3 Things I Learned from a Food Intolerance Test

If you asked me if I ever considered taking a food intolerance test, I'd give you a big heck no. I honestly would say no because I'd be so afraid of what I would find out. I've never been allergic to any foods but intolerant, yes. Secretly, I know that some foods don't react well but I forge on and still eat them anyway. Four years ago, I took the Whole30 challenge and learned a WHOLE lot about my intolerances. But I shrugged my shoulders and moved on. I LOVE food and hate anything that gets in my way! Let's be honest though, I'm not getting any younger and my eating habits should be better. Could this be the answer to a healthier lifestyle? Let's explore.

I was approached by a company called YorkTest Laboratories to give their Food Intolerance Test a try. YorkTest defines Food Intolerance as a food specific IgG reaction. Their information is intended to provide nutritional advice for dietary optimization. The test kit is sent to your house and it only takes a few minutes to take the test. The kit comes with the following items:

The kit comes with detailed instructions to collect your samples. The only word of caution for those who don't like pricking your skin. The lancet is on the bigger side and goes in deep. I was bleeding for a few minutes until it stopped. After I collected my sample, I filled in the form and sent my samples off to York Test. The results were sent to my email within 10 business days.

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The Results

The results summarize the complete list of ingredients in three categories. If a food or drink appears in the green column, this means there is no reaction to that ingredient. Should it appear in the red or amber column, this means that a strong (red) or borderline (amber) IgG reaction has been detected. Pictured above are my actual results. I've only attached the first page for your viewing only in order to get a good idea of what they look like.

What Did I Learn

1. Apparently I already knew about these reactions and was not surprised by the results. Earlier I said I did the Whole30 elimination diet and the main food category that I was intolerant to was dairy. My love for cheese will forever mourn this. But my approach from these results is to be more cognizant instead of going completely cold turkey on these items.

2. The list of foods that I don't have a reaction to is extensive and I shouldn't worry so much. I was worried of what I would learn from this test, especially any intolerances from foods I love. However, there are pages and pages of foods that I can eat and that makes me happy.

3. I learned that while these reactions are not as severe as allergies, food intolerance has been associated with a wide range of disruptive conditions such as migraines, skin issues, fatigue and digestive distress such as bloating, cramps and IBS.T he test identifies IgG antibody reactions that indicate which items may be causing inflammation and symptoms, defining each individual’s personal “food fingerprint”.

What's Next?

The company offers a free phone consultation with a BANT registered Nutritional Therapist. They can help you optimize your diet after the sample results have been analyzed. You also receive a Results Guidebook and Food & Drinks Diary. These are great step by step guides to help change your diet and improve your health. On May 1st, I decided to follow this program and have been writing down any changes. I hope to share more insight in a later post! Stay tuned.

If you are interested in learning more about the kit or would like to purchase one, visit the York Test link here.