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Nutrichondria: the new health epidemic

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

As food allergies are becoming more common, there is concern that the data on just how common they are may be skewed due to a new phenomenon; “nutrichondria”. You may have never heard of this new health epidemic. But you’ve likely noticed the wave of individuals self-diagnosing a food intolerance or allergy, despite any scientifically concrete evidence.

A recent DNAFit study defined nutrichondria as “a preoccupation with negative details of one’s diet and a propensity to self-diagnose food intolerances or allergies based on supposition or flawed evidence”.

Why is this a problem? There are various issues with this recent phenomenon, and it can have detrimental effects on one’s health. Here’s how; 

Misdiagnosis of a Food Intolerance or Allergy

Firstly, there’s a huge chance that any self-diagnosis will be a misdiagnosis. This can be just as dangerous as no diagnosis at all, as you may be attributing certain symptoms with the completely wrong food. You’ll then avoid one item while still risking exposure to the true allergen – making you no better off and far more likely to experience adverse reactions than if you had taken a food allergies test, to begin with.

Nutrient deficiency

Whenever food is restricted from the diet, it’s important that you ensure you aren’t allowing yourself to become deficient in the nutrients available in that which you’ve eliminated from your diet. Be sure to replace those micronutrients in your diet to avoid any deficiencies, as vitamin deficiency can bring about all manner of new issues.

Could be a completely different issue

It’s possible that you’ll end up self-diagnosing something as a food allergy or intolerance when, in reality, the issue is something more sinister. Many conditions and diseases all present themselves in similar ways, and it takes a trained physician to understand the subtle differences between them all. An incorrect self-diagnosis could become very dangerous if you end up accidentally ignoring something more malignant.

Don’t self-diagnose

Just like you wouldn’t diagnose yourself with cancer or a mental illness, you shouldn’t self-diagnose a food intolerance or allergy. It’s far safer to get tested if you suspect a food intolerance or allergy, even if it’s just to eliminate them both as a possible cause of your symptoms – you’ll be much better off in the long run.


The Symptoms We’re No Longer Putting Up With

Posted on by Kate Young

The very least we should hope for from our body is to be able to live a normal lifestyle. To be able to do the things we want to without our body holding us back. When you’re putting foods into your body that are considered “healthy”, you expect that it repays you in kind by allowing you to go about your day-to-day life unencumbered by symptoms that hold you back from achieving your goals. Here at Lifelab, we know that, despite your best efforts, sometimes your body doesn’t pay out on the healthy foods you’re putting in. We also think we know why…

Intolerance and allergies are a real spanner in the works. Until you identify them, they can cause a range of symptoms that can prevent you from living a normal lifestyle. That’s why Lifelab offer allergy and intolerance testing to help you understand why your body isn’t doing its bit. Here we take a look at some of the symptoms you may be experiencing that an allergy and intolerance test could help get rid of.

Bloating

bloating lifelab

Is there anything more frustrating than putting in the work in the gym & eating the “right” foods only to still get asked when it’s due? When you eat a food to which you’re intolerant, it causes irritation and inflammation within the gut. Your body doesn’t have the enzymes required to break down the food, so bacteria does the job instead. When bacteria break down food, it produces more gas than enzymes, and those gases remain in the stomach, giving you that bloated feeling. By taking an allergy and intolerance test with Lifelab, you can identify the foods causing your bloating.

Fatigue

Allergies can have a severely adverse effect on sleep. When you have an unidentified, untreated allergy, it can cause inflammation of the nasal passages. This means your body doesn’t get the oxygen it needs to fuel all the cells within your body. During sleep, this is especially detrimental as sleep is when your body regenerates and recuperates cells. If your body can’t do this when you’re asleep, it leaves you in a constant state of fatigue. This year, we’re not standing for this. We’re taking an allergy and intolerance test.

fatigue lifelab

Headaches

Another symptom of allergies and intolerance is persistent headaches. Headaches can be severely detrimental to your ability to lead a normal lifestyle. They can get in the way of your life at home and also have an impact on your ability to perform at work. By taking an allergy and intolerance test, you can identify the substances which are causing you headaches that stop you from being at your best.

Allergy and intolerance tests

Lifelab have a range of allergy and intolerance tests available to suit your budget, because this year, we’re not putting up with the symptoms making our lives a misery!

Do You Have Gluten Intolerance?

Posted on by Kate Young

With whole aisles dedicated to “Free-From” foods, it’s become apparent that people are looking to understand their body’s more fully. Over the last decade, a movement has been quietly taking place where people are taking allergy and intolerance tests to identify foods that are adversely affecting their health. Gluten intolerance is one of the most common, with many people realising that foods containing gluten cause them a lot of problems. But how do you know if you have a gluten intolerance? When is it time to take an intolerance test?

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a group of proteins that is found exclusively in grains and is the primary component in flour that makes it sticky when water is added. It works to bind dough and give it the elastic texture before baking. It also helps with rising and contributes to the texture of the final baked product.

What’s The Problem With Gluten?

There are a growing number of scientists who think that gluten may actually be a problematic food for the MAJORITY of the population. However, currently, the generally accepted rule is that most people can tolerate gluten just fine. The problems come where there is gluten intolerance or coeliac disease.

Gluten Intolerance

Gluten intolerance is less severe than coeliac disease but can still have a significant adverse effect on your day-to-day life. Symptoms of gluten intolerance include diarrhoea, stomach pain, tiredness, and bloating. To identify a gluten intolerance, you can take an intolerance test.

Coeliac Disease

Believed to affect 0.7-1% of the population, Coeliac Disease is a lifelong condition which manifests in several life-affecting symptoms. These include tissue damage within the small intestines, severe weight loss, diarrhoea, constant fatigue and anaemia. Coeliac has to be managed sufficiently to avoid increased risk of many diseases, including diabetes.

Gluten Foods & Gluten-Free Alternatives

Aisles are now dedicated to gluten-free foods

Unfortunately for those with gluten intolerance and coeliac disease, some of the most popular foods contain gluten. Pizza, bread, beer, cakes & pasta are just some of the foods that are rich in gluten. The increasing awareness of the prevalence of gluten intolerance has led to many of the big food manufacturers producing gluten-free versions of your favourite foods. From pizza to beer, pretty much every food containing gluten has been given a gluten-free makeover.

Identifying A Gluten Intolerance

The best way to identify a gluten intolerance when you realise you’re experiencing the above symptoms when eating gluten-based foods is via an intolerance test. By taking an intolerance test, you can confirm your suspicions or discover whether it is another food that is causing you problems.

Elimination Diets and Food Intolerance Testing

Posted on by Kate Young

There is some argument surrounding intolerance testing and elimination diets. While many condemn intolerance testing saying that a simple elimination diet is sufficient, others swear by food intolerance testing and its efficacy in dealing with food intolerances. At Lifelab testing, we take a different approach. We say, is it too much to ask for both?

Intolerance testing and elimination diets should go hand-in-hand. Both should be used as tools towards achieving a healthier, symptom-free life. In this article, we’ll cover:

– What an elimination diet is

– Who it is for

– How to do an elimination diet

– Our tips for maximising your elimination diet

– Elimination diets without intolerance testing

– The science behind IgG testing

Let’s dive into what an elimination diet is and why it matters.

What is an Elimination Diet?

An elimination diet is a short-term diet where you restrict the foods you eat, with the intention of alleviating existing food intolerance. From there, you can gradually introduce foods back into your diet one-at-a-time, and any subsequent signs of discomfort may help you identify which food you are intolerant to.

Elimination diets are used when people suspect that they have a reaction but haven’t been able to identify the root cause of their symptoms. They’re also commonly used following a food intolerance test to confirm the exact offending item.

An elimination diet should last for at least 4 weeks to allow time for all eliminated foods to be completely flushed out of your system. After the initial 4-week elimination period, you can begin to reintroduce those foods, one at a time, to determine which foods were the root of your symptoms.

It is not uncommon for the elimination period to be enough for a reaction to dissipate entirely. However, this is not always the case, and you should be cautious when reintroducing items – especially those you suspect you might be intolerant to.

Elimination Diets Must Follow Intolerance Testing Anyway

Intolerance testing alone will only tell you which foods your blood has responded too. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all of those foods are the root cause of your symptoms.

In order to get the benefits from food intolerance testing, you need to commence an elimination diet. But, how so?

Who is an Elimination Diet for?

An elimination diet is ideal for anyone regularly experiencing digestive symptoms such as bloating, constipation, abdominal cramping, or gas. It may also be useful if you are suffering from brain fog, regular headaches, or constant fatigue. These are all common symptoms of food intolerance and may be alleviated through an elimination diet.

Research indicates that an elimination diet guided by an IgG intolerance test can help with symptoms of other conditions such as Ulcerative Colitis and IBS. This is promising, as approximately 80% of IBS patients report that a specific food item triggers their symptoms. A 2013 study found that an elimination diet based on the results of an intolerance test may significantly reduce symptoms in IBS patients who also experienced migraines¹.

This positively impacted their quality of life. A separate 2018 study looked into the effects of intolerance test guided elimination diets in patients with Ulcerative Colitis as well. The study had both an intervention group (who commenced the elimination diet) and a control group (who did not alter their diet).

Reported symptoms lowered significantly within the intervention group compared to the control. With this, they concluded that the elimination diet had helped to reduce the severity of the patient’s symptoms²[. As more research is conducted, it’s becoming apparent that food intolerances play a part in various health conditions. And simply avoiding certain foods could be all it takes for many of us to live without these uncomfortable symptoms.

How to Do an Elimination Diet?

Follow these simple steps to make a start on your dieting.

1. Maintain a Food Diary

‘What gets measured, gets managed.’ So, it’s paramount that you keep track of the foods you eat during both the elimination period and the reintroduction stage. This will be invaluable in determining which foods cause symptoms and to what degree. It’s particularly important when reintroducing items back into your diet.

2. Begin Symptom Monitoring

Ideally, your food diary will also have a ‘symptoms’ section for you to monitor how each food item affects your body. This will help you spot any patterns in symptoms or lack thereof. It will also keep you motivated in moments of weakness when an old craving strikes or you’re offered something containing one of your known problem foods.

It’s helpful to give your symptoms a severity level, to both monitor your progress and determine which foods you may want to continue avoiding indefinitely. Just list the symptoms you notice, note the severity of those symptoms and list the foods you recently consumed, which may be the cause.

3. Start Replacing Nutrients

Before beginning an elimination diet, it’s recommended that you consider the foods that you’ll be avoiding, and the nutrients that these foods are rich in. You should make you aren’t removing any single primary source of nutrients without planning a replacement. For example, if you’re eliminating fish, then it’s important to make sure you still get plenty of omega 3, 6 & 9 fatty acids. While most experts would recommend that you get all of your vitamins and minerals from food sources, rather than supplements, there are times when supplementation may be necessary.

4. Explore Intolerance Testing

We recommend that your elimination diet is guided by the results from an IgG intolerance test, rather than your own gut instincts. Using appropriate test results to inform your elimination diet means you won’t be needlessly restricting your diet (and, as a result, risking vitamin deficiency). It’s also a much more efficient path to becoming symptom-free.

Our Tips Around Completing an Elimination Diet Successfully

Beyond the steps we’ve outlined, consider these tips to maximise the effectiveness of your diet.

Go Cold Turkey with Potentially Problematic Foods

You should start your elimination diet by removing all of those foods highlighted in your test results from your diet. Don’t try removing one item at a time, as that’s what the reintroduction stage afterwards is for. This is the most effective way to conduct the diet and will help you become symptom-free much sooner compared to eliminating the foods one at a time.

Reintroduce Food Strategically

After the 4-week elimination period, you can begin to reintroduce those foods that you removed. Remember that intolerance symptoms can appear anywhere from a few hours to two days after consuming a problem food, so we recommend reintroducing one item at a time, every couple of days. This is the point when monitoring your food intake and symptoms is most important. Be sure to track your meals and make a note of any symptoms you experience.

Start with Small Amounts of Each Food Item, Instead of Going All-in Right Away.

Food intolerances are a digestive issue, so the more you eat of a food that you have an intolerance to, the worse your symptoms can be. If you removed almonds from your diet, for example, have a handful of them at most – preferably less – and see how your body responds to them.

This is where you’ll be able to pinpoint the foods that have causing the most issues for you, and learn what your body can and can’t deal with. You may discover that your body can tolerate certain foods only in small quantities, which can help you avoid symptoms in the future.

Like we said before, the most effective way to conduct an elimination diet is following a food intolerance test. It’ll help you save time and alleviate your intolerance symptoms as quickly as possible.

Can I Do Elimination Diet Without the Intolerance Test?

A lone elimination diet leaves you constantly guessing which foods are causing your symptoms and needlessly lengthens the whole process. It makes you suffer intolerance symptoms for longer than necessary while you keep adding foods to the ‘avoid’ list, hoping to find relief. Because of all this guesswork, the reintroduction period is also much longer than it would be had you followed the guidance of an intolerance test.

It’s far quicker to start off with a solid base of foods highlighted through testing than to hope you can accurately tell which foods aren’t agreeing with you.

IgG Food Intolerance Testing is Scientifically Backed

Unlike a simple elimination diet, IgG testing is medically proven and has various studies supporting its efficacy in reducing symptoms. More research is always being conducted on IgG food intolerances and indicating how people with various conditions can benefit from the tests. So far there are studies looking into IBS, Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis and even depression in relation to food intolerances.

There’s no argument here, the elimination diet is a key part of overcoming your food intolerances and getting back to a symptoms-free life. It should be considered one of the vital tools in finally leaving those intolerance symptoms in the dust. Purchase the Complete Intolerance Test today to discover what’s causing you issues.

References

[1] Aydinlar, E.I., Dikmen, P.Y., Tiftikci, A., Saruc, M., Aksu, M., Gunsoy, H.G. and Tozun, N. (2013). IgG-based elimination diet in migraine plus irritable bowel syndrome. Headache, [online] 53(3), pp.514–25. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23216231 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2020].

[2] Jian, L., Anqi, H., Gang, L., Litian, W., Yanyan, X., Mengdi, W. and Tong, L. (2018). Food Exclusion Based on IgG Antibodies Alleviates Symptoms in Ulcerative Colitis: A Prospective Study. Inflammatory bowel diseases, [online] 24(9), pp.1918–1925. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29788288 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2020].

Tree nut allergies could lead to vitamin deficiencies!

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

Tree nut allergies are one of the most common kinds of allergies. They tend to be persistent and its rare for people to grow out of this allergy, especially after the age of 5. Learning to avoid tree nuts is the first hurdle in being diagnosed with a tree nut allergy, but there’s a secondary challenge after that – ensuring your diet remains balanced without tree nuts.

Because nuts are highly nutritious, having an allergy to them means missing out on a whole host of nutritious snacks. It’s important to make sure you still get enough of those vital nutrients that are abundant in nuts.

Common Vitamins and Minerals Found in Tree Nuts

Omega 3’s

Omega 3 is an essential polyunsaturated fat that your body cannot produce on its own. This means it has to be consumed through the diet. They’re found in many tree nuts, seeds and fish.

There’s also evidence suggesting that consuming more omega 3’s can help fight against anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that people who regularly eat foods containing omega 3’s are less likely to develop depression. One study even saw EPA (one of the 3 types of Omega 3’s) to be just as effective as a prescribed antidepressant drug.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is probably the one vitamin you’re least likely to become deficient in, because it is present in the vast majority of foods, although in small amounts. Vitamin E is best known for contributing to skin health and reducing oxidative stress. Birth wat many don’t realise is that it’s also vital in most of your bodies daily processes, as all of our cells use it to interact with one another.

Tree nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E, but the nutrient Is still present in many other foods. Those most abundant in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, goose meat, avocado, mango and kiwi.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a proven aid in fighting depression and type 2 diabetes as well as being essential for optimal bone health and keeping blood pressure low. Low magnesium intake has also been associated with chronic inflammation, so it’s all the more important to prioritise this nutrient.

Luckily tree nuts aren’t the only source of magnesium. You can get plenty of magnesium through eating mackerel, spinach, dark chocolate (>70% cocoa solids), quinoa and pumpkin seeds.

If you still struggle to get your daily recommended intake of magnesium, you can reach your daily requirement with magnesium supplements, which are available in various forms. Be sure to consult your doctor before taking any supplements.

Having a tree nut allergy doesn’t mean you’re doomed to develop deficiencies. If you plan your food appropriately and ensure you get plenty of the above nutrients, you’ll be in tip top shape. If you’re unsure whether you are allergic or intolerant to any of the suggested alternatives, we can help you identify any problem foods through an intolerance and allergy test. It’s always best to be safe rather than sorry.

How a food sensitivity test can help IBS sufferers

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. There’s no known cure for the condition, but there are a variety of ways we can manage it. Interestingly enough, recent research has found that food sensitivity testing can help IBS sufferers manage their condition and improve their quality of life. Here’s how a food sensitivity test can help those living with IBS;

Identify problem foods

The first and most obvious way that food sensitivity testing can help people with IBS is because it identifies problem foods. Those sneaky ingredients which are likely to be causing flare-ups, worsen symptoms and are ultimately making your life miserable. Instead of having symptoms constantly surprise you, you’ll be well aware of which foods your stomach doesn’t agree with and which it does.

Reduce symptoms

Secondly, you’ll be able to reduce your IBS symptoms. Research has shown that following an elimination diet guided by a food sensitivity test can significantly reduce IBS symptoms. A 2018 study compared two groups of people with IBS follow either an IgG test informed elimination diet or a ‘sham’ diet with randomly selected food items. The group who followed the IgG guided diet reported a marked improvement in IBS symptoms.

Potentially overcome intolerances

Because food sensitivities come and go throughout your life – unlike allergies – removing a problem food for a while and then later reintroducing it may result in the intolerance disappearing. While this isn’t always the case, it’s comforting to know that there’s a chance your intolerances may go away with time.

The more we research into IBS and food sensitivities the more solid the case becomes for food intolerance testing. It looks like IBS can be made much easier to deal with through food sensitivity testing. Why wouldn’t you go ahead and learn which foods are causing you havoc?

Cure These Symptoms With Food Intolerance Testing

Posted on by Kate Young

With NHS waiting rooms across the country reaching capacity and GP appointment wait times extending into months, living with symptoms such as bloating, headaches, nausea and stomach pain starts to feel like the way things are going to be. Many people are living with these symptoms or any of several others which can prevent them from achieving their goals or even living a normal life. But it doesn’t have to be this way. What if we told you that food intolerance testing could be your solution?

Here we take a look at some symptoms which may stump doctors and could, in fact, be related to food intolerance.

Food Intolerance Bloating

woman holding her belly with both hands
Woman holding her belly with both hands

This symptom can have a significant number of knock-on effects. Have you ever felt inclined to get into the gym when your stomach feels full of air? Do you feel like seeing friends when all your clothes feel tighter because your belly is all swollen? Bloating occurs when food passing through the digestive tract irritates the system, this inflames the walls narrowing the passages meaning the food takes longer to get through. All the while enzymes are breaking down the food and producing gases which can’t escape due to the inflammation. This gas then sits in the stomach leading to that bloating feeling you’re experiencing. Food intolerance testing can help you identify the foods that may be causing irritation within your gut.

Can Food Intolerance Cause Headaches & Migraines

woman covering her face with both her hands
Woman covering her face with both her hands

Ranging from irritating to debilitating, headaches & migraines being caused by food isn’t something a lot of people are familiar with. Still, there is a growing connection between the foods you eat and suffering from pain of varying intensity in your head. When you have a headache it can make your work suffer, spending time with family is difficult and even bright lights can cause searing pain. Food intolerance testing can help you identify any foods that may cause you problems and, by performing an elimination diet, the removal of these foods can lead to an entirely new lifestyle.

Food Intolerance Diarrhoea & Vomiting

Diarrhoea, unfortunately, is a near unavoidable condition that everyone will experience at one point or another, same with vomiting. However, when diarrhoea and vomiting are becoming a frequent problem for you, its time to look at the food you’re putting into your system.

When you eat a food to which you’re intolerant, your brain receives a signal from your digestive system to let it know. In turn, your brain sends back a message to initiate the process to get that food out of your system as quickly as possible. This is either through vomiting or diarrhoea. Diarrhoea and vomiting can lead to electrolyte imbalance, dehydration, tooth decay and many more adverse conditions.

How Can Food Intolerance Testing Help?

Food intolerance testing is an essential tool to help save you from weeks spent waiting for doctors’ appointments or hours spent in A&E. This simple test will tell you what foods you may have an intolerance towards and how severe it is. We have food intolerance testing to suit all budgets, and you can find yours here today. You can also take our Find My Test quiz to find out what test would be best suited to your needs and symptoms.

Banana and Oat Biscuits – Weekend Treats

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

While we’re all trying to be healthier it’s fair to say that not everyone can go without a quick snack between meals, but that doesn’t mean caving-in to temptations at every turn. We’ve got a light oat biscuit recipe to keep you powering through those mid-afternoon slumps, without the guilt and come-down that comes following a chocolate bar. 

These light banana and oat biscuits are the perfect, guilt-free solution to those midmorning hunger pangs. Low in fat, no excessive amounts of sugar and free from common allergens. You can use these biscuits to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying healthy.

Ingredients 

  • 90g rolled oats 
  • 60g cup quick oats 
  • 2 ripe bananas 
  • 30g chocolate chips (or cacao nibs)

Description 

  1. First, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (gas mark 4).
  2. Next, pour all of the oats into a medium-sized bowl.
  3. Take a separate bowl and mash the bananas until they turn soft and liquidy. 
  4. Mix the bananas and oats together until they’re a combined mixture. 
  5. Scoop the mixture with a small cookie scoop, and place them on a lined baking tray, leaving plenty of space between each scoop.
  6. Flatten your cookies before baking and top them with a few chocolate chips. 
  7. Bake for 10-15 minutes, keeping an eye on them, and allow to cool before eating.

You can opt for gluten-free oats and chocolate chips to make this recipe gluten-free if it has shown up in your results. If you want to make these biscuits even more nutritious, swap out the chocolate chips for your choice of nuts – we recommend walnuts if you aren’t allergic to them.

To make the recipe vegan while keeping that chocolatey taste, try swapping the chips for these delicious cacao nibs from MyVegan. They’re rich in magnesium, iron and antioxidants too, giving you a nutrient-boost when you’ll need it most.

Eating healthier doesn’t have to mean constantly feeling hangry and renouncing all snacks that aren’t a piece of fruit or carrot sticks. Don’t be afraid to get baking and pack a few of these tasty light bites to help you through the day.

7 wheat-free bread replacements for those with wheat intolerance

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

Having a wheat intolerance isn’t all that easy to deal with. For some, it can be quite a disappointment to hear that they need to drop the ingredient to have a symptom-free life. Some may find that the hardest part of living wheat-free is the loss of bread from the diet – a staple for many of us. Here we’ve compiled a quick list of wheat-free replacements that can be enjoyed in place of a regular loaf.

1 – Ezekiel Bread

Ezekiel bread is arguably one of the healthiest types of bread you can eat. Made from several different grains and legumes it’s packed with a wide variety of nutrients. To top it off, this loaf contains no added sugar, cutting your daily intake of the sweet stuff.

2 – Corn Tortillas

If your lunch is usually a few sandwiches, try a corn tortilla wrap instead. It’s wheat-free and can lead to a more adventurous lunch-time. You could also experiment with using tortillas as a pizza bottom replacement.

3 – Lettuce and Leafy Greens

Swap out your sandwich altogether for a plate of leafy greens on the side of your usual sandwich filling and you’ll not only have avoided an upset stomach, but you’ll also be enjoying a healthier, less calorie-dense alternative.

4 – Rye Bread

This darker, denser loaf is both wheat-free and rich in fibre. Be warned though, as it does have a more acquired taste and is NOT gluten-free.

5 – Potatoes

Filling and nutritious, potatoes area wonderful carb alternative. Packing more than 70% less calories-per-gram compared to a wholemeal loaf, this diverse and satiating vegetable is a great alternative.

6 – Sourdough Bread

This sour bread contains probiotics to feed our gut bacteria, and its longer fermentation process may mean that it’s easier for your body to breakdown the nutrients. It isn’t recommended that you have this loaf with sweet toppings though, so leave the honey or jam for another day.

7 – Oats

Try swapping your morning toast for a wholesome bowl of porridge. You can even add a few berries to sweeten it up. Or throw in a handful of nutritious nuts to add that extra crunch.

Living with a Wheat Intolerance

Going wheat-free isn’t the end of the world and learning that you have an intolerance to wheat can actually be a good thing. It means working around your wheat intolerance and trying alternatives. Most importantly, it means learning how to eat without suffering uncomfortable symptoms from your food intolerance, and ultimately, improving your relationship with food.

Allergy Test: Your New Year’s Resolution Secret Weapon

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

A study found that, by the second weekend of January, most people have given up on their New Year’s resolution. The failure to see the results they’re looking for just proves too disheartening and its time to fall face-first into a large pizza. We go again next year, right?

No! 2021 is our year, and the reason is that we’re taking an allergy test.

But what’s an allergy test got to do with anything? Well, when you’re turning over a new, healthier leaf, there are specific health outcomes you’re looking to achieve. You want to look slimmer, and you want to feel fitter. What if we tell you that food intolerance or allergy is getting in the way of both of these? Read on to see why an allergy test could make this the year the resolution succeeds.

Weight Loss

Salads, soups, juices, meal replacement shakes. You’ve tried them all, but you still have that muffin top creeping over the top of your jeans. It’s disheartening, right? What’s the point in being so strict if you’re still going to have that belly. Well, what if we told you that the foods you’re eating might be masking the progress you’re making on your diet?

When you eat a food to which you’re intolerant, it is likely to cause digestive irritation which slows foods progress through your system, this means the food spends more time being broken down by enzymes leading to an increase in the gas produced during digestion. This gas then stays within the stomach, which leads to bloating. By taking an intolerance and allergy test, you can identify the foods which may be making your stomach seem artificially large.

Fitness

You’ve bought the running shoes, you’ve created your inspirational running playlist, and you’re ready to go full Mo Farah. But you’ve been running for a few weeks now, and you’re still struggling for breath five minutes in. The first temptation is to think you’re still unfit, right? It’s going to take forever to enjoy running, and you can’t be bothered to stick it out.

Have you ever stopped to consider that your tight chest, difficulty breathing and a general feeling of unfitness may be down to the symptoms of an allergy? When you have an allergic reaction, inflammation can occur, meaning the narrowing of the airways, making it hard to get enough oxygen into your lungs. By taking an allergy test, you can take the necessary steps to resolve these symptoms and get back on the running track.

 We have an allergy test to suit all budgets, find yours today.