The Body ID Plan is a revolutionary approach to weight loss that can work to banish yo-yo dieting for good.  The 100% at home test analyses your immune response to food and offers you a personalised approach to weight and shape management.

You will receive a Body ID test kit with detailed instructions for use.  The test is a quick and easy at-home finger prick blood sample test that delivers reliable laboratory results within just ten days.  Once you have completed your test it is sent to the YorkTest laboratories to be analysed by experts in the field of food intolerance.  The blood is tested for immune reactions to 76 foods and combined with a healthy eating plan, creates a totally personal step by step guide to cutting out problem foods, and achieving natural weight loss.

The Body ID plan aims to put a stop to fad diets with an ineffective ‘one size fits all’ ethos.  Rather than making impractical changes to your eating plan that are unsustainable, the Body ID plan offers you a long-term healthier program enabling you to achieve a balanced and effective sustainable eating plan.

Get your personal diet eating plan today and join the thousands of people making their way to a happier, healthier lifestyle.  The Body ID plan is not a ‘diet’, it is a test that enables you to get a personal step by step guide to cutting out problem foods, thus achieving natural weight loss.

The personalized program provides a natural weight loss plan and long-term weight management leading to better overall health and vitality.

Click here to unlock the secret to your natural weight loss

We offer AllergyCheck a home blood testing service for IgE Allergy. We also provide a two step approach to finding out about whether dietary change could help any delayed onset food allergy (food intolerance). The First Step test is currently on offer at £10 and this will give a YES / NO result to tell you whether food intolerance could be contributing to your ill health symptoms. If you receive a positive result you will then have the opportunity to upgrade your test to measure your food-specific IgG reactions to 113 foods; all from the comfort of your own home.
 
Optimum level of “friendly” gut bacteria essential for overall good health
Back in March we launched a gut ecology profile testing service (Gut Health Test), which like our FoodScan service also includes a Nutritionist consultation. We all hear about the importance of ‘friendly’ bacteria nowadays, but how do we know if we have enough to support our own individual gut? If we need probiotics which particular type will suit our needs, and how can we optimise our diet to improve our gut health, and general health?
 
Did you know that the healthy gut is home to around 100,000,000,000,000 microbes more than ten times more than the number of cells in the entire body?! In order for the intestine to work effectively the optimum balance of ‘friendly’ and harmful bacteria (microflora) in the gut must be maintained. This is increasingly difficult as lifestyles have changed.
 
An increase in stress and modern day living, increased consumption of pharmaceutical compounds such as antibiotics, and the effects of changes in dietary patterns and eating habits  can disrupt this balance; shifting the balance of the gut microflora away from potentially beneficial or health-promoting bacteria such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, towards an increase in harmful or pathogenic micro-organisms, like the clostridia and proteolytic bacteroides species.
 
The important role of the gut microflora for maintaining our general health in the prevention of disease is also clear. The bacteria in our guts are constantly interacting with other systems in the body such as the central nervous system, endocrine system and the immune system. Disturbance of this delicate balance may contribute to other disorders that are not obviously related to the gut. Probiotics, lifestyle and dietary changes offer a means to improve the balance of gut microflora³.
 
YorkTest Gut Health Test is a unique service that tests many different bacteria strains, yeasts and moulds, the presence of undigested carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and physical factors such as sample acidity and sample appearance indicators, all from one stool sample⁴. Based on the results, the individual receives tailored advice from our Nutritionist, and diet recommendations to aid digestion and improve gut function. The suggested regime is designed to help change the composition of the bacteria flora, and the condition of the gut to optimise gut ecology and improve health.
 
YorkTest has been offering healthcare services direct to the public for over 25 years, and always recommends that the individual also discusses their ill health symptoms with a health professional of their choice.
 

Role for food-specific IgG based elimination diets

Evidence has suggested that elimination diets based on food-specific IgG measurement can lead to improvements in chronic ill health symptoms. This paper aims to review the evidence from studies on food-specific IgG measurement and dietary change.

Methodology/Approach  A literature review of studies on the putative role for food-specific IgG
based elimination diets was undertaken.

Findings  The use of fully standardised clinically evaluated food-specific IgG tests as a basis for elimination diet could lead to a considerable improvement in many patients’ quality of life.

Originality / Value  This unique review captures evidence for a viable alternative to the time
consuming and expensive elimination diet / food challenge approach.

This isn’t the same as a food allergy, because the immune system isn’t activated. Neither is it the same as food poisoning, which is caused by toxic substances that would cause symptoms in anyone who ate the food.

Food intolerance doesn’t include psychological reactions to food either.

Food intolerance occurs when the body is unable to deal with a certain type of foodstuff. This is usually because the body doesn’t produce enough of the particular chemical or enzyme that’s needed for digestion of that food.

For example, one of the most common types is intolerance of cow’s milk, which contains a type of sugar called lactose. Many people have a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally made by cells lining the small intestine. Without this enzyme they can’t break down milk sugar into simpler forms that can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Lactose intolerance can cause symptoms very similar to irritable bowel syndrome.

Another common example is a deficiency of an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase. Drinking even small amounts of alcohol can make affected people feel unwell.

Some people have adverse reactions to chemical preservatives and additives in food and drinks, such as sulphites, benzoates, salicylates, monosodium glutamate, caffeine, aspartame and tartrazine.

The lack of a specific enzyme in the body may lead to the build up of toxic byproducts and histamine, which then mimic the symptoms of an allergy. This is called a ‘pseudo-allergic’ reaction.

There’s a strong genetic pattern to food intolerances. Lactose intolerance is less common among northern and western Europeans (10 to 15 per cent are affected) than in Asian, African, native American and Mediterranean populations (70 to 90 per cent are affected).

Babies are usually born with higher levels of lactase, so lactose intolerance usually only begins after the age of about two, as the body begins to produce less of the enzyme. But many people don’t experience symptoms until they’re much older. A temporary lactase deficiency may follow gastroenteritis, especially in children.

Alcohol intolerance is common among Asian people – 50 per cent are affected.

Food intolerances are rarely harmful but may cause unpleasant symptoms, including nausea, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, which can begin hours or days after eating or drinking the food in question.

The severity of symptoms varies depending on the amount of enzyme the person makes and how much of the food has been consumed. In alcohol intolerance, there may be intense flushing of the skin, nausea, palpitations, headache and feeling faint.

The easiest test for a food intolerance is to remove the food from your diet, see if symptoms improve and then try reintroducing the food. If symptoms return, an intolerance is likely.

Lactose intolerance can be tested for more thoroughly using a lactose tolerance test, a hydrogen breath test and a stool acidity test. Your doctor can arrange these and other food intolerance tests if necessary.

Food intolerance can be managed simply by cutting the food out of your diet. Babies or younger children with a lactose intolerance can be given soya milk or hypoallergenic milk formula instead of cow’s milk.

Adults may be able to tolerate small amounts of troublesome foods, so may need to experiment to work out what they can eat. Lactase enzyme drops or capsules can be used for lactose intolerance.

It’s important that if foods are excluded from the diet suitable alternatives are introduced to avoid nutrient deficiencies. A dietitian can offer practical advice about how to achieve this. Contact your GP to discuss any suspected food intolerances before putting a child on a restricted or elimination diet.

The glycaemic (blood sugar) response to carbohydrate foods is less pronounced when carbohydrate foods are eaten with proteins and/or with fats; this is usually the case with most snacks and meals. The glycaemic response from a cheese sandwich is slower and lower than the glycaemic response to eating the same amount of bread only; the glycaemic response from eating a baked potato is slower when it is eaten together with baked beans. The other factor that needs to be considered is the amount of carbohydrate in a typical portion of food consumed. The Glycaemic Load (GL) is a measure of the total glycaemic response to a food or meal calculated with the GI figure and the amount of carbohydrate in a serving. In practice, the GL is a marker for the blood glucose effects of foods/meals consumed. The small amount of carbohydrate in a typical portion in some high GI foods, such a carrots or watermelon, gives them a low GL figure.

The GI and GL concept are useful for people with diabetes, who need to balance their blood glucose levels with medication. The concept has also been used to plan the diets of sportspeople, to match the supply and demands for glucose in relation to training and performance. Some studies have suggested that diets with overall lower GI levels may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and coronary heart disease, and may support the prevention and treatment of obesity. Many dietitians are involved in further research to clarify the best application of GI concepts in dietary advice, to prevent disease and support good health in the population.

Many dieters are quick to hop on the latest trend and try out low calorie/low fat diets, but are left sluggish, tired, and feeling a lack of energy. This is because their blood sugar balance is not correctly maintained. If blood sugar problems remain an issue for extended periods of time, diseases such as diabetes become a reality.

If you are looking to begin any diet or think you may already suffer from diabetes, it is important to get control over your blood sugar. But, is there a safe way to check and monitor your blood sugar without having to pay expensive doctor and hospital bills?

Yes, there is. The GLCheck test by YorkTest Laboratories can check your blood sugar and help to identify those at risk of type 2 diabetes. It can also help people who are trying to lose weight through dieting by helping to keep their energy levels up and their blood sugar in balance.

The GLCheck Test by YorkTest Laboratories is a safe, conveinent test you can take in the privacy of your own home. Simply take the finger prick blood test, and then mail your test in. You’ll have results within 10 days.

We highly recommend taking the GLCheck test if you have a family history of diabetes, are of Asian or African origin, males with a waist measurement greater than 37 inches, females with a waist measurement greated than 31.5 inches, or are about to start any new low calorie/low fat diet.

If you’re ready to gain control over your blood sugar & more importantly your weight, please click here.

The glycaemic load test is ideal for those people starting a low GL diet or with a family history of diabetes