This article is sponsored by Klarify.me who offer easy allergy testing you can do at home. None of the advice in this article should be taken as medical advice and if in doubt you should always seek medical advice.
Allergies can make the difference between a good Christmas this year and a bad one. If you have food that makes you feel rough after you have eaten it. Or if you find that you have a rash, it is because you have an allergy to something. But finding out whether you have a food allergy or not can be a long process to find out.
Food allergies come under 3 different types of allergy. The allergies depend on how long it takes to have a reaction and what kind of reaction you have. You might have a reaction to prawns at lunchtime but the allergy might only show after dinner when you have eaten at least 4 or 5 other foods. Then you naturally assume the reaction has come from the food you have eaten recently.
Different Types Of Allergy
The most common of food allergies is IgE-mediated food allergy. This is triggered within seconds or minutes after eating something that you are allergic to. Your immune system produces an antibody that is called immunoglobulin E (IgE). With this allergy, you are more likely to suffer from anaphylaxis and will need to carry an epi-pen to inject yourself
Having a non-IgE-mediated food allergy means that the reactions are not so severe. The reaction can also take up to a few hours. The reaction to these allergies is caused by other cells in your immune system. They think that they are fighting something bad in your body, but they are not, they are just confused. This is less likely to harm you as much as the IgE-mediated food allergy and you can usually take an antihistamine.
Lastly, there are mixed IgE and non-IgE-mediated food allergies. Some people will experience the symptoms of both types of allergy. If this is you, you should also always carry an epi-pen with you.
How Can I Get Help With Allergies?
Your first thought would be to visit the GP to get an allergy test. But they will want you to narrow down the list of allergies that you think you have. And that is even if you can get an appointment this side of Christmas. The surgeries are so busy in the winter, you often can’t even get through on the phone.
So that leaves you with the more preferable option of looking at a private company to help discover which allergies you have. Did you know you can have a test to take at home? No need to go out to have tests done anywhere else. KlarifyMe for instance has a single home allergy test that can detect 294 different allergies that you might have.
How Does A Home Allergy Test Work?
Testing from home is easier than ever, especially now that people are more confident with it. Many people have had practice with taking Covid tests involving blood samples. So you should find the home allergy test really easy. Everything you need is in the box, you simply lay it all out on a table and collect your blood sample. This is then sent off to the lab, which will analyse it. You will get your results back within 2 weeks.
Now here is the science bit! At the lab, the blood sample will be analysed by ALEX-Allergy Explorer, an innovative piece of technology the provides extensive allergy testing. The test will find out if your body is reacting to 294 allergy extracts and components. So you are tested for individual proteins in the source of the allergy.
Where Can I Get A Home Allergy Test?
That is probably the easiest part. You can go to the Klafiy Me website and take a simple quiz. It will ask you a few questions about reactions your body might be having. Then if you need a home allergy test, it recommends you buy one. The tests are £149, which is a great price for peace of mind when it comes to your health.
Your results are sent to you in a personalised report where it lists all of the allergies you were tested for. Because it has tested for 294 allergies, you obviously might only have 2 or 3. But you might have 20, so as soon as you get the results, you can start making small changes in your lifestyle.
How Can I Change My Diet?
When you get your results, you will know what foods will cause an allergic reaction in your body. So you can start looking at changing your diet. Here are some ideas to help you.
If you start cooking from scratch you will know what is actually going into your body. There should be no mistakes in adding food that causes a reaction. If you take a look at Just Average Jen, there are plenty of recipes that are cooked from scratch that will help.
Looking for dairy-free products in the shop and also Gluten-free. GF products are often found alongside gluten products. Because allergies to Gluten have risen so much over the past few years.
Look for offers online that are available. Maybe buying in bulk will help you to save money and always have your products at home
Join online social media groups to get help and advice about how to change your diet. Just remember that even though you have to change your diet, it is not the end of the world. You can still have chocolate, but just a dairy-free version. You can still have bread and cake, just a GF version. Even fish and chip shops offer GF options on their menus.
