How does food intolerance affect diet?

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For those of us who have carried out a food intolerance test, and have been faced with making, sometimes radical, dietary changes, there are many questions that need answering. What exactly can I eat if I have to remove milk, wheat, gluten and yeast from my diet? Where can I buy those alternatives? How will I manage if I go out to a restaurant and will my friends think I am being awkward? There is no doubt that it can be really daunting.

It is clear from research that most people newly diagnosed with food allergy or intolerance, are usually fully enthused and determined to change their diet, and make every effort to stick to the new “rules”. The research showed that it is after getting through the first few weeks, and when starting to feel better, that keeping going with the dietary changes becomes difficult: “Just a small amount of XXX food won’t hurt” says that devilish little voice in your head. Sound familiar? But cheating like this can re-inflame all those awful symptoms again. Food intolerance symptoms such as irritable bowel, bloating, skin problems, migraines and headaches, fatigue, low mood and joint pain. It’s at this point that symptoms start to return, despondency can set in and that’s where help is really needed. It’s rather like taking up a new membership at the gym, for the first few weeks or months you’re there every day, or several times a week, you feel better and you keep going, but soon the novelty wears off, soon the excuses build up, not tonight, will go tomorrow instead. Soon weeks have gone by and you are back to square one. Look at your Nutritional Therapist as your Personal Trainer; there for you, encouraging you along the way, making sure that you stick to the diet that you know is best for you and giving you tips to keep that enthusiasm going. Sound good?

Nutritional Therapists’ work with food intolerance sufferer’s to help them manage their restricted diet and use the opportunity to review eating habits to promote good health and an improved sense of well-being. Once the Nutritional Therapist has the information they need, including your food intolerance test results, they develop a programme with you focussing on which foods to cut out, the duration of the elimination period, whether foods need to be just cut down or eliminated altogether, and whether the time is right to start re-introducing foods back into the diet. The important role of a Nutritional Therapist is to help you integrate any recommendations into your lifestyle, making changes realistic and achievable. YorkTest Laboratories are unique in offering fully qualified Nutritional Therapist telephone consultations as standard as part of their food intolerance testing programmes. YorkTest have been in business over 30 years and they know how daunting it is to change to a new diet without having a specialist there to support you along the way. Over the years YorkTest has helped many thousands of people alleviate their symptoms due to their integrated approach.

YorkTest is Europe's leading food intolerance and allergy testing company developing tests to determine your food sensitivity.