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It seems everyone, right now, is getting ready for summer. For lots of us this is improving our movement, our skincare routines and maybe even shopping for a new wardrobe; a summer ‘glow up’ which feels especially important to many of us as we’ve been stuck inside for the last year. It’s been tough going hasn’t it? Many people might have noticed things about themselves, or paid more attention to their bodies needs and wants over the last year. Things they might have been putting down to stress or haven’t had the time to look into may have become more promenient. I’ve had some personal challenges myself that have made me question how I handle certain situations and have been keeping a check in on my mental health. I kind of feel like I’ve sort of had life on hold – on pause – recently and I need to get some structure back to my life, take more time for self care and just generally look after myself a bit more.
As well as all those lovely things that make us feel good about ourselves I want to talk about including allergy testing as it can be a way to improve your day to day life, not just this summer, but every season. Klarify’s allergy testing blog goes into lots of detail about how many people in the UK live with allergies and how an at home test might help. I’m quite lucky that I don’t suffer too much when it comes to allergies. I get maybe the occassional bout of Hayfever in the Spring and I did have a nasty reaction to suncreen a view years ago. Whilst I haven’t tried a home allergy test – as I just changed to a hypoallergenic brand of sunscreen – a home test would be really interesting and could help when it comes to planning things and buying certain products I know my body will appreciate.
Reading through the blog post above I was surprised to find 1 in 4 people in the uk suffer with a form of allergy however, they’re not always diagnosed by a doctor. This could be for many reasons, perhaps a person hasn’t been exposed to an allergen before or they don’t feel they ‘suffer’ for long enough with seasonal allergies to make them need a doctors appointment. There are, however, some allergies that are incredibly serious and require immeadiate medical attention – if you are worried about a particular allergy, seeking medical advice should always come first. Common allergies include things like hayfever, caused by various pollens, and pet hair. I think if you are considering a pet but you may have reacted to a friend or family members pet in the past knowing if you’re allergic could be really helpful and an at home test can confirm that for you.
If, symptoms are quite mild or occassional then a home allergy test might be really beneficial to find out exactly what kind of allergy you have and how to prevent symptoms – particularly if they are seasonal. Klarify offer a quick and simple home allergy test kit which is done in the comfort of your own home and then sent off for analysis in a lab. It is something I would consider as I occasionally get seasonal allergies, like hayfever, but I’m not sure what type of pollen affects me. It would be really handy to know so that I could be a little more prepared each season, have a little more information to prevent symptoms and have solutions such as anti-allergy medication at home just in case I need it.
The allergy test is simple to administer and recommends around 30 minutes of down time to get everything done and packaged back up again. The website has a clear guide on how to administer the test at home. The test does require the use of a lancing device on a clean finger as it requires a small blood sample in order to analyse allergens. You then send your sample off and activate your test online. There are full instructions for this too. The at home test comes with a code for you to use when you sign in. The test takes approixmately two weeks for results to be uploaded.You then get a detailed personalised report with the findings.
Waiting lists for allergy testing can be quite lengthy which is what draws people into private testing. Whilst changes and treatment should be at the advice of a health professional or specialist an at home allergen testing kit can help speed up the process if you have concerns.The Klairfy at home allergy test can test for things like different types of pollen, pets, food, yeasts and moulds as well as a selection of other allergens. It can help you to have an open discussion with your GP or other medical professional if you find these kind of things are affecting you and they will be able to guide you on the best recommendations, advice and treatments. When it comes to food it is not advisable to change your diet, or remove complete food groups from your diet, without a medical practioners advice however a private at home allergy test can certainly help confirm particular allergens. The klarify at home kit can not detect food intolerances and that is a discussion to have with your GP or health practitioner.
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