HealthGoods

A simple, convenient, low cost alternative to the often painful, expensive and time consuming options administered in a hospital, laboratory or healthcare professional's office.  MyAllergyTest screens for ten of the most common food, pet and environmental allergens - Milk, Wheat, Egg, Cat, Dust Mite, Mold, Ragweed, Timothy Grass, Bermuda Grass, and Mountain Cedar - and is safe, accurate and convenient to use in the privacy of your home. Specimens are analyzed by ImmuneTech's CLIA-certified high complexity reference laboratory, and results are available through a secure online portal within days. MyAllergyTest was developed by Dr. Vincent Marinkovich, a world renowned Allergist and Immunologist and is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared.

Testing Procedure

Find out what’s causing your allergy symptoms in just 3 easy steps:

·         Collect sample via simple finger prick

·         Mail it in the prepaid envelope provided

·         Get your results and a personalized plan via secure internet access

Your results will be available to you within days.  When your results are ready, you will receive an email.  They can be viewed online or you may choose to have your results mailed to you. 

A personalized plan will also be included that provides helpful information and links on how to better manage your symptoms.  For example, if you are allergic to mold, the plan let’s you know about what foods to avoid, how to clean up mold in your environment and other things to avoid as well as when certain pollens are problematic in your region.

Each Kit Contains

·         Easy-to-follow instructions

·         Sample collection supplies

·         Registration card

·         Prepaid & pre-addressed mailing envelope (USPS certified)

Try My Allergy Test and find the relief you have been searching for

My Allergy Test is FDA cleared and clinically proven to be as accurate as tests used by doctors and laboratories.

MyAllergyPlan

Now that you know you have allergies you need a "plan of action" to help you avoid your symptoms and feel better! ImmuneTech is providing just that with a customized "MyAllergyPlan" included as part of your MyAllergyTest results. Your MyAllergyTest results have shown you exactly what you are allergic to, now your MyAllergyPlan can help you learn how to clean up your environment, avoid the offending allergens, and add medications when you and your doctor decide they are needed. The MyAllergyPlan is based on the recommendations of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). These guidelines are designed to help you practice allergen avoidance as a first step to feeling better, and use appropriate medications when necessary. ImmuneTech recommends that you share this information with your healthcare provider.

Included in the MyAllergyPlan are the following:

• Information on allergies.
• Your specific allergy information.
• Avoidance recommendations.
• Resources for helpful products.
• Resources for more information.
• Doctor locator as part of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology for further assistance if needed.

Sample Test Results

ImmuneTech: My Allergy Test
"The first step in allergy relief"
	ImmuneTech Reference Laboratory Vincent A. Marinkovich, MD Medical Director		Saturday, November 27, 2008
	Personal Information Jane Doe 100 Beach Street San Francisco CA 94123     1000 janedoe@email.com		Blood Sample Information   Date collected November 1, 2008 Date received November 4, 2008 Date tested November 5, 2008
	Test Results
	Allergen IU/mL   Class Allergic Response Timothy Grass 14.93   3 Moderate / High Bermuda Grass 0.37   1 Very Low   Cedar < 0.35   0 Negative   Ragweed < 0.35   0 Negative Alternaria (Mold) 71.17   5 High Milk 48.63   4 High   Egg White < 0.35   0 Negative   Wheat < 0.35   0 Negative   Cat < 0.35   0 Negative Housedust Mite 0.57   1 Very Low
	Allergen-Specific  IgE Concentration IU/mL       Class       Test Result       Allergic Response   < 0.35  0  Negative  Negative  0.35 - 0.69  1  Borderline  Very Low  0.70 - 3.49  2  Positive  Moderate  3.50 - 17.49  3  Positive  Moderate / High  17.50 - 49.99  4  Positive  High  50.00 - 100  5  Positive  High  > 100  6  Positive  High IU/mL = ImmuneTech Units per mL

FAQ’s

A. An allergy is the result of a person’s overactive immune system, reacting to usually harmless things. The substances that cause allergic reactions are known as allergens. Your body thinks the allergen is an invader and makes antibodies to attack it. People who have allergies have an antibody called Immunoglobulin E, or IgE. When allergens first contact the body of a person with allergies, allergen-specific IgE antibodies are produced. Each type of IgE has specific "radar" for one type of allergen only. That’s why some people are allergic to cats only (they have only the IgE antibodies specific to cat) and others seem to be allergic to everything.

When a person with allergies comes in contact with an allergen, his or her body will show symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as swelling of tissues, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, and other reactions. A person with antibodies to a specific allergen is commonly referred to as being “allergic” to that allergen.

A.Your blood sample will be tested for the following allergens: House dust Mite, Cat, Timothy Grass, Bermuda Grass, Mountain Cedar, Short Ragweed, Alternaria (mold), Milk, Egg White, and Wheat.

A. Anyone wanting to know if they are “allergic” to the ten most common allergens should do MyAllergyTest. This test is made especially for you, the general public.

A. To help you better manage your allergy symptoms, you must first know what is causing your allergy. For instance, you don’t have to get rid of your cat if you are allergic to milk, and you don’t need to avoid pollens all year if you have a seasonal allergy to ragweed.

MyAllergyTest gives you more information. Once you know the specific allergens causing your symptoms, you can:
1. Avoid exposure to the allergens;
2. Contact your physician to get specific medical treatment.

An accurate allergy test, such as MyAllergyTest, is an important part of allergy diagnosis, when used together with advice from your Healthcare Provider.

A. MyAllergyTest is as accurate as other standard laboratory testing systems. The MyAllergyTest laboratory tests your blood with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared allergy testing method. Unlike tests that provide only a “Yes” or “No” answer, MyAllergyTest gives you a “CLASS” number which matches your level of allergic response. MyAllergyTest also gives you ImmuneTech Units per milliliter (IU/mL). Some doctors may use these test results to track the progress of allergy treatment.

A. No. MyAllergyTest tests for 10 of the most common allergens. While a completely negative test result is strong evidence that you are not allergic to any of the most common allergens, it is possible that you will be allergic to a less common, or even rare, allergen.

In addition, many people with allergy-like symptoms may be suffering from Non-Allergic Rhinitis (NAR). Non-Allergic Rhinitis is a condition in which an individual reacts to non-allergen substances such as perfume, smoke, pollution, spicy foods, weather shifts and temperature changes and suffers from conditions such as sneezing, nasal dripping and stuffiness. You may wish to share the results of your MyAllergyTest with your physician and ask about the possibility that you may have Non-Allergic Rhinitis.

A. Try any or all of the following:

• Wash your hands with warm water
• Warm your hands by rubbing them together
• Choose a finger that is warm and callus-free
• Let the hand with the chosen finger hang at your side for at least 30 seconds
• Press the Safety Lancet firmly against the tip of your chosen finger.
• Do not pull your hand away when triggering the Safety Lancet. If you like, or if you feel uneasy, someone else can help you stick your finger.

A. No. You do not need to fast and you can test your blood any time of the day.
It is best to collect the blood sample before eating or several hours after a meal.

A. Your test results are confidential. Access to test results requires the PIN that you attach to your Personal Identification Card and your email address. Only you can access your results with your PIN. If you’d like to make the results available on-line to your physician, you must give him or her your PIN and email address. Make sure you do not lose your PIN!

In a report produced by the Institute of Medicine it was stated that one out of five Americans suffer from hay fever, asthma and other allergic diseases. Allergies are a result of hypersensitivity to substances that normally would be harmless to the majority of people. Substances that produce allergic reactions in humans are called allergens and almost any substance can cause allergic reactions. An allergy is a specific reaction of the body’s immune system to a normally harmless substance, one that does not bother most people. People who have allergies often are sensitive to more than one substance.

The most common household allergens include:

Cat Dander - A combination of minute skin scales and allergens contained in saliva and sebaceous gland secretions. When cats groom themselves by licking, they deposit saliva on their fur that dries and flakes off. The sebaceous glands in the cat's skin also secretes an allergen.

House Dust - A mixture of fibers from carpets, furniture and clothing that is combined with grit, sand particles, human skin flakes and food debris and results in the development of various micro- and macroorganisms.

Dust Mites and their Excrement - Dust mites are microscopic creatures that are related to the spider. They thrive on moist conditions and eat dead skin cells and find favorable conditions to proliferate in mattresses, pillows, blankets, carpets, upholstered furniture and other fabrics. There can be millions of dust mites in a mattress and pillow and each dust mite produces 20 fecal pellets per day. The allergen from dead mites and their droppings are the most common cause of allergic reactions.

Dog Dander - A combination of minute skin scales and allergens contained in saliva and on the coat. When dogs groom themselves by licking, they deposit saliva on their fur that dries and is attached to dog hair that is shed along with skin flakes.

Cockroaches and their Excrement - Various insects can be a source of inhalant allergens. The most common indoor insect allergen that is known is from the cockroach. This allergen is derived from the fecal matter and saliva of the cockroach.

Molds and Fungi - Mold and Fungal allergens are found primarily in the spores and excretions of these organisms.

Plants - Pollen produced by wind-pollinated plants can enter homes and present problems to sensitive individuals. Some indoor plant parts are potential allergens.

Sneezing is not always the symptom of a cold. Sometimes, it is an allergic reaction to something in the air. According to The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), allergic diseases are among the major causes of illness and disability in the United States, affecting as many as 40 to 50 million Americans. Health experts estimate that 35 million Americans suffer from upper respiratory tract symptoms that are allergic reactions to airborne allergens. The respiratory symptoms of asthma, which affect approximately 11 million Americans, are often provoked by airborne allergens.

Asthma can be aggravated from exposure to allergens and may result in the narrowing of your air passages to the lungs causing difficulty in breathing. The U.S. EPA has stated asthma as a serious problem that kills 4,000 people a year and is the leading chronic illness of children in the United States.

Symptoms of allergies and asthma include:

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Watery Eyes
• Coughing
• Sore Throat
• Restricted Breathing
• Upper Respiratory Discomfort

The shortness of breath is due to a narrowing of the airways in the lungs and to excess mucus production and inflammation. Asthma can be disabling and sometimes fatal. If wheezing and shortness of breath accompany allergy symptoms, it is a signal that the airways also have become involved.

In people who are not allergic, the mucus in the nasal passages simply moves foreign particles to the throat, where they are swallowed or coughed out. But something different happens in a person who is sensitive to airborne allergens. In sensitive people, as soon as the allergen lands on the lining inside the nose, a chain reaction occurs that leads the mast cells in these tissues to release histamine and other chemicals. The powerful chemicals contract certain cells that line some small blood vessels in the nose. This allows fluids to escape, which causes the nasal passages to swell resulting in nasal congestion. Histamine also can cause sneezing, itching, irritation, and excess mucus production, which can result in allergic rhinitis.

Although you and your family may not have allergic symptoms at this time, continued exposure to high levels of allergens can contribute to the development of Allergic Disease and the onset of Asthma. Infants, young children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses are the most susceptible to developing health problems from allergens and biological pollutants.

We recommend testing yourself and home to determine if excessive allergens exist. To help you better manage your allergy symptoms, you must first know what is causing your allergy. With proper information you can take steps to avoid exposure to problem allergens, purchase the correct allergen-avoiding products and contact your health care professional to get specific medical treatment.

Allergy testing is the first step to feeling better if you suffer from allergic reactions or if you suspect you may have allergies.