FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
These are some of the most common questions we get asked...
GENERAL QUESTIONS
1. Parchment paper bag to put the hair into
2. Anti-static bag to put parchment paper bag with hair into
3. Return shipping label
4. Return poly shipping bag
5. Your information card to keep
*Your instructions will be printed on the inside of the test kit box*
5Strands chooses to use hair, because in the context of convenience and mail regulations, the hair strands are the simplest, most effective option. Bioresonance can also be measured through saliva, but then mailing bodily fluids in a safe manner increases the costs dramatically as they are passed to the customer.
Hair dye does not affect the results of the test. You will not have to wait until your natural hair grows in. You can test anytime.
Any body hair can be used to conduct the test (arm hair, leg hair, nose hair, ear hair, facial hair). If the hair is longer than 1 inch, please provide 10-15 strands. If the hair is shorter than 1 inch, please provide 20-25 strands.
You can take the hair sample from anywhere on your pet’s body. Brush with a clean comb/brush, cut, or gently pull. Whatever is easiest for you and your pet. The root is not required. If the hair is longer than 1 inch, please provide 10-15 strands. If the hair is shorter than 1 inch, please provide 20-25 strands.
If a pet is suffering from noticeable symptoms and you are trying to determine the cause of the symptoms, there is no reason to alter the pets diet prior to taking the test. The purpose of the 5Strands pet test is to help you determine what foods could be triggering an unwanted symptom and remove those food items from their nutrition plan and see if the symptoms lessen or go away.
It is not required for your hair to be freshly washed prior to submitting your hair sample.
The testing results will provide you with an elimination guideline to remove foods that may be causing unwanted symptoms. These foods can be causing inflammation in the body. If you stop consuming these foods, the bloating you might be experiencing can disappear and therefore show a weight loss. We have had many customers experience more energy and able to exercise more.
5Strands Affordable Testing is suitable for all ages. We have tested infants as young as 1 month old.
We have recently heard from some of our pet customers indicating that their pet insurance has reimbursed them for their pet test. Currently we have not heard of any health insurance companies covering the cost of the human testing. Affordable Testing has tried to keep the cost of the testing at an affordable price so that most consumers can afford the test without insurance reimbursement.
It is not required to bathe your pet prior to the testing. However, the lab does need a sample that does not have any other visible items (dirt, leaves, etc.) attached to the hair.
Medications or supplements being taken will not affect the testing results. Your pet can continue with any medication or supplement they are taking on a routine basis.
Each HSA and FSA account has different rules and regulations. You will need to contact them directly to see whether or not they have coverage for at home testing kits.
You would need to purchase another test kit and send in another hair sample. The lab will only keep the hair samples for 30 days. The bio-hazard company comes every 30 days to dispose of the hair samples.
5Strands Affordable Testing kit does not have an expiration date. Once the test has been purchased, it can be completed at any time.
Once the lab has completed the testing, it is stored in a container for up to 30 days. A biohazard company comes every 30 days to pick up the samples and disposes of them according to EPA, OSHA, and CDC guidelines.
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HOW DOES IT WORK?
Some of the symptoms of allergies and intolerances are similar, but the differences between the two are very important. 5Strands Affordable Testing only tests for “intolerances,” which represent the majority of reactions that people and pets will experience. An intolerance is a response that does not take place in the body’s immune system and may appear several hours or days after ingestion or exposure. While intolerances may cause reactions ranging from a mild skin rash to severe abdominal discomfort, they are not normally life-threatening. A true allergy is an immune system response. The adverse reaction is usually immediate and can be life-threatening. 5Strands Affordable Testing does NOT test for this type of immune reaction(IgE or IgG).
With intolerance testing, you do not have to ingest or be exposed to the item for it to register as an imbalance. Our method of testing utilizes bioresonance technology to scan hair samples to determine energetic imbalances between your body and the items being tested. The testing identifies intolerances or imbalances which may cause varying degrees of symptoms if currently being ingested or exposed to, or would be in the future.
Each of these types of tests are different and can produce different results. Skin prick testing and blood testing is measuring an immune system response. Saliva testing typically tests for antibodies which can also show immune responses that are classified as true allergies. Bioresonance testing conducted at 5Strands only tests for intolerances or temporary imbalances. 5Strands does not test for true allergic reactions
📄 HYPERSENSITIVITY CHART
An elimination plan is the Gold Standard to determine whether or not you have a food intolerance. It is almost impossible, and it is not always financially feasible to attempt an elimination plan on your own. 5Strands provides you with an instant elimination guideline from the unique responses. The first steps in conducting an elimination plan is to utilize the master list that is emailed to you with the results. You would cross off your registered level 3 and level 2 food items on the master list. The remaining items would be the items you would want to eat for 6-8 weeks. After eliminating these level 3 and level 2 intolerances out of your diet for 6-8 weeks, you can add back one offending food item at a time. Wait up to 48 hours to see if you experience any noticeable symptoms. Your body may have been able to heal and rebalance itself from this intolerance, and you will be able to eat the food item again without any issues, but only in moderation. If you notice a symptom after eating this offending food item, keep in mind that you can eat this food again, but you may still experience an undesirable symptom. The purpose of this testing is to be more in tune with what your body is trying to tell you and to achieve better health. Rotation and moderation is key. You should never be consuming the same foods every day.
Whats the plan?
Top Elimination diet mistakes
5Strands uses Bioresonance technology to test the hair sample and obtain the results. Bioresonance technology is a safe, non-invasive form of assessment for energetic alignments in the human body. Bioresonance works by scanning a hair sample to create a profile of the energies that radiate from a person or pet. This is called their energetic blueprint or profile. With this created profile, it can now be compared to all of the energetic profiles of all of the other items we test for. If the created profile from the hair sample does not harmonize with the items tested, the energy is distorted and the intolerance or imbalance is detected. The stronger the distortion, the higher the intolerance or imbalance.
An intolerance is considered a temporary imbalance. Intolerances are constantly changing due to diet, lifestyle, stress, hormones, and exercise.
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ITEMS TESTED
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Deluxe Package.
DELUXE PACKAGE
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Pet Deluxe Package.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Standard Package.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Pet Standard Package.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Food Intolerance Test.
FOOD INTOLERANCE
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Pet Food Intolerance Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Pet Raw-Food Intolerance Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Environmental Intolerance Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Nutrition Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Metals & Minerals Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Pet Environmental Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Pet Nutrition Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Pet Metals & Minerals Test.
Attached is a PDF of the Items tested list for the Equine Deluxe Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Deluxe Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Standard Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Food Intolerance Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for an Environmental Intolerance Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Nutrition Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Metals & Minerals Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Pet Deluxe Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Pet Standard Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Pet Food Intolerance Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Pet Raw-Food Intolerance Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Pet Environmental Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Pet Nutrition Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for a Pet Metals & Minerals Package.
We have included a link that will show you what an actual test results report will look like for an Equine Deluxe Package.
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ORDER PROCESS & SHIPPING
Go to register my kit.
-Enter the unique identifier number provided on the information card inside the kit and on the anti-static bag.
-Follow the prompted instructions
Your kit should include:
1. Parchment paper bag to put the hair into
2. Anti-static bag to put parchment paper bag with hari into
3. Return shipping label
4. Return poly shipping bag
5. Your information card to keep.
If one or more of these items are missing, first carefully check inside the return poly shipping bag. Sometimes the very small items will be in there and are easily overlooked. If you are still not seeing an item that should be included, email us at info@5strands.com or call us at 833-600-8378.
It is rare that samples are lost in the mail, but unfortunately it can happen. If you have your tracking number written down on your leave behind card, you can check where it is in transit. If you are concerned that your sample may be lost in transit, please contact our customer service team via email at info@5Strands.com or call 1-833-600-8378. We can provide a contingency plan for you if this situation arises.
Place the antistatic bag (with the hair sample) inside the box. Close the 5Strands box and place into the provided poly bag. Secure the provided shipping return label on top of the poly bag. Place the bag inside the mailbox and wait to receive your confirmation email upon your sample's arrival at our processing center.
HOW TO MAIL BACK
5Strands is happy to announce that we can offer our testing anywhere in the world. Shipping prices on our website are determined by your location. We can also offer a downloadable option for other countries. Please contact our customer support team at info@5Strands.com or call 1-833-600-8378 if you would like to inquire about our downloadable test kit option or have any questions about shipping.
The return label provided in your kit has its own unique tracking number on the label. 5Strands does not have access to this number. You must write this number down on the leave behind card in order for you to be able to track the package. The average return shipping time can fluctuate depending on mail holidays and weekends, however if you are within the United States, we are likely to receive your sample between 3 to 10 business days. If you are located outside of the United States, shipping times will likely be longer.
Yes, hair does not deteriorate like blood or saliva.
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UNDERSTANDING MY RESULTS
Maybe your goal for taking this test was to learn more about your general vitality. Maybe your goal was to reduce & remove unwanted discomforts.The Deluxe Package provides a complete overview of how your body is responding to your current dietary intake and lifestyle decisions. These 4 individual reports should either provide you confirmations of what you thought might be an issue or point you in a direction to assist you in accomplishing your desired transformation. Because this is our most inclusive package, there is a lot of information to take in. Take a step back, be sure to read all the provided information, watch the FAQ videos available, and know that we are here to help ensure your success. We encourage you to use these results as a guide to become more conscious of your food and lifestyle choices. Putting in the work now will help you achieve your desired results.
Maybe your goal for taking this test was to learn more about your general vitality. Maybe your goal was to reduce & remove unwanted discomforts.The Standard Package provides a complete overview of how your body is responding to your current dietary intake and lifestyle decisions. These 3 individual reports should either provide you confirmations of what you thought might be an issue or point you in a direction to assist you in accomplishing your desired transformation. Because this is one of our most inclusive packages, there is a lot of information to take in. Take a step back, be sure to read all the provided information, watch the FAQ videos available, and know that we are here to help ensure your success. We encourage you to use these results as a guide to become more conscious of your food and lifestyle choices. Putting in the work now will help you achieve your desired results.
Food provides fuel for our bodies. The 5Strands Food Intolerance results provide a snapshot of how your body is responding to your current dietary decisions. A few years ago, I was eating unconsciously. I believed everything was good for me and my body could process anything. However, I was experiencing discomforts at such a young age to where I recognized this could potentially cause long term health issues. After I received my Food Intolerance results, I took a step back from what I thought I knew about myself and general nutrition. I recognized that I am unique and there is no one size fits all diet. My 5Strands results provided me with a custom elimination guideline to optimize my health. Foods that I believed to be generally healthy, were not healthy for me. Foods that were staples in my diet, were causing my body noticeable symptoms. I learned that rotation and moderation is key. At the end of the day we all have the decision to make on what food we put into our body. The results are not a magic pill. You will only achieve results if you decide to put the work in. Many of our customers have tried traditional testing, done research, and still have not found solutions to their everyday discomforts. I ask you to look at these results with an open mind and give it your all for 6-8 weeks. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us. We want you to be our next big success story!
Have you ever heard the saying that we are products of our environment? Sometimes it is easy to play victim to our environment. There are subtle symptoms or issues that we start experiencing everyday that we eventually consider to be normal. But they are not! Headaches, skin irritations, runny noses are just a few examples as to how our body tries to communicate that an item in our environment can potentially be causing an intolerance resulting in unwanted symptoms. The 5Strands Environmental report will allow you to discover the items that you may be encountering everyday that could be causing those unwanted symptoms that you have just accepted as normal. I encourage you to look at this report with an open mind. Think about the fabrics you wear, the cleaning solutions you use, the shampoos or soaps you wash with, the trees and grasses in your yard. You might be surprised to see how many of these items are listed on your results. While it is impossible to eliminate all of your environmental triggers, use these results to be more aware and try to reduce your exposure as best as you can.
Nutrition goes hand and hand with the food we consume. Our diet has gone from a traditional whole foods diet to one of consuming processed and prepared foods. Our bodies were not meant to break down, process, and absorb synthetic or processed foods. Because we have steered away from a clean whole food diet, we just assume that we can supplement our needed nutrients. This is not always the case. Our bodies were not meant to absorb synthetic nutrients. The 5Strands Nutrition test is helpful in determining the nutrition items that your body is not absorbing and will need more of. It is always better to try to get your needed nutrients from a whole food source. Our website has information on the items tested definitions tab that will provide you with food sources that are rich in the needed nutrients. If you can't get all your needed nutrients from a food source, you can always choose a supplement, but please be sure that it is made from a natural source such as plants or herbs. Each person is unique. Some people may require more of a nutritional item than others due to their diet, exercise, and lifestyle.
How do I use my Nutrition Test results provided by 5Strands?
We are constantly being exposed to metals and minerals in everyday life. These items can be found within the food we consume, water we drink, and even the air we breathe. In a world where we constantly use electronics and expose ourselves to materials hard for the body to process, we tend to accept the harmful effects that come with it. The lotions, shampoos, and makeup we use everyday can trigger adverse reactions such as skin problems or headaches.The Metals & Minerals results provided by 5Strands is meant to raise your level of awareness on how your body could be exposed to the items tested. Use these results as a screening tool or guide to understand your body’s ability to process and eliminate each item if or when you come into contact with it. Our website has an items tested tab with definitions and sources of where you could come into contact with these items. Use this information to help alter your diet and lifestyle so you can reduce your chances of exposing yourself to these items.
How do I use my Metals & Minerals Test results provided by 5Strands
The purpose of the metals and minerals test is to raise your awareness of items in your environment that can potentially cause you harm. Since we live in a toxic world, it is best to consider doing a natural detox on a regular basis. Eliminating processed and prepared foods is the start. Incorporate whole foods into your daily nutrition plan that include green leafy vegetables, fruit, whole-grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Vegetables and fruits contain enzymes that help improve digestion and also many nutrients that are strong detoxifying agents. In addition, drink lots of filtered water to enable your body’s ability to eliminate toxins. Do something every day that makes you sweat. Whether you exercise or sit in an infrared sauna, sweating equals detoxification!
When you take a particular food items and add ingredients to it, it will change the chemical and physical composition of the item, therefore your intolerance to it can change. In the case of soy sauce, the soy in the sauce is “fermented." That means that the soy is broken down by microorganisms, and the remaining sauce doesn’t have the same soy proteins as soybeans.
E-items are additives, other than the basic raw ingredients, used in processed or pre-packaged foods that affect the food's characteristics.
Here is the breakdown of what an E-item number refers to:
- 100-199 Food Coloring
- 200-299 Preservatives
- 300-399 Antioxidants
- 400-499 Thickeners, Emulsifiers, Stabilizers
- 500-599 Acidity Regulators, Anti-caking Agents
- 600-699 Flavor Enhancers
- 700-999 Sweeteners, Foaming Agents, Gases
For the full description of each E-Item please visit our Items Tested tab
What do the "E-Items" mean on the 5Strands Intolerance Test?
The terms gluten-free and wheat-free are often used interchangeably when they aren’t the same thing at all. Gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, while wheat is simply a grain that contains gluten. A gluten-free diet will be free from wheat and all grains and processed foods that contain gluten, but a wheat-free diet will not necessarily be free of gluten. So just because you have an intolerance to wheat does not mean you are gluten intolerant.
Fruits are considered to be generally "healthy foods"! Just because fruit is considered a healthy food, does not always mean it's healthy for you. If you are lacking the digestive enzymes that will break that food down, it may take only 1 or 2 items on your Level 3 list to disrupt or disturb your gut health or microbiome. Once this is damaged, generally healthy foods can start to cause you those unwanted discomforts. In order to restore your gut health, you may have to say goodbye to a few of your favorite fruits, but just for a while! Also don't forget that over consumption of an item can cause stress on your body. Daily intake of a specific fruit could prevent your body's ability to process and break it down. This is where we suggest removing, replacing, allowing the body time to restore balance, and then consume in rotation and moderation.
Try focusing on what you CAN eat. Look at your test results and see all of the items that are listed as insignificant responses.These are the food items that you can consume during the 6-8 week elimination period. You do not want to consume the level 3 items. If you choose to consume level 2 and level 1 items, try not to consume them more than 2 times a week. Our testing results format makes it much easier to identify the foods that you should be consuming.
My 5Strands Food Intolerance results make it seem like I cannot eat anything
We are excited that you are feeling better and congratulations on sticking to the plan. Digestive enzymes may help with breaking down different parts of food such as fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. They may help aid your digestion. Since some intolerances may be due to a lack of good gut bacteria, aiding them may be beneficial. Probiotics help add good gut bacteria to your body and prebiotics feed them. At this point you should have become more aware of your body and the issues that may begin to present themselves. Try to keep eating a variety of foods and listen to when you may to need to temporarily cut some something out. For more information go to our helpful links page on our website.
After completing your 6-8 week elimination plan, you can take one food at a time that was on your level 3 or level 2 list, and re-introduce it back into your diet. Eat it, and wait a few days to see if you have any noticeable symptoms. Since intolerances are temporary, your body may have been able to heal and rebalance from the offending item during the elimination period. Remember to always eat in moderation and rotation.
The lab will retain the hair sample for approximately 30 days before it has been disposed of. As long as the sample is still available, you can pay the difference between the test you purchased originally and the test you would like to have run. You would need to contact our customer service team at 1-833-600-8378 to process the request.
Our testing cannot be compared to blood tests, saliva tests, or skin prick testing. We are only testing for intolerances and energetic imbalances, and our independent lab sets the rates and thresholds. This method of results reporting is proprietary to the lab that 5Strands utilizes for the testing.
The How To Interpret Sheet is actually the first page of your testing results. It is not a completely separate document.
The different levels indicate the severity of the symptoms you may experience from ingesting or being exposed to items you registered an intolerance to. Level 3 items can present themselves as noticeable symptoms such as joint pain, diarrhea, constipation, itchy skin, dry skin, inflammation, headaches, mood changes, and more. Level 2 items are less severe, and IF they are noticeable symptoms, they will be more mild than the level 3 item reactions. Level 1 items are just beginning to affect the body at a cellular level and will most likely not have any noticeable symptoms.
Rotation and moderation is key. What we mean by this is that your diet needs variety. You should not consume the same foods every day. If you eat a food that you have an intolerance to every day, you will experience noticeable symptoms. Once you have completed your elimination plan and let your body rebalance, you can reintroduce the food item. On average, most people may be able to consume a food item 2-3 times per week without experiencing any symptoms. You will have to figure out what is your normal. Just remember not to go back to eating the same item every day.
Any time heat is added to a food, the composition of the food changes. Therefore it can affect the way your body reacts to it. This is true for any process a food undergoes. That is the beauty of this type of testing. It opens up more food choices for you when you are preparing your elimination plan.
COOKED VERSES RAW
5Strands tests for intolerances, and not true allergies. True allergies trigger the immune system, and intolerances do not. If you have a true allergy to an item, it does not mean that you will be intolerant to it also.
I KNOW I HAVE AN ALLERGY
Your 5Strands Food Intolerance test results are not your forever diet. This report is an elimination guideline. After you conduct the elimination plan, if your symptoms have lessened or disappeared, you can reintroduce one offending food item at a time back into your nutrition plan. If you do not experience any noticeable symptoms, it means you will be able to consume the once offending food item in moderation again! As we always say, rotation and moderation is key.
At 5Strands, we utilize bioresonance technology which means it is energetic in nature. The results will show the body's inability to absorb the needed nutrients from your food or supplements. It will indicate what nutrients you need more of. Unlike blood testing, it is not measuring the physical presence of the nutrients in your body. Blood testing can show that your system may have the adequate range of nutrients but it will not tell you if your body is utilizing it the way it needs to.
This test will indicate your body’s inability to absorb and process the particular nutrient tested. It does not mean you are intolerant to the nutrient, it means your body is not getting enough of it, and you will need to consume more foods that are rich in that particular nutrient.
WHAT DO THE LEVEL OF NUTRITION MEAN?
An item showing up on both the Nutrition test as well as Metals/Minerals test indicates that the body is not processing the item properly. Rather than being absorbed by the body to be used in beneficial ways [reported as a nutritional imbalance], excesses are being stored in the tissues and the imbalance is reported as an overload of that item (metals/minerals imbalance).
WHY DID THE SAME ITEM SHOW ON BOTH NUTRITION & METAL/MINERAL?
It's easy to come into contact with any of the metals and minerals that show up on your results. It can be in the air that we breathe, water we drink, food that we eat, as well as the appliances that we use to cook the food, and don't forget about the containers that foods are stored in! It's hard to completely avoid these items since they are literally everywhere. Utilize your test results to become aware of what you come into contact with on a daily basis. Then you can make adjustments to your diet and lifestyle such as using a water filter, purchasing foods stored in glass containers or changing your cookware as a start.
We want to emphasize that purchasing a cheap bottle of supplements will probably NOT fix your nutritional deficiencies. Your body has a hard time recognizing supplements in this form. When you think about it, from the beginning of time, how did people receive their nutrients? Through whole foods! Nutrients don’t become bioavailable when you take them as supplements. If you eat the nutrients as they naturally occur in foods, the body can more easily recognize them.
Our testing list is item specific except for a few categories such as lactose, whey protein, and gluten. If lactose shows up on your results, you will need to eliminate all dairy products even if all individual "dairy" items did not register on your lists.
DOES A LEVEL 3 LACTOSE MEAN TO ELIMINATE ALL DAIRY?
It is easy to become overwhelmed, and even frustrated with your results. Many times, people feel like they have somehow failed or are “broken” when they see the variety of intolerances in their reports. Neither are true. Your results are a valuable tool to help you make personalized food and lifestyle changes to help your body operate at its peak.
We have established experts in the pet nutrition and human functional medicine fields that our customers can consult with, as questions arise. These leaders can interpret your results and make personalized recommendations that will support your progress. While 5Strands can help with interpretation of your test results, for further assistance you may want to book a consultation. For your pet's needs, our Certified Pet Nutritionist, Tazz Latifi can assist with the implementation of your pet's results during a paid consultation.
If you are currently supplementing with a particular vitamin/nutrient, and you registered that item on your results report, it can indicate that the source of the supplement is not being absorbed properly by the body. This would mean you need to try and consume whole foods that contain the nutrients you need versus continuing on the supplement. Our bodies are designed to naturally absorb nutrients from whole foods instead of synthetic supplements. If you are unable to incorporate the whole foods containing the nutrients you need into your diet, you can search for an organic/all-natural supplement that may be better absorbed by the body. Always consult with your doctor or healthcare practitioner before starting a supplement.
Our testing is designed to help you become more in tune with your body. After eliminating the level 3 and level 2 items for 6-8 weeks, you can re-introduce one item at a time into your diet. If you eat it and wait a few days, and do not have any symptoms, then your body may have re-balanced and you will be able to continue to eat the item again in moderation. Some of our customers choose to retest every 6 months or so, but this is not entirely necessary if you have become more in tune with your body and can identify what foods may be causing the symptoms you experience.
If your pet has a food intolerance, it means that your pet is lacking the digestive enzyme to break that particular food down. So the reaction is not life threatening and may take hours or days after eating the food to manifest any type of symptom. Unlike a true allergy, where only a trace amount can trigger a reaction, with an intolerance symptom, it may manifest only if they eat a substantial amount of the food. So it is not the act of consuming the item often that creates the intolerance. The intolerance is always there, it is really the manifestation of the symptoms that becomes more apparent with overconsumption. That is why it is always recommended to feed in rotation and moderation after the initial elimination period to avoid triggering any unwanted symptoms.
First, it would be important to check the master list to see if we test for the item in question or not. If we test for it, and it did not show up on your results, then you are not intolerant to it on any level. If we do not test for the item, then we would not be able to indicate if you would have a reaction or not. We recommend not eating any items we do not test for during your elimination period to achieve optimum results.
The testing parameters are determined by the lab that conducts the testing. The lab will set the parameters in the machine as to where they consider an imbalance to occur. These parameters are proprietary to the lab and can not be compared to any other blood or saliva testing conducted at another lab. So if you take your results to your doctor and they decide to run a blood test, the results will likely not correlate with your 5Strands Nutrition Test.
Celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction damages your small intestine's lining and prevents it from absorbing some nutrients (malabsorption). The intestinal damage often causes diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and anemia, and can lead to serious complications. The testing that 5Strands conducts does not test for immune system responses. We test for only intolerances. You can actually have an immune system response to gluten, but not an intolerance response. For individuals that have not consumed gluten for an extended period of time, it typically will not show up on their results report.
While some of the items on both your Nutrition report and your Metals/Minerals report may overlap, they do not indicate the same information. The Nutrition report indicates your body’s inability to properly absorb and process the particular nutrient tested. It does not mean you are intolerant to the nutrient but that your body is not properly utilizing it and you may need more of it. The Metals/ Minerals test results, on the other hand, indicate a severity of response report of your body’s ability to process and eliminate each item tested or you may have too much of it in your body.
What is the DIFFERENCE between the 5Strands Nutrition Test & Metals Test?
Our testing process will indicate results for food and environmental intolerances, nutritional and metal/mineral imbalances. As most of these results will indicate temporary imbalances, it is difficult to say that they can be correlated to an actual disease. For example, people who are diagnosed with Celiac's disease ask why gluten does not show up on their results. This disease actually involves the immune system. Since our testing does not look at immune system responses, gluten may not show up. Just because you have an allergy to a food item does not mean that you will also be intolerant to it. So to answer the question: maybe. If you are eating foods that are causing inflammation, or not eating the nutrients your body needs, it can create a domino effect and cause further illness. Rather than trying to piece together what caused what, focus on doing what you can do to become a more healthier you.
Is there correlation between my diagnosed disease and 5Strands results?
Our test is very item specific. Certain cuts of meat and organs can resonate differently. If it is listed on the master list of food items we test for and it does not show up on the results, then it is ok to consume that particular item.
HOW CAN MY PET BE INTOLERANCE TO JUST A PART?
If the elimination plan is done correctly, you or your pet should start experiencing improvements within 2-3 weeks of the elimination plan.
If you were currently feeding your pet commercially prepared pet food, we are unable to endorse a specific brand of commercial/processed pet food. Sometimes it is not as simple as changing the protein source of the pet food. They may have intolerances to all the other fillers and additives in the pet food that can be causing their issues. You may have to consider taking your pet off of kibble and cook for them or even consider feeding raw. Our helpful link section on the website has several DIY dog food recipes. During the elimination period you really need to find one or two protein sources and a vegetable. You will feed this to your pet for the next 6-8 weeks and see if their symptoms lessen. If so, you can then begin the reintroduction process. That is how you will determine their forever diet. If you are still having difficulty understanding how to do this or do not want to cook for your pet, we do have a pet nutritionist that we can refer you to that will help you figure out what to feed your pet. Just call or email our customer support team and we will be happy to send you her information.
I reviewed my 5Strands Pet Test Results & still do not know what to feed them
At 5Strands, we currently cannot make recommendations for particular pet foods that your pet can have based on their test results. However, on our website, we do provide several helpful links that can aid you in creating the best elimination plan for your pet. If you need additional help, we have a pet nutritionist who can consult with you and help you find the right food for your pet.
DO YOU HAVE A DATABASE OF PET FOODS THAT I CAN FEED MY PET BASED ON THEIR RESULTS
5Strands tests for intolerances, and not true allergies. Your dog may register intolerant to other dogs if the hair, fur, or dander creates a response in their body. The best way to eliminate any potential issues that may come with this, is to keep your dog(s) washed and brushed, keep your floors cleaned and vacuumed, and potentially purchase an air filter/purifier.
Please remember that our test is identifying intolerances and not a true allergy. Your pet can have a true allergy to a particular food item which will not be indicated on our test results. The key is an immediate reaction. If the reaction is immediate and severe, it is probably a response to an allergy. If this happens, stop feeding your pet this item. Allergies are a bit easier to identify due to the immediate response as opposed to intolerances which have a delayed response.
It is not necessary to retest your pet. The goal of our testing is to help you be more aware of your pet's health. After you have gone through the initial elimination period and started reintroducing food items, you should eventually be able to come up with a nutrition plan that will keep your pet from experiencing any unwanted symptoms. Rotating your pet's foods and recipes can help to prevent an intolerance from reoccurring. If your pet has a flare up of symptoms and you can not determine what has triggered the issues, you can choose to retest your pet and modify their nutrition plan accordingly.
Our testing is very item specific. Each item listed is processed differently. If you are feeding your pet kibble, you may see these listed as ingredients on the bag. Chicken- meat from a chicken (this will be in kibble or it will be what you can buy at a store)
Chicken by product- is used as a major component only in processed pet foods. It will consist of chicken carcasses, bones, feathers, and possible even road kill! Chicken Meal- This will also only be found in processed pet foods. It consists of chicken tissues that are not edible for humans. Since we are testing for Intolerances, each item will affect your pet differently. Whereas if your pet has a true allergy, they will likely have an issue will all of these items.
5Strands strives to offer testing that includes many items that can be potential intolerances. With that being said, there may be many items that show up on your pet's test results. Every pet is unique, and some pets will have more items registered than another pet.
WHY SO MANY ITEMS?
Unfortunately, we are unable to endorse a specific brand of commercial/processed pet food for each pet. 5Strands testing results provide you with an elimination guideline. Try your best to find food for your pet that does not include level 3 (red) or level 2 (yellow) intolerances. The more level 3 and level 2 items you can avoid, the better. If you are unable to find a commercial pet food that is suitable for your pet's needs, you may have to consider switching to home cooked or raw feeding during the 6-8 week elimination period. Pick a protein that is not on their level 3 or level 2 list, and pick a few vegetables that also did not register. You can cook them in batches, and portion them off for meals. You can find more details on how to home cook for your pet online, or you can email us at info@5Strands.com. For additional assistance with picking a suitable food for your pet, consider booking a consultation with our Certified Pet Nutritionist here.
Metals and minerals are everywhere including the air that they breathe, water that they drink, food that they eat and the ground they walk on. But it doesn't stop there, it's in the grass from the pesticides and fungicides that are sprayed on yards, it could be a cleaner that you use in your home each day. Let's not forget that it could even be in their toys and bowls. They are hard to avoid since they are literally everywhere! But you can make adjustments such as filtering your pet's water, reading the ingredient list on your pet's kibble, and wiping down their paws before they come inside, or changing your household cleaning materials.
How can my DOG or CAT come into contact with these Metals & Minerals?
When it comes to intolerances, it does not make a difference where the item is listed as an ingredient. It could be the last item on the list and it could be the trigger that is causing your pet to experience unwanted symptoms. It is best to make sure that when preparing to do the elimination plan, all of the level 3 items have been eliminated from your pet's food for at least 6-8 weeks. You can then begin introducing those items and see if your pet does not respond to those level 3 items. If this elimination plan is followed the way it was intended, you should see improvement within 2-3 weeks. If you choose to feed your pet items that are on their level 3 intolerance list, just remember that it could take longer to see improvement. Unfortunately, we never know for sure, which items on that level are the ones that are triggering the unwanted symptoms your pet may be experiencing.
Our results are generally sent to customers via email and the app. However, we would be happy to manually mail or fax your results to you if needed. Please email us at info@5strands.com to request a hard copy to be mailed or faxed, or call us at 1-833-600-8378.
Our lab is only able to generate the results in a PDF format. We do not offer the testing results in any other format for your safety.
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MANAGING MY ACCOUNT
The average turnaround time at the lab is between 5-7 days. Please be aware that the completion of the results can vary around the holidays.
Once the hair sample has been received at the processing center and logged into the system, it will be immediately sent to the lab. Once the results have been completed, they will automatically be uploaded and available on the portal and your app. You will also receive an emailed copy of the testing results to the email you provided.
If you realize that you have purchased the wrong test, please contact our customer support team for further instructions at 1-833-600-8378. Sometimes it may be able to be rectified over the phone instead of having to return the kit for a refund.
-Once the hair sample has been received at the processing center and entered into the system, you will receive a confirmation 'Sample Received' email from testresults@5strands.com.
-You can also log into your portal account and see if the order status has changed from 'awaiting sample' to 'sample received.' (see example below)
Adult Deluxe.
Subject: Jane Doe.
Purchased: Jun 24, 2020.
Order Status: Awaiting Sample.
Reference Number: CD8C9K8Z.
Adult Deluxe.
Subject: Jane Doe.
Purchased: Jun 24, 2020.
Order Status: Sample Received.
Reference Number: CD8C9K8Z.
WILL I RECEIVE NOTIFICATION UPON ARRIVAL?
The first course of action is to make sure that you have entered the correct URL or website address. Next, make sure that you are using the correct username and password. You should have written this information down on the leave behind card. If you still cannot log into your account, please email info@5Strands.com with a description of the issue and any screenshots that you can provide.
Unfortunately, you can have only one email associated with your account.
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POLICIES
Customer satisfaction is our primary goal. We want you to be happy with your decision to purchase a 5Strands® Affordable Testing Kit. If you change your mind after
purchasing, we will offer you a full refund provided that you notify us of your decision to cancel your order within 7 days of placement and before mailing in your hair sample.
Unused kits are subject to a full refund, if all items are present when returned. Refund requests must be submitted within 60 days of purchase.
Once you’ve mailed your hair sample and it has been received in our office for processing, NO refunds will be issued. Used kits are not eligible for a refund.
To claim your refund, please email our customer service team at info@5Strands.com
with the following details:
● Name used to purchase
● Email address used to purchase
● PayPal Transaction ID, website order number, or Amazon transaction number
● Transaction amount
● Date of purchase
You will need to return the box and the entire contents before receiving your refund to
the following address:
5Strands Affordable Testing
Customer Service Department (Returns)
595 Old Norcross Rd, Suite D
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your concerns, please contact our customer service department at 1-833-600-8378, Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm EST.
We are happy to help!
We collect several types of information from and about users of our Site, including information
-by which you may be personally identified, such as name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, or any other information defined as “Protected Health Information” under HIPAA/HITECH laws and regulations (“personal information”);
-that is about you but individually does not identify you, such as, time and date of visits to our Site; and/or
-about your internet connection, the equipment you use to access our Site and usage details.
We collect this information:
-Directly from you when you provide it to us.
-Automatically as you navigate through the site. Information collected automatically may include usage details, IP addresses and information collected through cookies, web beacons and other tracking technologies.
-From third parties, for example, our business partners.
Information You Provide to Us.
The information we collect on or through our Site may include:
-Information that you provide by filling in forms on our Site. This includes information provided at the time of registering to use our Site, subscribing to or purchasing our services, posting material or requesting further services. We may also ask you for information when you report a problem with our Site.
-Records and copies of your correspondence (including email addresses), if you contact us.
-Your responses to surveys that we might ask you to complete for research purposes.
-Details of transactions you carry out through our Site and of the fulfillment of your orders. You may be required to provide financial information before placing an order through our Site.
-Your search queries on the Site.
You also may provide information to be published or displayed (hereinafter, “posted”) on public areas of the Site, or transmitted to other users of the Site or third parties (collectively, “User Content”). Your User Content is posted on and transmitted to others at your own risk. We cannot control the actions of other users of the Site with whom you may choose to share your User Content. Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee that your User Content will not be viewed by unauthorized persons.
As you navigate through and interact with our Site, we may use automatic data collection technologies to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions and patterns, including:
-Details of your visits to our Site, including, but not limited to, traffic data, location data, logs and other communication data and the resources that you access and use on the Site.
-Information about your computer and internet connection, including your IP address, operating system and browser type.
We also may use these technologies to collect information about your online activities over time and across third party websites or other online services (“behavioral tracking”). Please email us at info@5Strands.com for information on how you can opt out of behavioral tracking on this website and how we respond to web browser signals and other mechanisms that enable consumers to exercise choice about behavioral tracking.
The information we collect automatically is statistical data and may include personal information, but we may maintain it or associate it with personal information we collect in other ways or receive from third parties. It helps us to improve our Site and to deliver a better and more personalized service, including, but not limited to, by enabling us to:
-Estimate our audience size and usage patterns.
-Store information about your preferences, allowing us to customize our Site according to your individual interests.
-Speed up your searches.
-Recognize you when you return to our Site.
The technologies we may use for this automatic data collection include:
-Cookies (or browser cookies). A cookie is a small file placed on the hard drive of your computer. You may refuse to accept browser cookies by activating the appropriate setting on your browser. However, if you select this setting you may be unable to access certain parts of our Site. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, our system will issue cookies when you direct your browser to our Site.
-Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Site may use local stored objects (or Flash cookies) to collect and store information about your preferences and navigation to, from and on our Site. Flash cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as are used for browser cookies.
-Web Beacons. Pages of our Site and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags and single-pixel gifs) that permit us, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content and verifying system and server integrity).
THIRD PARTY USE OF COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES.
Some content or applications, including advertisements, on the Site are served by third parties, including advertisers, ad networks and servers, content providers and application providers. These third parties may use cookies alone or in conjunction with web beacons or other tracking technologies to collect information about you when you use our website. The information they collect may be associated with your personal information or they may collect information, including personal information, about your online activities over time and across different websites and other online services. They may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content.
We do not control these third parties’ tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We use information that we collect about you or that you provide to us, including any personal information: -To present our Site and its contents to you.
-To provide you with information, products or services that you request from us.
-To fulfill any other purpose for which you provide it.
-To provide you with notices about your account, including expiration and renewal notices.
-To carry out our obligations and enforce our rights arising from any contracts entered into between you and us, including for billing and collection.
-To notify you about changes to our Site, our policies, terms or any products or services we offer or provide though it.
-To allow you to participate in interactive features on our Site.
-In any other way we may describe when you provide the information.
We may also use your information to contact you about our own and third parties’ goods and services that may be of interest to you. If you do not want us to use your information in this way, please email us at info@5Strands.com to opt out.
We may use the information we have collected from you to enable us to display advertisements to our advertisers’ target audiences. Even though we do not disclose your personal information for these purposes without your consent, if you click on or otherwise interact with an advertisement, the advertiser may assume that you meet its target criteria.
DISCLOSURE OF YOUR INFORMATION
We may disclose aggregated or de-identified information about our users, and information that does not identify any individual, without restriction. We may disclose personal information that we collect or you provide as described in this Privacy Policy:
-To our subsidiaries and affiliates.
-To contractors, service providers and other third parties we use to support our business and who are bound by contractual obligations to keep personal information confidential and use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
-To a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution or sale or transfer of some or all of our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceeding, in which personal information held by us about our Site users is among the assets transferred, and you agree to and do hereby consent to our assignment or transfer of rights to your personal information.
-To third parties to market their products or services to you if you have not opted out of these disclosures. We contractually require these third parties to keep personal information confidential and use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
-To fulfill the purpose for which you provide it.
-For any other purpose disclosed by us when you provide the information.
-With your consent.
We may also disclose your personal information:
-To comply with any court order, law or legal process, including responding to any government or regulatory request.
-To comply with any state or local requirements regarding the disclosure of information for public health purposes, including reporting HIV and other sexually transmitted disease results to state public health regulatory bodies.
-If we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of our company, our customers or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
CHOICES ABOUT HOW WE USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION
We strive to provide you with choices regarding the personal information you provide to us. We have created mechanisms to provide you with the following control over your information:
-Tracking Technologies and Advertising. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. To learn how you can manage your Flash cookie settings, visit the Flash player settings page on Adobe’s website (www.adobe.com). If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this Site may then be inaccessible or not function properly.
-Promotional Offers from Us. If you do not wish to have your email address or other contact information used by us to promote our own or third parties’ products or services, you can opt-out by logging into the Site and adjusting your user preferences in your account profile by checking or unchecking the relevant boxes or by sending an email stating your request to info@5Strands.com. If we have sent you a promotional email, you may send us a return email asking to be omitted from future promotional email distributions. This opt out does not apply to information provided by us as a result of a product purchase, warranty registration, product service experience or other transactions.
-Targeted Advertising. If you do not want us to use information that we collect or that you provide to us to deliver advertisements according to our advertisers’ target-audience preferences, you can opt-out by adjusting your user advertising preferences in your account profile by checking or unchecking the relevant boxes or by sending an email stating your request to info@5Strands.com.
We do not control third parties’ collection or use of your information to serve interest-based advertising. However these third parties may provide you with ways to choose not to have your information collected or used in this way. You can opt out of receiving targeted ads from members of the Network Advertising Initiative via their website.
If you delete your User Content from the Site, copies of your User Content may remain viewable in cached and archived pages, or might have been copied or stored by other Site users. Proper access and use of information provided on the Site, including User Content, is governed by our Visitor Terms of Use.
DATA SECURITY
We have implemented measures designed to secure your personal information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration and disclosure. All personal information you provide to us is stored on our secure servers behind firewalls. Any payment transactions will be encrypted using SSL or other encryption technology, or will use our third party payment processors, who will use appropriate security procedures.
The safety and security of your information also depends on you. Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password for access to certain parts of our Site, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. You should not share your password with anyone. We urge you to be careful about giving out information in public areas of the Site like message boards. The information you share in public areas may be viewed by any user of the Site.
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we do our best to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information transmitted to our Site. Any transmission of personal information is at your own risk. We are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained on the Site.
NOTICE OF CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY
We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time. It is our policy to post any changes we make to our Privacy Policy on this page. If we make material changes to how we treat our users’ personal information, we will notify you by email to the email address specified in your account and/or through a notice on the Site home page. All changes are effective immediately upon posting to this page; the date the Privacy Policy was last revised is identified at the top of the page. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date active and deliverable email address for you, and for periodically visiting our Site and this Privacy Policy to check for any changes.
CONTACT INFORMATION
To ask questions or comment about this Privacy Policy and our privacy practices, contact us at: 1-866-833-8378 or info@5Strands.com
5 Strands® Affordable Testing and this website do not make any medical diagnoses nor are they intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider if you have a medical condition or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and/or medical symptoms. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or the emergency services immediately. Reliance on any information provided by 5 Strands® Affordable Testing and this website is solely at your own risk. Some of the content on this website may be provided by third parties and we are not in a position to verify this content. We do not warrant that any such third party content is true, accurate or complete. Our method of testing does not test for type IgE allergies. Since these reactions can be serious, you should seek the help of an allergy specialist.
DISCLAIMER
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CREDIBILITY
There will always be some minor variation from lab to lab. However, it is more important to know and understand what type of testing is being done. You can not compare a test that looks at immune system response with a test that looks at intolerance or non-immune system responses. The results will be different. It is always best to consult with your doctor before having any type of testing done to make sure you understand exactly what it is they will be testing you for.
A strict elimination diet is truly the only way to test for food intolerances with complete accuracy. While an elimination diet is considered the Gold Standard, it is extremely challenging for an individual to be disciplined in their food intake and control every aspect of their food sourcing. The amount of time required to conduct such a regimented diet can be very lengthy and costly, especially if the individual has no guidelines on how to determine potentially offending items. 5Strands Affordable Testing removes the guesswork and makes an elimination diet easier by providing the exact list of items that should take priority in an elimination diet. The accuracy of the results is directly related to the amount of interaction and diligence that is given implementing the results.
5Strands Affordable Testing follows real world case study outlines to record the successful implementation of the elimination plans and the results achieved. These case study outlines are a record of a human or pet and their experiences based on the implementation of their testing results. 5Strands customers have an opportunity to fill out a questionnaire after implementing their results. We also ask for a before and after picture.
-If you would like to take a look at our human case studies sent in from our customers, please visit: HUMAN CASE STUDY
-If you would like to take a look at our pet case studies sent in from our customers, please visit: PET CASE STUDY
This is entirely up to you. We work with many doctors and vets that utilize our testing in their practices. In our experience, holistic practitioners tend to be more open to our type of testing. Regardless of your doctor or vet's beliefs, they should be supportive to your journey of achieving better health. We know that traditional medicine has its place in the world, but we believe in getting to the root of the problem.
While there has not been a specific clinical trial to verify our testing services, a vast amount of documented research has been conducted over the last 30 years which supports the electromagnetic/electric/magnetic scientific field on which the testing is based. Today, energy medicine is officially recognized by the U.S. healthcare system as a subspecialty within the larger field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a center within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the federal government’s leading agency for scientific research on CAM. NCCAM reports that more than 42% of Americans use alternative medicine to address their health and wellness concerns. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) of the Congress of The United States produced a lengthy report entitled “Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Medical Technologies.” The report stated the following: “It has been estimated that only 10–20% of all procedures currently used in medical practice have been shown to be efficacious by controlled trials. Personal experience is perhaps the oldest and most common informal method of judging the efficacy and safety of a medical technology.” We are proud to report that we have received countless testimonials from individuals who have personally experienced positive outcomes as a result of utilizing 5Strands Affordable Testing for themselves or their pets. Please refer to the case studies that are reported on our website and shared on our social media platforms. If you would like more information or wish to share your success story, please contact our office at 1-833-600-8378.