In the late 1940s, American allergist Dr. Theron G. Randolph claimed that sensitivity to common foods could cause symptoms such as headaches and arthritis, and that environmental chemicals could have profound negative effects. The best­seller Silent Spring, a 1962 book by American biologist Rachel Carson, alerted the world to the dangers of insecticides.

 

At this time, the term "clinical ecology" began to be used to describe this field of medicine. The system gained ground in the UK during the 1970s and is practiced today throughout the Western world by qualified doctors and complementary therapists.

Clinical ecologists believe that foods are the most likely environmental carriers of "toxins", and claim that anyone drinking unfiltered tap water and eating a typical Western diet is likely to ingest 100 synthetic chemicals daily. These include pesticides and herbicides sprayed on vegetables and fruits, residues of drugs fed to animals prior to slaughter, and preservatives in processed foods. Air pollution, cleaning agents, and house dust are other potential hazards.

 

The body usually maintains health despite an onslaught of environmental toxins. For some people, particularly those susceptible to allergies, or those who have an infection or a diet deficient in anti­oxidant vitamins and minerals, it can become more difficult to cope. According to clinical ecologists, these people are more prone to developing inflammatory reactions, or even changes in brain chemistry, which can alter their mood and vitality. Practitioners use various tests to identify the substances causing trouble so that they can be avoided or limited. They may also try to "desensitize" the patient to the irritant.

The scientific basis for clinical ecology has not been well established, and the associated diagnostic tests are considered unreliable. However, the detrimental effects of environmental pollution on health are becoming more apparent, and further research is needed. True allergies, like asthma, are already strongly linked to environmental factors, such as air pollution.

The premise that environmental irritants can affect health makes sense, but many doctors would question the effectiveness of clinical ecology in pinpointing them. The idea that diagnostic tests can distinguish between stress-related and environmental factors belies the complexity of patients' problems, and it is too easy to jump to an environment-linked conclusion.

The practitioner asks about your medical history, diet, and lifestyle, to see if there is any evidence of exposure to irritants. He then checks for signs of sensitivity, such as swollen glands. A hair or blood test may be taken to determine mineral and nutritional factors thought to relate to the strength of the immune system.

 

Other tests include: Skin-prick test: Tiny samples of the diluted suspect substances are applied to an area of scratched skin or injected under your skin. Any subsequent inflammation or itchiness indicates an allergy or sensitivity. Pulse test: A change in pulse rate after eating a certain food is said to be a sign that you are sensitive to it. Some practitioners use the auriculocardiac reflex method, placing suspect substances next to the ear and noting any sudden increase in pulse rate. Muscle test: A solution of a suspected irritant is placed on your tongue or body. An inability to resist pressure then directed against a limb is seen to suggest intolerance. BAST (Radio Allergo Sorbent Test): This conventional blood test shows whether immunoglobulin E has been made by your body, indicating an allergic reaction. Cytotoxic test: A blood sample is taken and mixed with extracts of the possible irritant. Damage to the white blood cells is said to suggest sensitivity. Sublingual drop test: After five days of taking fluids only, a drop of a solution containing the suspect irritant is placed under the tongue and reactions noted. Elimination diet: After a diet of "neutral" foods, possible irritants are gradually reintroduced. Vega test: Not approved in the US, the Vega machine generates a low­ voltage current applied to the skin; this is said to reveal "sensitivities" to suspect

substances.

 

The simplest treatment is to avoid any irritants identified, but this is not always practical. Your practitioner may opt to "desensitize" you using the following techniques so that the body can withstand limited exposure to the irritant. Exclusion or elimination diets: Suspect foods, commonly dairy products, wheat, sugar, citrus fruits, nuts, eggs, or coffee, are excluded for 10-14 days in the hope that symptoms will disappear. Alternatively, food intake is reduced to one or two items for five days; individual foods are then reintroduced until symptoms are triggered.

•     Check symptoms with a doctor if consulting a clinical ecologist who is not medically qualified.

•     Carry out elimination diets only under qualified supervision to ensure adequate nutrition.