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DIY Home Food Allergy Testing: Pulse Testing
(aka: Coca Pulse-Dietary Method, The Coca Pulse Test, Coca Test, The Pulse Test)
Did you know that when you eat something you are allergic to that your pulse rate goes up? Dr. Arthur F. Coca, a medical doctor, determined from working with his clients in the mid-1950s that can use pulse testing to determine what foods a client is allergic to. Now why aren’t more of us doing this? It’s free, easy and accurate.
Here’s how to do Pulse Testing at home:
First get an idea of your normal pulse rate. Use your index and middle finger and find the pulse of your jugular vein in your neck. Locate the pulse and with a watch that shows the seconds measure your pulse for 6 seconds then multiply this by 10.
Pulse Testing should be recorded at these times:
- Before rising in the morning for 7 days
- Before retiring for 7 days
- 30 minutes after each meal for 7 days.
The pulses should be taken after sitting still and relaxing for three to five minutes.
Normal pulse rates for humans are around 50-80 beats/minute. Athletes may have a slightly lower rate and young children may have a higher rate. The thing is that you need to determine what your “normal” rate is.
Now eat one food you suspect you are allergic to. When you eat a food your heart rate will go up a bit. Up to six beats above your estimated normal maximal is fairly normal if you are eating foods you are not allergic to. If your pulse rate has elevated more than 12 beats above the resting rate (or beats over 84 beats/minute) when you are pulse testing, you may assume that this food you just ate contained an allergen.
You can use pulse testing to test several foods each day but the foods have to be eaten about one to three hours apart. Sometimes it takes a while for allergic symptoms to clear so you can add some time here and subtract some time if you are not reacting to the food before trying the next food. .
Common food allergies and sensitivities include
Corn, wheat, soy, nuts, dairy, port, solanaceous foods (e.g. tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tomatillos), beet sugar (which contains sulfites), alcohol and tobacco. It would be very wise to eliminate these foods for the first three days, until they are tested.
Foods that are suspect:
- Foods you eat frequently.
- Foods that routinely make you feel lousy after you eat.
- Foods that a blood relative is sensitive to (sensitivities are often genetic).
- Trigger foods – foods that once you eat a little of, it creates further cravings for more.
Another way to narrow your allergies down is by taking your pulse each morning. If you have eliminated a large number of foods and your resting pulse upon awakening has slowed down by several beats, you can assume you are allergic to foods you were eating.
Helpful Links and References on Pulse Testing:
- Video on how to do the Coca Pulse Testing for Allergies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TOPjtF1nIs