Nutrition and Dietetics
It is important to eat responsibly.
Due to lack of time, stress and commitments of daily life, our diet is sometimes messy. This can lead to problems of obesity and other imbalances such as increased cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, etc.
Obesity is a chronic disease characterised by excess body fat. It is difficult to establish a single cause. It involves genetic and environmental factors. A large percentage of the population is affected by it, comprising all ages, sexes and backgrounds.
The health risks are significant when the excess weight reaches 20% as it substantially increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other highly prevalent diseases. It has become the second leading cause of premature and preventable death, after tobacco.
The therapeutic goals of weight loss are the improvement or elimination of diseases associated with obesity and the reduction of future medical complications related to excess weight. We should not focus solely on achieving the ideal weight, but aim for small weight losses (5-10% of initial weight) maintained long term.
It is necessary to include changes in lifestyle (diet plan, physical activity, behaviour modification). The emphasis on these aspects is even more important in periods of maintenance of weight loss. In this period, it is important to control your food and to perform regular physical activity. Also, the patient needs to know how to cope with possible relapse. These are the keys to preventing or delaying the recovery of lost weight.
It is important to know the patient’s perception of the problem and their possible previous failures in the treatment of obesity as unrealistic expectations often lead to frustration.
In terms of prevention of obesity, the primary objectives are:
to reduce the instances of excess weight in people with normal weight;
to prevent the overweight people from becoming obese, and prevent weight gain in people that have managed to lose weight. We want control of diseases associated with obesity, which is accompanied by a decrease in mortality of the obese.
To help solve these problems, we propose a personalised eating plan. We always begin with a blood test, because we are interested not only in your weight but also your health.
ALCAT TEST
It is a blood test that detects the level of intolerance in a person to food, artificial colours and preservatives.
The Alcat test examines the specific behaviour of our own cells with food. Their reactions to certain foods give us the guidelines to determine which are conflicting for our body.
The Alcat test is neither a weight loss treatment nor a treatment for migraine or dermatitis. It is a blood test which reproduces in the laboratory the response of our blood cells against 100 different foods (the most common our diet) and 20 artificial colours and preservatives commonly used in food.
2. What is the Alcat test for?
It is a diagnostic tool that must be performed by a diet and nutrition professional. This professional is the one who must prescribe the application, interpret and apply its results. The function of the Alcat test is to provide information on the metabolism of the patient about their food intolerances, in order to customise their diet and get the most out of treatment.
The information obtained is important to address, from the dietetic point of view, problems such as being overweight, chronic fatigue, fluid retention, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, some types of dermatitis, arthritis, etc.
3. How much does the Alcat test cost?
It depends on the elements analysed, whether it is performed for food only or also for dyes and preservatives. The price of the Alcat test can range from 400 to 600 €.