Caroline Strawson

“I was suffering from fatigue, bloating, constipation plus redness on my upper cheeks”

• Amid a busy working lifestyle, entrepreneur Caroline suffered from bloating, fatigue, constipation and redness on her upper cheeks.
• Though her symptoms interfered with her career and personal life, she felt unable to confide in a medical professional and attributed her symptoms with everyday stresses of life.
• Caroline discovered she was intolerant to wheat, egg white, hemp, yeast and pear after taking a food intolerance* test.
• She has taken steps to make wise food choices and is now back in control of her wellbeing.

Online Business Owner Caroline Strawson felt the burden of her symptoms in her career and personal life. The 44-year-old entrepreneur exercised regularly, maintained an active lifestyle and “even ran half marathons”. However, a drop in stamina and endurance meant that she was unable to maintain her fitness levels.

“I was suffering from fatigue, bloating, constipation plus redness on my upper cheeks,” she recalls. Caroline had these symptoms for many years over the course of her busy lifestyle, but kept “putting it down to stress or not eating properly.”

Over time, the symptoms became gradually worse. Fatigue plagued her life. She said: “Some days, I literally did not want to get out of bed and felt very tired”.

Peri-menopausal, Caroline also began to notice bodily changes; “I had lumps under my arms that would get sore and painful and, having checked with a mammogram, was diagnosed with accessory breast tissue”. Caroline felt some of her symptoms did not warrant a medical professional and others, she continued to suffer in silence.

A turning point for Caroline came when she travelled to Dubai and attended a seminar with Patrick Holford, an advocate of nutrition and diet.

“I was absolutely fascinated by gut health having a medical background and he talked through many symptoms that rang a bell with me,” she said. Patrick recommended YorkTest Laboratories’ food intolerance* testing.

A YorkTest programme involves a simple finger prick blood test which is posted back to the company’s laboratory to be analysed for IgG antibody reactions to over 200 food and drink ingredients.

Caroline’s Food Intolerance* Test found that she had reactions to a range of foods, including wheat, egg white, yeast, cow’s milk, hemp, pear, rooibos, beetroot and acai berry.

Thoroughly surprised by the detail of the results, she felt committed to eliminating all food triggers within the first few weeks. She began to notice improvement a few weeks after, despite finding it challenging to remove specific foods such as yeast.

“My skin started to clear, my bloating went down and my energy levels increased”. Caroline also “lost a stone within the first 6 weeks without really trying to actually lose weight” and her periods became regular.

Before the YorkTest, Caroline had often attempted to take matters into her own hands by eliminating dairy and wheat from her diet.

As part of her YorkTest programme, she was able to discuss her results with a Nutritional Therapist who guided her through some other food alternatives. If Caroline eats her trigger foods, her symptoms re-appear and her weight increases as a result. She, therefore, follows a specific diet and has thrown herself into re-joining the gym and getting back to her level of fitness.

She says: “I feel very empowered knowing my intolerances… I feel in control of my own health with the knowledge to make wise food choices to live a healthier way”.

Caroline followed a YorkTest Premium Food Intolerance* Test

Our Nutritional Therapist, Elaine, helped Caroline to optimise her diet

YorkTest advise that you consult with your GP first if you are experiencing the types of symptoms mentioned in this testimonial.