An Advertorial Feature
If you have recently been diagnosed with food intolerance then you may be in the process of making changes to your diet. As food intolerance can contribute to many problematic illnesses such as IBS symptoms many of use wish to get the symptoms under control as soon as possible however where do you start? Initially it may seem like a simple case of removing food groups from your diet which are contributing to your problems, however this is not as easy as you first think and throws up many questions that need answering such as “what can I eat if I am intolerant to x food groups?”, “where do I get alternative foods from?” “if I got to a restaurant with my friends what can I eat?”. For these reasons it is important that those with food intolerance seek the advice of nutritionists who can guide you, and this is why the YorkTest food intolerance programme has been developed.
It is clear from research that most people newly diagnosed with food intolerance, are usually fully enthused and determined to change their diet, and make every effort to stick to the new “rules”; in the end they are desperate to feel better. The research showed that it is after getting through the first few weeks, and when starting to feel better, that sustaining the new diet 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 and joint pains. 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; but with money down the drain. Look at your Nutritional Therapist as your Personal Trainer; there for you, encouraging you along the way, making sure that you stick to the programme and giving you tips to keep that enthusiasm going. Sound good?
The link between adherence to dietary advice and improvement of symptoms is very clear. In the largest study of its kind, commissioned by the leading medical charity Allergy UK, it was shown that of 3559 people who rigorously dieted, according to their test results, 76% reported significant improvements in their food intolerance symptoms. Of the 1436 people that made a reasonable attempt at the diet only 66% reported noticeable improvement. In addition, just to show the impact, out of those who didn’t try at all (62 people) only 10 of them, 16%, felt any change; and that wasn’t sustained. The food intolerance programme used in the study is offered by YorkTest. Nutritionist consultations, two of them carried out over the telephone, are offered as standard as part of the YorkTest Food Intolerance Programme and, as we can see, without help sticking to the diet success rates are impacted. This is why (often cheap) food intolerance tests and even some allergy tests that do not provide nutritionist support as part of their service just DO NOT work.
For more information on the YorkTest food intolerance programme visit YorkTest.com or call 0800 074 6185