Helen Dolby

“I‘ve lost two stone and now have the energy to go out on walks”

• For 15 years, bloating, IBS symptoms and skin issues ruled Helen’s life
• Her symptoms forced her to take time off work
• After collapsing with pain one day, she decided to take drastic action
• Food intolerance* testing revealed she had reactions to 20 ingredients, including elderflower
• After cutting them out of her diet, she lost two stone and is finally pain-free

Bloating, acne, rosacea, regular stomach upsets and severe cramping ruled Helen Dolby’s life for 15 years. This made daily life extremely difficult as she often had to take days off work to recover –

“I was viewed as a hypochondriac by my bosses at the time” – and her symptoms were varied and prolonged. “If I ate out I would have to rush home immediately as I knew I would need the toilet, so I had no hobbies outside the home.”

Helen, 50, tried to cut out wheat, suspecting that it could be a culprit, but this didn’t work. She visited her GP who told her she had irritable bowel syndrome and would just have to manage her symptoms by avoiding certain foods that can irritate the bowel lining, such as spicy ingredients.

The turning point came after Helen collapsed at home one day after a difficult episode. “However, doctors didn’t seem to make much of it and told me to get used to it.”

Desperate to get relief, Helen tried online research and came across the YorkTest food intolerance* programme, which involves sending a pinprick of blood to the company’s laboratory to be analysed for reactions to over 200 ingredients.

Helen took a YorkTest Food Intolerance Test, and when her results came back, she was shocked to discover that she was intolerant to 20 ingredients. “Elderflower was the most unusual!” she said.

She embarked on an elimination diet, helped with advice from a YorkTest Nutritional Therapist, and within a couple of days the bloating and diarrhoea stopped. “I also lost two stone without even trying and generally felt much better. Within a month I felt like my old self.”

Although initially, Helen found her new eating plan relatively easy to incorporate into her life, she admits it got harder as time went on, as it took discipline to keep going. Yet she has been sticking to it.

“I notice a difference when I don’t and the acne rosacea, bloating, cramps and diarrhoea immediately return.”

As well as improved health, Helen finally has the energy to pursue her hobbies. “I do yoga and Pilates and also enjoy long walks. I can finally live my life – I cannot describe how good I feel.”

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