My husband and I recently had a food sensitivity blood test (MRT – Mediator Release Test) through our nutritionist and her husband, who is a physician. The results were eye-opening: they revealed which foods caused inflammation and digestive issues for each of us.
We discovered we were eating some highly reactive foods multiple times a day. For example, I regularly consumed almonds in many forms (raw, flour, butter, milk) at nearly every meal. The MRT showed almonds trigger a strong inflammatory response in my body, so I needed to eliminate them. My husband discovered tomatoes and cow’s milk were highly inflammatory for him and that his system doesn’t tolerate them well.
It’s important to remember that reactions vary between people. Foods considered healthy for one person can cause significant problems for another. Food sensitivities occur when the immune system reacts to certain foods and white blood cells release chemical mediators (such as histamine). Those mediators drive inflammation, pain, and other symptoms. The MRT classifies significant reactions as Reactive (red) or Moderately Reactive (yellow), while Low-Reactive items are placed in the green category.
After reviewing our red and yellow lists, we removed those inflammatory foods. Each of us cut out about fifteen items. The result was dramatic: many of our digestive problems improved or disappeared within days. The change felt incredible.
Following our nutritionist’s recommendation, we enrolled in the LEAP ImmunoCalm Dietary program. For the first fifteen days we are eating only foods from our green list. After that elimination phase we’ll reintroduce one food per day and monitor for reactions. If a reintroduced food triggers symptoms, we’ll keep it out until our gut heals and tolerance improves.
We’re currently on day seven of the strict diet. It’s challenging because we miss certain ingredients, but we both feel noticeably better—more alert, more energetic, less bloated, and with fewer digestive complaints.
I’ve been cooking and prepping every meal using only the allowed ingredients. With a limited list of about twenty to twenty-five items, I’ve had to get creative—often the best recipes come from constraints.
One recipe I made this week is pecan milk. It’s versatile: use it in coffee, smoothies, baking, or with Paleo granola. I’ll share a pecan waffle recipe soon that uses this milk.
How To: Make Homemade Pecan Milk
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- Author: Mariel Lewis
- Total Time: 15 hrs 3 mins
- Yield: 2 cups
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how to make homemade pecan milk: an easy, quick, and delicious dairy-free milk alternative. It’s perfect for baking, smoothies, coffee, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Place pecans in a bowl, cover with 2 cups of water, and soak overnight (8+ hours).
- Drain and rinse the pecans under cold water. Set a clean strainer and measuring cup aside for later use.
- Place rinsed pecans in a blender with the remaining 2 cups filtered water. Add honey and salt if using. Blend for 2–3 minutes or until fully broken down.
- Line a strainer with cheesecloth over the measuring cup. Pour the blended mixture into the strainer and use a spoon to help push liquid through. Gather the cheesecloth edges and squeeze firmly to extract the milk.
- Transfer pecan milk to a jar with a lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 hrs
- Cook Time: 3 mins
- Method: Straining
- Cuisine: American
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