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Intolerance Testing at Halloween

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

Halloween should be a period where you simply head out in your chosen costume and enjoy some trick or treating with your friends or siblings. But for many children and teens, Halloween is filled with either sweet intolerances or sweet allergies. When it comes to making this holiday fun, part of planning properly for it is going to be in learning more about sweet intolerances and sweet allergies.

Sugar intolerances

Just like other intolerances, sugar intolerances have certain traits to watch out for. Sugar intolerances are deemed to be rarer than a lot of other intolerances, but they do happen and should be taken seriously when they do transpire. Common symptoms to watch out for include:

•  Bloating and stomach pain: if you are experiencing from looting or stomach pain directly after eating sugar, it could be a sign an intolerance

•  Gas: If you are feeling very gassy, especially in the abdominal region, you could be intolerance to sugar.

•  Diarrhoea: If sugar is causing you problems at the toilet, it’s also a sign that your system is struggling to digest and process the sugary food.

Sugar intolerances can often take an hour or even a few hours to settle in, as the sugar needs to make its way down to the stomach and start going through the digestive tract.

Sugar allergies

Sugar allergies are considered to be rare, but allergies to sugar can arise in children, particularly as they are exposed to high quantities of sugar around the Halloween period. Some of the symptoms to watch for are:

•  Sneezing: Considered to be amongst the most moderate symptoms for an allergy, frequent sneezing is one of the most usual ones to expect.

•  Abdominal pain: Mild to moderate to severe abdominal pain is common with those who have sugar allergies. It can be paired with diarrhoea, too, usually fast-acting or appearing.

•  Hives: Like other allergies, sugar allergies can cause hives, especially concentrated on the mouth and face area.

•   Difficulty breathing: Trouble breathing or other classic anaphylaxis symptoms are also signs to expect with a sugar allergy, though they often are thought to be rare.

Unlike sugar intolerances, a sugar allergy will happen quickly, almost immediately after sugar is consumed. This makes it comparable to what to expect from other traditional food allergies.

How to prepare

If you are worried about your little one having a sugar intolerance or allergy, the best way to be ready is to observe your child consuming their Halloween treats and be ready to intervene if needed. Most times, you’ll know of a child’s allergy soon after proper food consumption in their infancy, but food intolerances often get missed or slip below the radar. This will prioritize everyone’s comfort, safety and entertainment this Halloween season, trust us, we’re experts.

Make sure you’re ready for any spooky intolerances that may arise this season and remember that Halloween can still be fun even with an allergy or intolerance. You just need to be ready for it and make any changes that are needed for everyone to go out in their ideal costume and have a spooktacular time!

Preparing for a marathon whilst suffering from intolerances

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

‘Lifelab Testing’ have been following Chris’ story ever since he came to us and told us that he wanted to be healthier in himself. He believed he was suffering from food allergies and intolerances which were stopping him from becoming a runner. Gluten intolerance is one of the things he had identified.

Chris has participated in the London half marathon this year, as well as some 10K runs and events across Derbyshire. He felt that his intolerances and allergies were holding him back.

Chris took a complete intolerance test, as well as a basic allergy test, as he wanted to be in full fitness. Take a read below of how Chris utilised his Lifelab Testing results to complete his running goals, and become a lot happier and healthier.

‘So, how have I ended up running in three long-distance races this year, having never really done one before? Well, I now feel like I am at the peak of my fitness. I have always been a keen runner, but lethargy and a bloated stomach have always let me down.

I’ve been running for a while in the gym and around my local village, and I did find it quite fun. I sometimes do it with my friends but often on my own. I always felt though that there was something holding me back, and I believed it was gluten intolerance. I timed myself a few times and could feel myself improving, but not in the way that you would expect when I was training so hard.

Despite enjoying my runs, I felt fatigued beforehand and had to use up all my effort and energy into becoming the best and going on a run. I was encouraged but I needed more. I needed to take a food intolerance test to see if I was suffering from gluten intolerance, as my intolerance symptoms kept cropping up every time I ate.

I did my research (a quick type in google) and Lifelab Testing was the most appealing intolerance test I could find. There were others I considered but Lifelab was for me. I ordered my test from Lifelab Testing and the package actually arrived the following day, I was shocked.

In trying to complete the test, I had to find the help of my partner, but this was not too bad and is expected. It was pain-free but I wanted to make sure my vile was perfect. It is so important to identify a gluten intolerance, and I was determined to get it right.

I couldn’t believe how easy the intolerance test was to do! I thought this was easy, and so I went online and purchased a Basic allergy test as well. I would receive my results within 5-7 days, which was completely fine although I wanted to get running immediately. Even sending off my sample gave me the boost I needed.

Low and behold, when my results arrived, I was right! Gluten was one of the main intolerances listed, and it all fit! I spoke to one of the nutritional therapists on offer, and I cut gluten out of my diet completely. I lost a load of weight and actually felt more motivated than ever.

Since taking the intolerance test, I have signed up for three more races because I now feel confident that I can. I chat to all of my friends about it and have encouraged them to start running. I also advised my lazy friends (a few) that they needed to see what they were intolerant to. Those who hated getting up for work are now feeling a lot better!’

The Complete Intolerance test is exactly what I needed to be happier. I will go into more detail about my Allergy test one day, but for now, gluten intolerance is not holding me back, thanks to Lifelab Testing. I cannot speak highly enough of the Lifelab team!

Allergy People making a difference

Posted on by Kate Young

There are so many people looking to make a difference in their lifestyle and diet, but it does not stop there. Allergy testing people are making a difference and spreading the word, so we thought it was time to celebrate their awareness and ability. Look at how we have helped some of our customers to improve their lives, and how they have spread their own awareness.

Chris Jones – Lifelab Testimonial

“My experience was great, particularly as I messed the first one up so getting a second kit was easy.  I was intrigued by the results and have found that reflecting this in my diet has helped my health and well-being. But overall the whole process was easy and I would recommend, in fact, I already have. Thanks!” – Chris wanted to make a change in his life, and he was dedicated to improving his diet. He did this with Lifelab Testing and allergy testing kits, and he loved the whole process, recommending it to any others who suffer from food allergies.

Chris Jones loved his Lifelab Testing testimonial

Danielle Lloyd – Spreading the word

We’re absolutely delighted to have helped model and TV star: the AMAZING Danielle Lloyd, kickstart her year in the best way possible by helping her discover her Intolerances with an easy to use at-home Intolerance Test ? Just take a look at what she had to say about her Lifelab Testing experience below! ??

“I’m starting the new year feeling great after finding out what was causing me bloating and pain after eating food, with Lifelab Testing‘s at-home intolerance and allergy testing kit. The results were so good that my son Harry did a test, too, and since changing his diet to gluten free, he hasn’t been in any pain. My results showed I had to cut out eggs, yoghurt and white beans, which I eat regularly as part of a healthy diet, so it’s been a total change but it’s for the better and means I’m not bloating after meals anymore! The test was so easy to do and really thorough as it checks over 159 intolerances, so I knew it’d be a good way of finding out what was causing the pain.”

Danielle Lloyd is spreading the benefits of understanding your allergies and intolerances

Lauren McQueen spreading the news

We are so proud to have helped people cope with their allergies, and with people coming to us and ask how we could help them with their allergies through allergy testing, they wanted to spread the word. Lauren McQueen was another one, check out her testimonial below and also, you can hop over to Instagram to find out more:

I have been struggling with bad breakouts on my skin alongside extreme bloating of my stomach. I contacted Lifelab Testing and purchased their Complete Intolerance Test without any hesitation. I took my blood sample and returned it to Lifelab for testing. Within days, my results were ready in the ‘my account’ section. After I studied my results, I was put in contact with Lifelab Testing’s Nutritional Therapist who helped me to understand my results more and how to structure my diet around this. With this knowledge, I am now aware of what I should eat less of and what to completely avoid.

Lauren shared her experience on her Instagram page, and utilising our nutritional therapists, she was able to improve her health and lifestyle. We are very keen to see people spread the word about allergies and healthy living.

Allergy Testing with Lauren

For more information on allergy testing and finding out about the way people share their experiences with allergy testing, check out www.lifelabtesting.com.

Is a Food Intolerance Holding Back Your Weight Loss?

Posted on by Kate Young

If you’re one of the millions across the UK who are struggling to maintain their weight effectively, then you may need to consider food intolerance testing. You need to ask yourself whether it’s your willpower that is the problem or is a food intolerance holding back your weight loss?These days ‘food intolerance’ and ‘food allergy’ are used liberally, almost as if they were interchangeable. However, even just a cursory glance into the subject of allergy and food intolerance testing will tell you how different they are. Allergies tend to be quick to appear, and are acute or severe in nature and treatable with things like epipens and antihistamines, whereas food intolerances can be slow to develop and are known for being difficult to diagnose and rectify.

So, if we rule out food allergies from the equation, can a food intolerance really be responsible for someone’s failing attempts to drop the pounds?

Inflammation – The Real Enemy

When it comes to digestion and food intolerances in particular, inflammation is the enemy. When you eat foods that your body can’t cope with, it can cause inflammation, which can result in nausea and bloating.  This can often lead to the sufferer reaching for foods that make them feel good, which can bring a diet regime to a shuddering halt. What can also happen when your gut is inflamed for an extended period (which often happens with undiagnosed food intolerances) is that small fissures can develop, which then allow what your body believes to be foreign bodies into the bloodstream. What ensues from this point is a seemingly never-ending cycle of feeling poorly, eating badly and ultimately not losing weight.

So, it’s fair to say that food intolerances most certainly can curtail your efforts to shed weight.

So, what can be done?

If what we’ve described so far sounds like you and your eating habits, there’s a more than average chance that you could benefit from some kind of food intolerance testing. You shouldn’t feel sick or listless for absolutely no reason, so it’s important for your health that you identify what exactly is causing your body distress. The alternative, i.e. carrying on as you are and feeling fed up, just doesn’t bear thinking about… does it?

The good news is that by deciding to ask yourself the question, you’ve taken the first step to dealing with the issue. So many people put the symptoms they experience down to just having a bit of a gippy tummy or other minor problems that are almost not worth mentioning.

Now that you’ve perhaps started to consider that a food intolerance to a problem for you, there really are other options.

We’re going to give you two now…

Number 1 is to keep a food diary. This option involves writing down everything you eat and drink on a daily basis, jotting down the state of your general state of feeling – with a particular emphasis on when you’re experiencing unpleasant or uncomfortable digestion. With this information, you can piece together a picture of what might be causing your issues. This is quite a simple and inexpensive method, but it can take a while to paint a clear picture and you may only get a rough idea of what to avoid.

Number 2 is to take a food intolerance test, which is a simple, affordable and painless way of getting right to the source of the problem. For as little as £74.99, you can have your blood scientifically screened by the experts at Lifelab Testing. Even the basic testing checks your blood against 40 key food and drink intolerances, which means that if you’re intolerant to something you eat, food intolerance testing is going to show it up and give you the tools you need to change your diet – freeing yourself from the misery of digestive distress.

So, there you go. Food Intolerance testing could be the secret ingredient you’ve been looking for that turns your diet attempt into diet success.Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Click here if you need information and advice on moving to university with an allergy or intolerance.

Are You Fed Up With Just Tolerating Your Food Intolerance?

Posted on by Kate Young

We all get an upset tummy from time to time and often what we’ve eaten is the cause. Whether it be a hot curry or a chicken salad, sometimes our bodies take exception to the things we eat, with any unpleasant effects passing within a few days. Over time, if your symptoms persist, it could be indicative of a food intolerance, which fortunately can be addressed with a good quality intolerance test. However, what tends to happen is we learn to cope with these adverse effects rather than dealing with them. The question in this instance has to be are you fed up with just tolerating your food intolerance?

A Food Intolerance Test

When you take a food intolerance test, you’re basically taking all of the uncertainty out of the equation, as your blood is screened against a range of different possible triggers. Intolerances occur when the requisite enzymes the body needs to break down certain foods become more and more sparse, leading to the tell-tale signs of bloating, diarrhoea and other unpleasant side effects. 

Age can be another factor at work, as our metabolisms become slower as we get older – something that affords more time for bacteria in the gut to cause issues. At this point, once you’ve spotted the signs, an intolerance test can make the difference between suffering in silence and taking control back.

Common Food Intolerance Issues

Whilst there are no hard and fast rules about what people are and are not intolerant to, the most common tend to be either to lactose or to gluten. The good news is that once you’ve determined where your intolerances lie, you’ll be in a position to remove or reduce the amount of that food that you consume and alleviate your symptoms. The only question remains is how you go about it.

The Elimination Technique

An alternative to the aforementioned intolerance test is the elimination method, which involves getting a rough idea about the food groups that are causing you issues and taking them out of your diet. By slowly reintroducing particular foods back into your routine and seeing if there’s a reaction, you’ll be able to pinpoint your problem areas much more accurately.

The downside to this particular technique is that it can take some time to perfect, particularly as intolerance issues often have to build before manifesting into symptoms – meanwhile, you’re still suffering. Also, it only gives you a vague idea of what exactly you’re intolerant to, so you could be eliminating some of your favourite foods unnecessarily, thinking you have a problem that isn’t there.

Affordable, Quick and Effective

When you purchase a food intolerance test from Lifelab Testing for as little as £99, your blood sample is screened against 40 key food and drink intolerances to really get to the heart of your issues. All that’s needed is a small sample of blood – don’t worry it’s pretty painless – and within just a few days, you’ll have everything you need to know to free yourself from simply having to tolerate your intolerances.

For more information on how to go about getting your intolerance test, take a look through our website. If you have any questions you’d like answering, you can call us Monday to Friday between 8am and 8pm on 01332 321892 or via live chat 24/7. Our team is on hand around the clock to help you in any way they can.

MumtoMum’s Lifelab Testing Experience

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

Lifelab Testing got in touch with Samantha Poole of ‘MumtoMum UK’ as we understood that Samantha wanted to understand if herself, and her family, were struggling from any food allergies or intolerances. After being diagnosed at the age of 16 with IBS and losing her appendix at 21, Samantha wanted to understand more about her body and what better way is there to do it than taking an allergy test with your family and friends.

Samantha went through the entire allergy test customer journey from start to finish and documented her experience with us right here in this blog. She reveals tips and tricks to taking the allergy test and explains more about the results they received from taking an allergy test with us. Samantha said “5/5 for ease of the test to do at home and send off to the experts @ Lifelab Testing…I really hope this review helps lots of other mums and children too.”Click here to read about Samantha Poole’s experience with us.

Managing Food Intolerances

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

Many of us live with food intolerances. In fact, in the UK alone, there are believed to be over 2 million people suffering from one and sadly, a great deal of those don’t even know they have a problem. However, the good news is that there are ways to find out, and also effective methods to manage the issue.

Managing Food Intolerances

‘Intolerance’ and ‘Allergy’ have become quite interchangeable in modern parlance and it is easy to see how some people confuse the two, as some of the symptoms are quite similar. You can quickly identify your own individual issues by taking an affordable and effective IgE and IgG4 blood analysis test for just £74.99 by visiting the Lifelab Testing website or for a slower way, you could keep a food and symptom diary.

By tracking your exact food intake and noting precisely when adverse effects are experienced, it will soon narrow down where your problems lie. Some adverse reactions to offending foods can occur slowly over time, which will show as a general trend and can also be picked up with this kind of self-monitoring.

Plan for Your Daily Life

When you are managing food intolerances and you have identified the food you are intolerant to, it really helps to have a plan for how you’re going to avoid it. It’s a relatively easy task when at home, but can become more difficult when you’re out and about, especially if you’re going to a restaurant where you’ll not have full control of what goes into what you’re eating. Bread, dairy and potatoes are particularly difficult to completely eliminate when away from home, as many pre-prepared foods contain them.

If you know what restaurant you are going to be visiting, an effective step to take is to call them and ask what options you have to side-step the food that affects you. Often, there are set options on the menu dedicated to those with exactly this kind of problem, so go and find out!

How Long to Avoid Foods?

The question of how long to avoid particular foodstuffs will vary greatly from person to person and on the severity of the intolerance. Sometimes intolerances lie in foods that are a favourite of the individual in question and complete avoidance is not preferred. In this case, you’ll get a feel for how long to cut it out for by adopting a trial and error method.

A good rule of thumb is to wait until the symptoms disappear and then try a little, to see how much of the effects return. From this point, it is just a matter of self-regulation, driven by the severity of the reactions.

What Causes an Intolerance?

There are a number of different types of intolerances and sensitivities and therefore they are not all caused in the same way. IgG4 food intolerance involves the immune system and the increased level of these antibodies causes symptoms. There are those, which are enzyme-mediated, meaning the body is lacking sufficient amounts of a certain enzyme to break down a food component, like lactose intolerance. In this condition, the body lacks sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase to breakdown the lactose in milk and milk products. Histamine intolerance, similarly is also enzyme-mediated, with symptoms stemming from a build-up of histamine and the inability to break this down.

Not all intolerances and sensitivities are fully understood as yet, as is the case with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity; the mechanisms and causes behind this particular condition are not fully comprehended and still debated.

In Summary

The effects of food intolerances are largely avoidable and the first step to dealing with yours is to identify it. Whether it’s via a Lifelab blood analysis test or using your own self-monitoring, the sooner you take action, the sooner you’ll be free of the unpleasant reactions that come with food intolerances.

Click here to read how you can better ‘Manage your Acute Allergies at Work‘.

Identifying Your Food Intolerance

Posted on by Kate Young

When the body has difficulty in processing certain food types and more pointedly, experiences certain unpleasant reactions, this is known as a food intolerance. Symptoms of this can vary, but most usually it manifests as stomach pain and bloating, typically a few hours after ingesting said food.

The incidence of people suffering with this condition has skyrocketed in recent times, but it is difficult to be certain of exactly how many are affected due to the fact that most don’t even know they have it.

Narrowing Things Down

The job of narrowing what type of food that is causing you a problem can be a long and drawn out process, as food diaries are used, and it involves monitoring your food intake and the reactions experienced over an extended period.

Another method, which can be just as laborious, is the elimination method. If you suspect a certain food to be the offender, you can remove it from your diet and see if the symptoms disappear. Trial and error sometimes works in this respect, but it’s hit and miss.

The fastest way is to have your blood tested for potential intolerances to food by visiting www.lifelabtesting.com and taking the simple steps required to have your sample sent to us through the post.

The good news is that it costs as little as £99 and takes just a few days to complete and for you to receive your results. Once you have the information you need, you’re much better placed to take action to combat what intolerance you have.

What Causes a Food Intolerance?

Many different food types can lead to a reaction depending on the person, but the common theme that runs through each one is that they are all caused by a deficiency in a particular enzyme that stops them being absorbed into the body. This results in undigested food entering the intestines and that’s when the problems start.

The symptoms of food intolerance can be quite varied. They include: 

 ❏ Bloating of the stomach 
❏ Persistent migraines 
❏ Diarrhea 
❏ Nausea 
❏ Coughing 
❏ Hives 
❏ A general sense of feeling unwell Could the symptoms be something?

Yes, they could and that is why getting tested is such a good idea. The last thing you want to do is eliminate a food group in error, to find out at a later date that you didn’t need to, as the problems you were experiencing were nothing to do with food. This counts double if the food you’re eliminating is a foodstuff many of us like, like bread or cheese.

In fact, if you take one of our tests, you could find out that you have an allergy, rather than intolerance, which is something that would take a lot of time and effort to determine on your own.

In truth, many of the symptoms listed above and more can be down to stress, IBS or a host of different allergies and intolerances and the only way to find out definitively is to get yourself screened.

The alternative? An extended period or even a lifetime of suffering needlessly.

If you’d like to find out more, visit our website where you can find out all about what we do and even have a ‘live chat’ with one of our expert team.