I did a food intolerance test and tell you how it goes and what it really does!
Bloating, cramping or nausea after eating may indicate that you are having a bad reaction to some foods.
I often feel the same way. Because I can't say for sure which foods are not good for me, I took a look around on the Internet.
Finally, I stumbled across the food intolerance test from Cerascreen.
Somewhat skeptical, I check out the website and find out how the test works and what it ultimately brings.
Would you also like to undergo a food intolerance test? Then you should read my experience report. I have recorded everything you need to know about such a self-test.
Table of contents
What is the use of invertibility tests?
With an intolerance test, you can get a first indication of whether you suffer from an intolerance to certain foods. The blood is tested for certain markers to detect deviations from the norm.
You can either take tests at a doctor's office or order them online and do them at home. The health insurance does not cover such tests, you have to pay for them yourself in both cases.
Can incompatibilities be tested in the blood?
In an igG antibody test, immunoglobulin G is measured in the blood. The body produces antibodies when it comes into contact with food or pathogens.
Why I did a food intolerance test
Digestive problems are really no fun. Anyone who is affected knows all too well the challenges that come after every meal.
Bloated belly, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, sometimes more of the same can occur. This makes not only eating out with friends an impossible undertaking, but also enjoying home-cooked food.
For a long time I tried to figure out what it was. Is it milk? Is it fruit? Is it certain vegetables? Or even gluten?
Bit by bit, I'm eliminating foods. It's strange that I can tolerate milk one day and not the next.
This simply cannot be true.
So I decided to do a food intolerance test. Maybe it will help me to finally get clarity.
However, I must mention that I am very skeptical about such tests. Many manufacturers and websites promise various food allergy self-tests at home. But if you don't try, you don't know, is my motto.
I dedicate the next lines to you. So that you know how the food intolerance test works and whether the test brings something or you should better save the money for it. In my intolerance test experience I will write down everything that you might be interested in.
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Why I chose this test
During my research I stumbled across Cerascreen. In the assortment: A Food allergy test and a Food reaction test.
Before I venture into the experiment, I have to decide.
The food allergy test measures whether you have an allergy to food. This is done by measuring IgE markers from 38 foods.
The food reaction test determines the antibodies of the types IgE and IgG4 in the blood. The reaction test measures 26 foods, but these are much more specific. It is virtually the smaller variant, which, however, goes more in depth.
The tests are intended for all those who get skin rashes, a burning sensation in the mouth or on the tongue, diarrhea and abdominal pain after eating. In addition, shortness of breath and itchy throat are among typical allergy symptoms.
What both food intolerance tests have in common is that you can do them from home. So you don't have to go to a doctor or hospital to have a whole vial of blood drawn.
Everything you need to perform the food allergy test is included in the kit.
You will find in it
- a step by step guide
- Disinfection wipe, plaster, swab, 2 lancets, transport tube
- a return bag
Whether you also choose Cerascreen Test decide or another brand, actually makes little difference. They all work with the same technology.
Attention: These foods have a strong flatulence effect!
With the Discount code "Wild10" you get 10% discount on the test! Just enter the code with your order!
How a food intolerance test works
I order the test online. All I have to do is enter my address and off I go. Within 5 minutes, it's done and the test is on its way to me.
After about 3 days, the doorbell rings. The test for my food intolerance is there.
Now it can start. I unpack it very excitedly and place the components in front of me.
In the packaging there is a "5 Spot Blood Card". On it 5 circles, in each of which I should put a drop of blood.
All right, sounds quite simple at first.
Now comes the part that I'm a little afraid of, to be honest. I have taken a drop of blood from my finger a few times, but that was at the doctor's office.
I just looked away every time so that I wouldn't have to see it.
Now I have to go through it myself.
But first disinfect the finger with the swab. Then remove the cap of the lancet
Take a deep breath and poke very quickly. Ouch.
Fortunately, it is over quickly. You have to wipe away the first drop, it could be contaminated.
Then I wait heavily for the second drop. I press a little on the finger so that it flows better. But somehow hardly anything happens.
I just manage to fill a whole and a half circle with blood.
I shake, I press, but that's probably not going to work. So, unfortunately, I have to do it again and poke the lancet into the ring finger.
And here it really trickles. Within just one minute, 4 circles are completely filled. And I don't need to fill the fifth one. It is a control circle.
Yay made it. :) Patch up and the food intolerance test is ready from my side.
I register with the code on the website. You can also download an app if you want. When registering I have to provide some data like age, name, gender, height, weight etc..
What you should know about the evaluation in the laboratory
Enclosed I find a card with a QR code sticker, which I have to stick on the card with the blood sample.
Important: There is a six-digit code on the card with the QR code. You will need this later for the evaluation!
The card with the blood samples must now lie at room temperature for about 1-2 hours so that it becomes solid.
Put it in the return envelope.
The envelope is already labeled. I just need to take it to the nearest post office. You don't have to pay shipping costs for it, they are already included in the price.
There are two laboratories that evaluate these tests. One in Austria and one in Germany.
When I post my envelope, two days later I receive an email confirming that my sample has now arrived at the lab.
I should receive my results in the next few days. Either in the app or as a confirmation by e-mail.
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What results my food test shows
The notification is there and I am mega excited. I already knew before the test that my body does not like lactose and fructose. Because I had this tested years ago in the hospital.
But will that be seen in the food intolerance test?
I am already quite curious. After all, other foods could also make my life difficult.
It takes exactly 2 days until I get a message that my results are there.
The PDF document has a total of 16 pages. And is divided into results from IgE and IgG4 test.
Get smart about the food self-test here!
My IgE evaluation
You can react to food on a scale from 0 to 6.
At strength 1 I have grasped cod and tomato. Whereby I would never have noticed anything when I ate tomato or fish. The reaction is probably too weak for that.
I find celery and carrot particularly exciting. I have a birch pollen allergy. A lot of people suffer from cross-allergies. Birch pollen allergy sufferers very often do not tolerate carrots and celery.
I can well imagine that. That would also explain why I often feel bad after vegetable soup. What I can't do without are carrots and celery. I will prepare the next soup without these vegetables and will observe this closely.
I don't eat soy, so I can neither confirm nor deny that. Soy milk I do not like at all, tofu I find boring. In between I let myself fermented tofu - tempeh. But I don't have to have that often either.
However, the rice surprises me a little. Because I imagine that I tolerate rice very well.
What a weak reaction in the food intolerance test means
Weak reaction is when either skin reactions, gastrointestinal discomfort, or a furry feeling in the mouth occur immediately to 2 hours after eating.
Weak for me are tomatoes and cod, as well as rice, celery, mustard, soy.
Sometimes, however, you don't feel anything at all except a slight twinge in your stomach.
How a strong reaction shows up in a food intolerance test
I have only strongly fleshed out carrots. The results report says that the body shows an increased readiness to react to it.
I'll keep a close eye on this after I eat the next carrot and I'll be curious to see if anything happens.
My IgG4 results
Well, I've done quite a bit of damage here. Fortunately, most of it was on strength 1 of 3, so that's not so bad.
Here we have again our old acquaintances: Carrot and tomato.
In addition, there is something that I can safely confirm: Coffee. Especially from very strong coffees I often get stomach cramps.
Orange and peach are probably on the list because of the fructose problem. Gluten is completely new to me. I can neither confirm nor deny mustard. I eat mustard very rarely.
Meat, which I have not eaten for several years, I would tolerate very well according to the test.
What the IgG4 reactions tell you in a food intolerance test
Where is the difference between IgE and igG4 anyway? I find a clear answer to this in the document.
The body reacts to foods that I tested positive for in the IgE test immediately after eating to no later than two hours afterwards.
The situation is different with IgG4. These foods can trigger problems with a time lag. So often only hours after eating and then sometimes for days.
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How I continue after the food intolerance test
The report says exactly how I should now proceed. Even if my body reacts to carrots, it does not have to mean that I will get symptoms.
It can also be that I don't notice anything. This happens when the body has built up a self-protection. In such a case, I should not completely avoid carrots, but greatly reduce the amount.
Every four days is fine because it doesn't irritate the intestines too much.
So what does that mean for me now?
I will observe how my body reacts to the evaluated foods and eat with a lot of care next time.
If I have a reaction to food, I will only eat it in small amounts. A maximum of one bite every 4 days. This is exactly what I will try first with carrots.
What you should not do is give up all the foods on the list overnight. This can lead to deficiency symptoms. However, you can experiment and leave out individual foods for days and then eat them again in small quantities to be able to observe.
I will now keep a diary for at least 2 weeks and note exactly what I ate and how I feel about it.
Addendum: 3 weeks after the food test
It has been 20 days since I received the results of the food intolerance test. I gave up foods to which I have a strong or moderate reaction and ate them again today.
So: no carrots for 3 weeks. No problem. I'm not that fond of the root vegetable now. To see if and how I react to it, I forgo cooking the carrot and eat 5 bites raw.
In order not to falsify the result, I have not eaten anything 3 hours before. I take a bite and I wait.
After 15 minutes, it starts to rumble. Quite loud, what is going on down there.
My stomach starts to cramp slightly. That doesn't feel good at all. For an hour now I'm annoyed that I ate the carrot. My gastrointestinal tract doesn't like that at all.
I prefer to leave carrots off my menu altogether from now on.
But because I want to know again, I'll try again in 4 days. But this time it's only 3 small bites of a cooked carrot.
Again, my stomach does not react well. But at least much better than to the raw carrot.
As much color as they bring to the plate - I probably won't eat carrots in the future.
I will try the same experiment with the other foods over time. And so hopefully find out bit by bit what is good for me and what is not.
My conclusion
Whether it is worthwhile to make a food intolerance test or not, depends mostly on how strong the complaints are. Overall, the test is done very quickly and is not witchcraft. A quick poke and you're done.
Since you also have to pay for the test at the doctor's office, there is no difference in price.
At least I can now already say that I look at carrots from now on in a completely different light. :) The next few weeks will show how I cope with the rest of the tested foods. To make his own intolerance test experience is worthwhile if you have already tried a lot, but still have no solution for the belly problem. I wish you all the best and hope that you will soon know where the problem lies with you!
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