“I’m so glad I took the test – it made me realise just how closely linked the food I eat is to my overall health.”
48-year-old Jo Summerscales, a writer, had been experiencing a range of frustrating and seemingly unrelated symptoms over the past few years. She was dealing with stomach cramps, bloating, low energy, brain fog, joint aches, and dry skin and hair – all of which gradually became part of her day-to-day life.
Although she was still able to carry on with her usual routine, everything required more effort. She recalls feeling older than she was, with reduced energy and a sense that her body wasn’t functioning as it should. On top of this, her immune system felt weaker, as she found herself picking up frequent colds.
Jo first heard about YorkTest through her osteopath, who had purchased a test for her son. Around the same time, Jo was already questioning whether her teenage daughter might have a cows’ milk intolerance. Deciding to take the test alongside her daughter out of curiosity, she was surprised to discover that the results pointed firmly in a different direction.
Her results revealed a strong intolerance to cows’ milk (scoring 100), along with sensitivities to gluten, wheat, cashews, potatoes, Sauvignon blanc, and several other foods.
For Jo, this was a turning point. Symptoms she had previously attributed to perimenopause were, in fact, being driven by her diet.
After removing her trigger foods, the improvements came in stages. Within just a few days, she noticed changes in her skin and hair, something she had never previously linked to food. Over the following weeks, her joint aches and digestive symptoms improved, and after around a month, her brain fog began to lift, allowing her to feel more focused and clear-headed.
While the elimination process wasn’t without its challenges – she describes it as “faffy” at times and more expensive due to the cost of alternatives – Jo adapted over time. Checking ingredients became second nature, and she found suitable replacements for most foods.
She now largely follows her diet plan, completely eliminating cows’ milk and mostly avoiding gluten, although she admits to the occasional indulgence. Even so, the difference in how she feels is clear.
If she eats her trigger foods, the effects are noticeable. She experiences headaches, stomach aches, sluggishness, digestive issues, and dull skin, all reinforcing how closely her body responds to what she eats.
The nutritional consultation played an important role in helping Jo understand her results. She found it particularly useful to learn that even the probiotic she had been taking contained cows’ milk, something she hadn’t considered before.
Today, although her diet is more restricted, Jo feels healthier, more informed, and more in control. The test has given her a clearer understanding of her body and the confidence to make better choices for her long-term wellbeing.
