Blood tests & supplements
I am a fully qualified Nutritional therapist specialising in Food intolerance, allergy testing & vitamin deficiency. I have included my own personal story on the page Educate your skin as to my symptoms and skin problems relating to Food intolerances, allergies, PCO & vitamin deficiency.
I have over 15 years of experience in the beauty industry specialising in facials & skincare. I have tried most skincare brands ranging from high street to premium, Doctor/surgeon prescription skincare brands. In aesthetics, we are taught to treat the surface of the skin and there is no training provided to question or find out what the root cause of the problem is. It is easier to sell strong prescription products or recommended treatments to deeply exfoliate the skin, and stimulate skin fibroblasts. This helps to speed up exfoliation and push off the dead skin cells whilst feeding the new cell with AHA's, BHA's, tretinoin, hydroquinone, retinol, growth factors e.t.c. Whilst these products do drastically improve the surface of the skin they do not stop the root cause of the problem 0r what is causing it in the first place. A lot of clients when they finish courses of treatment either facials, laser, micro-needling or prescription skincare can get rebound melasma or the conditions start to come back and that is because the root cause or imbalance in the body has not been treated. There are many things that can contribute to causing skin conditions but we must first start at where all diseases start which is in the gut. If you have read my page on The gut microbiome you will have an understanding of what is causing damage to our gut microbiome and how this affects our skin, mental health, weight, imbalances, fertility & much more.
Understanding my client's skin
I am not your usual beauty therapist, I provide a full skincare analysis where I will look at your skin, look at which areas you are getting skin concerns pigmentation, melasma, acne, redness, sensitivity, rosacea, blackheads and ask questions about diet, skin care products, water intake, medication, medical conditions, sun exposer, digestion, food intolerance, allergies & vitamin deficiency. Most clients that come in for facials will not know that there is a direct link between diet, gut microbiome, inflammation, intolerance, allergies, vitamin deficiency & the skin microbiome.
There are certain areas on the face which will show which organs in the body are not detoxing/functioning properly and will show by pushing toxins, hormones and undigested proteins through our largest detoxifying organ our skin. This can look like pigmentation, melasma, acne, blackheads, bumps, dry, dehydrated skin, rosacea, psoriasis e.t.c.
Food Intolerance
Many people get food intolerances and allergies mixed up. Food intolerance is when a person can eat a certain food or foods from a food group/s (dairy) and may not have any immediate reaction to the food/s but could take up to 3 days to get symptoms. Symptoms can range from headaches, sinus problems, excess mucus, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, stomach cramps, skin breakouts, rashes, hives, head scabs, foggy-headedness and much more.......
Food allergies or allergens
A food allergy or allergen is when someone has a true reaction to food/s, chemicals, plants, animal hair, dust mould, nuts, bee stings, insect bites, fish, eggs, medication and so on. Anyone can have an allergy to anything they come in contact with and can become allergic to anything at any time. The outcome could be anything from a mild reaction to Anaphylactic shock and can cause death.
When you constantly expose yourself to either a food intolerance or an allergen your body will create inflammation and will make the immune system react by turning on antibodies which will try to fight the invader. Over time this will take its toll on the body and can result in some medical conditions like leaky gut, candida overgrowth, SIBO, gut dysbiosis, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, PCOS e.t.c The skin will then push this out through the skin as rosacea, psoriasis, Milla, blackheads, large pores, redness, sensitivity, skin heat, pigmentation, acne, bumps under the skin, dry, flaky skin & melasma.
Vitamin deficiency
I have more information on the page Educate your skin. Still, to get straight to the point if you have a leaky gut all your foods, toxins, proteins, hormones and vitamins will leak into your bloodstream and you will not benefit from the nutrients in your food and supplements you may be taking. Darker skin tones do not produce a lot of vitamin D so you could be deficient. Its become very popular to be Vegan or vegetarian in the last few years. By cutting out a lot of other food groups you may not be getting enough nutrition from other sources and may need to supplement with a good quality supplement to make sure you are getting everything you need for your body to function properly. The foods we are consuming in the supermarkets are full of pesticides, chemicals, and antibiotics and farmed in horrendous conditions resulting in us getting food empty with hardly any nutrition and high chemicals & toxins. There is strong evidence to suggest people with mental health, Autism, ADHD, ADD, Schzrophric, GAPS e.t.c have vitamin deficiencies from birth as they have inherited, a leaky gut and a high toxic load from the mother and father during fetal development and the birthing process.
What can I do if I am suffering from skin concerns, digestion problems & hormonal imbalances?
First I would book a consultation online via my online booking system on the page Book treatments online. When you come to your consultation I will go through a thorough consultation and ask serval questions to determine if the skin concerns are from the environment, lifestyle, diet, skin care products, medical conditions, medication, inherited, mental health e.t.c
I will have a look at your skin and determine which skin type you have and what products you should be using for your skin type. Then we will move on to if you have food intolerances or allergies that you know of. On the face, there are areas where the small intestine, large intestines, stomach and gut area can show intolerances, poor digestion, hormonal imbalances, anaemia and allergies. I would then recommend you do either or both a Food intolerance & allergy test to check if your body is having a reaction and causing inflammation. If you do not have the funds for the tests I will advise you to cut out certain food groups for 12 weeks and see if there is some improvement in the skin before re-introducing them back in. Most of the time this has a big improvement in the skin however some clients with leaky gut have multiple food intolerance and allergies because the gut wall is so inflamed and damaged and as a result will cause food intolerances and the body to become highly reactive to nearly everything. A test will show a good indication of this.
Here are some examples of skin conditions that people think are acne but are related to Food intolerance, allergies, vitamin deficiency, anaemia, SIBO & Candida.
York Food intolerance, Allergy & vitamin blood tests
York Food intolerance test
Easy To Use Home-To-Laboratory Test Kit
Take our most comprehensive food and drink intolerance* test to find out whether you have an intolerance to over 200 food and drink ingredients. Simply take a finger-prick blood sample and return it by post for testing. Receive your results within 7 days! No social interaction is required.
Optimise your lifestyle with our support, knowing which foods you’re reacting to.
-
Discuss your results with a nutritional therapist. One 30-minute consultation included
-
Measures all four subtypes of food-specific IgG
-
Simple finger-prick blood test
-
Receive expert, accurate analysis from our fully-accredited laboratory technicians
-
Results listed in easy-to-read traffic light values: high, borderline, and normal reactivity
-
Track your progress with a food and drinks diary
-
This test is not available to customers who are pregnant or breastfeeding
Take The Guesswork Out Of Your Diet
Unlike other tests on the market, we measure all four subtypes of food-specific IgG (1-4) compared to some which test only for IgG4. This is important as it ensures all of the different food-specific IgG reactions are detected.
IMPROVE YOUR GUT HEALTH AND IMMUNE SYSTEM
Your gut is home to 70% of your immune system. You can support your gut health by reducing your “immune load”, and removing ingredients that may be causing it to overwork from your diet.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR WELLBEING
Taking a test can help you to take control of your overall health! Within 7 days, you’ll receive your very own ‘food fingerprint and you’ll finally know which food and drinks you’re intolerant* to.
Food allergy & environment test
Tests For 23 Foods And 19 Environmental Allergens
Take a scientific approach by taking a food allergy test. Simply take a quick finger-prick blood sample and return it to our laboratory in the post. You’ll receive your allergen test results within 7 days! No social interaction required.
-
Accurate, scientific analysis
-
Simple and reliable home to lab finger-prick allergy blood test
-
Receive clear test results for IgE reactions to 23 foods and 19 environmental allergens
-
Personalised support from our customer care team
-
Customers must be aged 4 years or over to take one of our allergy tests. This test is not available to customers who are pregnant or breastfeeding
-
Only available in the UK
Allergies can be life-changing, with various symptoms like sneezing, itching, swelling, vomiting, and diarrhoea; we provide accurate allergy testing to help you to understand what might be contributing.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OVERALL HEALTH
Find out more about your IgE reactions to foods and environmental factors.
KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR REACTIONS
Once you receive your results, you’ll have the power to take the next steps to improve your lifestyle for good. Our clear results provide guidance on what environmental or food allergens you should avoid.
Foods
Egg white, Milk, Cod, Salmon, Crab, Shrimp, Meat mix (pork, beef, chicken, lamb) Wheat, Rice, Soy, Potato, Peanut
Hazelnut, Almond, Tomato, Carrot, Orange, Strawberry, Apple & Peach.
Environmental
Birch, Hazelnut pollen, Olive, Cypress, Ash, European, Timothy grass, Rye, Bermuda grass, Bahia grass, Common ragweed, Mugwort, English plantain, Cat dander, Horse dander, Dog dander, House dust mites (D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae), Cockroach & Cladosporium herbarum.
Essential health check
Begin the journey to improving your health and well-being with our Essential Health Check.
-
Test for 19 different health markers, covering: cholesterol and triglycerides, liver function, vitamin D, iron deficiency, B12, and folate.
-
Simple at-home finger-prick blood test. No social interaction is required.
-
Provides hospital standard, easy-to-read traffic light results.
-
Supporting guidebook provided to help you make effective lifestyle changes.
-
Receive advice to better support your overall health.
-
Customers must be aged 18 years or over to take this test. This test is not available to customers who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
-
Only available in the UK
Using a quick and easy home-to-laboratory finger-prick blood test means we can measure exactly what’s going on in your blood. Get your results within 7 days, and you’ll receive advice on whether your results are acceptable if lifestyle changes are required, and if a visit to your GP is recommended.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
It’s time to start taking care of yourself, including your immune system. The Essential Health Check offers a scientific understanding of whether you are deficient in vitamins and iron, with advice to take simple steps to better protect your health overall.
TAKE STEPS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER
Take control of your health in a positive way. Receive guidance about your liver health, and the “bad” and “good” cholesterols, and triglycerides. With support and guidance to hand, it’s easy to make changes to better support your wellbeing.
Iron Deficiency
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in the body and is the most useful indicator of iron deficiency as stores can be decreased before any blood iron levels are low. This test can also indicate if blood iron stores are too high. If your body is storing too much or too little iron this requires follow-up testing from your GP.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 has many roles in your body. It plays a really important role in red blood cell production and helps your nervous system to function properly.
Vitamin B12 levels are important for aspects including boosting your energy, improving your memory and helping to prevent heart disease.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is needed by the body for both physical and mental health but is best known for making sure that bones and muscles (including your heart) are strong and growing properly. It also helps regulate the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is related to conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. The development or worsening of mental health conditions, such as depression and low mood has also been linked to inadequate levels of vitamin D.
Liver Function
The liver is responsible for functions vital to life. The liver primarily processes nutrients from foods, removes toxins from the body and builds proteins. It breaks down fats, it converts glucose into energy stores and produces hormones. It also helps the body fight off infections.
What we measure
Albumin; a protein that is made in your liver. It helps to transport nutrients and hormones, as well as helps to grow and repair tissues in your body.
Globulin; a group of proteins made in your liver. Globulins play an important role in liver function, blood clotting and fighting infections.
Total protein; your albumin and globulin levels combined.
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT); a protein enzyme that is only found in your liver, so it’s a good indicator of your liver function. A high ALT level can be a sign of liver damage as the ALT protein is released into the bloodstream from the damaged liver cells.
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP); your liver is one of the main sources of ALP, but some is also made in your bones, intestines, pancreas, and kidneys.
Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT); a protein enzyme found mainly in the liver. A high GGT can indicate damage to the liver or bile ducts.
Total bilirubin; a yellow pigment. High bilirubin levels can be a sign that your liver is damaged. Sometimes high levels can be caused by Gilbert’s syndrome which is a harmless inherited disorder.
Cholesterol
When you think of cholesterol, you probably think of ‘bad’ or high cholesterol. But there’s also a ‘good’ type of cholesterol that your body needs to keep at an optimum level.
Cholesterol plays an important role in many of the body’s processes. However, it’s important that cholesterol levels don’t go out of balance.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a good kind of cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), VLDL and non-HDL are the bad types of cholesterol along with triglycerides that you want to keep in check.
The Essential Health Check measures all of these and total cholesterol as well. The test also calculates your total cholesterol to HDL ratio and your triglycerides to HDL ratio which are both useful information for a GP in determining your risk of heart problems or stroke.
The main aim is to focus on lowering your “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides, and increasing your “good” HDL cholesterol to an optimum level.
Folate
Folate is one of the B vitamins and it has many functions in the body. It is vital for the formation of red blood cells, and energy levels and contributes to the normal function of the immune system. Your body can’t build up a store of folate so you can become deficient in a matter of weeks. So it’s important to continuously get enough from your diet or from supplements.
Supplements
What are food supplements?
Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients (i.e. mineral and vitamins) or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect that is marketed in “dose” form (e.g. pills, tablets, capsules, liquids in measured doses).
Why do we need supplements?
The best source of nutrients is your food. There are many reasons why someone could be vitamin & mineral deficient. The best way to find out is to do an essential bold test. You need to know what you are deficient in before taking supplements as over-supplementing or blind supplementing can cause symptoms and medical conditions. Today we would need to eat around 50 plates of salad to get the same nutrition as eating 1 plate of salad 50 years ago. Vegan and vegetarianism have become very popular in the last few years and as a result, some people are deficient due to not eating a balanced diet. Supplements are vital for those clients that have vitamin & mineral deficiency.
The health & supplement industry has grown significantly in the last few years and there are so many brands that now sell supplements. You need to be very careful when buying supplements because not every brand is made from quality source products and also the absorption rate plays a big part in the body's ability to absorb the vitamins and minerals in the supplements.
I am fully qualified and insured to recommend professional products & supplements.
During my healing process, I have used a number of supplements and have chosen to work with only well-formulated brands.
Brands I work with: Cytoplan, Bare Biology & bodhi.
Cytoplan Ltd. is British-owned and independent. A charitable foundation wholly owns us. Therefore we are not constrained by the typical commercial pressures for profit or conflicting issues of parental ownership that afflict many companies in our marketplace.
When it comes to nutrition our philosophy is that: a) There is a 'Nutrition Gap' in the population, supported by research, which means that most people are not getting the nutrients they need for health from their diet. b) Nutrition supplements can bridge this gap when they contain the appropriate (and safe) levels of nutrients as long as the nutrients are in a bio-effective form.
-
Thousands of health professionals are using our products in the UK - and around the world
-
Leaders in food-based supplementation
-
Founded and run by health practitioners
-
An incentivised, nurturing and supportive programme for our practitioners and students
-
Wholly owned by a charitable foundation and with a unique business ethos and nutritional philosophy
The Ethos
At Bare Biology they believe that Omega 3 is a gift from nature. It nourishes the whole of your body for the whole of your life. There are stacks of studies that show us it’s good for our hearts, brains and eyes. It keeps our joints, skin and kids healthy too. But not just any old fish oil will do. Customers see and feel the difference with Bare Biology Omega 3 oils because they’re fresh, and pure and deliver the highest strength of EPA and DHA on the market.
The Ingredients
Bare Biology sources the finest, purest, most effective fish oils in the world. They’re made from wild, sustainably and responsibly fished sardine, mackerel and anchovy. They add a hint of Sicilian lemon oil and a bit of Vitamin E. That’s it. Super pure and super fresh. Most Omega 3 capsules are made from pork or beef, but Bare Biology use fish gelatin as it just makes more sense. It is also absorbed a lot better, so it gets results. Fast.
Your Bodhi was set up after discovering the amazing effects curcumin and vegan omega has on the body. Your Bodhi is not just as play on words, but the Sanskrit name meaning enlightenment. You should choose and understand what you put in your body, so you can be the best and healthiest version of yourself. You only have one body, nurture yours.
Curcumin is the amazing active compound found within the turmeric root, which is part of the ginger family. Out of the 3 curcumanoids found in tumeric, curcumin is the most active and has the most health benefits. The benefits include fighting inflammation, reducing joint pain, increasing immunity, and supporting gut and brain health.
For more information on blood tests, supplements, 21 day gut detox or consultations pleause book a consultation online via my booking system or contact me on the information provided.