Over the past couple years, I have been having gastrointestinal discomfort, pain and bloating that have gotten progressively worse over time.  In an effort to avoid a dramatic elimination diet that takes awhile and is hard to stick to, I tried keeping a food & symptom journal to track my reactions and figure out a culprit with no luck. It seemed that I would feel bad just about every day. When I saw that EverlyWell was doing a 30% off Black Friday sale on their tests, I decided to give the Food Sensitivities test a try.

A note on the difference between Food Sensitivities vs. Food Allergies… An allergy is a histamine response that the immune system produces (IgE antibodies) and occur immediately after consumption. Sensitivity is still an immune response (IgG antibodies), but typically not as severe and a different reaction – GI issues, acne, fatigue, brain fog, etc can all by symptoms- and can occur / last for days after consuming. This can make them quite difficult to identify (definitely my experience). The EverlyWell test is for Food Sensitivities (IgG).

The Process

After ordering, I received my kit in the mail just 3 days later. It came with simple instructions to do a finger prick for blood samples (something I was used to after having gestational diabetes).  I was a little unsure about my sample, so I emailed their customer service a picture and got a quick response that it looked perfect.

I dropped it in the mail that afternoon and received confirmation that the sample had arrived at the lab about a week later. Two days after that, I had my results. So, it was just under 2 weeks from ordering that I had my results.  Throughout the process, I was super impressed with EverlyWell’s communication– consistent emails updating the progress, great customer service when I had a question, and incredibly clear and easy to find information on their website.

Accuracy

The key thing to be aware of when you take the test is to ensure that you have had all the foods within the past 4 weeks so that it can measure your reactivity. Taking it during the holidays was perfect for me because I had a larger variety of food than I may have in a typical month.   Take a look at the list of foods it tests for and make sure you have consumed them before you take the test.

You might have heard about EverlyWell on Shark Tank- they have disrupted the health testing industry, offering at-home tests to the public, often for a much lower cost than you can get through your doctor (I would have paid 3-4 times the price with my doctor PLUS they are usually covered by HSA/FSA). These tests are sent to CLIA-certified labs that are industry leaders and results are reviewed by a physician.

In general, elimination diets are the most accurate to finding food sensitivities, but EverlyWell tests are 95-99% accurate. They recommend a combination for the most accurate identification of problematic foods to you- take the test to find out what foods you should consider eliminating, eliminate, and then 6 months down the road, re-introduce one at a time and allow several days to see if a reaction occurs.

The Results

The results provide a rating for the 96 foods, rated on a scale from High to Normal Reactivity. In my case, I rated High for Egg Whites and Moderate for Egg Yolks.

 

 

There were 14 other foods in the Mild category, which means a smaller immune response, but ones that can definitely still cause symptoms.  Those included: Brewer’s Yeast, Eggplant, Garlic (sooo sad about this!!), Ginger, Gluten and Wheat (also quite sad about this, but kind of expected), Orange, Rye, Tarragon, Mushroom, Mustard Seed, Yogurt, Bell Pepper, Winter Squash (hope you all enjoy your pumpkin and delicata squash next fall!).

Takeaways

Since I have known my results, I have started to avoid those foods, but didn’t completely eliminate with holiday and birthday season the past couple of months. Now, my plan is to follow an elimination diet of all those 15 foods for the next 6 months.  After 6 months, I’ll start trying to re-introduce to see if my reactivity has gone away or not.  I can tell you that even with avoiding these foods lately (especially eggs), my skin has been so much more clear. I’m hopeful the other symptoms start to fade soon.

Ultimately, I am really glad I took this test. I was considering going on the AIP diet and still would not have removed garlic (which I have definitely noticed reactions to). I could have gone a long time still suffering symptoms before figuring out the cause. I would highly recommend testing first, then elimination to get accurate results.

Symptoms are not normal. If you are having digestive issues or fatigue or any other issues that make your life uncomfortable, I would encourage you to figure out what is wrong. If you would like to try this test or any of their other at-home tests (vitamin deficiencies, hormones, etc), you can use this link to get 25% off!