Reading through the article, the problem would appear to be something like this:

The average consumer doesn’t fully understand the science. Parting with a couple of hundred pounds implies a level of trust in the experts. The test results are not conclusive, merely pointers, but sadly they may very well be taken as conclusive. Not enough is done to make people aware of the limitations of such tests, and indeed, if people understood these they might not part with a couple of hundred pounds!

I’ve done elimination diets myself, and I think I’ve been able to tell what foods aren’t so good for me. It would have gone faster if I’d had some initial indicators of which foods to avoid. However, when I considered York labs a few years ago, I was under the impression they were highly accurate indicators. I am very glad I did not part with my money.

Looks like you are doing some good, balanced appraisal here. Keep it up.

I wonder whether his conflation is more of a PR tactic than misinformation – a great number of people freely use the term “Allergy” for something which is not an IgE reaction, and it is a convenient shorthand.

Obviously I can’t know Holford’s motivation – but I am aware that ‘allergy’ is often used as a shorthand for something that’s not an IgE reaction. However, when someone is giving out health advice, the difference between a food allergy and intolerance is pretty significant (e.g. someone with a lactose intolerance will be able to have a quite different diet to someone with a serious milk allergy).

At least according to their website, Yorktest offer difference tests for allergy and intolerance (although there are justified concerns re. the accuracy and utility of these tests).

I also came away from reading one of his books with the understanding that not all intolerance falls into either of these categories, that there are other mechanisms besides. I’m sure he has said himself that an elimination diet is the only real way to ascertain intolerances for certain. He does recommend the ELISA test from York labs – apparently this is for both IgE and Igg reactions.

When I used to read his books, I was repeatedly annoyed by his continued mantra: seek advice from a qualified nutritionist! What, I wondered, is the point of this book if I have to pay someone else to tell me how to implement the info.

I feel sad to have seen holford get so carried away by commercialism these days. I feel his early work was much more modest and of real worth, but I’ve lost my trust in him with recent developments.

Regards – Shinga

By the way, if it’s of any interest I’ve quoted Holford’s supplement recommendations for those with hayfever/allergies below. Aside from all the pills, I especially like his suggestion that “If you are in the midst of an allergic reaction, take three times this amount [of supplements] for short-term use only”. So if you’re in anaphylactic shock, you just need to neck a few vitamin pills (on the off-chance that you’re still able to swallow)…

“ANTI-ALLERGY SUPPLEMENTS – SYNERGY WORKS BEST
A combination of these anti-inflammatory nutrients is your best protection. Aim for these daily amounts in addition to your daily multivitamin and 1-2grams of vitamin C:

Per average Daily Daily
capsule amount dose
Quercetin 250mg 2 500mg
Glutamine 250mg 2 500mg
Vitamin C 250mg 2 500mg
Bromelain 50mg 2 100mg
(2000 GDU/g)
MSM 250mg 2 500mg.”

Wuthrich B, Schmid A, Walther B, Sieber R.
Milk consumption does not lead to mucus production or occurrence of asthma.
J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 24:547S-55S.

There is a belief among some members of the public that the consumption of milk
and dairy products increases the production of mucus in the respiratory system.
Therefore, some who believe in this effect renounce drinking milk. According to
Australian studies, subjects perceived some parameters of mucus production to
change after consumption of milk and soy-based beverages, but these effects were
not specific to cows’ milk because the soy-based milk drink with similar sensory
characteristics produced the same changes. In individuals inoculated with the
common cold virus, milk intake was not associated with increased nasal
secretions, symptoms of cough, nose symptoms or congestion. Nevertheless,
individuals who believe in the mucus and milk theory report more respiratory
symptoms after drinking milk. In some types of alternative medicine, people with
bronchial asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower respiratory tract,
are advised not to eat so-called mucus-forming foods, especially all kinds of
dairy products. According to different investigations the consumption of milk
does not seem to exacerbate the symptoms of asthma and a relationship between
milk consumption and the occurrence of asthma cannot be established. However,
there are a few cases documented in which people with a cow’s milk allergy
presented with asthma-like symptoms.