Do you have arthritis-like joint pain? Or, have you been going for physiotherapy or chiropractor for months or even years to deal with chronic low back, hip or pelvic pain? Arthritis means inflammation of the joints and more than 9 million people in the UK suffer from arthritis and related conditions. Most people with arthritis will experience pain and difficulty moving around, and symptoms include stiffness, pain, swelling and fatigue. Treatment for joint pain usually focuses on medication, however there are still no drugs that cure conditions such as these and most of the drugs used have severe side-effects such as stomach upset/bleeding, easy bruising, thinning of bones, cataracts, weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, blurry vision and increased susceptibility to infection.

 

 

Many people with arthritis are unaware of the concept that external factors can trigger their symptoms and, and due to the lack of expertise, they are not encouraged to investigate this area further. According to the Arthritis Research Campaign, many people claim that cutting out certain foods has helped treat symptoms of their arthritis, and a high percentage of people with rheumatoid arthritis can actually improve or clear their symptoms with simple dietary changes. The problem with attempting any dietary modification is that first you need to know what to change. Currently the best accepted method for confirming food sensitivities is by elimination diet. This involves eating a restricted diet for several weeks. If there is no improvement during this time, it is assumed that the food type that has been restricted is not causing the symptoms, and the process is repeated with another food type. This method is very time consuming, and because it is impossible to test all the different combinations of food types that may be causing the problems, it is a very ineffective process.

 

A recent study, commissioned by the UK charity Allergy UK, surveyed 339 sufferers’ with arthritis, aches, pains and swollen joints. A staggering 82% of them showed a significant reduction in their symptoms within weeks if they removed the foods from their diet that showed a positive reaction using a simple blood test[i]. For example those with rheumatoid arthritis show improvement in overall pain, hand grip strength, number of tender joints and time to walk 20 metres. The dietary changes also reduced symptoms such as fatigue which is common in those that suffer from chronic pain.  

 

The test used in the study is the YorkTest FoodScan, it only requires a few drops of blood from a finger prick that can be collected in the comfort of your own home. Included in the test programme are two consultations with a qualified Nutritionist to look at overall eating habits.

 

Taking a First Step Food Intolerance Test enables you to eliminate uncertainty and confirm whether you have food intolerance through a ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ test result. This way you can check if you have a food intolerance before taking the Second Step FoodScan 113 which is the comprehensive service that identifies the specific foods you are intolerant to.