Understand the available food and respiratory testing options

People often search these terms together, but they do not mean the same thing. A food allergy involves the immune system and may cause rapid or severe reactions. Food intolerance is a broader term commonly used for difficulty processing or tolerating a food, and symptoms can have many possible causes.

Different laboratory panels measure different things. Before purchasing, review the exact package and ask a qualified healthcare professional whether the method is relevant to your symptoms. Optivia Health facilitates third-party testing and does not diagnose food allergy, intolerance or another condition.

The current What We Test catalogue groups the food intolerance and sensitivity panel into food categories including dairy, herbs, fruit, grains, legumes, meat, mushrooms and yeast, nuts and seeds, poultry, seafood, oils, spices, tea and vegetables. Separate sections list food-allergy and respiratory-allergy panels.

Package availability, individual items and prices may change. Use the live package and test catalogue pages to verify what is included at checkout rather than relying on a general description.

A result should be considered alongside symptoms, medical history and dietary patterns. Avoid removing large food groups for long periods without professional guidance, particularly for children, during pregnancy or when you already have a restricted diet.

A doctor or suitably qualified dietitian can help assess other causes, decide whether further investigation is needed and plan a nutritionally adequate elimination and reintroduction process where appropriate. Emergency symptoms always require urgent medical care.