population of autistics is beleived by the researchers to suffer from aberrant sensitivity to dietary additives or even whole foods as a componenent of that condition as well.Several top NFL and NCAA football programs also utilize this method and collaborate with the company on developing protocols for optimizing diet in professional and collegiate athletes. AMong the consulting physicians is one of the worlds leading allergists and immunologists, who is an authority on the subject of food allergy and intolerance and is the companies primary international consuling immunologist and allergist. Here is one of the many books he has written, this one may be of interest to you in learning more on the subject from an authoritative
source:FOOD ALLERGIES AND FOOD INTOLERANCE: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THEIR IDENTIFICATIONAND TREATMENT", Professor Jonathan Brostoff
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/089...6487508-3420903 I hope that provides the answers you were seeking. If not feel free to email me. I am travelling on business at this time but check in daily. Personally, the use of this testing and dietary plan allowed me to enjoy complete remission of my IBS symptoms over the last six years, following over 30 years of intractable suffering and the failure of all other methods to relieve me of the burden. As long as I follow the dietary protocol I remain symptom free. As do many others...Eat well. Think well. be well.MNL