food allergy Archives - Lifelab Testing

Tag: food allergy

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.

Testing for Food Allergies to Help Your New Years’ Goals

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

It’s almost the end of the year and after enjoying some well-deserved celebrations with family and friends, many of us are now looking to the future. A festive time of feasts and merriment has us looking for ways to get our health back on track this January and maybe even help us lose a few pounds of holiday weight.

Diets, a gym membership, and sobriety are all common options to help you get back to your optimal health. But have you considered a food allergy and intolerance test to help you improve your health this January?

Why allergy tests are more important than ever

Allergies are becoming more and more prevalent throughout the world. While you may expect to be safe from any surprising allergies, cases of adult-onset allergies are rising. People who thought they knew all there is to know about their dietary needs are being shocked by adverse reactions developing in adulthood.

It’s better to be safe than sorry, and getting an allergy test before any surprising reactions, is far more preferable to waiting for a one to crop up unexpectedly.

Why Right After the Holidays is Perfect Timing

As we’ve all indulged in foods that we might otherwise restrict during the rest of the year, it’s quite possible that you may have developed a food intolerance over the festive period. Research has indicated that excessive consumption of a food item or ingredient can cause an intolerance to develop.

While you may have been enjoying a daily mince pie and leftover turkey, your digestive tract might not have been so pleased. This is why testing for food intolerances especially, is ideal right after the holidays. It can help highlight foods that you should avoid altogether for a period while you get your health back on track.

Get Tested to Maximise Your Health

If health is your top priority this year, get started on the right foot with a food intolerance and allergy test. Keep yourself safe and maximise your diet by tailoring it to what your body wants.

5 Steps to Take in the Battle Against Food Allergies

Posted on by Kate Young

It’s a big deal in everyone’s life: Going back to school. It can feel even bigger if you do not have an allergy plan ahead of you!

However, it can sometimes feel even worse if you are suffering from food allergies. You must be super organised, but you can find out below how to best prepare your child for dealing with food allergies. 

1) You need to have a plan

Make your allergy plan a priority. You can consult either your doctor or health professional who will be able to sign this off for you. Make sure your staff and faculty at your school are aware of your food allergies, and that they know about your plan.

2) Make sure you discuss eating areas and accommodation

You need to be accommodated for if you have a food allergy. The chefs at the school, or if you are taking a packed lunch, people need to be aware of your allergies. Some children are not always aware of the danger of food allergies and intolerances, but teachers should be focused and observant. If you have an allergy plan, make sure they stick to it.

3) Talk to people

Food allergy specialists are an excellent resource. They can help you with advice and ideas on where to sit at lunch (like above), but also how you should approach school trips and adventures. Ensure your school’s big hitters are aware of the allergy guidelines, as well as your allergy plan.

4) Spot and prevent allergy building

We hate to talk about this, but it does happen in schools! In fact, there have been recent stories of children and teachers being attacked for their well-known allergies. There are specific guidelines, which have been developed over in America on how to spot if your child is the target of food allergy bullying. 

5) Make sure you know that your child has an allergy and an allergy plan

You may be reading this wondering what on earth we are going on about. But, living with an undiagnosed or identified food allergy can actually be catastrophic. If not treated or managed correctly, food allergies can leave you feeling unwell and alter your life, or in a worst-case scenario, be potentially life-threatening.

For more information on allergy testing and identifying exactly which items, you or your child should be avoided, check out our blog page! It’s full of hints, tips and advice, all suited to helping you and your family cope with your allergies. Think of an allergy plan after you have discovered your own allergies!

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 withLifelab 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.

Do you know the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?

Posted on by Donna Mastriani

A food allergy and a food intolerance are often thrown around in the same conversation and are thought to be the same thing when this couldn’t be further from the truth. An allergy is an entirely different condition to an intolerance and we’re here to clarify the difference for you. As well as being two different conditions, there are a lot of ‘untruths’ lying around regarding each term such as ‘an allergy can be cured if the food is removed for a period of time’ or ‘an allergy can be created by regular consumption of a food’. 

What is a food allergy?

A food allergy, when occurring, creates an immune reaction within the body. This is usually caused by the protein of an allergen entering the bloodstream. This tends to happen more often at a younger age as the lining of the gut isn’t yet fully developed. When you are exposed to the allergen, whether you have ingested, inhaled or touched the item, an IgE immune response is released as the body now sees the allergen as a threat. This release histamine and symptoms that can occur immediately or up to a couple of hours later.

Symptoms of an allergy can be;

Symptoms are completely individual and can differ from person to person, however, in the worst-case scenario, anaphylactic shock can occur in which an EpiPen needs to be administered as well as seeking urgent medical attention. It is important that you know what to do in a situation where someone is suffering an allergic reaction as it has the potential of being life-threatening. If diagnosed with an allergy through an allergy test or an experience with a reaction, you need to do all you can to constantly avoid these items. 

What is a food intolerance?

A food intolerance, such as lactose intolerance, occurs when an individual’s gut lacks the correct digestive enzymes to break down the foods. In this case, we are going to look at immune-mediated intolerances which is a reaction to IgG antibodies. There are four types of IgG antibodies – IgG₁, IgG₂, IgG₃ and IgG₄. IgG₁ is a first responder to a reaction, however, if a reaction continues to happen to a food item because we are continually exposed to an allergen, we begin to produce IgG₄ antibodies. IgG₂ and IgG₃ antibodies are not produced in response to a food item which is why at Lifelab Testing, we find IgG₄the most relevant antibody for testing food intolerances. 

Symptoms to a food intolerance can occur up to 72 hours after the food item has been consumed. Symptoms include;

• Bloating and cramps.

• Flatulence.

• Changes in bowel movements.

• Fatigue.

• Headaches.

• Fogginess.

Symptoms of an intolerance may only occur if you have eaten a large amount of the food. We can reduce symptoms of an intolerance by adjusting our diet to remove all the trigger items and then reintroducing the items after 6-8 weeks of not having consumed them. This is known as an elimination diet. 

How can you discover your allergies and intolerances?

The answer is simple, a Lifelab Testing kit. Having one of our at-home blood testing kits delivered straight to your door means that you can begin your journey to health from the comfort of your own home. A small blood sample could change your life and relieve you of your symptoms when tested in our laboratory. From as little as £74.99, you can order one of our fantastic tests and discover whether you are suffering from a food allergy or food intolerance.