Hayley Essam

“YorkTest has enabled me to take control of my health“

45-year-old payroll and accounts manager Hayley had been suffering for a number of years with skin flare-ups on the face, neck and arms. Hayley also experienced anxiety as a result of her symptoms along with digestive issues.

She explained how these symptoms had affected her during this time, “I started to become anxious about heights and I didn’t feel in control of my body. It made me feel a bit down about my skin flare-ups, especially on my face.”

Hayley learned about YorkTest after searching online for an independent provider in food allergy and intolerance testing.

After taking a Food Allergy Test, Hayley found out she was allergic to soya, tomato, peanuts and hazelnuts along with dog and horse dander. After also taking a Premium Food Sensitivity Test, Hayley found she had IgG reactivity to cow’s milk, goat’s milk and carrots . After eliminating her trigger ingredients, her symptoms began to take a turn for the better. “I feel much better. My skin does still flare up occasionally but not as angry. I also don’t feel anxious anymore about heights.”

Talking about her experience with trying to eliminate multiple foods from her diet, Hayley said, “I found it easy to eliminate soya but tomato has been a little harder. I still eat carrots but I have stopped eating them raw and I limit them when I do have them.” Hayley continues to follow her diet plan and avoid her trigger foods. “I try to avoid soya completely but if I am exposed to it I feel off, get a headache, my skin flares up and I can feel breathless.”

YorkTest analyses your IgG reactions to 200 food and drinks – from common ingredients like cow’s milk, gluten and egg, to health superfoods like kale and quinoa.

The process, which involves sending a finger-prick blood sample to the company’s laboratories revealed Hayley’s intolerances. Following on from the test, we asked Hayley how she found the customer service experience to which she replied: “very helpful”

Similarly, on her appointment with one of our nutritional experts, Hayley added: “I found the nutritional consultation really helpful, she gave me really good advice on alternative foods. I really understood the concept of eating in moderation and keeping a varied diet.”

When asked to sum up her whole experience with YorkTest, Hayley concluded: “I feel much better in myself, I feel more informed. YorkTest has enabled me to take control of my health.”