Was I allergic to alcohol? I’d never thought about it until somebody asked me if I’d be interested in taking a drink intolerance test. Never heard of one of those before I thought. Turns out because there wasn’t one until now.

We all know about food intolerances - these days instead of living with bloatedness, cramps or vague unexplained indigestion, we can test for allergies to ingredients in food. But what about ingredients in drink? And it's not just alcohol of course – tea, coffee, fruit juice, smoothies, fizzy drinks – anything can make you feel unwell. But maybe that pain isn’t just a hangover ...

YorkTest Laboratories are pioneers in the field of food intolerance and have been around for over 30 years. Now they’ve just launched the first drink intolerance testing programme, DrinkScan. The process is simple. Order a programme, online at www.yorktest.com or by calling freephone 0800 074 6185, to receive a pack containing everything you need to prick your finger and send a few drops of blood back to the lab for tests. The test costs £219 (special launch offer of £199) and also includes a drinks diary, guidebook and telephone consultation with a registered nutritional therapist to help manage drinking habits and improve health.

A week later the results turned up. What if I was allergic to all alcohol? What if a chilled glass of wine on a summer’s evening was to be a thing of the past? No more hot whiskies in winter. No more champagne for a treat. I opened the envelope. I am allergic to nothing! It was just a hangover then ...