After weeks of persistent bloating, a 42-year-old journalist took a food intolerance test and discovered his body was reacting to a wide range of everyday foods, including egg whites, gluten and cow's milk.
Steven Smith, a content editor who writes about lifestyle and money for Reach's websites across the UK, began experiencing stomach discomfort a couple of months ago. He described it as a trapped wind sensation that persisted for weeks on end.
Given his regular coverage of health matters, Smith was aware that bloating can be a potential sign of something more serious, such as bowel cancer. That awareness, combined with someone very close to him having gone through that type of cancer over the past year, prompted him to visit his doctor.
GP visit and initial tests
Despite frequent stories of GPs dismissing patient concerns, Smith said his doctor was meticulous. The doctor listened attentively and arranged both blood tests and a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), the bowel cancer screening offered to those aged over 50 in the UK, which Smith was not routinely entitled to yet.
All tests returned normal results, ruling out anything truly nasty, as the doctor put it. However, this positive news did not change the fact that Smith had been experiencing symptoms for approximately six weeks at that stage, so he persisted in investigating the cause.
Consulting Google AI, and verifying where it obtained its information, one suggestion that emerged was the likelihood of mild constipation. Smith took some medication for a reset, which helped, and he also reduced his bread consumption, as he was eating it at least twice daily.
Turning point and food intolerance test
While editing the story of a woman who had suffered from stomach problems for years before taking a food intolerance test from Supply Life, Smith became intrigued. His GP had previously raised food intolerances as a possibility before testing for more serious conditions, so he decided to try it.
According to organisations such as the British Dietetic Association, it is estimated that between 1% and 10% of the general population has a genuine food hypersensitivity or intolerance, yet as many as 20% experience some degree of adverse reaction that leads them to suspect they do.
Supply Life provides three different tests at three price points: the 'core' (£137) screens for 60 foods, 'essential' (£207) covers 200 and the 'complete body' (£239) checks for 209. According to the company, the middle option is their most popular, so Smith ordered that one.
Results and meal plan
The kit arrived within a couple of days, containing everything required to complete the test and return it to the laboratory. Smith struggled to produce sufficient blood to fill the tube, and his wife had to help milk his finger to get enough. A couple of days after posting it off, his results arrived via his online account and email.
A nine-page report rated antibody levels for each food and food group as either normal (green), borderline (yellow) or elevated (red). Top of Smith's list of intolerances was egg whites, followed by gliadin, a component of gluten found in bread and the primary trigger for celiac disease. From there, in order of reactivity, were barley, soya bean, brewer's yeast, couscous, spelt, baker's yeast, orange, wheat, durum wheat, cow's milk, malt and agar agar.
Supply Life also provides a tailored meal plan and a follow-up consultation with a nutritionist. Catalina, the nutritionist, walked Smith through the key priorities, beginning with egg whites and gluten as the primary areas requiring attention. The approach centres around a 90/10 rule, eliminating the problematic foods the majority of the time while not being afraid to indulge occasionally, such as when dining out.
For egg whites, the focus should be on reducing consumption of eggs themselves along with egg-heavy things such as mayonnaise. For gluten, the solution is to seek out gluten-free alternatives. For cow's milk, Smith plans to switch to almond or oat 'milk' in his tea, explore alternative cheeses such as goat's cheese and perhaps try a vegan yoghurt substitute.
The advice is to eliminate the problematic foods, subject to the 90/10 rule, for a period of six to nine months to assess whether it improves how you feel. The excluded foods can then be reintroduced individually to gauge your reaction. Smith plans to act on these findings and report back sometime in 2027.
