This article is Part #2 of a 3-part series on how to heal your gut through MRT testing. So, if you haven’t checked out my first article, which discusses the nature of MRT testing, how to know if it’s right for you, and how to find a provider, I highly suggest you start there! In this article we will discuss how to interpret your MRT results and use them to build your unique LEAP program. Let’s dive in!
The MRT Testing Process
Once you find your MRT practitioner, they will order the test for you. The test arrives as a kit containing a number of vials. You then take the kit to an MRT registered testing location. Your practitioner will probably help you find one, but if not, it’s easy to find one online. The test is just a simple blood test, and the testing location will likely mail your sample for you. Easy peasy!
Now the hard part…waiting for your results!
Interpreting your MRT Results
Getting my MRT results back felt a bit like Christmas morning. Maybe I’m the biggest geek on earth. Or maybe I was just really really excited to start feeling better! Knowledge is power!
The results are broken out by food group. Each food within a food group is ranked from least inflammatory to most inflammatory. The food groups include Beans/Nuts/Seeds, Vegetables, Fruits, Seafood, Meats/Poultry, Grains, Dairy, Flavor Enhancers (think spices) and Miscellaneous. The Miscellaneous category includes items such as coffee, tapioca, cocoa, coconut and baker’s yeast. There is also a category for Chemicals which includes 29 of the most common chemicals found in our foods, and include items such as MSG, caffeine and ibuprofen.
Now for the ratings. Each food is assigned a simple numerical rating. Foods that score below a 2.0 are considered “non-reactive” and are labelled green. Foods rated from 2.0 to 2.9 are labelled yellow and are considered “moderately reactive”. Anything rated 3.0 or above is coded red and is labelled “reactive”.
The MRT Program – Initial Phases
While the results of the test are very self-explanatory, your practitioner will help you determine what to do with them. What I love about the MRT program is that the purpose is to heal your gut so that you are able to enjoy your yellow, and even your red foods, again in the future. Just because they might be off-limits for a few weeks or months doesn’t mean they are out of your life forever. Quite the opposite really!
The MRT program is broken into different phases. In the first phase, your diet will be limited to the lowest ranking foods in each category. Different practitioners may follow different approaches for breaking up the phases. For example, you might be able to have the 3 lowest ranking foods from each category. In my case, I was able to have all foods from all categories that were ranked 1.0 or lower.
Then, with each subsequent phase, you add back a few more foods from each category. In my experience, each phase lasted for 2 weeks, but again, this may vary by practitioner. As you would expect, the first phase is the most restrictive. It’s pretty challenging to go out to eat during the first few phases because your list of allowable foods is quite small. Plus, you never have full visibility at a restaurant to know exactly what ingredients they are adding to their foods. But honestly it is so worth the sacrifice for a few weeks! You’ll quickly start noticing improvements in how you’re feeling which is the best motivation to stick to the program. And you’ll be surprised how quickly your list of allowable foods grows!
The MRT Program – Subsequent Phases
The first five phases focus exclusively on your green, or non-reactive, foods. After you complete these phases, you’ll start adding back your yellow foods. You’ll do this one by one, giving your body time to react. You may find that you have no problems with your yellow foods now that your body has had time to heal during the first few phases of the program. Or you may find that you have symptoms after eating one of your yellow foods. If that’s the case, you take it back out of your diet.
Eventually you will test all of your yellow foods and finally will try incorporating your red foods back into your diet. If you feel ok after eating them, great! If not, you will be encouraged to take them back out of diet and try them again in a few months.
Other Items to Note
Throughout the program you will keep a food journal. Interested in learning best practices for food journaling? Check out my article here! The purpose of the food journal is to track how you feel after you eat. This is important when reintroducing green foods, but especially important when reintroducing your yellow and red foods.
In addition to a food journal, at the completion of each phase of the program, you will fill out a symptom survey. You will also fill one out before starting the program. The survey has you list how many times you experienced a certain symptom within the last week, and how sever the symptom was. Then you tally your score. This will allow you to track your progress. Ideally your score continues to drop as the program progresses and your symptoms improve.
Also, there are bound to be some foods on the list of tested foods that you don’t like or don’t regularly eat. That’s fine! Just ignore these foods and focus on adding back the foods that you know you want to be part of your diet moving forward.
And now to be a big wet blanket! Alcohol is not a tested food. Alcohol, sadly, is also known to be very inflammatory. Therefore, you are encouraged not to drink for the duration of the program. And if you are going to drink, stick to colorless cocktails free of sugar or mixers. Remember, you’re going to get out of the program what you put in. If you really want to drink, you can. However, you might not have as great of results as somebody who abstains from drinking.
Parting Words
That’s it! The test and the phased reintroduction of foods is honestly really simple! As is the premise: eat the foods that are the least reactive to your body. Give your body a chance to heal. Reintroduce foods that are more reactive once you are feeling better. Monitor how each new food makes you feel.
I hope you are feeling inspired to hop on the MRT train! For the third and final part in this MRT series I’m going to walk you through my results and phased reintroduction of foods. See part #3, coming soon!
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