TESTING, TESTING.
Do you know what really makes me angry? Seeing invalid food intolerance tests making people too scared to eat, leading not only to nutrition deficiencies but high levels of anxiety and eating disorders.
I totally get why it’s tempting to go for tests that are claiming to tell you exactly what’s causing your gut symptoms – I know it can be debilitating and you just want answers.
But unfortunately, there is NO blood, breath or stool test that can accurately determine food intolerances. All intolerance tests are invalid, apart from lactose – so please don’t let anyone take you for a ride.
When it comes to the expensive tests being sold online for your DNA or microbiome, promising to ‘protect you from disease’ & ‘diagnose food intolerances’, I wouldn’t recommend them.
While it might be interesting and we’re definitely heading towards more personalised nutrition, we’re not quite there yet.
The science is rapidly progressing and I think in the next few years they’ll be more insightful – so save your money for now and watch this space!
If you’re suffering from gut issues and suspect you might be reacting to certain foods, speak to your GP first before eliminating to rule out coeliac disease or anything more serious.
I have a whole chapter in my book Eat Yourself Healthy & Love Your Gut to help cut through the confusion with my 3-step approach, which safely guides you through the process of determining what might be causing your symptoms – just like I would in my clinic.
