We do not offer testing for coronavirus (Covid-19) but you can book a consultation here or call 01780 723803 if you would like to reduce your risk of catching Covid-19 or if you are recovering from it, or if you would like mental health support. Please note our support is based on nutritional and lifestyle intervention, and we may also recommend the use of supplements but we do not offer counselling services.
Lost your spark? Not firing on all cylinders? Do you have unexplained symptoms but your blood tests have come back normal?
Would you like the answers you’ve always wanted about your health?
Routine blood tests only tell us part of the picture – they may confirm the presence or otherwise of certain compounds, nutrients, hormones etc in the blood but this won’t necessarily tell us whether our body is functioning properly to the extent that we are able to actually use these substances, and that all our body systems and processes are switched on and working optimally.
We are in an era of personalised health and Your Health Tests can get you the answers quickly, without long waiting lists or a GP referral. We provide a range of advanced clinical tests that the NHS is unlikely to offer you, enabling you to take control of your health and prevent, diagnose and treat many conditions and illnesses.
Advanced clinical tests are much more revealing, and by taking control of your own health, you can dramatically reduce the time taken to reach a diagnosis, and eliminate the need for repeated GP and hospital visits – no GP referral is required.
Testing also gives you the opportunity to try and future proof your health by identifying what might cause you issues in later life if you don’t take action now – prevention is better than cure.
If you’re taking medications and struggling with the side effects but worry that you won’t cope if you come off them, there is another way; medications generally treat or suppress symptoms, whereas testing identifies the root cause and therefore enables targeted therapy, through bespoke nutrition and lifestyle changes.
If you are not sure which test is right for you, please contact us at info@yourhealthtests.co.uk for help in choosing the test which is appropriate for you.
You do not need to have a consultation in order to purchase a test. However, we strongly recommend that you book a results consultation to help you understand your test results.
Use the search bar to look for a particular type of test, or to search according to health condition or symptom, or visit the Buy A Test page. Please read the full descriptions of the tests, plus any add-ons before you make your purchase.
Please note the tests in each category have been suggested on the basis that we consider these selections to be appropriate for those particular areas of health.
Addressing gut health is a powerful tool for supporting your overall physical and mental health. Brain fog, fatigue, low mood or depression, poor concentration or inability to focus, low energy, muscular aches and pains, autoimmune conditions, skin and respiratory issues, or finding it difficult to lose weight - these are some of the tell tale signs that you may have a bacterial imbalance, yeast overgrowth, parasitic infection, leaky gut, IBS/IBD, celiac disease or other gut condition which can threaten your overall health.
Our gut is our first line of defence, with a mucosal layer that protects us from toxins, parasites, yeasts and all sorts of pathogens, and approximately 70-80% of our immune system is in the gut. If our gut becomes damaged or compromised in any way, it gets inflamed and we reduce our ability to protect ourselves, and to digest and absorb nutrients needed for so many vital processes in the body.
The microbiome refers to the bacteria residing in our gut, which are involved in nutrient absorption and production. The bacterial population can get disrupted as a result of many things – stress, smoking, caffeine, high sugar intake, medications including antibiotics, parasites, yeast infections, leaky gut and much more. A bacterial imbalance (dysbiosis) can also be a cause of leaky gut and parasitic and yeast infection. Irrespective of the cause, inflammation will ensue and it is likely that we will compromise our ability to absorb our dietary nutrients.
If we don't take action to address imbalances, infection or a damaged leaky gut, we get chronic, persistent, systemic inflammation ie not just in the gut but throughout the body. The inflammatory response is designed to be only acute and temporary, in order to quarantine and eradicate pathogens. But if we have chronic, persistent inflammation, this is a driver for many diseases and illnesses including depression, allergies, Alzheimers, obesity, heart disease, osteoarthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, IBD/IBS, cancer, fertility issues and autoimmune conditions.
Optimising our gut health is really important for supporting mental health - serotonin, a neurotransmitter which supports positive mood, is synthesised in the gut. The gut is often referred to as our second brain - the gut and brain are constantly communicating with each other via the vagus nerve and this gut-brain axis interplay explains our “gut instinct”.
Food Allergy, Sensitivity or Intolerance?
True allergies to food (and non-food substances such as moulds and environmental inhalants such as dust, animal dander and pollen), manifest as an immediate reaction on exposure to the substance, which can be life threatening. The body produces IgE antibodies as a result of exposure to these substances, with sudden onset of symptoms including swelling of the throat and tongue, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, itching, skin rash, rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and fainting, and anaphylaxis.
Food sensitivities arise when the patient becomes less able to tolerate certain foods which they may previously have been able to enjoy without experiencing symptoms. Sensitivities can develop if the gastrointestinal tract is damaged or compromised in any way. Stress, alcohol, smoking, use of NSAIDs, diets high in red meats, saturated fats and refined sugar can all damage the gut, causing it to become more permeable or leaky. A leaky gut (intestinal permeability) then allows foods to cross from the small intestine into the bloodstream without proper digestion, resulting in inflammation and an immune response, with IgG antibodies being produced.
Food intolerances are adverse reactions to food which do not involve an immune response. Lactose intolerance is one example, and it arises due to a deficiency of lactase enzymes in the gut, which are required to break down the lactose.
Sound nutrition is essential for good health, and this means getting the right amount and variation of nutrients – both macronutrients (carbs, protein and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). These are the building blocks of our very essence – we need these nutrients to synthesise our cells and other substances in the body and to feed into and drive all the processes in the body. Collectively they perform thousands of vital biochemical reactions.
Nutrient shortages can arise for many different reasons:
- Decreased dietary intake eg if you are following a particular dietary protocol whereby you exclude certain food groups,
- If you have variations (SNPs) in your genes which don't allow you to utilise those nutrients
- If you have an underlying disorder that you are not aware of
- If you have an increased need eg performing athletes or during pregnancy or due to chronic stress
The body is resilient and adaptive. Nutrient deficiencies may not necessarily show up in routine NHS blood tests for some time, by which time these imbalances may be more advanced, causing functional disorders and disrupting multiple systems in the body, which can ultimately impact on quality of life. Conditions like depression, anxiety, impaired mood and cognitive function, fatigue, low energy, poor stress response, joint pain, fertility problems, neuropathies, low libido, weight problems and premature aging are just a few of the problems which can arise. Over time, nutrient deficiencies can lead to chronic diseases.
Taking supplements is helpful to restoring nutrient imbalances, but genetics and other factors will still influence your ability to absorb those agents and you may need a specific formula. Self prescribed supplements may therefore be of little or no benefit. We are bio-individual – our nutrient needs are dependent not just on our genes, but also on our lifestyle, environmental influences, our gut/overall health and much more. Functional nutrition testing ensures you don't miss out on vital nutrients to optimise your health.
As well as identifying causes of disease, genetic testing is also helpful for protecting our future health – it identifies our potential risk and susceptibility to certain diseases and conditions by analysing whether we have genetic variations (SNPs) which might predispose us to those diseases.
However, being predisposed to a condition does not mean that you will automatically succumb to that condition or disease – gene expression is flexible and genes can be switched on or off, influenced by multiple factors. Diet and nutrient status, lifestyle habits, hormone imbalances, bacterial infections, exposure to air pollution and toxins such as cigarettes, alcohol, sun exposure and other factors all play a part in gene expression and therefore it’s ability to promote disease.
As well as dietary intake and gut integrity, our genes also play a significant part in our health, as their expression or otherwise plays a role in the vital processes in the body, and whether or not these are functioning optimally. Food is a powerful moderator of genes, and can either promote or inhibit gene expression.
Please check the Genetic Tests section to view the range of genetic tests we offer.
